Southern Hearts (Southern Love Series) (18 page)

She smiled as she put the locket that had belonged to her
mother around her neck.

"You look wonderful, baby girl."

Farrah looked up to see Austin staring at her. "You do
too, mister." Austin looked amazing. Actually, he was downright yummy in
his all-black suit and cowboy hat. "I feel like canceling the dinner party
and rethinking that whole no sex until after we're married thing."

Austin was thinking the same thing as he stared at the
beautiful knee-length dress Farrah wore, with its white lace and short sleeves.
The dress absolutely did her body justice as it clung to her curves.
"Sexy," he said as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"You're going to mess my hair up." She wiggled
out of his embrace.

"I like your hair straight." Austin kissed the
side of her neck.

"I love you in that suit." She turned in his arms
to face him. "For our honeymoon, just ditch the clothes and keep the
hat."

Austin laughed and hugged Farrah tighter. "Since we're
making requests, I want you in those brown cowgirl boots that I bought for
you."

"Deal." She squealed as his hands slipped under
her dress.

"You're mine." His lips brushed softly against
hers.

Farrah reached up and caressed his face and neck before
tasting his lips. He tasted like bourbon and honey. Farrah couldn't get enough
of his kiss. It was making her lose her mind. Austin gently took hold of either
side of her face and deepened the kiss. She moaned against his lips as their
kiss grew wild and passionate.

"Saved by the bell," Austin mumbled against her
lips when the doorbell rang. "Come with me. I want you to meet one of my
best buds."

"Hold on." Farrah stood in front of Austin and
wiped her lipstick off his lip. "All right, we can go." Austin took
hold of Farrah's hand, and they walked down the spiral staircase.

He kissed the side of her head. "Don't worry."

Austin pulled Farrah to his side and opened the door.
"Austin," Liam said with a smile.

"Liam. I see Melanie is still dressing you,"
Austin teased.

"Don't pay any attention to your fiancé," Liam
said, looking at Farrah. "I can assure you that my wife has impeccable
taste, but darling, she didn't dress me."

"Seems like our guys forgot their manners."
Melanie smiled. "I'm Melanie Owens, and this is my husband Liam."

Liam Owens was a handsome man with shaggy brown hair and
piercing green eyes. Melanie was gorgeous and blonde. Austin told Farrah that
the happy couple was expecting their first child in three months.

"It's such a pleasure to meet close friends of
Austin." Farrah was taken aback as the woman gave her a hug.

"I brought our favorite." Liam held up a bottle
of Jack Daniel's.

"Since they're drinking Jack, I have non-alcoholic
beverages in the back for us," Farrah said.

"I'll go with you," Melanie volunteered. "It
smells so good."

"Thanks." Farrah looked in the portable wine
cellar for sparkling cider and cranberry juice. "How many months are
you?" Melanie asked as she accepted a glass of cranberry juice.

"Only two, but how did you know that I'm
expecting?"

"When Austin found out about the pregnancy, he started
calling Liam non-stop for advice and wanted to know everything about morning
sickness." Melanie chuckled.

"My Austin is full of surprises."

"Girl, he sure is. My husband was so ecstatic when
Austin decided to make the move from Dallas to

Nashville."

"I do like it here, I must say. It's a new start for
both of us. I think we can have two homes, one here and the other in Dallas."

"Let's make a toast." Melanie held up her glass
of cranberry juice. "To the beginning of a new friendship."

"I'll drink to that." Farrah tapped her glass
against Melanie's and took a sip.

Farrah instantly took a liking to Melanie. She had a girl-next-door
type of personality, friendly but always keeping it real.

"We're practically neighbors," Melanie said
excitedly. "We only live eleven minutes down the road from you."

So that's the reason Austin purchased the ranch.
"I didn't know that."

"We can all sigh a breath of relief that Austin is not
with Rebecca," Melanie whispered.

"Was she that bad?" Farrah only met Rebecca a few
times, but from those few times, she had determined the woman seemed
self-sufficient, but spoiled. Beyond that, she didn't know.

"Bad enough that everyone was planning an
intervention! But it was called off when Hank called Liam and told him Austin
was falling for his match."

"I take it you didn't like Rebecca?"

"Let's just say she butt dialed me one time and was
ranting to her assistant about how she hated when Liam and I came to the ranch.
Did I mention the part where she called me a dumb blonde?"

Farrah laughed so hard she had tears streaming from her
eyes. "Are you serious? You're blonde, but you don't strike me as dumb."

"I needed that laugh," Melanie said. "I
don't really have friends here. Nashville is full of cliques. Girl, I swear,
everyone here is trying to be on 'The Real Housewives of Nashville.'"

"I'm not interested in that lifestyle." Farrah
checked on the food one last time before turning her attention back to Melanie.

"Did you cook all this?" Melanie said as she
looked at the vast array of food on the stove and the counter. Austin and Liam
joined them in the kitchen.

"Mel, you didn't know my future wife was a chef, did
you?" Austin said. "In a little while, she will send your taste buds
to heaven."

"Austin is being biased." Farrah kissed Austin's
cheek. "Why don't we have appetizers while we wait for Hank and
Natalie?"

"Baby, take it easy," Austin said as he
sidestepped Farrah. "Why don't the pregnant women in the room go have a
seat?"

"Fine."

Farrah left the room with Melanie in tow. She heard
bickering on the patio. Walking to the window, she peeked out to see Hank and
Natalie in a heated argument.

"Farrah?" Austin said as he snuck up behind her.

"They're arguing." She frowned.

"Come eat something." Austin ushered her away
from the window.

Farrah was glad that she had made appetizers. Hank and
Natalie stayed outside arguing until Austin called Hank's phone asking him if
they were still coming for dinner. They finally came in and said their
greetings, but quickly fell silent after that.

"This is romantic," Melanie gushed as she
observed the screened-in patio, which Farrah had converted into a lush scene
that made their guests feel like they'd stepped into a fairytale.

"Thanks."

Farrah had also decorated the table with a candlelit
centerpiece. She had spent an hour in the garden finding the perfect flowers
for it. She decided on white carnations.

"You did a hell of job," Austin agreed, pulling
the wicker chair out for Farrah.

Farrah gave the caterers the go-ahead to serve them. She
had prepared a sophisticated meal that consisted of spring onion soup, scallops
with spinach and arugula, pasta and spring herbs, and for dessert, she made a
cherry pie.

"Austin's right, girl, you can cook," Liam
groaned as he grabbed another heaping helping of pasta.

"Thank you."

"You should open a restaurant," Melanie moaned.

"I'm thinking about it." Farrah looked over at
Austin, who winked at her.

"I promise if you open one, I will invest," Liam
said as he shook his head.

"I'll remember that." Farrah looked over at Hank
and Natalie, who appeared to be locked in deathly silence.

The tension was so thick between them that even a knife
couldn't cut through it.

"Farrah," Melanie asked, "What do you do for
a living?"

"Farrah doesn't have to work, not when she hit the
jackpot," Natalie blurted out.

Farrah coughed violently as the cranberry juice she was
drinking went down the wrong pipe. Austin stood up quickly and patted Farrah on
the back.

"I'm okay," she said, waving him away.

"Nat, that was rude!" Hank said as he apologized
for his wife's behavior.

"Don't apologize for me." Natalie turned her
attention towards Farrah. "How does it feel to sleep with another woman's
man? Did you ever think about her when you were screwing your fiancé?"

"Excuse me?" Farrah stood up.

"You heard me. And you walk around here like your shit
don't stink." Natalie sneered.

 "Natalie, I don't know what's wrong with you, but
you're not going to disrespect Farrah in her own home."

Austin put a hand on Farrah's shoulder.

"No." Farrah looked at Natalie. "Let's get
this straight right here and right now. I'm not perfect and will never claim to
be. I've made mistakes just like anyone in this room. But I'm not with Austin
because his pocket is deep; I'm with him because I'm in love with him."
Farrah stepped closer to Natalie. "I'm going to school you. I had my own
shit before Austin—and my own business."

"Farrah, maybe you should calm down," Austin said
as he saw Farrah's body vibrating with anger.

"No!" she said, not paying attention to him.
"I know you're hurting and miserable, Natalie. My momma used to say misery
loves company, and I'll be damned if I'm going to accompany you."

"You are a horrible person!" Natalie said as she
ran out of the room.

Farrah sat back down at the table, but she didn't touch her
food. Her appetite was long gone.

"I'm sorry."

"If it wasn't you giving her a piece of your mind, it
would've been me," Melanie said.

"Farrah, I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with
Natalie." Hank stood up to leave.

The dinner that Farrah planned was ruined. Everyone at the
table tried to make small talk, but it was no use.

Sitting in the living room with Melanie, they talked about
pregnancy symptoms before the conversation was steered to another topic that
Farrah dreaded.

"Are you scared?" Melanie asked.

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't." Farrah
sighed. "When Austin told me he loved me for the first time, I didn't say
anything to him. I thought his love was a front."

"Until he tore down every barrier that you had
up?"

"Yeah, until our affair was brought to light. I put
those barriers right back up." Farrah bit down on her lip. "I never
had so many people hating me and vandalizing my property that I worked so hard
for. I lost everything because of my relationship with Austin."

"Was it worth it?" Melanie asked.

"Yes, at the end of day, love is worth fighting for.
It may come with complications and misunderstandings, but it's worth fighting
for." Farrah admitted. "He was worth fighting for."

"Can I ask you something?" Melanie asked

"Anything."

Farrah was prepared for Melanie's opinion, but then again,
she wasn't.

"It seems like your relationship with Austin is
different. He didn't lie or deceive you into thinking this or that. You
shouldn't have to worry about him straying away from you, or that silly idea
that 'how you got him is how you will lose him.' Rebecca never had him from the
get-go."

"We're getting married in one week, and I'm nervous,
petrified, and happy at the same time."

"Just talk to Austin and let him know your
fears."

"I will. Thank you for the girl-to-girl talk. Lord
knows I needed this."

She really did need the talk. She hadn't made any close
friends since her mother's death. Witnessing so much violence had prevented her
from making strong attachments. Maybe it was time to change that.

***

Farrah sat on the bed next to Austin, who was strumming
away on the guitar.

"What's the name of the song?"

"I haven't decided yet. Do you have any ideas?"
he asked.

"'Come Home.'"

"My darling just named a surefire hit on my next
album." Austin put his guitar down and pulled Farrah onto his lap. "I
wrote it for you."

"Sing it for me. I like hearing your voice," she
said softly.

"Close your eyes and picture hearing me playing on my
guitar and fiddles playing along with me."

"Okay." Farrah closed her eyes.

"Baby, I need you to come home

"I'm alone with without you here

"I never thought you would walk away from our love

"I'm going to fight for this love."

Farrah nodded her head to the lyrics as Austin sang to her.
His voice was warm like bourbon. When he finished the song, she clapped her
hands. "I love it."

"It's about you. Shit, my whole new album is about
you." He kissed the side of her face.

"Austin, I'm scared," Farrah blurted out.
"I'm scared that I will mess this up. I know you're the one I have been
waiting for my whole life. I can't help but be scared."

"Do you think I will cheat on you?"

"No, I just never open up with anyone but you."
Farrah turned in his arms to look at him. "I don't want to enter this
wedding with this on my chest. I trust you with my heart and life."

"Farrah, when I put that ring on your finger, it was
my lifetime commitment to you and only you. When I saw you for the first time,
I knew you were the one. I gained a best friend and a lover in this amazing
woman. Don't listen to the naysayers. This is our life, and we will write our
history together."

Farrah knew Austin was right. If her marriage didn't work
with Austin, it would be because of her and the ill feelings she had in the
back of her mind. She trusted him, and she knew her man was as loyal and honest
as they came. Wrapping her arms around Austin, she enjoyed the closeness
between them.

"We can do the magazine interview," she said
against his neck.

"I'll let Samuel know." Austin knew this was a
huge step for Farrah.