Tell the Stars to Shine (Summer Lake Seasons Book 6)

by SJ McCoy

  “I do.”

  “Then trust me on this?”

  “Okay.”

  “Don’t worry. I’m going to follow your lead on straightening out all the mess first.”

  “Thanks. I think I should lead with that, don’t you?”

  “Yeah. We need to let them know what’s really going on. Here, let me get hold of him and you go down to meet them. I think he’ll be okay with them.”

  “You do?”

  “Yeah. He’s going to have to get used to them.”

  She didn’t get the chance to ask what he meant. Her parents were getting out of the car. Her mom smiled up at them. “This place is wonderful!”

  Amber turned back and winked at Austin. She’d known they’d be impressed with the house.

  She ran down the steps to meet them and hugged them both. “Come on in. It’s a lovely place.”

  Her dad nodded. “It is.” He ran up the steps but stopped a few short of the top when Roscoe started to growl.

  “Is he safe?”

  Austin looked less confident now than he had earlier. “I’ll go and put him in the yard for now, just to be sure.”

  When he’d gone, Amber’s mom turned to her. “Are you sure you’re okay with that big dog? He looked dangerous to me.”

  Amber laughed. ‘He’s a sweetheart. He’s … oh.” It dawned on her. “He’s just very protective of Austin. I guess he could sense that you might be a threat to him.”

  Her dad frowned. “I’m not a threat to him. I just want to know that he’s not going to be any kind of threat to you, or your well-being.”

  “He’s not, Dad. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

  Austin appeared in the doorway at that moment and smiled at her. She wasn’t embarrassed; she was glad he’d heard her say that—it was true.

  “Come on in,” said Austin. “Would you like a drink or do you want to look around the place?”

  Her dad went to join him. “I’ll take a look around with you while the girls get a drink. Then we can switch.”

  Amber caught Austin’s eye, hoping that he was going to be okay alone with her dad. He smiled and gave her a slight nod. She’d hoped that they might all get together first so that she could tell them the truth about not being engaged. But it could wait a little while longer.

  Her mom slipped her arm through hers. “You can get me a drink, but I want to look around while we do. It’s a gorgeous place, Amber.” She glanced over her shoulder to where the guys were, then grinned. “And don’t tell your father, but Austin’s gorgeous, too. My goodness! You’ve not just upgraded from Milo, you’ve moved into a whole different league.”

  Amber had to laugh. “That’s exactly what Jade said.”

  Her mom smiled. “Well, Jade would know. She’s played in few different leagues herself. Unlike you.”

  Amber hurried her into the kitchen to get a drink. She didn’t want the questions about her and Austin to start too soon. She wanted to tell both of them together.

  “Oh, my goodness!” Her mom turned around in a circle. “You know your dad’s come looking to find fault with Austin, but once he sees this kitchen, he’ll want to move in with you.”

  Amber had to laugh. “I know. He’s going to love it.”

  Her mom’s face sobered. “He will, but the most important question is do you love this Austin? Is he going to be good to you? I never did like you being with Milo.”

  Amber stared at her. “You didn’t? I thought … I thought you liked it … because it was good for the business. Because …”

  “To hell with the business. The business is only important because it provides for us—provides for you girls. You’re what matters. You and your sister. Whatever makes you happy. And I never thought Milo made you happy. There’s something about him … Something shady.”

  Amber shook her head in wonder. “You’re right. There is. He’s not a good person. I never wanted to tell you that because …” She shook her head again. “It seems I had everything very wrong. I thought you liked him. I thought you needed him for the business.” She blew out a sigh. “I had it all wrong, Mom. I’m sorry. I thought you guys wanted me to come back there and get together with him.”

  “Hell, no! I was so relieved when you came up here. Don’t get me wrong. I was worried about your grandmother. But I hoped you might find a better life here.” She smiled and looked around the kitchen again. “It sure looks like you have. You know I want to hear all about how you and Austin got together. How he proposed.”

  Amber cringed. She knew she needed to tell them the truth sooner than later. “We should see if they’re done looking around, and I can tell you both together.”

  “Okay. But I have to warn you. Your dad was disappointed that Austin didn’t ask him first.”

  Amber nodded. She could hardly explain.

  Chapter Twenty

  Austin walked beside Amber’s dad out the back. He wasn’t anywhere near as bad as Austin had expected him to be.

  “So, is this where you grew up? Your family home?”

  “No, sir. I grew up in town.”

  “Where?”

  Austin smiled as he realized something. “If I have it right, then about three doors down from where you did.”

  Amber’s dad frowned. “On Sycamore?”

  “That’s right.”

  “My mom is Tonya Anderson. Well, she’s been Tonya Williams for nearly forty years.”

  “Jesus! You’re Tonya’s kid?”

  Austin smiled. It’d never occurred to him before that his mom and Amber’s dad must have gone to school together. They’d both grown up here and were about the same age. “Yes, sir.”

  “You might as well call me Bill.” He gave Austin a grudging smile. “You seem like you’re in a hurry to win me over, and I haven’t seen anything so far to tell me that you shouldn’t.”

  Austin relaxed a little. “I’m doing my very best. But I will tell you, I’m not doing anything for your sake. I want you to see and know who I am. I’m not going to try to be or do something just so that you’ll like me.”

  Bill’s mouth turned down. “Yeah. I already know that.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You didn’t exactly endear yourself by not asking me first.”

  “Asking you?”

  Bill blew out a sigh. “I’ll get over it, but in my book a man would come to his girl’s father to ask for his blessing first.”

  “Ah.” Austin’s heart sank. He could hardly explain that he felt the same way. Not without …

  “What? You look like you have something to tell me?”

  He shook his head. He did but he couldn’t.

  “You wouldn’t lie to me would you Austin? We’re not going to do very well together if you lie.”

  Austin blew out a sigh and met Bills gaze. “I want to tell you the truth.”

  Bill’s expression hardened. “What’s going on?”

  Austin pursed his lips and nodded. He had to explain.

  ~ ~ ~

  “Where do you think they’ve gotten to?” Amber’s mom asked her. “It looks like a big place, but it shouldn’t take them this long to do a tour.”

  Amber wrung her hands together. She was starting to get worried. She wanted to tell her parents the truth. But she needed them both here so she could. And she had no idea why her dad was keeping Austin so long. She hoped he wasn’t interrogating him. Poor Austin didn’t need that. He was only going through all of this for her.

  A wave of relief rushed through her when they appeared outside the patio door. They were smiling—thank goodness. And even better, Roscoe was with them. That must mean he no longer saw her dad as a threat to Austin—that had to be a good sign.

  Her mom got down from her seat at the counter and went to open the door. “Where’ve you been?”

  The way her dad smiled made Amber wonder what was going on. “We’ve just been getting to know each other.” To her amazement, he grasped Austin’s shoulder. “I
like this guy.” He nodded at her as if he was letting her know that she had his approval. She relaxed, relieved for a moment, but then she tensed again. They still had to come clean about the fact that they weren’t really engaged—that they’d lied!

  Her dad took hold of her mom’s hand. “You need to come out here a minute, love.”

  Amber started to follow them. She was surprised that her dad wanted to show her mom something outside rather than come in and see the kitchen.

  He waved a hand at her. “You wait there. You can get me a drink if you want. You’ve seen it all before.”

  She stopped. Wow. She hoped they weren’t getting Austin by himself to warn him off. She’d give them a few minutes but then she’d have to go out there and make sure everything was okay.

  “What do you want to drink?” She called after them.

  “You got any bubbly?”

  Amber made a face. “Prosecco?”

  Austin smiled at her. “Don’t worry about it. There’s some champagne in the fridge in the garage. I’ll bring it when we come back in.”

  “Are you okay?”

  He smiled. He didn’t seem worried in the least. Either he’d won her dad over, or he wasn’t aware what he was in for yet. “I’m great, sweetie. We’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  Amber poured herself a glass of wine. This was too strange for words. She just wanted to get them all in here so that she could tell them the truth.

  She sipped her wine and waited as the minutes ticked by. She couldn’t take any more. She went to the window, but they weren’t out there. She turned at the sound of a car door out front. Who was that? She didn’t need anyone else turning up. She just wanted to sit down with Austin and her folks and tell them the truth.

  The front door opened, and Jade came in. “Hey, sis!”

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Is that any way to greet your favorite sister?”

  Amber narrowed her eyes at her. “I still haven’t had the chance to tell them the truth. I need them to myself. I don’t want …

  “Don’t want what?” asked her dad. Amber’s heart sank when her parents appeared behind Jade.

  Then Lenny stepped around them and came to her and took hold of her hands. “It’s okay, Amber don’t worry.”

  Her heart was racing now. Austin came in after them and gave her what looked like a reassuring smile. Lenny stepped back and he came and took her hand.

  “What’s going on?”

  “You said you trust me?”

  She nodded. “I do, but …” she glanced at her parents.

  Her dad smiled. “It’s okay, Amber. He explained everything.”

  Her heart leaped into her mouth and tears pricked behind her eyes as she looked up at Austin.

  He put his arm around her shoulders. “Please don’t be mad at me. I needed to clear everything up.”

  She nodded.

  “You’ve been so torn up about it, and you didn’t cause any of it. I need you to know that I’ve got your back. I’ll make things better for you wherever I can.”

  She had to swallow around the lump in her throat. “Thank you.”

  He hugged her into his side and then led her through to the kitchen. She had to wonder what everyone else was doing here as they followed them.

  She stopped dead when she saw Dallas was already in the kitchen. Where on earth had he come from? And an older couple was with him. They had to be Austin’s parents; she could tell just by looking at them. She knew she was going to like them, but she couldn’t figure out what they were doing here.

  “I’d like you to meet my mom and dad.”

  She stepped forward to shake hands with them, but his mom wrapped her in a hug, then his dad did, too.

  “It’s lovely to meet you.”

  “And you. We’ve heard so much about you.”

  “You have?” She looked up at Austin. She didn’t like to say that she hadn’t heard much about them.

  Dallas grinned at her and stepped forward to hug her.

  Austin chuckled. “Put her down.”

  Dallas stepped back with a grin and went to stand beside Jade before he said, “Come on Austin, put the poor girl out of her misery. She doesn’t have a clue what’s going on.”

  Amber had to laugh. “I don’t! I feel like I’m in one of those dreams where everyone knows what’s going on except me.” She gave Austin a pleading look.

  He dropped a kiss on her lips. “Like I said. I straightened things out with your mom and dad.” She glanced over at them and they smiled and nodded.

  “I wish you felt you could have been honest with us, love,” said her dad. “But we understand. And …” He smiled at Austin. “It’s all worked out for the best in the end.”

  Jade grinned at him. “It will, if you’ll let him get on with it.”

  Austin turned back to her and took hold of her hands. “We said we were going to tell them the truth today. And I have. The thing is, I told them a little more of the truth than I’ve told you.”

  Her heart started to race. “What do you mean?”

  “Nothing bad, sweetie. I promise.”

  She relaxed a little at that. She did trust him.

  “What I’ve told your folks…” He smiled and looked around at the rest of their family. “… and everyone else here. Is that I love you.”

  He dropped down on one knee and tears filled her eyes. “I love you and I don’t want to be your fake fiancé. I want to be your real one. I know we haven’t been together for long, but I also know that you’re the person I want to spend the rest of my life with, Amber. I love you. You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever known—inside and out. I want to spend the rest of my days making you happy. Will you marry me?”

  Her heart was thundering in her ears. She couldn’t believe this was happening. His eyes looked so serious, shimmering gold and green. He was waiting, he started to look worried.

  “Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you, Austin. I love you.”

  He slid a ring on her finger and then stood up and closed his arms around her. She got lost in his kiss. It didn’t matter that her parents were right there. Nothing mattered other than this wonderful man—the man who was going to be her husband!

  Everyone hugged them and congratulated them. Amber felt as though she was walking on air.

  He hugged her to him and dropped a kiss on her lips. “I told you that after this weekend we’d be free to put all that stuff behind us and get on with our life.”

  She squeezed her arms tight around his middle. “You did. But I had no idea that this is what you meant.”

  “I had to make it right, Amber. For you and for your folks. For us.”

  Jade came to join them and handed them each a glass of champagne. “We should drink a toast to the happy couple.”

  Amber took it from her. “Did you know about this?”

  She laughed. “Not a clue until a little while ago when your man here roped me in to help round the family up.”

  She looked up into his eyes. “You really are a star you know. I love you.”

  He smiled, but Jade spoke before he got the chance.

  “I’m glad you said that. I’ve been meaning to tell you. Ever since you moved in here with Austin, you got your shine back, sis.”

  Amber couldn’t help but smile. “I feel like I have.” She reached up and kissed him. “Thanks to you.”

  He hugged her to him. “You’re the brightest star in my world. I don’t mind telling you that.”

  Dallas leaned in on the other side of him. “I have to tell you, you found yourself a good wife.”

  Amber gave him a puzzled look. She hoped he wasn’t being mean.

  Austin turned and punched him arm. “You’re just jealous because I’m taking care of Amber now and not you.”

  Dallas laughed. “Nah. I’ll miss it, but you two deserve each other. You’re perfect together.”

  “Thank you.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Austin’s heart was over
flowing with happiness. He couldn’t believe that he’d managed to pull this together as quickly as he had. When Amber’s dad, Bill had told him how disappointed he was that Austin hadn’t come to him first, it had killed him. He would have if he’d had the chance, and he’d realized in that moment that that was his chance. To ask for his permission and to clear everything up in one go.

  He glanced over at Bill. He wasn’t nearly as bad as Amber thought he was. He hoped that they’d become close given time. There was one thing he was still uncomfortable about, though. Bill had asked him why he’d gone along with a lie, and he’d told him about Milo’s phone call. He’d gone with the G-rated version, but Bill hadn’t bought it. He’d asked the same thing Amber had—to tell him word for word.

  When he did that, he’d thought that Bill might explode, but he’d put a lid on it after a few moments and gotten caught up in the excitement of trying to pull the surprise together. Austin had wanted to ask her right away because that was the only way he could make it all right for her.

  Bill came to stand beside him, and they watched Amber and her mom chat with Austin’s mom. “Thank you, son.”

  Austin smiled at him. “Thank you.”

  “We’ll get up here to visit more now.”

  Lenny came to stand next to Bill. “You won’t come to see me, but you’ll come to see your new son-in-law?”

  Austin tensed. He had the impression that there was no love lost between the two of them.

  To his relief, Bill smiled. “Maybe it’s taken my new son-in-law to wake me up to a few things.”

  “What things?”

  “Things like the way I’ve treated my daughters—and my mom.”

  Lenny smiled. “Maybe it wasn’t a one-way street.”

  Bill nodded.

  Austin loved to think that this might bring them closer.

  Amber came to him and he slung his arm around her shoulders and dropped a kiss on her lips.

  Lenny smiled at them. “Aren’t you glad I told you to go along with it?”

  Austin raised an eyebrow. “You’re not going to tell me that you knew it’d work out this way?”

  She laughed. “I didn’t even hope it would work out this well this soon. I just knew I didn’t want you to walk away because of all the drama.”