Chapter Nineteen
Austin
I met up with Preston in his hotel room to go over the deal. We’d both slept in today. He showed up at my parents with some beer the night before. Preston was up before I was and in contact with the folks in Singapore.
I sat at his desk, sipping a bottle of water, and looked at his laptop. “So how does it look now?”
“They seem to be coming to their senses. I don’t think you’ll have to go running off anywhere all of a sudden. I wouldn’t want you to miss Christmas with your family.”
“I don’t think Mom wants that either,” I said as I looked at him. “She didn’t even bat an eyelash when you showed up with that six pack, and she doesn’t even like alcohol in the house. You’ve won her over.”
Preston held up his hands. “I had no idea, Austin. I never would’ve shown up with it if you warned me.”
I shrugged. “She got over it quickly once you dropped that accent on her. Did you have to charm my mom? I half expected her to offer to run away with you.”
“She is way too in love with your father. That much was clear. I also noticed how much she’s missed you. She was happy because you were last night.” Preston said.
I nodded and reached for my water. I wanted some coffee since I still felt tired.
“You seem much more chipper here, lighter,” Preston said. “I think being home in North Reed suits you.”
“It’s definitely a slower pace here. I can sit outside and just breathe in the fresh air, you know? There isn’t that sound of traffic and people all goddamn day and night. There’s less complication here and no Mia.”
I explained that she called me, asking to get back together, but I told her no.
“That is a very good thing,” Preston said. “Mia is definitely trouble. And the girls here seem sweet and genuine. Not like the women in the city. You never really know what those women are after. Maybe that’s why you’re so happy here, seeing that you’re spending time with Rebecca.”
I stared at him. “How do you know anything about Rebecca?” I wanted to ask how he knew anything about any of the local women, but Preston merely smiled at me.
“I have been to Jake’s a few times and people talk. I heard all about how you and she used to be together back in school. Once you two went shopping together at the market, that sealed the deal.” My mouth dropped open, and he chuckled. “I saw the two of you driving by as I was leaving this week, as well. I did the math.”
“You went to Jake’s Bar and Grill? That place is straight up country. How the hell did you even survive in there?”
Preston laughed. “The accent works on the waitresses. I just settled in and got to talking. I like the vibe there, Austin. You don’t need to know anyone to get in, there’s no cover, and the drinks are cheap. It’s easy.” Preston smiled. “The lads had a lot of questions about you. They wanted to know all about New York and the women. I guess you were on the news with the deal, and they asked me a ton of questions about that.” I frowned at him. “I didn’t offer too much. I know you like your privacy when you can get it.”
“Thank you,” I said sincerely, appreciating that he didn’t tell them everything.
“It was my turn to ask questions when Rebecca came up in the conversation,” Preston added. “She sounds like a sweet girl.”
“She is. She and her sister are coming to Christmas dinner with us.”
He sat down and stretched. “Very nice. I can’t wait to meet them. Is this the sister who works at the local library? I’m proud of you for using your money for good, Austin. That was selfless of you. Small town living suits you.”
“I’m not staying,” I assured Preston.
He raised an eyebrow at me. “Does she know that?” His voice was serious as he looked at me.
“I’m not making her any promises, Preston. I wouldn’t do that to her.” He nodded. “She’s a good woman, and I’m not going to lie to her.”
“Just stay on the same page. You have a history with her, and I sense that it’s a rather intense one. Don’t let the feelings get out of control with Rebecca.” Preston reached for his own water.
“I know. I’ve thought of all of that. She’s just not like Mia or any of the others.”
I didn’t know where I stood with Rebecca. I didn’t know if I wanted to leave her in a few weeks without any chance of seeing her again. I didn’t know what the fuck I wanted to do.
“You seem happy here. Your family seems happy with you being here. If you wanted to, you could still do business remotely from here and travel as needed.”
I shook my head. “Not with this new deal. That’s going to make me have to leave North Reed, as well as America in general.”
“So, maybe you offer Rebecca a new life altogether? Would she go for that?” Preston asked me.
I frowned. “She’s a small-town girl, Preston. She loves this town, and now her sister is going to be staying here. I can’t imagine her packing up and leaving to go to New York, much less anywhere else. I just need to enjoy the time that I have before I go back to reality.” I shrugged again and rolled my neck. “Want to go and get some coffee? I am wiped out.”
We both grabbed our phones, and I drove us to the local coffee shop. Preston walked inside and took in the various couches and tables, along with the books that lined the shelves. “This is nothing like the corner Starbucks in the city, is it?”
“No. This place begs for you to make yourself comfortable and stay a while. They have great pastries, too.” I led him to the front counter, and the moment he spoke to order, the eyes of the two teenage girls went wide.
“I’ve never heard an accent like that in real life,” the blonde said. “Nobody comes to North Reed.”
The brunette beside her spoke up. “That’s Austin Harris, Brittany. He went to our high school.” She looked from Preston to me and blinked. “You live in New York, don’t you?”
“I do.” I held a finger to my lips. “Don’t tell anyone that I’m here. I’m visiting my family and want a break from the press. Can you do that for me?” I winked at her and gave her my crooked smile that always got my way.
“Sure, Mr. Harris.” The girls took our orders, and one went to make the drinks while the other rushed to get the pastries. I dropped a generous tip into the purple jar and waited with Preston at the end of the counter, before taking our cups and plates to a table near the roaring fire.
I sipped the strong brew gratefully and closed my eyes. “I used to come here in high school with Rebecca a lot. We’d order coffee and just talk and laugh for hours. Sometimes, some of our friends would come with us.” I smiled at the memory of holding her hand under the table, both of us thinking about finding somewhere private to go where we could fool around.
Rebecca was great back then, and now she was an animal in bed. How the hell was I supposed to leave that behind?
“It sounds like a good way to grow up. I didn’t live in a large town myself. This reminds me a little of it, though I’d forgotten all about that life once I moved to New York.” Preston looked at me. “I don’t think it would be a bad choice to stay here, Austin. Your family could use your help, and they damn sure don’t want your cash as much as they want you. I noticed that within a few hours.”
“I know. Preston. I fucking know that. I offered to find someone to take care of the house and yard for them, but Mom said Dad wouldn’t have it. He’s got a bad heart and is supposed to be taking it easy. He looked so tired the other night. I worry that he’s pushing himself too much.” I shook my head. “I have so much going on already. What am I supposed to do?”
“I can’t answer that for you. Sleep on it and spend the next few days with the people you care about the most. It’s entirely possible that you’ll be fine leaving in another week or so.” Preston’s eyes looked worried. “Just don’t lead any of them on. Don’t make promises that you can’t keep.”
“I know,” I said, and I reached for my cup. “I know.”
I worried about Rebecca and my family, but what about the promises I needed to keep to myself? What path should I take for my own well-being?
Fuck me.
We finished the pastries and drinks and waved to the girls before we left. Preston chuckled as we walked out the door, admitting that he’d slept with a girl the first night he went to Jake’s. Preston wasn’t as cocky as I used to be with women, and he treated them well, but when he told me her name, I responded with laughter. It was the girl who Rebecca had been jealous of back in school, and she was quite easy, from what I’d heard.
“I hope you used protection. She has a reputation around town, and you will be the big story among her friends now. I hope that you can live with that.”
“I will take pride in it. She was a cheeky girl, and we had a great time. I have no regrets.” Preston grinned at me. “Will you?”
“No. No matter what happens, Rebecca is terrific. Reuniting with her is worth all of it, even if I end up leaving again. I mean, I live in New York. My business is there. What options do I have?” I stared at him. “I asked her to come with me before, when I went to college. I was willing to give her everything that she wanted if she would live that life with me. The only thing Rebecca wanted was to stay here with her family, Preston. She wanted to stay a small-town girl. I don’t think that’s changed this many years later.” I shook my head. “I saved the library to make Rebecca happy, but now I know that it will keep her here.”
“Just enjoy every moment that you have here. Think about everything and decide later, since you aren’t leaving right away. Life has a way of changing when you least expect it.” Preston shrugged. “Don’t run from it. Embrace it. You aren’t the same boy who left North Reed, Austin, and you don’t need to think like him.”
I dropped him off at the hotel, telling him to let me know if anything changed. I drove past Rebecca’s house, seeing all her lights out, and continued home. Once I was home, I got out and stood in the driveway. I looked at the soft layer of snow over the countryside and breathed in the fresh air. I compared it to New York and admitted that I loved both places.
What was I going to do?