Page 57 of Falling Hard for the Billionaire Cowboy

Before I can protest, she's ushering me inside. I feel awkward and out of place as she leads me to the living room. It’s been a while since I’ve been inside, and strangely enough, this place doesn’t feel the same with Austin not here.

"So," Sarah says, plopping down on the couch. "You're here to see Austin?"

I nod, twisting my hands in my lap. "Is he... around?"

Sarah's frowns slightly. "Oh, I'm sorry. He's actually out of the country right now. Some last-minute business thing came up."

My heart sinks. "Oh," I say, trying to hide my disappointment.

Out of the country?

I thought he went to town. Since when?

"I should probably go then-"

"Nonsense!" Sarah interrupts. "Stay and chat for a bit. I've been dying to meet you!"

Reluctantly, I settle back onto the couch. To my surprise, Sarah's easy-going nature soon has me relaxing. We trade stories, and I find myself laughing at tales of Austin's childhood misadventures.

"You should have seen him," Sarah giggles. "covered head to toe in mud, trying to convince Aunt Maggie it wasn't his fault!"

As our laughter fades, Sarah's expression grows more serious. "You know, Austin's been through a lot. When Uncle James - his dad - passed away, Austin really stepped up. He became the protector for Jenny and Aunt Maggie."

"Jenny?" I ask, surprised.

Sarah nods. "His little sister. She's away at college now, but Austin's always looking out for her."

Suddenly, so many of Austin's actions make more sense. His protective nature, his gentleness, his sense of responsibility.

As Sarah continues sharing stories, I feel a bittersweet ache in my chest. Everything I learn just makes me miss Austin more. I long to see his smile, to feel the warmth of his embrace.

"Hey," Sarah says gently, noticing my faraway look. "He'll be back soon. And between you and me? I've never seen him this happy."

I manage a small smile, but inside, my heart is racing. I can only hope she's right.

As I slowly drive back to the cottage, my mind goes to my parents. It’s been a while since we chatted. I try to video call them, but it's not connecting. As usual, they must be out of coverage. With a sigh, I switch to email instead, quickly typing out a message:

“Hey, mom and dad,

Just checking in on you. What country are you in now? I’m excited and worried about you both. If you get this message, please call me back. I miss you, and I love you both.

I have so many things to tell you.

Ps: I’m still in Redstone, and I still live in the cottage.

Pss: Video Call me, really.

As I stare at the screen, I feel a little bit better even though I haven’t actually spoken to them.

Looking around, I decide that I might as well go to bed early. Hopefully this time, I will be able to sleep and wake up on time.

“Let tomorrow be a better day, please,” I whisper.

And sometimes, wishes work – I slept after that.

If I had known, I would have wished for something more – something like… seeing him sooner.

Heck, I miss him.

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