Chapter Twenty-Six
Rebecca
The cool air blew around. Austin cuddled against me under the thick blanket. It was New Year’s Eve, and the midnight fireworks show was starting in a few minutes.
North Reed had fireworks every year, but this year was a little different. Austin was in town. He’d arranged for the show to be put on by a nationally renowned company. Apparently, they did the Fourth of July fireworks in Philadelphia every year.
Austin was over the moon about it. I’d seen fireworks shows from other cities on television. According to Austin, this was going to top all of them. He talked about the pyrotechnics company like they were the best thing ever, but I didn’t know too much about all of that. I just knew that he was thrilled about it, and I appreciated seeing his smile after the week he’d had.
I couldn’t care less about the fireworks, to be honest. I was so happy that Austin stayed here with me and his family. I thought for certain he was going to leave me behind all over again for his deal, but he decided to stay after all. I cried when he told me. His mother hugged him tightly and told him she knew he was a good person underneath all the city nonsense.
We’d spent every night since then in my bed, making love until we passed out in each other’s arms. I’d kept on with work and my day-to-day stuff here when I wasn’t with him, and he sent his assistant Preston to Singapore to see what could be done about the deal.
I asked a few times if he was okay with the deal falling apart, but Austin accepted it graciously. He even told Preston to stay there for an extended vacation. It shocked me that neither man had taken too many vacations over the last several years. He kept showing me pictures that Preston sent him of the sights. A woman kept popping up in pictures. Austin joked that he might lose Preston, after all.
I worried that Austin was being too easygoing about the whole situation. When would the resentment kick in?
I looked around at the snow on the ground and pulled the blanket tighter around us. The air was chilly, but I always stayed outside for the fireworks. Austin’s mom cooked a feast for dinner tonight, keeping it clean and healthy for his dad. He’d been home a couple of days now and was doing great, though there were going to be some real changes now. After his scare, Mel was on board with things and willing to give healthy living a try. The three of us toasted with champagne, but Mel just sipped water.
Things had been tense for everyone while Austin struggled with his decision to stay. Even though he’d made the right choice in the end, the fact that he’d considered leaving at all still didn’t sit well. That hit his parents hard, and there were some bad feelings before they accepted that he was staying.
And the fear from Christmas was going to stick around for a while. Austin and Sally were both so relieved that Mel was okay and home. There was a little fight about some new changes in his medication, including a very new medication that the New York doctor discussed with the hospital doctors. It was not covered by insurance, but Mel and Austin had a long talk about it, and Mel finally agreed to let him pay for it.
It helped a lot that his son was going to stay here instead of taking the trip to Singapore. Once they agreed to let him pay for the medication, things seemed to calm down.
We talked about his dad now, going over the new changes and laughing about how they couldn’t make it until midnight. They were sleeping now, but Austin was certain that the fireworks would wake the whole town up. He was proud of what he’d done, and for a change, I appreciated his efforts. This didn’t involve him trying to use money to make up for his shortcomings as he’d done in the past. It was a gift to this town. It might shake things up so much that they never calmed down again, but I wasn’t going to let myself think about that.
I asked tonight, as I did every day, if he was mad at me for the choice that he made about staying. I’d been weepy about it since he told me that he was staying after all, crying in his arms a lot at night. I knew he loved me and would stay for me. He loved his family and maybe even North Reed. We didn’t talk too much about the future. He’d probably have to tie up loose ends in New York eventually, given that he’d lived there for the last several years. I just didn’t want to think about that day, not yet.
Austin looked at me before pressing a soft kiss to my lips. “I don’t care about that deal. I love you, Rebecca. I’ll find another way to make money. I’m brilliant.” He grinned at me, giving me the crooked smile that made me melt, just like it did back in high school.
“As if you need any more of that,” I teased him as our eyes locked for a moment.
“I need you,” he told me softly.
I blushed and smiled. “I love you,” I told him, happy that he rewarded me with another kiss.
I looked around at the dark night, thinking back to the Christmas dinner that we had a couple of days ago with Kim and Preston before he left. It was a little rushed, but Sally wanted to make up for the holiday. It was simple but delicious, and we laughed and talked through dinner. It felt like a family dinner, even though we weren’t all related.
Austin checked his watch and pulled out the bottle of champagne that he’d pulled from the fridge before we came outside. He poured some more champagne into our glasses. Then he rearranged the blanket around himself.
We clutched the drinks. I looked at the dark sky, spotted with stars, and smiled at the situation that surrounded me.
Tears filled my eyes as the first explosion filled the sky, causing a loud explosion. I jumped, and he slipped an arm around me and held me tight. Austin gave his life to me by staying, and I’d never forget that. He kissed my hair as we took in the bright colors in the sky. I had to admit that it was better than some of the ones I’d seen on television.
We were joined by his parents, who watched from the porch. The next firework formed a heart.
“Did you ask for that?” I asked him.
He chuckled. “Maybe I did.” Austin sipped his champagne and smiled.
“Was that for me or for your father’s heart attack?” I asked, teasing.
He shook his head. “Too soon, Rebecca.” But he laughed.
I didn’t know exactly what we were doing next. Austin was here now and seemed to have given up on the investment business with that last deal. I knew that he wouldn’t want to be down for long and not working at all, but we were all curious as to how that would pan out. I knew now that it wasn’t all about the money but also for the thrill of the chase. What would he chase now? I was hopelessly his already, and I wasn’t sure if that would be enough.
I never wanted Austin to regret staying with me.
Ever.
I focused on the colors in the sky. They seemed to take every form possible. I heard his mom gasp a few times and glanced back to see Mel holding her against him as he smiled in the dim light. They looked so happy, and my mind fast-forwarded to the future that I might have with Austin.
I still wasn’t willing to move, at least not without a lot of consideration. Austin had not asked that of me yet, though. Giving up such a big deal made me think that he was willing to give up every part of that life. It gave me hope.
One particular display of several different explosions made me giggle against him, despite all my worries. Austin pulled me close, whispering that this was only the first of several finales. I pressed my lips to his cheek, feeling the dampness on my own cheeks as I did. I rested my head on his shoulder and watched the rest, pushing away my fears. We heard a few cheers from the houses around us, in between explosions.
Once the over-the-top, but impressive, show was over, people clapped and cheered. This was always a big thing in town, but this year, it was bigger than it had ever been before. For me in particular. Austin leaned down to kiss me as darkness settled around us again, and I felt the heat between my thighs.
“Want to go have some of that cake Mom made for a second dessert?” he asked me before kissing me again, deepening it with a tilt of his head. This lasted several minutes, and I was relieved to see that his parents had disappeared inside the house when I finally pulled away for a breath.
“You are ruthless,” I told him.
He claimed my lips one more time.
“I was thinking we could go inside and have the kind of sex where you have to be quiet so the parents don’t hear,” he murmured before taking a sip of his champagne. “I remember you used to get silly on too much of this stuff. Want another glass?”
“Austin James Harris, we cannot have sex in your parents’ house,” I chided him playfully, knowing that it wouldn’t be the first time in the house, even though I was always careful about them being home.
“We’re not in school any longer, Rebecca. My mom is fully aware of what we do when we sleep in a bed together and damn near encouraging in her own way.” I blushed instantly. “You knew she was setting us up with that dinner, didn’t you?”
“Yes, but I didn’t think you’d be here on New Year’s Eve with me.”
He stood, holding out his hand to help me. We left the blanket behind. I carried the empty glasses carefully while he clutched the small bottle in his hand. We went inside the house and secured the doors. I always reminded Austin where I lived, but he said that after being in New York, it was just a habit of his.
We got some big slices of the decadent cake and sat down in the kitchen to eat. I looked around and thought about it being a new year now. I couldn’t believe that I was with Austin. I expected to be planning my sister’s move and trying to settle here without any family. Instead, she spent the evening with a former fling who asked her out again a few days ago. We always had dinner together the night after New Year’s Eve, and Austin would be joining us at my house for that.
But first, I had tonight with Austin. We sipped the champagne and ate the cake, laughing softly as we talked about the fireworks. I thanked him for them again. He kissed me gently, licking off a thick chunk of frosting from my mouth.
After we finished the cake and the bottle, Austin washed the dishes and led me down the hall to his old room. It was across the house from his parents’ room, something that we were relying on tonight as we closed the door. Austin paused before locking it and pulled me against him. “This is the best New Year’s Eve that I’ve ever had, Rebecca.”
“Even after all of those parties in New York and that thing that you have on the street?” I asked him, watching with a silly smile.
He nodded.
“I get to be inside of you tonight. That’s the best feeling I’ll ever experience.” Austin kissed me, backing me to the bed.
Before we fell asleep, Austin told me to take Thursday off for a surprise. I murmured something to him in response, too dizzy with exhaustion and champagne to think much of it.