Page 49 of The Charm of You

“I always miss him, but what I think I miss the most is not knowing him as an adult. Not having the connection we could have now that I’m older.”

His searing gaze bores into mine, and it’s suddenly hard to breathe. Talking with him like this so openly is too overwhelming. It’s like he’s reaching deep into my chest and pulling my soul out.

I don’t normally talk so candidly with anyone, especially not about my father.

But Austin gets it. I don’t have to put a brave face on for him because he knows the truth firsthand, and he’d see right through my bullshit. Why does that feel oddly settling?

The doorbell rings, echoing throughout the whole house, and I leap up from the bed so fast I nearly twist an ankle in these heeled boots. Austin catches me with both arms around my waist, and my palms flatten on his chest of their own accord.

I’m instantly wrapped in his heated embrace, and my lungs squeeze.

“Kids! You have a visitor,” Suzanne calls out.

“We should… see who it… is,” I say.

As soon as his arms leave my body, I sharply inhale and lead the way out, my skin still buzzing.

Addie’s at the front door, waving a paper around as she talks to my mom and Suzanne. The second her eyes land on us, she chirps, “I did not expect to find you both here, but I’m so glad I did.”

Blushing, I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear and say, “We were just having dinner all together. A pot roast.”

“And rolls,” Austin adds.

I blush harder when three pairs of eyes land on us. Do they think we were up to something? We were in his room for a while.

Oh, God. Should I directly reverse any suspicions? That would just make matters worse, wouldn’t it?

I’m put out of my misery when Addie steps forward, and the piece of paper crumbles in her grip. “There’s been a change of plans.”

“What do you mean?” I ask. What plans did she and I have that also involved Austin?

“Hunter Links was supposed to drive you through the parade Friday, but now he’s riding with the Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter.” She checks her paper. “Joe and Petey are driving tractors, Cole and Josh are driving the current homecoming queen and junior maid, respectively, and I just don’t have anyone else to drive you, Caroline.” She finally looks up from her list and pins her pleading stare onto Austin. “I need you to drive her.”

Suzanne and my mother clap like Addie just announced we’re the winners of the lottery.

“Marvelous!” Mama bursts as Suzanne answers for him. “Austin would be delighted to do it.”

“I work on Friday. It’s why I never volunteered to drive anyone in the first place,” Austin cuts in.

Disappointment immediately floods my chest. “I’m sure we can find someone else who’s free,” I say with as much enthusiasm as I can muster, but it’s weak.

“I’m sure Judd won’t mind, honey.” Suzanne grips Austin’s arm and pats his hand. “After all, you would only be gone for what, two hours? Judd can spare you for two hours.”

“And you would really be helping me out,” Addie says. “Unless you want me to cry. Do you want me to cry, Austin? Do you?”

I bite my lip as Austin huffs out an exhale and becomes the focus of four eager women. All eyes are on him until he finally holds his hands up in surrender. “I will talk to Judd, but I make no promises.”

He tries to manage our mothers’ obvious delight, but it’s no use. Addie immediately marks something on her list, then wraps her arm around his neck and jerks him into a painful-looking hug.

It makes me laugh.

“It’s settled!” Addie jumps back, her eyes wide. Has she blinked since she got here? She seems far more stressed right now than she did while shopping this afternoon.

At Daphne’s earlier, she was a normal amount of stressed and rushed, but I thought it was simply because she had to get to her float shift by six.

Right now, she’s pale and appears to have the weight of the world on her shoulders.

“I need to get back to the drawing board to make a new schedule for the freshmen float shifts. I swear, they’re procrastinating and working at an owl messenger’s pace on purpose. They think if they get far enough behind that I’ll cut in and build the float for them. They have another think coming, though. Mark my words.” She stares us down like we’re the offending group she’s referring to.

---