Sixteen

Austin

“So, you and Julia again?” Patrick asked the next week after work.

“Yep.”

“And it’s going well?”

I shrugged nonchalantly. “She screams at me in much better ways now.”

Patrick laughed. “Good for you, man. I knew no one else would ever really do it for you after Julia.”

“You never said anything.”

Patrick shrugged. I gave him a skeptical look as I poured us both shots of whiskey from the stash in my office.

“I told Julia I was going to give up alcohol. I should probably get rid of all this shit.”

“That’s…a big deal, Austin.”

“Yeah. I know.”

Patrick took the shot I’d handed to him, and we each knocked one back. I’d been feeling like absolute shit all day. Withdrawals were a horrible, horrible fucking thing.

“Clearly, you’re not going cold turkey,” Patrick said, setting the shot down.

“No. I’m cutting back. Try to wean myself off of it. Not drinking around Jules. It’s easier being sober when I’m with her.”

“Harder at home, I’d imagine.”

“And work.”

“Well, let’s trash this shit on the way to Jensen’s office then.”

We gathered up the last of my supplies and took them to the restroom. I felt a horrible pang go through me as we dumped the whiskey down the sink. The clink of the bottles in the trash can made my nerves shake. I knew I could do this. I was strong enough. But, fuck…

“So…” Patrick said as he pressed the button for the elevator, “I was talking to Mindi—”

I punched Patrick in the arm. “You are not seeing her again, are you?”

“She’s a really good lay, man.”

“She threatened to stab you with a butcher knife!” I cried in exasperation.

Patrick might be my best friend, but he was such an idiot sometimes.

“Okay. Well, that was…unfortunate.”

“Unfortunate,” I said with a snort.

“Anyway, Mindi said you stayed at their place.”

“I got wasted and crashed there. Mags wasn’t even around.”

Patrick shot me a look that said, I’ve been your best friend your whole life. I’m not an stupid.

“She wasn’t,” I insisted.

“All right, dude. I believe you.”

“Believe him about what?” Morgan asked, appearing at our side as we passed her office.

“That Austin isn’t going to fuck up with Julia.”

“You and Julia are back together?”

I nodded, as it was obvious. We’d spent all weekend together, getting reacquainted with each other’s bodies and talking through the night. I’d felt like absolute shit on Saturday morning. Cold turkey had not been an option for me, but I had significantly reduced the amount of alcohol I was drinking. It was a start at least. And, if I didn’t get wasted, then I couldn’t do something stupid like end up at Mags’s apartment again.

“Great!” Morgan said with enthusiasm. “I actually like her. She’s not a dipshit or fucking crazy.”

“I’m so glad I’m being met with Her Majesty’s approval,” I said sarcastically.

“Hey, dickface, don’t make me kick your ass.”

“Bring it, Mini Wright.”

She glared at me. I knew she hated the nickname that Patrick had bestowed upon her.

“I will end you.”

“Oh, Jesus, what trouble are you two getting into?” Landon asked. He had his arms crossed and was leaning against the closed door to Jensen’s office.

“Austin started it!” Morgan cried.

“What are you? Twelve?” I asked.

She stuck her tongue out at me as Jensen’s door opened. Landon stumbled back into the empty space.

“Calm down, children,” Jensen said sarcastically.

“Austin’s dating Julia!” Morgan said.

“I didn’t realize I needed to make an official announcement.”

Jensen stuck his hand out, and we shook.

“Congrats, man. I really like Julia.”

“Thanks.”

I laughed. I didn’t know what to make of all this attention. No one usually gave two shits about who I was dating or not dating. I glanced between Jensen and Landon and realized…fuck, they’d probably already known. Heidi and Emery had probably spilled the beans about the last week Julia and I’d spent together. They’d been waiting for me to say something.

“Is she going to come to Fourth of July with us?” Morgan asked just as Sutton, Maverick, and their son, Jason, appeared upstairs.

“What did I miss?” Sutton asked.

Maverick held Jason while still keeping a protective arm wrapped around Sutton.

“Family meeting,” I said. “There’s always something new going on.”

“Julia and Austin are dating,” Landon said.

“Knew it!” Sutton cried.

“You did call that one,” Maverick said, staring down at her with adoration.

“I so did.”

They shared a kiss that wasn’t exactly PG, and Morgan made a gagging noise. Sutton laughed as she pulled back and smacked Maverick’s ass.

“Don’t be jealous, Mor,” Sutton said, leaning her head on his shoulder.

Jason reached out his arms for Sutton. “Mommy!”

“Oh, come here, honey,” she said as Maverick transferred their son to her.

“So, Fourth of July then?” Morgan asked.

“I’ll ask her.”

“Well, if that’s settled,” Jensen said, “we should probably head out to the Parade together.”

Every year in Lubbock, a bunch of the construction companies and specialty builders erected over thirty homes in four of the biggest, most expensive subdivisions in town. For two weeks, the houses had an open house to showcase their talents as well as all the big features from subcontractors—interior design, shutters, fencing, and more. The event had grown over the years so that there were huge food-truck events on the weekends, and the builders and sponsors would set up raffles and private events at their locations.

Wright Construction had had a home in the Parade of Homes since its inception over six decades ago. Tonight was our big night with catering, an open bar, and, of course, our entire family on display.

I’d always thought that the idea of the parade was fun, but our part in it kind of sucked. I had never been the kind of person who liked to be on display. Small talk sucked, and it was always impossible to stay sober around all the cling-ons. Tonight would be a different night.

We piled into two cars to head over to the mansion that had been constructed for the parade. Unlike many of the other houses in the parade, the Wright home hadn’t been built to spec—where the home was purchased ahead of time and then built to their specifications. We liked to showcase the best of the best, and by the end of the parade, it always sold anyway. Everyone in the process got to have more fun with the designs that way.

Maverick parked down the street from the Wright home, and the rest of us exited his Lexus SUV. There was already a line waiting to get into the house. I knew most people were probably here for the free booze. How could I blame them? But it felt silly, waiting in line to see a finished house that you weren’t going to buy.

Jensen and Morgan smiled and shook hands with some of the people in line. I knew that, if I wanted to make an impression about the CFO position, I should be up there with them. But they couldn’t actually be enjoying this part of the job, could they?

Sutton took one look at my face and cracked up. “I hate this part, too.”

“It’s the worst.”

“The absolute worst,” she agreed. “Maverick and I have plans to try to christen a bedroom and then leave.”

I cracked up laughing. “You would.”

“I think we have enough time before people get into the house.”

I glanced over at my other siblings and saw that Sutton had already handed Jason off to Landon. Sucker.

“Hurry up,” I said. “I’ll cover as best I can.”

She grinned like a fool, grabbed Maverick’s hand, and then ran through the house.

“Where are they off to?” Landon asked.

“Just checking out the rest of the house,” I lied.

I heard a laugh behind me that I recognized immediately. I turned around to find Julia entering the room with Emery and Heidi. She was glowing and dressed in a short black dress. I considered grabbing her hand and finding another bedroom. There were at least five in this house. Surely, we had time, too.

Julia caught my eye, drawn to me like a moth to a flame. Heidi and Emery exchanged a look between them and then nudged her toward me.

“Hey,” she said, eyeing my suit.

“You look stunning.”

I wrapped a possessive arm around her waist and bent in for a kiss. She was wearing some kind of cherry-flavored lip gloss. I flicked my tongue against her bottom lip to get a better taste. She moaned softly into my mouth and pulled back.

“Careful.”

“Never with you.”

Pink bloomed in her cheeks, and I thought about all the other places I’d made her flush all week. I really, really wanted to cut this entire event short.

“Heidi and Emery are excited we’re together again.”

“I noticed that. Jensen and Landon seemed to already know.”

“Oh, yeah. I hope that’s okay.” She gave me a look of pure innocence. “I didn’t think it was a secret.”

“It’s definitely not a secret.”

“Well, good.”

“Morgan wants you to come to Fourth of July with us.”

“Oh? What are you guys doing?”

I laughed and put my hand in hers. Then, I brought our clasped hands up to my lips. “One day, we’re going to get you to say y’all, babe.”

“Not likely.”

“For the Fourth, we go to the marathon downtown at the ass-crack of dawn. Then, there’s a parade, we grill out, and there are fireworks at night.”

“Count me in,” she said with a giddy bounce to her step.

“Oh, also, I kind of got you something.”

She glanced around uncomfortably and then back up at me. “Why?”

“Because I care about you.”

“But…I didn’t get anything for you.”

“That’s okay. This is to help with your promise.”

“My…promise?” she asked skeptically.

I pulled out the paperwork I’d been carrying around all day to give to her. She took it out of my hand and read the headline.

“Austin, you didn’t!”

“I did. I signed you up for the summer art class at one of the studios in the Art District.”

“You can’t do that.”

“Well…I just did. And it’s paid for you, so you can’t back out.”

She sputtered in confusion, looking down at the paper and then up at me and then back at the paper. “Austin!”

“Babe, I’m finding you inspiration. I said I would. Plus, I’ll be there. So, consider it a date.”

She shook her head in disbelief. Her eyes were looking up at me, as if it was the first time she’d ever seen me. “Why will you be there? You don’t art.”

“I know.”

“And you’re really going to come to a painting class all summer?”

“I really am.”

“Damn you, Wright.”

Then, she threw her arms around my neck and kissed me again with that sweet cherry flavor.

It was torture, letting her go. I could have disappeared, like Sutton and Maverick, and been really fucking happy. Julia might even be up for it. She was adventurous in bed, but I wanted to prove that I was in this for good. If I could give up alcohol…eventually…then I could hold off on sex in a public place. At least…this time.

“Go hang with Heidi and Emery. I have to do this for a while, and then we can head out,” I told her.

“All right.” Her eyes darted to the open bar. “Are you going to be okay with all the alcohol?”

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

She frowned. “You say that, but I do want to help.”

“You’re helping, just being here.”

It was true. When she was around, I was much less tempted to dive face-first into a bottle.

“Okay. Text me if you need me. I’m going to look around this house because, holy fuck, Austin.”

I laughed. “Yeah, Jensen likes to go all out.”

“That he does.”

She kissed me one more time before running back to Heidi’s and Emery’s sides. Heidi hip-checked her, and they burst into laughter. Emery stuck her finger in Julia’s face, and she held her hands up. Then, she pushed Emery and Heidi together, as if to say, Don’t worry; I won’t break up this love affair. Heidi slung her arms over both girls’ shoulders, and then they disappeared into the next room.

Patrick appeared at my side. “Don’t panic.”

“Panic?” I asked in confusion. I tore my eyes from where Julia had disappeared to look at Patrick. “Why would I panic?”

“I didn’t know they’d show up.”

“They?”

But Patrick didn’t have to tell me. I could see clear as day who he was talking about as Maggie and Mindi walked into the house. Maggie caught my eye with a characteristic smirk before walking straight to the bar.

“What the hell are they doing here?” I asked.

“I don’t know. You said nothing was going on.”

“Nothing is going on!”

“Okay. So then…she probably won’t even come talk to you.”

“Aren’t you talking to Mindi again?”

Patrick frowned. “Define talking.”

“I hate you.”

Of course, Maggie steered directly toward me with Mindi hot on her heels as soon as they had drinks in hand. Maggie was tall with chestnut brown hair that barely brushed her shoulders, and she was wearing her standard-issue skimpy dress and heels. I’d hardly seen her in anything else. She was carrying a glass of white wine and a beer.

“For you,” she said, offering me the beer. She gave me a heavy-lidded look of seduction. “Obviously.”

“No, thanks,” I said politely.

Her eyes expanded in surprise. “Are you turning down a beer?”

“Just did.”

She laughed softly and pushed the drink into my hand. “Funny joke.”

The beer was cold in my hand. The bartender had just popped the top off the glass bottle, and it was still fizzing slightly. She’d grabbed my favorite, of course. But there was a difference between having a shot to keep from throwing up from withdrawal and casually drinking a beer for no reason. I swallowed twice, hard, before passing it to Patrick. He took it without comment.

“What are you doing here, Mags?” I asked, irritation lacing every syllable.

She shot me a quizzical look. “Enjoying the parade, like everyone else.”

“Uh, hey, Austin,” Mindi said, trying to crack the tension.

“Mindi,” I said with a nod.

“Why do you seem so offended that I’m here? Mindi was the one who told me that you were at our place. If you wanted to see me, all you had to do was ask.”

“Well aware of that. Not interested,” I said point-blank.

“What’s with you?” Maggie asked. “First, you aren’t drinking. I’ve never seen you without a drink in your hand. And, now, you can’t even carry on a civil conversation with me?”

“I’m dating someone.”

“So? That suddenly makes you unable to have any fun?”

“You should leave,” I told her.

Just being in her presence was making me furious. I never felt like I had to have a drink to have a good time with Julia. Maggie was making it sound like I was a crazy person for stopping when every other person in my life was insisting that I had to.

“I’m a paying customer,” Maggie said defiantly.

“Whatever.”

I turned to walk away from her and nearly ran right into Julia. I grabbed her by her shoulders to steady us both.

“I was just coming to look for you,” I said earnestly.

Her eyes drifted over my shoulder. “Before or after you talked to Maggie?” she bit out.

“She…I…that isn’t what it looked like.”

“I bet.” Julia shook off my touch. “God, I am such an idiot.”

“Jules,” I called as she shook her head and then walked out of the house.