It felt a lot like everything was coming up Austin.
****
Jax and I rugged up and headed to the campus café, jostling each other and laughing as we went. When we finally barrelled into the café, laughing, we saw Lily and Anne already there.
I could tell Lily was surprised to see me and I imagine the shock of seeing me laughing nigh uncontrollably was heavy. I smiled and waved at her while Jax nudged me at the sight of Anne, as though I hadn’t seen her.
Anne blushed and looked away.
“Now, that, brother, is the look of a girl who fancies you,” I whispered to him as we went to the counter.
“Is that so? Is that your professional opinion?”
“It is,” I laughed. “Do you have a better one?”
He nodded. “Only that Lily seems very confused to see you.”
“Hm…yeah, that girl will be less easily wooed…re-wooed…can you re-woo someone?”
“Woo!” Jax cried, throwing his arms in the air and laughing.
I hit him and laughed. “You’re a right plonker, Mister Cooper.”
“As are you, Mister Copper.” He bowed with a grin.
The girl at the register smiled as she gave us our coffee and we turned to see Lily smiling less hesitantly at us. I nudged Jax and we walked over.
“Why don’t you join us, boys?” Lily asked, throwing a look between Jax and Anne. I knew what that meant and was more than happy to assist.
“Thanks, don’t mind if we do.” I sat next to Lily, leaving the only free chair next to Anne.
Jax blushed bright red and sat down hurriedly, surreptitiously looking at Anne every now and then. A behaviour she was, undoubtedly unintentionally, copying.
“So, Austin, you feeling better?” Lily asked, holding her steaming cup between her dainty little hands.
No, face, focus on her face.
Not that that helped; her eyes shone, her hair was swept off her face and she smiled at me with interest.
“Better?” I said stupidly.
“I assumed you’d been sick?”
“Sick, yes. Quite sick. Stayed at Pemberley with Amanda for a few days to recover and just got back today.”
She nodded and seemed to believe my story. “I imagine Mandy’s a doting older sister when you’re sick.”
Jax and I shared a laugh.
“Quite the opposite. She stomps around the place in a huff, begrudging everything she does for us,” Jax said.
“It’s true, but she still looks after us diligently. Soup and ‘the paracetemols’, as she calls them, every four hours. She force-feeds us litres of water if she can. I’m surprised she hasn’t learnt how to administer IVs.”
“Good point; a much more sufficient delivery method and we’d complain less.”
“True, she could add the soup and the paracetemols in with it all.”
We laughed and high-fived.
When I turned back to the girls, I saw they were both looking at us in wonder. Although, Anne’s look seemed combined with the uncertainty about which of us was which.
“So, Austin, you heard Kate got back?”
“I didn’t, no…” I felt my phone buzz and I saw a message from Amanda.
Amanda: Oz, heard about what you did and am very proud of you. I’m glad you managed to save another idiot from his grasp. Now, go get your girl! I want to hear the two of you are spending a romantic Valentine’s together Love you, little brother, -M xxoo
I felt inclined to strangle her for that comment, but refrained from making a bigger thing of her ordeal than necessary.
Me: Thanks, sis. I’ll do my best, but I feel Jax will be more successful than me. Love you, too.
“Everything okay? You’re face has…that look,” Lily said.
I smiled. “Which one? The one where I’m burnt from showing too much humanity? Or just one of the jerk ones?”
She grinned. “You think you’re terribly clever, don’t you?”
Not clever enough to make you mine, apparently. “Yes, yes, I do.”
“Actually, you looked worried,” she laughed.
Amanda: Well, you’re not going to get her with that attitude. AND you owe Jax. He’d already have his girl if you weren’t such a pratt. Actually, you both would. So, stop moping and just do it! -M xxoo
Me: Aye aye sister! With her now, piss off and let me work my magic ;P
“Just Manda checking I got here safe,” I replied.
Amanda: Go and woo your fair maiden then, Merlin!
I snorted and put my phone away.
“How is she?”
“She’s good, says to say hi to you and that she expects to catch up soon.”
“I’d like that,” she said.
We finished our drinks and chatted until dinner. Jax and Anne were a little awkward with each other, and Lily would get weirdly thoughtful whenever she seemed to be having a good time. I ignored it though; I had no idea if she’d seen Kate yet or how worried she still was about her.
Chapter Fifty-One: Lily
Jax and Austin walked us to dinner. Anne and I walked between them, our arms joined. Austin walked next to me, his hands in his pockets and an easy smile. And, Jax, bless him, kept fidgeting with his jacket and his tie as he walked beside Anne.
When we walked into the dining hall, I saw Kate sitting with Gemma. Claire had texted when she’d dropped Kate off, so I’d known she was here. But, I hadn’t yet had a chance to see her. She looked exhausted, but I was no less ready to tear her a new one.
Especially as she seemed to be talking quite animatedly to the people around her. Marie’s face was her usual perpetual scowl, but the rest of them look enraptured.
“I’m sorry, did that girl just sigh at whatever Kate was saying?” I asked no one in particular.
“Can’t say I saw,” Anne said.
“I’m sure, now she’s away from it all, she’s romanticised the crap out of the whole thing,” Austin said.
I nodded and sighed. “You’re probably right. Well, I’d best go and see what my idiot sister has to say for herself.”
As though she’d heard me, the idiot sister looked up and waved at us enthusiastically.
“Oz, Jax, please excuse us,” I said through gritted teeth.
Anne and I went up to the table, just catching the end of Kate’s latest speech.
“…all want to get yourselves an older man. They know how to please you.” She was nodding as though the most knowledgeable on the topic.
“Are you kidding me?” I said, dropping into a seat across from her.
“Lily!” she cried as though I’d given her the warmest reception and she was returning it. “How I missed you.”
“Yes, I’m sure you did.” I frowned.
“Liam was such a gentleman.”
“That I find less easy to believe.”
“Oh, Lily! There’s no need to be jealous. Just because you had a little thing for him and I had sex before you, doesn’t mean you should be such a grump!” She laughed and looked about the faces at the table.
“If you’ll excuse us, girls,” I said, not looking at anyone but Kate.
I heard chairs scraping and only breathed out when we were alone.
“Not that it’s any business of yours, Kate,” I said, jaw clenched, “but you weren’t the first to have sex. As for Liam, I did not have a little thing for him. I lost count of the amount of girls he took to bed when he was here, and I don’t care about any one of them.”
Kate’s face fell momentarily, but she recovered quickly – my father’s stepdaughter after all.
“You’ve had sex?” Gemma asked just as Kate replied, “Green is such an ugly colour on you, Lily.”
“How were Mum and Dad when they picked you up?” I asked, ignoring Gemma’s question.
“Oh, Mum was such a bore. She frowned and wouldn’t say a word to me. Dad, though, agreed that it was a grand adventure and we should all go to
Australia next year for the holidays.”
“Oh, do you think I’ll meet a nice Australian boy to lose my virginity to?” Gemma sighed wistfully.
“Over my fecking dead body,” I growled, then cleared my throat and looked at my sisters.
Seriously? How could they be so stupid? It was like they thought sex for the first time was romantic and any guy who did the honours was their knight in shining armour. The reality was far from the fantasy; it was awkward, weird, unsatisfying, and messier than the movies imply.
I got up and walked out, not being able to hear any more of her bullshit. God, did she still not grasp how awful Liam was? Maybe you could get Stockholm syndrome in only a few days? If she was still going on about him like this, how did the Fosters get her on the plane home?
****
I rolled my eyes at Anne as we walked behind Gemma and Kate.
Kate was still going on about Liam; how wonderful he was – particularly in bed…yuck – and how they’d had such a wonderful time. She’d been back almost a week and it was all the same drivel.
I’d gone back to avoiding anyone associated with Rosings. I had no idea if Cass had kept my secret, but no one pointed at me and no one seemed to talk about me in any other capacity than as Kate’s unfortunate sister.
Anne squeezed my arm. “It’ll be okay, Lily. She’s probably just putting on false bravado to hide her pain.”
I scoffed. “If she’s feeling any pain then she’s hiding it bloody well.”
“We don’t know what she’s feeling inside.”
“So like you to think well of everyone, Annie.” I smiled at her. “Thank God for you.”
She laughed. “Well, we can’t really both be cynics.”
I chuckled. “If I didn’t love you, I might think you were being insulting.”
She nudged me with her elbow. “Love you, too.”
We walked on, heading outside and towards the café. I was dying for a piece of cake and I seriously hoped they hadn’t run out of their blueberry cheesecake. My thoughts were firmly planted on blueberry cheesecake as we walked along, so I didn’t notice the commotion until Anne nudged me again.
“Lily?”
“Hm?”
“Isn’t that Liam Anders?”
I followed where she was pointing and saw someone who certainly looked like Liam being wrangled by two of the school security guards – oh, yeah, we have security guards.
“Liam?” Kate squealed and turned. When she saw him, she took off running.
“God, desperate much?” I muttered as I took off after her.
I had no idea if Anne, Marie or Gemma were following, but I only had time to think about one sister at the moment, and that was the minger running toward the total wanker.
I caught up to her a few metres away from Liam. Crashing into her, I grabbed her around the waist, catching her arms, and sent us sprawling to the floor. She was taller than me, but I was more determined to keep her from him than she was to get to him.
“Lily!” Liam cried.
I looked up at the sound of part-anguish, part-hope in his voice.
“What the hell are you doing here, Anders?” I asked.
“Ugh, Lily, let me up!” Kate squirmed and I was thrown off her.
She was up and to him before I could pull myself off the grass. Heedless of the security guards, Kate pressed herself against his chest. But, he just watched me over her head; Kate was tall, but Liam was taller still.
The security guards followed the scenario with obvious interest.
“I just need to talk to you,” Liam said. “Please, just let me talk to her.” He looked at the guards.
They looked at me as though in question.
“Will you behave yourself?”
“I swear, I just need to say my piece and I’ll go if that’s what you want,” he said.
“No, don’t leave!” Kate whined.
I nodded to the guards, who stepped away.
“We’ll give you some privacy, but we won’t be far,” one of them said.
“Thanks,” I said, then looked to Liam and crossed my arms. “Well, what do you want?”
“I need to apologise.”
“Oh, Liam, you have nothing to apologise for!” Kate said, snuggling up to him in the most disgusting way.
If I could have brought myself to get closer to him, I’d have pulled her off him. As it was, there was a school of people watching the exchange and she was in no immediate danger. Liam stuck out like a sore thumb in his red, very Military College uniform.
Liam pushed Kate away, who made a noise of complaint. He stepped towards me and I shook my head. He stopped.
“I’m sorry for everything. You have to believe me, I didn’t mean for any of this.” He sounded earnest, but I just didn’t have time for his shit.
“That’s what you came to say?” I asked him, showing him just how unimpressed I was with his display. “You essentially kidnap my little sister, sleep with her and God knows what else, and now you have the gall to show up here and ask me for forgiveness?”
“But, Lily-”
“Goodbye, Liam.” I grabbed Kate’s arm and pulled her after me. She protested, but my anger gave me a vice-like grip on her.
“It’s always been you, Lily! Only you!”
In my surprise, I let go of Kate’s arm. I turned back to him stunned. Kate, though, it seemed was less stunned as she was in front of him and slapping him before my shock dissipated.
“Only me?” I asked, laughing, as Kate came to stand next to me. “You have a very funny way of showing it, Anders. God, even Austin Cooper does better at showing his affection!”
Still laughing, Kate and I joined arms and walked away from him. We heard him shout, but he didn’t follow us. We heard later that the security guards had taken him down and escorted him off the property.
“I’m sorry, Lil. You were right, Liam’s a total arse! He’s probably just upset that Austin…” Kate started as we came back to Anne, Marie and Gemma.
“Austin, what, Kate?” I asked, slowly.
“Nothing. Austin didn’t do anything,” she stammered.
Anne, Marie and Gemma looked at us with interest, but I was focussed on Kate. “Katie?”
“He told me not to tell you!”
“Sister’s don’t keep secrets,” I replied forcefully.
“You didn’t tell us you weren’t a virgin!” Gemma said quickly.
I looked at her with a ‘really?’ face. “Sisters don’t keep important secrets which affect the others.”
Kate sighed and looked about as uncomfortable as I’d ever seen her. “Fine, but you didn’t hear it from me.”
“Hear what?” Marie asked with excitement.
“Austin was the one who found us.”
“I’m sorry?”
Kate smiled as though it was all a game and I wanted to throttle the information out of her. Finally, she continued, “I don’t know how he found us, but there we were in this funny little seaside town and, lo and behold, there was Austin!”
“Austin was in Australia?” I said.
She nodded. “Yes, he and Liam had words, then he drove me to a hotel, booked our flights and put me on the plane the next day. Oh, Lily, he got me first class tickets and everything! And he had to fly first class on the way there!”
“What?” I asked, more incredulous than confused now.
She nodded again. “It was so lovely. I didn’t sleep a wink, I was so distracted.”
“I’ll bet you were,” I said wryly.
“Come on, let’s get to the café before it closes. I really need a cookie,” Gemma said, bouncing on her toes.
“You need a cookie about as much as you need a hole in the head,” I muttered as I followed them.
What the hell had Austin been doing in Australia? Jesus, how much money had he wasted on my worthless sister and her idiotic adventure? I resolved to find out and pay him back when I
had access to my trust.
But, no. I couldn’t do that. Austin hadn’t wanted me to know. How could I approach him about it when it was supposed to be a secret?
Ha! When would that usually stop you? I asked myself.
But, I had no decent answer, I just knew I couldn’t bring myself to face him about it this time.
Chapter Fifty-Two: Austin
I could easily make it back before dinner on Sunday, Aunt Celia’s wasn’t that far away.
Mind you, depending on how it all went, I wasn’t sure I’d want to stay the night. I could wait to ask her on Sunday morning…then run out right after?
Bloody hell, Oz, man up.
I stretched my neck as I drove. I barely stopped at Aunt Celia’s gate, just enough for them to know it was me, then I gunned it down the drive to the front door. By the time I got there – it was a bloody long drive – Aunt Celia was standing at the top of the stairs and smiling at me. Well, it was as much of a smile as she could muster, anyway; more of a sneer, really.
“Austin, dear, lovely to see you.”
“Aunt Celia, pleasure as always,” I replied, trying my charming smile on her. It seemed to work.
“To what do I owe this pleasure, dear nephew?”
“Shall we get inside first?” I asked.
Now I was here, the nerves were starting to creep in and I had no idea how to start. Aunt Celia led me into her sitting room and called for tea. She sat, as composed as ever, her eyes shrewd. I followed suit and we sat in silence until the tea had come and the servant gone.
Not being able to stand it any longer, I got up and started pacing.
“Dear me, Austin, what is wrong with you today?”
I stopped long enough to look at her, then resumed pacing.
God, I haven’t been this nervous since I told Lily I liked her…loved her. You told her you loved her.
Oh, I could feel this visit to my aunt was going just as well as that day had gone.
“Austin, for goodness sake, stop that pacing and tell me whatever terrible news you have to tell me!” she said finally.
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