Page 56 of Just Business

“I’m just warning you two,” Cassie says, turning in her seat. “Aunt Ashley is beside herself that we’ll all be there at the same time. She wants everyone to stay at the main house tonight. She’s already washed the sheets on your old bed.”

Austin laughs. “This is like Christmas for her. Having all of us back under one roof.”

The drive is relatively short and we’re turning off the highway down a gravel road in no time. A one-story ranch-style house comes into view. It's been painted white, probably in recent years to keep up with the new trend, with black shutters and a buttery yellow front door. I’m instantly in love with it. It’s not a large sprawling mansion or even anything fancy. But it’s homey and welcoming.

Chickens chase a dog in the distance behind the house, and a black wrought iron fence surrounds an in-ground swimming pool. Off in the distance I see what looks to be a small pond.

“Where’s your house?” I ask, turning from the window to look at Austin.

He nods his head. “Past that pond.”

Tyler cuts the engine and we climb from his SUV right as two people come striding across the lawn toward us. The woman has the same dark features that Tyler and Cassie have, and she carries herself with the grace of a polite southern woman. The man wears a huge friendly smile as he approaches. Suddenly I’m overcome with nerves.How many women has he brought home? What if they don’t like me?

I grab Austin’s hand, and he glances at me. He must see the fear on my face, because he brings my hand up to lightly graze my knuckles with his lips.

“They’re gonna love you. Trust me. There’s nothing about you not to love.” I know he meant love in the same sense that we all toss the word around. I love romance books andSchitt’s Creek. Still, his words calm my jitters.

“Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in,” the man says, reaching over and giving Austin a huge hug, clapping him on the back while they embrace.

“The one and only,” Austin replies.

Then Austin turns to the woman and folds her into his arms. Their hug lasts longer than the hug with his uncle, and when they pull away she cups his face in her hand, looking him up and down like she’s making sure he’s really here, all in one piece.

“You look so good, son. You look healthy.”

“I’m better than I’ve been in a long time. That small town air agrees with me.”

Tyler clears his throat, cutting his eyes over to me, and I can’t quite bite back the small grin that spreads across my lips.

“Aunt Ashley, Uncle Brad, I’d like you to meet Penny Miller.” Austin turns, wrapping an arm around my waist. “She owns the studio I’m recording at. She’s really special to me.”

His uncle shakes my hand, but his aunt wraps me in her embrace. This is definitely a family of huggers. She smells like something herbal mixed with sugar. I feel an instant sense of familiarity with her.

“It’s great to meet both of you, Mr. and Mrs. Kent,” I say, when the hug ends.

“Oh please, call us Ashley and Brad, hon. We’re not formal around here.” Ashley reaches over to pat me on the arm in a motherly gesture.

We unload our stuff from the SUV, and Tyler grabs my bags, insisting on carrying them for me. Once we’re inside, Austin and Tyler disappear down a hallway with our belongings and Cassie tugs me into the kitchen where Ashley has headed. She’s stirring something that smells delicious and my stomach rumbles. It appears that I’m not a picky eater at all when it’s this family doing the cooking.

“Aunt Ashley’s been cooking since sunrise. It’s her love language,” Cassie explains while I take in all the pots and pans covering her countertop.

“Cooking calms my nerves,” Ashley says, smiling at me. “It’s been months since everyone was here and I was excited. I needed something to keep me occupied.”

“It must run in the family. Austin has been cooking dinner for me. He told me he learned from you.”

“Has he now?” Ashley asks, shooting a surreptitious smile to Cassie. “Maybe it’s his love language too.”

Austin and Tyler come back in the kitchen, trying to grab rolls from the pan with Ashley swatting their hands away. I can almost picture what life must have been like when they were growing up here. Brad comes in next and we all plate our food and make our way into their formal dining room. Ashley insisted we eat in there since this is a special occasion. The laughter and chatter is easy around the table. They welcome me into every topic, like they’ve known me for years rather than just meeting me. No, they welcome me like I’m family. The thought comes out of nowhere and a deep sense of happiness wraps itself around me.

Ashley fills my plate with seconds of everything, but eventually I’m so full I think I might bust. Cassie has already started cleaning, and I push away from the table to help. Austin stays seated, talking to Tyler at the table. I catch snippets of their conversation as they chat about his time in Singing River.

Eventually, though, Tyler heads to the living room where Ashley and Brad are and Cassie follows him, leaving Austin and me alone in the kitchen. I’m standing over the sink looking out at the expansive field behind the house when he comes up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. I lean into him and he lowers his head, grazing his nose along the side of my neck and down my shoulder, where he peppers featherlight kisses.

“Thank you for bringing me. Your family is really special.”

Austin tugs me more firmly against him without saying a word. We stand this way for a few minutes, but finally I spin to face him.

“When do I get to see your house?”

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