Page 26 of Bad Call
My nerves are raging as we walk through the entryway, the sound of music playing on the kitchen speakers and the aroma of fresh basil in the air telling us exactly where we need to go. My heart pounds nervously in my chest, which Emmett must sense, because he squeezes my fingers gently, grounding me just as we enter the room. Austin stands at the stove, spatula flipping what looks to be an omelet before catching us in his peripheral vision. His eyes immediately lock onto our adjoined hands, but he doesn’t look intrigued in the least. He just smiles, turns off the burner, and plates his breakfast before spinning in our direction.
“Morning, you two,” he says with a grin. “I trust you had a good evening.” My mouth falls open, sheer confusion running rampant inside my head becausewhy isn’t he acting surprised?He may have seen Emmett at the guesthouse a time or two, but other than that, he should be at least a little curious as to why we’re strutting in here together like an actual couple.
“We did,” Emmett replies. “That smells amazing. Are there any leftovers?”
Austin stabs his fork into the omelet, lifting his chin. “In the pan. I ran out of sharp cheddar, so I had to useAmerican.” He takes a bite, chewing as he winks in my direction. You’d think his casualness would placate me a little, but it doesn’t. Instead, I’m on high alert, wondering if maybe this is just how he acts when he’s upset. What if he’s waiting for me to lower my guard so he can throw all my shit onto the front lawn before dousing it in gasoline? The only thing I can focus on is the sound of my own pulse between my ears, my throat dryer than a cotton ball until I finally word-vomit thevery last thinganyone in this room wants to hear, myself included.
“We fucked last night, okay?” I shout, throwing my arms up and letting them fall dramatically. They hit my thighs with a slap, and both men lift their eyes to me, brows disappearing into their hairlines at the same time. I should quit while I’m ahead. The confession is officially off my chest for Austin to do whatever he will with. But do I keep my mouth shut?
Fuck no.
“Yeah,” I say, nodding like a maniac as I smack a palm onto the counter. “Emmettgot it. It’s not the first time, either. In fact, we used to be married—before I ran away like an idiot. We’ve fuckedhundreds of times, in lots of different places. But most recently…you know”—I gesture vaguely—“last night in the guesthouse.” My chest is heaving like I just ran a marathon as they both stay completely frozen, staring at me like I’m insane. Sweat beads on the back of my neck, and I tap my foot against the marble floor in an attempt to rid my body of the copious amounts of nervous energy still running through it.
“Well, that was a little more descriptive than I wasexpecting,” Emmett mumbles, setting his plate down and walking toward me. “You okay, Wild Girl? You freaked out a little on us just then.” His hands find my cheeks, thumbs rubbing soothingly over my skin to calm me. Just like it always has, it works like a charm, snapping me back to reality right as Austin chuckles from across the room.
“I already knew all of that.”
Emmett and I both whip our heads in his direction, stunned at his words.
“All of it?” I ask. “How?”
He sets his fork down, wiping his face with a napkin and laying it over the empty plate. “It all started the day you weren’t feeling well, and Emmett was here for a visit. He left kind of abruptly, but instead of going home, he drove around to the guesthouse. I decided to mind my own business at first, but when he showed back up while I was away at that medical conference, the wheels in my head started turning. I couldn’t figure out how the two of you knew each other—at least not until I pulled out the contract you signed when you agreed to work for me. When I saw your real last name, all the puzzle pieces started falling into place.”
Oh, shit. Here we go.
Emmett’s brows pull tight, his gaze focusing on me. “What does he mean, yourreal last name?” My heart stops at the question. I know I’ve been open with him about how much I regretted my decision to let him go, but now he’s about to be made aware of the full extent of it. How, even though I was lying in the bed I made, I carried him with me through it all because I never wanted to be anyone other than Stella Hayes.
“I…um,” I stammer, my eyes filling with tears as I turn to face him. “I never changed it back after I left. I lied to myself and my parents for years, saying that I didn’t have time, or that the paperwork was too daunting. But the truth is, it made me feel connected to you. It was the final tether that I just couldn’t bring myself to undo. I understand if you don’t want me to have it right now. I’ll earn it back, Em. I prom—” He cuts me off, slamming his mouth to mine in a rough kiss, arms wrapping around my waist and lifting me off the floor. Caught off guard, I squeal, my feet kicking up behind me as I dangle from his tight grasp.
“Stella Hayes.” The moniker is like a song against my lips, my entire body melting at the sound. “All this time. Holy shit.” He kisses me again, the soft slide of his tongue against mine eliciting a quiet whimper. I all but forget that we’re not in the room alone, ready to let him take me right here against the countertop until Austin clears his throat loudly.
“Anyway,” he booms, bringing our attention back to his unfinished story. “I did some Googling and found an old newspaper article from Emmett’s senior year. He had broken some kind of receiving yards record, and it made the front page. But it wasn’t the article that caused me to meddle in your business. It was the photo beside it. The way you two were looking at each other—like there was no purer love in the world—I couldn’t just leave you to your own devices. I had to intervene. So, I started putting you in situations where you’d have no choice but to face your feelings for one another. The two-hand touch game, where I faked an injury. Gently encouraging Theo to talk to Stella at Jett’s house.” He points his scowl at Emmett. “Which almost fucking backfired when you practically choked the poor guy out.” His shoulder lifts into a small shrug as his eyes bounce between us. “I don’t know your history—and I don’t need to—but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out you still care about each other. If giving you a little nudge was necessary to make you see that, I was willing to do it. Plus, I was bored.So fucking bored.”
I choke on a laugh. “Wait. You did all that on purpose? To get us back together?” I was so worried he’d be mad at me for lying that the fact he’s known for weeks is taking a minute to sink in. This is the absolute last thing I’d have ever expected, but I can’t ignore the warmth spreading throughout my body at what Austin did for us. He just may have been the catalyst to us finally moving past all the pain we were holding onto, and we had absolutely no idea until right now.
“Of course, I did,” he replies matter-of-factly. “The two of you are important to me.”
Tears spill from my eyes, and I round the counter, pulling him into a tight hug. Outside of Emmett, I’ve never had this kind of support in my life. My parents hated the idea of us being together, only offering help and guidance after I told them I had left. They didn’t ask me if I was sure or encourage me to think about my decision for a while. Instead, they hired an attorney and paid to make the entire process as fast as possible. They preyed on my age and vulnerability and got exactly what they wanted. But Austin—a man who I met mere months ago, and who didn’t know either of us growing up—went out of his way to give us opportunities to work it out. He cares about myhappiness more than my own flesh and blood, which should be upsetting, but it’s just…not.
“Thank you,” I whisper, reveling in the warmth of his embrace. “And I’m sorry I was dishonest. I didn’t want my past with Emmett to make you feel uncomfortable, but I should’ve been truthful with you afterward. Please don’t be mad at me.”
He chuckles. “I’m not mad at you, Stell. Honestly, I’m glad you did it. Because you were right. I don’t know how I would’ve reacted to that information, but it very well could’ve played a part in my decision to hire you. I know you could’ve gotten a job anywhere else, but you risked possible pain and sadness to help me. That tells me everything I need to know about the kind of woman and nurse you are.”
I sniffle, wetness from my cheeks soaking into the shoulder of his T-shirt. Being a nurse is such a rewarding job—one that I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world—but we often leave at the end of the day wondering if we’ve actually made a difference. I’d have done anything to ensure an easy recovery for Austin, and I’m glad he sees that. It’s patients like him that make this journey so worthwhile for healthcare professionals like me. I’ll cherish the time we’ve had together, and hopefully, we’ll be friends for a long time after.
“All right, then,” I say, lifting my head and giving him a bright smile. “Now thatthat’sover with, I’m going to go take a shower. You made me sweat a little bit. I probably stink.”
“I wasn’t going to say anything,” he jokes. I slap his good shoulder, and he barks a laugh, rubbing it as thoughI hurt him. I roll my eyes, turning back to where Emmett is watching us with a quiet smile on his face, but Austin stops me before we can leave the room.
“Wait! I didn’t get to tell you why I asked you to come in here in the first place.”
What?I figured he wanted to confront me about Emmett. That’s the whole reason I was so worked up, and why I exploded, confessing things that definitely didn’t need to be said. I was so rattled, I literally almost peed my pants on the way over, and now he’s telling me that none of it was the intended topic of conversation?
I’m going to kill him.
Reading my mind, Emmett chuckles, earning a playful scowl as I turn around with a frustrated smile plastered across my face. Everything is out in the open, and my friendship with Austin is still intact, so I guess I can’t really be mad, right? No harm, no foul…other than the fact that I told him what Emmett and I did last night—explicitly.
Austin’s expression goes somber, and I immediately forget about everything that just happened, focusing only on him. It’s like the tables have completely turned in a matter of minutes. He’s normally such a happy-go-lucky guy, but right now, the uneasy look he’s sporting is anything but.
