Taking a Chance (33 page)

“Excuse me a minute,” he said to both of them.

“Austin, please don’t do anything extreme. I don’t want you to do anything you may regret, you are not in the right state of mind. I know how your temper can be.”

“I’ll be fine.”

Austin was displaying a level of calm he did not feel on the inside. He was afraid if he allowed his anger to surface, he would not be able to reel it back in and he did not want to scare his mom or Alicia.
Just a few more deep breaths.

He walked into the kitchen and set the box and glass down. Pulling his jacket off the chair he slid both arms in and zipped it up. He grabbed his phone and scotch and walked out the back door of the house. Austin walked over to sit down on the wooden bench and tilted his head back drinking the rest of the scotch in one gulp. He opened the call log on his phone and hit Charlie’s name.

“What’s up, Austin?”

“I’m going to destroy you in the music business for what you did to me.”

“Austin, what are you talking about?”

“Seriously, Charlie? How did you think you would get away with this? You almost destroyed my life.” Austin stopped himself as the emotion caught in his throat.

“Austin, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Charlie’s voice had risen an octave.

Austin was thankful Charlie was not in front of him in person because he was not sure if he would be able to stop himself from seriously hurting Charlie or even worse.

“Tiffany visited Maddie two days ago.”

“Shit.”

“Shit!” Austin yelled. “Is that all you have to say?”

“I’m so sorry, man. I had no idea you were so in love with Maddie at the time. I never would have done it if I had known. I swear.”

“But since you didn’t have the balls to tell me what you did, you let me suffer for almost three months? Three fucking months of my life! You drove me to give up my career and lose the one thing I had been looking for my entire life.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll help you fix it, I promise.”

“It? Maddie is a human being, you asshole. She can’t be
fixed
! You didn’t just mess with our relationship, Charlie! Maddie was hurt that night because I wasn’t able to talk to her before she went home alone. You’re the reason she was assaulted, you son of a bitch!” Austin’s entire body was shaking with fury and he couldn’t stop it now.

“I know. I feel terrible. I never meant for this to happen. We’ll figure this out together, I promise. I’ll help you.”

“Fuck you, Charlie! You’re done. You are fired. If I ever see you in the music business again, I will turn you in.”

Austin heard him start to argue as he hung up, but Austin couldn’t stand to hear his voice for another second. He stayed outside for a few more minutes to clear his head and let his anger calm. The cold air felt like a relief in his lungs.

When he walked back inside his mom and Alicia were both in the kitchen.

“I fired Charlie.”

“Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, Mom. Just doing something I should have done a long time ago.”

“Sweetheart, I’m talking about you and Maddie. Are you going to call her?”

“No.”

M
addie had struggled to fall asleep. Even though she was excited for Ashley’s first Christmas, there was still a void. Austin had not called. Maddie knew there was likely no chance for them, but she hoped he would accept their child. Although it had been the best relationship Maddie ever had, it had been short. They had hit too many bumps in the short time they’d been together, and Maddie was sure Austin would move on, perhaps had moved on already. She didn’t doubt that the pain he had put in the song was real, but there was no way to tell if he still felt that way.

She sat up in bed, eyes heavy from little sleep. That day would be her first Christmas away from Chicago and being away from home caused Maddie to miss her dad even more. But it also allowed her family to start a new tradition. She would never forget her dad, but she felt her mom was blessed to have another opportunity at love. Sid would never replace her dad, but there was a place for him in Maddie’s life. Her mom’s happiness was enough for Maddie, but she could see that Sid would also provide love, support and guidance for their whole family.

Scott was already downstairs when she walked into the great room. He was putting Ashley into her musical swing. He hit the buttons to start the movement and turned when she walked into the room.

Maddie walked over to the fireplace and held her hands out to the warmer air. She stared at the flames dancing in the fireplace and focused on holding in the tears that threatened. Watching Scott with Ashley reminded her what it would be like as a single parent. Scott loved Ashley enough for two parents, but it was still hard to imagine Ashley would probably never know her real mom.

Maddie knew Austin would be part of their child’s life, so she did not have that fear. But raising their child without him would be difficult as it would be a daily reminder of the man she would always love. Even if she managed to fall in love again someday, no one would ever compare. Austin could not be replaced in so many ways.

A few tears escaped down her cheeks. Her brother walked up behind her.

“Hey, Mad, I know this has been a tough few months for you, but things will get better. I’m sorry you didn’t hear from Austin last night.”

“Thanks, I’ll be fine.”

“Hey.” Scott reached out and pulled her closer to hug her. “It’s okay to be sad. You don’t have to hide your pain from your family. We’re here for you no matter what, so don’t be afraid to let it show. Okay?”

Maddie hugged her brother back and let the tears fall. “I just don’t know how I’m going to go on without him. I love him so much.”

“I know, but time will help. It doesn’t seem like it now, but the pain will slowly start to ease. Trust me.”

Maddie stepped back and looked into her brother’s eyes. “You really loved her, didn’t you?”

Scott dipped his head and nodded. “I know it’s crazy, but even after everything that happened, I can’t forget that I did love her while we were together. I could never forgive her for everything she has done, which helps me to move on. But yes, during most of our relationship, I thought she was the love of my life.”

Maddie nodded and looked over at Ashley. “I’m sorry, but I know you will be even happier one day soon.” Maddie smiled and met his eyes. He nodded and smiled back. “Since no one else is up yet, I’m going to run up and change.”

“I’ll be sure someone gets you before we start opening gifts. There’s fresh coffee in the kitchen. I made a pot of decaf for you.”

“Thanks, Scott. Merry Christmas.” She gave him another hug before she walked to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee on her way back upstairs.

Maddie chose a pair of comfortable jeans and an emerald green cashmere sweater. Even though she was not really showing yet, her jeans were tighter than they had been. Her breasts were also swollen, so the sweater hugged her curves more. As she knew her mom would take an obscene amount of pictures, she walked into her bathroom to put on a touch of make-up. Just as she finished, she heard a knock on her door. Maddie laughed to herself. She could not believe she’d been allowed an entire ten minutes to herself on Christmas morning. Her mom loved Christmas and was usually up at dawn just waiting for everyone else.

“Come in,” she yelled. “I’m almost done.”

Maddie walked out of the bathroom with a smile on her face. The moment she saw him, she stopped. Her heart rate tripled. They both stayed in their spot just looking at one another. Austin was carrying a full bouquet of red roses and had a few gifts tucked under his arm.

“How did you…When …?”

“I took a red eye flight last night.”

Even though he had been flying all night, he looked good. He was wearing jeans and a heavy gray cable knit sweater. Now that he was standing in front of her, she had no idea how she had survived the last few months without him. He was so much more gorgeous than she could possibly remember in her head. She wondered how long he was going to wait to touch her, but then she realized the flowers could just be a congratulatory gesture. She tried to remain strong.
No tears.

“Maddie, you look, um…amazing,” he managed to say.

He finally took a couple steps forward and held out the flowers. She took them as he set his gifts on the dresser. When he turned back, he stepped all the way to her and wrapped his arms around her. She tossed the flowers to the bed and put her arms around his neck while burying her head in the crook of his neck. Inhaling his familiar scent as she closed her eyes made her feel like she was home in his arms. Fresh hot tears rolled down her face. Austin broke the silence.

“I’m so sorry about everything that has happened. I’ve missed you so much. I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to go on one more day without you. You literally saved me by showing up at my mom’s house yesterday.”

He loosened his hold on her and pulled his head back to look at her narrowing in on the scar. He ran his thumb over the faint red line that still remained on her forehead and leaned down to kiss it.

“I should have been there, Mad. I should have been able to protect you. Not a single day has gone by that I haven’t felt sick about what he did to you.”

He leaned down and kissed her forehead again. He moved his mouth down and he brushed his lips over hers.

“Austin, there was no way you could have been there. You don’t need to keep punishing yourself for what happened to me. It will not change the past and you don’t deserve it.”

“I know that now. The reason I didn’t try to get you back these last few months is because I didn’t think I deserved you. When I saw the hurt and devastation in your eyes in Chicago, it almost killed me. Every day since then, I’ve wanted to fly back to you and beg you to take me back. But I would remember the pain in your eyes and couldn’t convince myself I deserved you. I need to thank you for telling my mom what happened that night. Knowing the truth doesn’t take away the pain we have both experienced, but it allowed me to fly here today to beg you to give us another chance.”

Austin slid his hands down around Maddie’s hips and shifted her, so she sat down on the edge of the bed. Keeping his hands on her hips, he knelt in front of her. He looked up at her through his dark lashes with question in his eyes. Maddie nodded her head with a soft smile.

He placed his hand on the outside of her sweater and emotion washed over his face. Lifting her sweater to reveal her bare stomach, he leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on her lower abdomen. He turned his head and laid his cheek on her stomach. He ran his thumb back and forth on the skin just above her waistband. Maddie brushed his hair with her hand allowing him the moment of silence. He turned his head and placed one more kiss on her stomach before he brought his head back up. He let her sweater fall back into place over her barely swollen abdomen.

“Maddie.” He took her hand in his and brushed the top of it with his lips. “I love you. The last three months have been the worst of my life. I can’t go on without you. I know you’re the woman for me and I look forward to proving that I’m the man for you. I’m hoping you will accept me, and the life I come with. I would be blessed to have you and our child as part of my life. I want us to be a family and I look forward to having many more children with you. Mad, please say you’ll be my wife. Will you marry me?”

He stood to reach for one of the boxes he had placed on the dresser. He turned back to Maddie with the box open. Inside, Maddie saw a sparkling princess-cut diamond. She glanced up from the ring he was holding out to her.

“Just because I know how your mind works, I bought the ring before you even arrived in Austin. I planned to propose at Thanksgiving in Boston. I knew I was going to marry you since the night you ran into me at the restaurant. I want to marry you for all the reasons in the world. We’re just extra blessed you’re expecting right now.”

Hesitation left her mind and she smiled.

“So, will you?”

“Yes, of course, I’ll marry you. I want nothing more than to be your wife.”

He slipped the ring on her finger and picked her up off the bed. He kissed her while holding her. He pulled his head back to look at her.

“I don’t suppose there’s any way I can talk you into getting naked and staying in bed with me all day?”

Maddie laughed. “Maybe later, but I don’t think there’s any way my family is going to allow us to stay up here and miss Christmas. Besides, everyone is dying to meet you.”

“Well, I assumed that’s what you’d say, which is why I brought my mom and Alicia with me. Alicia can’t wait to meet you.”

That surprised Maddie and she was touched they had come with him. “I love you so much.”

He set her back on her feet. “Baby, I will love you for the rest of my life. Your love is the only thing I need in this world.”

She placed his hand on her stomach. “That and the love of our child.”

Austin looked at her and nodded. “Maddie?”

“Hmm?”

“How?”

Maddie’s mouth formed a tight line before she went on. “Well, actually I think you may have Tiffany to thank for that.”

Austin’s head snapped back. “Huh?”

“When she came to see me she confessed a few other things. Do you think it’s possible that the condoms we used you had at the time you were dating Tiffany?”

Austin raised an eyebrow. “Why are you asking this, Maddie?”

“Is it possible?”

“Yes, not only possible, but very likely. I was so fed up with Tiffany that I had no interest in women until I met you a month later. I had not slept with anyone else in that time.”

“Then I think that is your answer. When she came to see me, one of the things she confessed included poking holes through the condom wrappers. She wanted to get pregnant, so you would never leave her.”

Austin’s eyes grew wide and he stared at her. “Do you really think that’s what happened?”

Maddie shrugged. “I guess. We did use one every time, so it’s either that or just by chance. Either way, it happened. Are you sure you’re okay with this and your career?”