The Reluctant Beauty (9 page)

***

Austin Rhoades stayed as far away physically from Peg as he possibly could. But, he did watch her. She was everywhere, keeping people on track, helping wherever anyone needed it, and buzzing like a bee around the store.

Peg Newbury, self-assured and in charge, loved what she did. She did it with humor and grace. Why couldn’t her family see this?

Whenever she came in close proximity to him, he stared.

Lusted was more like it
.

She was adorable with those big brown eyes, her ready smile, that cute little chin, and those incredibly long, sexy legs. But it was the woman herself who turned him on.

Her funny little sayings made him smile. Her sometimes bossy attitude was just a front. Things got done when she took charge. She kept people in line. Well, most of them. Her family was an exception. That’s where Peg was unsure of herself, in front of them.

Maybe he could help her.

***

“I found you,” Austin said, coming upon two people chattering amicably in front of the Charmings Wedding Boutique. They were at a lull and waved to the families as they headed to other departments around them.

“Moi?” Rico asked, putting a hand to his lips.

“No, he means me,” Evelyn said, turning toward her brother. “I’ve heard you’ve been busy.”

He shot Rico a glare. “You didn’t have to go and blab.”

His sister giggled. “Then you don’t know Rico at all.”

“Girl.” Rico nudged her arm. “I’m not a blabbermouth. Have I told him how you want to have a dozen babies of your own? Sooner rather than later.”

She winced. “You just did.”

“Oh.” He pressed his hand to his mouth. “My bad. Look, Austin, she’s been around the King babies, babysits all the time, and just can’t get enough of the stinky little things.”

“Ev, you’re not?” Austin looked down at her flat stomach, and then back up into her light blue eyes, the only thing they’d both inherited from their mother.

With her cheeks flushed, she said, “No, of course not. You know I love kids. Always have.” She shrugged. “It’s just being around the babies…well, my clock is ticking—”

“You’re only twenty-five. You’ve got years,” he pointed out.

“Years I don’t want to wait.” The stubborn streak flashed across her face and he knew there’d be no talking her out of anything.

“You are so like Mom in a lot of ways.” He smiled fondly. “She never backed down.”

“Especially when it came to us,” Evelyn agreed.

Austin let out a long, hot breath. “I can’t stop you.”

“At least you’ve got that much straight,” Rico chimed in.

“If Mom where still here, she’d want you to go for your dreams. So who am I to stop you? At least I can help you. Money.”

“Austin, we’ve beaten this subject to death. I want to make it on my own.”

“With a dozen babies?” He grinned, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’d like to see that.”

“Oh, girl, you’re not going to do that in vitro stuff, are you? You know, six or seven babies at a time. That’s more like a litter.” Rico shivered in disgust.

They chuckled. It eased the air.

“No, Rico, I want you to be the father of all my babies. How’s that?” Evelyn smiled smugly up at him.

His mouth fell open and he backed away, pressing a hand to his chest. “No, no. I’m Uncle Rico. U-N-C-L-E. Not Daddy Rico.”

“Somehow, I knew you’d ditch me,” Evelyn said. “But the babies need you.” Her smile, sly and wicked, stretched across her face. “Never can get the best of him. I’m loving this,” she said under her breath.

“You can torture him later. Right now I need to ask him a favor.” Austin nodded to Rico.

“You game?”

“With you? O-M-G! It’s my lucky day,” Rico said, clapping his hands.

“It’s actually for Peg.”

“Peg?” Rico and Evelyn asked in unison.

Quickly, he explained her family’s lack of faith in her and her work. He shrugged, saying, “I thought we could show them. Make sure they see it with their own eyes how much she loves this place and how good she is at doing what she loves.” Pin pricks of warmth crept over his cheeks.

Rico smacked him on the chest. “A hottie and a nice guy. Ev, honey, why did you keep him from us so long?”

She folded her arms over her chest, mimicking Austin’s stance, and stared, long and hard, at him. Her direct assessment was unnerving. “You like her. You really like her.”

Heat whooshed over his cheeks now.

“Oh, he
really
likes her,” Rico chorused.

“Forget it, okay,” Austin bit out and stormed away.

Why had he even bothered?

***

Austin skirted his way around Peg, which wasn’t easy to do since she was everywhere all the time. But he steered clear of her, only to be zapped when she did glance his way. Once, she nearly stumbled when their gazes caught and held.

His gut coiled tighter.

Finding her father deep in conversion with an older man in uniform, Austin stood and waited it out. He was surprised to hear them discuss cars.

“Ah, nothing like a good heavy Chevy,” Peg’s father said. “I wish I had kept mine. But with a wife and two kids, that old gal had to go.”

“I’m a Ford guy, myself. Mustang all the way.”

“Now you’re talking. Can’t forget them. What year?”

“Older ones. Classics. Like me, I guess.”

That had them all chuckling.

The men finally noticed him.

“Austin, my boy, things settled down finally.” He winked.

He didn’t realize Peg’s father had a sense of humor. All he’d heard was the soundness of economics, what direction the country should take, and, of course, Peg’s mapped-out future with a family, house, and a white picket fence. “Sir.” He nodded to both of them.

Slapping Austin on the back, he said, “This is my future son-in-law, Austin Rhoades.”

Austin winced and rubbed the back of his neck.
How had he let it get this far?

“That’s my little girl over there,” he pointed out.

The guy in uniform, Browne, by his name plate, turned to look. “Peg’s your daughter? You must be so proud of her. Griffin thought of this special celebration, knew what he wanted to do, but it was Peg who organized it all. She whipped us into shape. I could have used her in my unit.”

“Really?” Peg’s father asked, clearly taken aback. “I had no idea. I thought she only did that to us. Whenever she comes home, she’s ordering us around and getting the house organized or remodeled.”

She must have felt their stare; she finished up with a group of ladies and turned their way. Austin noticed she swallowed hard, but still marched their way.

“Got too much time on your hands, fellas?” She looked at the soldier. “Is your speech ready for the party tonight, Captain?”

“I’ve got the basics down.”

“Tell you what. Meet me half hour before in the hotel lobby and I’ll proof it for you. Make sure it sings.”

He smiled. “Thanks, Peg. I need to make certain I have the right tone.”

“Will do.” She scribbled a note on the top sheet attached to her clipboard. “Now, I gotta shake a leg.” She leaned over and kissed her father on the cheek. “Don’t overdo it, Pop, or I’ll have to get tough with you.”

Laughing, he said, “And you’re not now?”

Peg chuckled and rushed away, heading for the overflowing Beauty Bar.

“She’s something, isn’t she?” Austin spoke his thoughts aloud.

“That’s my girl.”

“You should be proud of her,” Captain Browne said. “Griffin tells me this place wouldn’t run like clockwork if it wasn’t for Peg. She’s got a heart of gold, too. My wife,” he stopped, choking up, “has been sick. Cancer.” He swallowed hard. “Peg’s been calling every day, checking in with her, keeping her spirits high, making her laugh, and even sending King’s care packages. You know—girl things, bubble bath, perfume, nail polish…just the right touch. No out-and-out sympathy, but real caring.” He wiped his eyes, nodding to the woman Peg hugged and whisked into the salon around the gathering crowd outside the glass doors. “That’s her. Lost all her hair this year to chemo.”

Shock rushed through Austin. The woman was small and frail, barely coming to Peg’s collarbone. And the wig she wore seemed too big for her head. But Peg looked down at her, smiling. The woman’s face had lit up.

Austin turned back to his companions. He nodded to the soldier. “Tough break. For both of you.”

“Why, I had no idea.” Peg’s father coughed, watching his daughter with pride shining in his eyes. “Sorry to hear your wife isn’t well.”

“On the last of the treatments right now.” He shrugged. “We never were able to have kids. Peg’s been like a surrogate daughter.”

“Bosses you around, too, I see,” Peg’s father said with a gruffness in his voice.

“You’re a lucky man, Mr. Newbury.” He shook hands.

“Thank you, Captain.”

“You, too, Mr. Rhoades. She’s loyal and honest, to a fault,” he smiled, “but with a heart bigger than the state of Texas.”

Austin swallowed hard. He didn’t have to have this guy point it out; he’d seen it. The problem was, he’d seen it and had been sucker punched in the gut with it.

He should be headed out of town, away from people, out of the spotlight. Somewhere where he could lie on a hammock away from crowds and figure out if staying in the band and being on the road for the rest of his life was the answer for him.

So why were his feet rooted to the spot and why was he falling hard and fast for this sassy, leggy, spitfire?

***

“Success,” Peg said, as they ushered out the last of the soldiers and their loved ones. Griff, carrying baby Ruby and with Priscilla at his side, led the families toward the luxury buses to bring them back to the house and hotel to get ready for the big ball tonight.

“Great job, once again, Peg,” Charlie, the owner of King’s and her friend, said, giving her a squeeze around her shoulders. “Remind me to give you a raise.”

“Ah, Boss, you kinda sorta did already.” Peg cringed at the thought of how much merchandise her family had used overnight and how much the King family allowed her for a new wardrobe. Rico had pulled a pile of clothes for Peg, and that was just for starters. Receipts were stacking up.

She had yet to see the evidence, but Rico assured her he’d deposited the new duds in her office until her place was back to normal and she could move back in. For tonight, she and her family were invited to bunk at Charlie’s house.

“Think of it as a bonus.”

Peg steered Charlie away from the departing backs of their guests and looped her arm in her boss’s and headed for the floor. “Look, pal o’ friend. I got to tell you, it was thousands of dollars in product. I’ll pay it back—”

“Quit, will you? You’re family, Peg. We help each other.”

Choking up, Peg said, “Geez Louise, you’re gonna make me cry, Boss. Thanks, for everything. Place to stay tonight, too.”

“Dolly will love the company. The more the merrier with her. You know she’s been trying out new recipes, right? She and Marcus are putting a cookbook together for King’s.”

“Mamma Mia, I gotta get in on the taste testing. I just gained five pounds thinking about it.”

They chuckled, coming upon the employees straightening up the store.

“Great job, everyone,” Charlie called out, waving.

“Thanks,” one called back.

“We had a great time,” another one said.

When Charlie lagged behind to say a few more words to some, Peg told her she’d meet up with her later. But, for Peg, she headed to the housewares department.

Getting off the escalator, she sighed heavily, bracing herself for the coming meeting. She loved her family, but right now she didn’t need their constant badgering for her to get married and start popping out babies.

The area was empty. She frowned. “Strange. This is where we planned to meet up.”

“They’re gone.” The sound of Austin’s voice yanked her to her left. He pushed away from the display counter and walked toward her.

There it was again. That fluttery feeling in her chest. “I…where…” She stuttered, and then stopped.
What was the use, anyway?
Staring at him was good enough.

He smiled, halting within two feet of her. Reaching out, he brushed back a flyaway hair and tucked it behind her ear.

She shivered at his touch.

Austin trailed a hand down her cheek. “So soft.” Leaning in, he kissed her lips, gentle and with a tenderness she’d never experienced before. “So sweet,” he whispered, his breath tickling her mouth.

“You…don’t have to do this. There’s no one around to see. No pretending.”
Geez Louise, she sounded lame.

“When it comes to kissing you, there’s never been a moment I did pretend.” He captured her gaze and held it. “It was all real.”

She gulped hard. “Me, neither, music man. No pretense here.”

He stared long and hard. Heat whooshed through her body and pooled somewhere near her solar plexus.

“For criminy’s sake,” she muttered, breaking the spell.

Moving away, Austin snatched up his black duffel bag. Pulling out his cell phone, he showed her the screen. “Twenty-seven frantic messages. The band.” He sighed; weariness seemed to surround him now. “I have to put out some fires. And maybe start some more.”

“No vaca for you?”

“Not this time, it looks like.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

“Well, whattaya waiting for? Go. Skeedaddle.” Peg hoped she masked the hurt in her voice.

Nodding curtly, he brushed past her and headed toward the escalator.

She watched his broad back as he walked away.
They forgot to break up in public.

He stopped in his tracks.

Her heart stilled.

***

Austin couldn’t deny the tug that shot through him, or the way his breathing changed when he was around her, or how his heartbeat jumped to his throat whenever she was near.

She gave him a rush. A rush that only music had given him until now
.

He couldn’t explain it, either. Turning around, he faced her again. Her eyes were wide and questioning. He dropped his bag. It landed with a dull thud.