The Girl With Diamonds (Midtown Brotherhood Book 2) (16 page)

Chapter Nineteen

AUSTIN’S WELCOME

Shrill screams. It was worse than a Michael Myers film. Magnolia and her older sisters Scarlett and Ophelia were a deadly trio. At some point in their lives, they probably looked like stair steps, but now, they could be triplets. Austin stood back as the three girls hugged and screamed and then hugged some more. Scarlett and Ophelia volunteered to pick them up at the airport. Well, volunteered was probably the wrong word.

Scarlett and Ophelia demanded they allow them to pick them up. Ophelia, the oldest of the three, pulled away first. “Where is he?”

Magnolia, who still laughed at Scarlett’s new red highlights in her dark hair, turned around. “What?”

“Where is he?” Ophelia searched around them. “Surely, you didn’t lose him on the plane?”

“Oh. Austin.” Magnolia rolled her eyes at Ophelia and then turned around looking for him.

Austin hadn’t realized it, but he’d backed away from them about ten feet. He blended in with the crowd as they hurried back and forth through the terminal. Magnolia smiled. “He’s the big scared-lookin’ one there.”

Ophelia and Scarlett found him. He sank a little further back into the crowd.

“Austin!”

He wasn’t sure how they managed to hug him, shake his hand, and take his luggage in one swift swoop. It was as if he were caught in the vortex of twin tornadoes. He waved in the general direction of the madness. “Hello.”

“Look at you.” Ophelia had cropped black hair. She was at least three inches shorter than Magnolia. She stepped up on her tiptoes and poked him. “You’re real.”

Then Scarlett poked him. “And big. Like ‘damn, boy’ big. How did you fit on the plane?”

“Did she pay you to do this?” Ophelia eyed him with skepticism. “Is this like a Hallmark Christmas movie in the making?”

Scarlett was on her tiptoes, attempting to look him in the eye. “You don’t look Canadian.”

“Okay. That’s enough.” Magnolia pushed her sisters apart. Then she looked at him, her gaze filled with humor. “I warned you.”

In fact, she did. He’d asked her about her family on the plane, trying to get her mind off the article she’d shown him. He was glad she finally trusted him enough to tell him, but he didn’t want this trip ruined by old news. They were finally out of Manhattan, which meant they could go pretty much wherever and not worry about a photographer lurking around the next corner.

“You’re probably right.” Ophelia started picking up luggage. “We don’t want to scare him off before Mom gets to see him.”

“True.” Scarlett grabbed his arm and started directing him toward the exit. “Mom has her auxiliary club on standby.”

“Sounds like her.” Magnolia threw her bag over her shoulder and led the way. “If we’re lucky, we’ll make the newsletter.”

Ophelia playfully slapped Magnolia’s shoulder. “Hush. Mom has waited a long time for this. Don’t ruin it for her.”

“Yeah, Magnolia.” Austin mocked her sister’s scolding tone. “I would hate to have to show your mother that agreement you signed on the plane.”

Magnolia shot him a look. Hellfire in her eyes.

Scarlett looked between them. “What agreement?”

Austin simply smiled at Magnolia. She pursed her lips. The games between them would never end. At least he hoped they never would. Magnolia turned back around and stalked toward the exit.

Ophelia’s smile was slow, but satisfied. “I like you. You’re good for her.”

Austin grinned back. “I hope so.”

Scarlett started walking backward, looking at him. “But we’re going to need to see that agreement.”

***

Still a little groggy, and more than likely hung over, Magnolia slipped off to take a shower and get ready for the party that afternoon, leaving him alone in his own guest room. It had been wrong and presumptuous of him to assume he’d get to stay in the same room as Magnolia. He’d only spent the one night at her apartment, and even then they’d fallen asleep on the couch watching
Frosty the Snowman
. That didn’t exactly count as sleeping over. Hell, he still hadn’t managed to kiss her yet.

He wanted to kiss her. He thought about it constantly. He thought about that and when she would get around to giving him an answer about their relationship status.

Austin rolled his eyes. If only his teammates knew the things he worried about now. His fucking relationship status. He did care, though, no matter how much teasing it would garner. Magnolia saying yes was the first step toward her not leaving New York in the spring. It meant he was reason enough to stay.

He looked up to find himself pacing the room, his hands stuffed in his pockets. He stepped back and took a long, deep breath. He’d never been good at waiting. He raised his gaze to the wall, to the tailored picture frame next to the bookshelf. He instantly smiled at the sight of an obviously younger Magnolia. Her hair was even longer than it was now, and braided down the side.

He eased closer, inspecting the photo. She wore a Bulldogs t-shirt and held a red Solo cup up in salute toward the camera. She was the same beautiful, vibrant woman he knew now. If he had met her then, a couple years ago when they were both in college, would they have had the same instant connection? He moved on to the next picture. It was a close-up, and Magnolia had her tongue stuck out, making a silly face.

It would have been the same. He would have noticed her then too. He’d notice Magnolia no matter the time or the place. It hadn’t been because he was in the market for a distraction. It had been because it was simply impossible for him not to notice her.

He moved over to look at the last set of pictures, a collage all taken at the beach. That’s when he noticed the guy. The same guy in all four pictures. He made a face. The kind of disgusted face anyone would make at the sight of the girl they wanted with someone else. He was human. He was allowed to make faces. He instantly turned away from it. There wasn’t any reason to be jealous, but it still didn’t mean he wanted to look at it.

The guy had a stupid haircut, anyway. Who didn’t cut the front of their hair?

Austin focused his nervous energy on getting ready, pulling his suitcase into the bathroom and closing the door.

It would be rude to take the picture down.

As soon as he finished, he found himself not so secretly making his way down the hallway toward Magnolia’s room. The door was cracked open, and slow music came from inside. He found her in the bathroom, standing in front of a floor length mirror. He sat down on the sink, his arms crossed over his chest. Magnolia dabbed perfume on her neck. It was fruity and soft. She handed a string of pearls to him. “Do you mind?”

He slid the tiny pearls between his fingers, amused. “No diamonds tonight?”

She smiled as she finished applying her lip gloss. “It’s a special occasion. My dad bought me those for my high school graduation.”

“Ah.” He stepped up behind her, admiring the silky, black skirt that revealed more of her thigh than should be legal. The red shirt clung to her. He brushed his fingers over the fabric that covered her shoulders as he placed the string of pearls around her neck. Magnolia pulled her hair around so he could see to fasten the latch. His fingers traced her neck, down her spine.

“Austin.”

It was a warning.

“Hmm?”

She looked at him through the mirror, her beauty sharp and fatal. He expected her to scold him, but her smile was warm. “Thank you for coming with me.”

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, he wrapped his arms around her waist. “Wasn’t this my idea?”

“I know.” She sighed, and then leaned back against him. “I didn’t realize how much I would like having you here.”

He bent down, his lips grazing the nape of her neck. “It’s only been a couple hours. I haven’t even gotten to use my Canadian charm on your mom yet.”

Magnolia snorted. “Trust me. Any kind of charm would work on her at this point. You made her year by showing up.”

He swayed with her, the music drifting through the open bedroom door. “Can I ask you a question?”

Her eyes closed. She leaned her head against his chest. He could smell the perfume better now. “Sure.”

“Who is the douche bag in all those pictures with you in the guest room?”

Magnolia’s eyes popped open. “What?”

He smiled at her reflection. “I’m not jealous. I just figured I should know the guy’s name if I’m gonna have to stare at his stupid face all weekend.”

Magnolia groaned. “I told Scarlett to take those photos down.”

He laughed against the collar of her shirt. “You may need to remind her. Who is he?”

“Felix.” She grimaced like just saying the name made her ill.

“Like the cat?”

Magnolia shook her head, laughing. “Yes, like the cat.”

Austin chuckled. “You’re really making this ‘make fun of your ex’ thing too easy for me.”

Magnolia playfully elbowed him. “He’s not my ex. We grew up together. His mom and my mom are in all the same clubs. He’s sort of part of the family.”

Again she groaned. A foreboding groan.

“Wait.” Austin scooted back, holding her at arm’s length. “Is he the one who set you up that night before graduation?”

Magnolia bit the inside of her cheek. “Let’s put it this way. He better not be at this party.”

Now he wished he would have taken a closer look at that picture. He wasn’t about to let anyone ruin their weekend. More importantly, he wasn’t going to let anyone ruin Magnolia’s trip home. There was a light knock on the door. He wasn’t ready for their moment to end yet. When he put his arms back around her and kissed her neck, she elbowed him.

“Behave.” She turned and giggled against his cheek. “What if that’s my mom?”

He shrugged and she elbowed him again, laughing. “Go check.”

Austin peeked around the corner of the bathroom to find Scarlett grinning from ear to ear. “Am I interrupting?”

He grinned back. “Yes.”

She beamed at him, and they shared a mutual, knowing smile. Scarlet knew how he felt about Magnolia. He wasn’t trying to hide it, but it surprised him that he was so obvious. Magnolia’s hand touched his side as she looked around him toward the door. “What’s up?”

Scarlet simply continued to grin like she knew some deep, dark secret. “Dad is looking for you.”

Magnolia not so casually leaned into him. “Okay. Tell him I’ll be down in a minute.”

Scarlett’s grin widened. “Not you.” She pointed a finger directly at his chest. “Him.”

Austin cleared his throat. “Me?”

Scarlett leaned against the frame, studying her nail polish. “What can I say? News travels fast.”

Austin slowly turned toward Magnolia. “You did tell your dad I was coming, right?”

Magnolia bit her lip, innocently looking up at him. “I told my mom. I’m sure she mentioned it to him.”

“That isn’t what I asked. Did you tell your father you were bringing a guy to his birthday party?”

Magnolia’s nose scrunched up. “Technically?”

Austin’s head fell against the doorframe. Then he banged it against it a couple times. Shit.

Scarlett’s laugh was deep. “He’s waiting in the den. I wouldn’t make him wait too long if I were you.”

Scarlett disappeared, and he rounded of Magnolia. “Why didn’t you tell him?”

“Because.” She made an apologetic face. “He’s my dad.”

His stare didn’t falter.

“I’m the baby,” she said, pleading now.

He pulled her back in front him, his fingers flexing against her thighs. “Fine. I’m going down there and I’ll face him like a man.” He paused. “Under one condition. No, two conditions.”

She tried to hold back her smile. “That isn’t how it works.”

He ignored her. “I’m not sleeping in that guest room tonight. It’s not happening. I can’t sleep with Captain Big Teeth staring at me all night.”

Magnolia opened her mouth to speak, but he placed his finger over it. “I’m not saying anything has to happen between us, except maybe spooning. I like to be little spoon when I’m drunk, and after this I’m probably going to need to get drunk.”

Magnolia smiled behind his finger. “And your second condition?”

“I’m still waiting on an answer to my question. I’m still waiting on that yes.” His hand ran up her back. “Before the night is over. Agreed?”

She tilted her chin up. “Impatient, are we?”

His teeth grazed the edge of her chin. “Impatient. Greedy. Whatever gets me what I want.”

Magnolia smiled, nuzzling her face closer to him, urging him to place his lips on her skin. He would never deny her that. He kissed the small spot just below her earlobe, and her fingers twisted in the fabric of his shirt. She slowly pulled away, eyes suddenly full of steel. She took a ragged breath. “You should go. Don’t keep him waiting.”