Page 63 of Forever & Always You
I hold my breath as I register Sasha’s reaction, but she only lifts her brows in surprise and grins. “Aww! It’s like friends to enemies to lovers! That’s my favorite trope in romance books. Can you keep me updated on how this progresses? I want toknow!”
My smile mirrors hers. “Then how about brunch and mimosas sometime?”
*
Since I’m downtown anyway, I swing by Austin’s office with a tray of iced lattes and a box of donuts. Helen on the front desk greets me when I arrive, though her smile is bashful and her eye contact minimal. It’s been a while since that afternoon she found Austin and me parading around the office semi-naked, but it’s the first time I’ve seen her again, and clearly there’s a lingering embarrassment. Though if anyone should be embarrassed, it’s me. And I’m not, because I’m too happy to care.
“Hi, Helen!” I say, sliding the coffees and donuts onto the front desk. “I brought these for you guys. Is Austin with a client right now? I won’t hang around.”
“Oh, how lovely. Thank you, Gabrielle,” Helen says. She plucks one of the coffees from the tray and clicks around on her computer. “He is, but he should be wrapping up soon. You’re more than welcome to wait around!”
“Perfect! How’s Carly Buck the Cactus doing?” I point over my shoulder at the cactus that sits in the waiting area, and Helen laughs. “She looks a little .?.?. shriveled. Does she need watered?”
“She definitely needs watered.”
While I wait for Austin to finish up in his meeting, I douse Carly Buck the Cactus in water and readjust the spread of finance magazines on the couches, musing with Helen about my upcoming re-enrollment to Duke.
When Austin walks his client out, his eyes find mine the same way they did two months ago when he first encountered me in his office’s reception. Except now, I am not an anxious bundle of nerves, and Austin doesn’t spiral into rage. His smile is gorgeousand vivacious and I hate that I never made him smile like that in public when we were kids.
“I brought coffee! And donuts,” I announce, closing the distance between us and mindlessly reaching for his hand because I crave the feeling of his fingers brushing mine. “I don’t know what your associates like to drink, so I just got everyone iced lattes. Though this one is decaf for you.”
I pass him a coffee and his gaze shines with appreciation, because I may have forgotten so many of the little things from our childhood, but I’m trying to remember all of the small details now. Like the fact that he drinks decaf and he hates maple syrup and he prefers his showers lukewarm and he wears the green running shoes on Sundays but the white pair every other day. It’s easy to memorize someone when you care this deeply for them.
“Thanks, Gabby,” he says, pressing a kiss to my temple and setting my skin ablaze. “This is really great of you. What are you doing downtown?”
“I got my nails done,” I say, wiggling my fingers in front of his face to show off my manicure. It breaks my heart that by the end of the week, they’ll most likely be chipped from working the bar again. “I had a really nice chat with Sasha.”
Austin’s joyful expression falters with surprise and a touch a panic. “Oh? You caught up with Sasha?”
“Don’t look so scared. We aren’t going to fight over you,” I tease, rolling my eyes. Though if Ihadto, I would. “I wanted to say sorry to her for not staying in touch after high school. We’re going to grab brunch sometime. See, now I havetwofriends! Look at me; breaking out of Loserville.”
Austin’s gorgeous smile returns. “I’m really proud of you.”
And there it is again, that flip of my stomach. Those are my favorite words in the entire world, and it makes me want to be the best person I can possibly be just to hear Austin say he’s proud of me for the rest of my life.
If we weren’t in the office right now, I’d snuggle into his chest, but I don’t want to subject Helen to any more PDA, so I keep my hands to myself and blush fiercely instead, like only Gabrielle McKinley can do.
“I’ll get going,” I say. “I’ll make dinner for you getting home later. Though it’ll probably be something super simple like mac ’n’ cheese, but it’ll be made with love.”
Austin arches an eyebrow. Helen lifts her head from the front desk. I physically cringe and pray the ground will swallow me whole. Did I really just slip the wordloveinto that sentence?
“Okay, I’m leaving now,” I say, retreating backward toward the door. “Enjoy the coffee. Enjoy the donuts. Make your clients lots of money. Bye!”
Austin’s grin tracks me all the way out the door.
22
“I’m super, super excited to see you in a tux,” I muse, glancing into the backseat of the car at the tux inside a dust cover hanging from the clothes hook. “Immensely excited.”
“You see me in a suit all the time,” Austin points out.
“But not atuxedo,Austin. And you’ll be wearing a bow tie too.” I flirtatiously whistle and fan my face with my hand. “Hot.”
We are two hours into the three-hour drive to Charlotte for the business awards taking place this evening, and I can tell by Austin’s demeanor that he’s incredibly nervous. He’s quieter than usual, lost inside his head. As this weekend drew closer, he became increasingly distracted throughout the week. My jokes and teasing aren’t met with the same energy they usually are.
“Hey,” I say gently, reaching over to secure my hand over Austin’s in his lap. “It’s okay. This is an amazing achievement regardless of whether you win or not. To be nominated this soon in your career is incredible, Austin. My dad would be so, so impressed.”
Austin releases a long, steady breath. “I don’t even know why I’m this nervous. I don’t really care if I win or lose, you know?” He yanks his hand out from beneath mine and jerks the steering wheel harshly to one side, saving us from swaying into theopposite lane and getting crushed by a truck.
