You’re Still The One by Erika Kelly

Chapter Twenty-One

Damn,it was cold out here, but Stella wanted a Christmas tree, and by God, he’d get her the biggest, best Douglas Fir on the farm.

For whatever reason, she’d figured the better choices would be farthest from the parking lot, so they’d hiked deeper into the woods. Griffin lagged behind, listening to her happy chatter and Austin’s quiet replies. It made him happy, this little temporary family they’d created.

Not a real one, he knew that. Peyton would come home and take Austin back to San Diego…

Peyton would come home, right? That now-familiar sense of fear buzzed his nerves. It was going on five weeks without a word from his friend. They watched the news every night but hadn’t heard anything about skirmishes or fighting. He just needed one text from his friend, one sign that everything was all right.

“This one,” Stella declared. “Griffin, we found it. Come here.”

He supposed after what he’d lived through, he couldn’t really help catastrophizing. Since that night, the world just seemed scary.

But there was no point in imagining the worst, so he put his fears in his back pocket and stepped up his pace. When he reached them, he found Austin crouching, pushing aside branches to get to the base of the trunk.

“Where do I cut?” the boy asked.

“As close to the ground as possible,” Stella said. “We’ll need enough trunk to fit into the stand.” She smiled up at Griffin. “And that kind of knowledge comes from being the baby of the family. When my older sisters lost interest in holiday stuff, my dad hunted Easter eggs and cut down Christmas trees with me.”

He listened to her, but his focus was on the box saw in Austin’s hand.

“He’s fourteen, and we’re right here,” Stella whispered.

“I know that. It’s fine.”

“Uh-huh.” She tried to pry his fist open. “You’re totally picturing the movie Saw.”

He laughed, wrapping an arm around her.

As she leaned against him, she tipped her head back. “This is a big one. We might need a wagon.”

He wasn’t going anywhere. Not while Austin held a saw. “Between the three of us, we got this.”

“Yeah, but the branches are going to drag on the ground. And we’re pretty far. Let me get a wagon. Be right back.” She took off.

Griffin watched Austin’s body shake with the effort of sawing. “How’s it going?”

“Not good.”

He crouched beside him. “You need a hand?”

“No.”

Of course not.

But then, Austin’s head came out from under the tree, and he sat back on his heels. He didn’t say anything, just wiped the perspiration off his forehead.

“It’s a thick trunk. We could take turns.”

Austin nodded, but he didn’t hand over the saw. He seemed distracted. And then he looked down at the snow and said, “Uncle Griffin?”

Usually, he only referred to him as uncle when he talked about him to other people, as though explaining the validity of the relationship. It seemed like an answer for why he wasn’t staying with his grandparents.

So, to hear it now? In that…thin voice?

“Yeah?” he said it quietly, gently, appreciating this rare moment of vulnerability.

Austin drew the side of his hand under his nose and wiped, his breath coming out in a white fog. Looking at the saw, he asked, “What happens if my dad doesn’t come back?”

The words made a clean slice right through his heart. Okay, he hadn’t expected that.

But if it’s on my mind, it’s got to be consuming Austin’s thoughts.

I should’ve addressed it sooner, dammit.

He wanted to reassure him, but empty words and promises wouldn’t help him sleep at night. And if he thought about it, Austin hadn’t asked if his dad was okay.

What will happen to me.

That’s what’s on his mind. That’s the question that needs to be addressed.

And it’s a good one. “What do you want to happen?”

“I want to live with you.” He cut a glance to Griffin, hesitant, wary…unsure.

But again, he couldn’t give empty promises. “I can’t tell you for certain what will happen because your dad’s got a will, and I don’t think he listed me as your guardian.”

A flare of anxiety lit his eyes.

“But you’re fourteen now, and the court will listen to you.” He touched Austin’s shoulder to emphasize his next point. “You’re going to have to tell the judge what you want, and you’ll have to need to be very honest and very real.”

“Will they listen to me?”

Great question. “It depends on the judge who hears your case, but again you’re fourteen.”

“But my grandpa was a judge, and everyone listens to him.”

“True, but you’ll be fifteen in a few days. That gives you a say.”

“If you and Stella got married, would that help?”

His body warmed at the thought. “It could. But I’m not sure imagining what-if scenarios in this situation is helpful. First of all, the probability of your dad not coming back is low. Secondly, yeah, you’d probably go live with your grandparents, but I’m not going anywhere. I was there when you learned how to ride a bike, and I’ll be right by your side when you graduate high school. I’ll probably be wheeling you down the hallway in your old folks’ home.” In the perfect quiet of the woods in early December, Griffin could almost feel the boy’s fears. “Austin.”

The boy looked up with cautiously hopeful eyes.

“I will always be here for you. And if you want me to fight the Pilsons for custody, I’ll do that. My family’s powerful, too.”

“So’s Stella’s.”

“That’s right. Your grandparents aren’t bad people. They just have a very fixed idea about how to live. Their daughter went off the rails, and they’re convinced they know how to keep you from doing the same thing.”

“By cutting my hair?”

“I know. It’s stupid, but they do love you.”

“I don’t like their love.”

Whoa. This kid… “Then, I’ll fight to keep you with me. Because I love you, and I want you to feel safe and happy.” He tipped the boy’s chin with a gloved hand. “You believe me?”

His eyes turned glossy, and he swallowed hard. “Yes.”

Griffin brought him in for a hug. “I will always fight for you.”

A fire crackled in the hearth—yeah, he had a fuckin’ hearth—Christmas carols played on the built-in speakers, and the living room was aglow in strings of tiny white lights.

The house smelled of woodsmoke, pine, and sugar cookies.

His dad and Lulu were in the kitchen cooking up a storm, and Mrs. Cavanaugh was leading the charge on decorating the tree. Mr. Cavanaugh sat in a chair by the fireplace, Rocco curled up on his lap, reading a book aloud.

And Austin…

Austin was chasing Posie around the room, flapping his arms like he was a fairy, too, both of them laughing.

Stella came up just then, sliding an arm through his. “It’s perfect.”

Now it is.“Yeah.”

And right then, Griffin knew he could have this life. It was his to take. He lifted her hand. “You like that ring?”

Hope flared in her eyes. “I don’t like what was in your heart when you bought it.”

“Good point.” He kissed her knuckles. Tomorrow, he’d go back into town. There was only one fine jewelry store in Calamity. Nothing he’d seen a month ago had been quite right, so he’d have them make something.

Something as dazzling as the woman who would wear it.

Oven mitts on her hands, Lulu came out of the kitchen and set a big serving dish on the dining room table. “Dinner’s ready.”

Only his brothers dropped what they were doing and headed over to grab plates. It was a buffet, so people could do whatever they wanted. Eat, decorate, cook, or fly around the room.

And it was honestly the first time in a very long time that he felt part of his family.

Like instead of being a bodyguard to the people he loved, he could actually hang out with them.

He gazed down at his love. “This is going to be a great Christmas. And I wouldn’t have any of this if it weren’t for you.”

* * *

Stella hadn’t been inside the auditorium at Calamity High in seven years. She’d been in Theater Arts, so she’d spent a lot of time backstage waiting for her audition. She could remember her stomach heaving at the thought of performing, the anxiety of wanting a lead role, and fearing she’d wind up wife number three in the King and I.

Tonight, she experienced a whole different kind of worry. She reached for Griffin’s hand. “Are you freaking out?”

“No.”

And yet, his jaw was tight. If Griffin was worried about the performance…that made her anxiety skyrocket.

Please don’t let Savannah be in the audience.

Or, if she is, please let her like Austin.

Or, if she doesn’t, can the kids at least be nice and think he’s an awesome musician?

After the Run DMC Christmas in Hollis song came to an end, and the group of dancers left the stage, the MC stepped up to the microphone. “That was fun. Let’s hear it for the Dancers in 4G. Aren’t these kids talented?”

After scattered applause, he continued. “All right, for our next act, we’ve got a big surprise for you. Austin Greene moved here from San Diego, and he’s with us this year while his dad serves in Afghanistan.”

The response was thunderous, boots stomping on the ground and shoutouts.

The MC nodded, letting the acknowledgement run its course. And then he made a settle-down motion with one hand. “That’s right. Austin, we thank your dad for his service. Now, let’s welcome him to the stage. Austin will be performing a song he wrote and composed.”

The popular kids got catcalls and whistles, the others got a few cheers, but Austin…got pretty much nothing.

And that pissed Stella off. At the very least, the teachers and parents knew better. So, she started clapping. Between her and Griffin’s family, they’d taken up two entire rows, and the entire block of them got rowdy, raising the roof.

True to himself, Austin ignored them completely. He just came out on stage, adjusted the microphone, and said, “Okay, settle down.”

Stella and Griffin cracked up.

“Yeah, so, I can’t take all the credit for the song I’m playing tonight because I had a lot of help. And I’d like to invite my collaborator out here to perform with me. Gigi?”

Her sister came out to pure, shocked silence. And then someone said, “Wait, is that Gigi Cavanaugh?”

“Oh, my God, that’s Gigi Cavanaugh.”

But before the audience got carried away, her sister grabbed the mic. “Hey, guys. How fun is it to be back at my alma mater? Let’s not talk about how long it’s been since I’ve walked these halls.” She gestured to Austin. “Okay, so just to clarify, the song we’re performing tonight is one hundred percent Austin’s. All I did was tweak it a little. Now, sit back and let him show you how awesome he is.”

“I’m so scared,” Stella whispered.

Griffins squeezed her hand. “It’s a great song,”

She knew that. She just didn’t know how the kids would react. “You think he’s as calm as he seems?”

“Doubt it.”

“Thank God my sister’s up there with him.”

Griffin kissed her palm. “And we’re here. He’s got a whole army of supporters.”

With his guitar out of the case, Austin scraped a hand through his hair and then scanned the audience. Without thinking, Stella’s hand shot up, and she waved. He just shook his head and chuckled. He had so much more confidence than she’d ever realized.

Over the low roar of conversation and excitement in the auditorium, Austin began strumming and singing. She wanted to stand up and tell everyone to shut up, forget about Gigi, and just listen to this beautiful song.

But that happened on its own. Because it wasn’t a sappy love song. It wasn’t even a pop tune. It was lively, it was edgy, and it was Austin’s own unique brand of rock ‘n’ roll. “He’s so good.”

But Griffin was captivated. Pride lit him up so brightly he practically glowed.

Stella scanned the audience, thrilled to see everyone so into it, moving their heads and rocking out.

And then someone called, “Who’s Savannah?”

Oh, God, it’s starting. “Shh.” Stella couldn’t help herself.

“Savannah Owen,” someone else shouted.

“Savannah.” The taunting began.

“I’m going to kill them.” Stella shifted in her seat so she could look around, scouting the audience for a mortified teenage girl.

“Stop.” Griffin squeezed her hand. “Watch him.”

He’s right. She sat back and turned her attention to the stage and found Austin completely focused on his song, his voice never wavering. He was knocking it out of the park. Stella let out a breath. “You’re right. He’s in his element.”

When the song ended, there was complete silence in the auditorium. Fear ricocheted throughout her body. What if—

But then it came, that crack of applause. Austin looked up as people slowly but surely got to their feet and gave him and Gigi a standing ovation.

Stella grinned so wide her cheeks hurt.

Even if there was fall-out from the Savannah issue, he would always have this memory. He’d won them over with his talent.

“You were phenomenal.” Stella pushed through the crowd and pulled Austin in for a bear hug. And—glory be—he hugged her back.

She wanted to look in his eyes, make sure he was okay about the heckling—though, it really hadn’t been that bad—but more arms pulled him in and took him away from her.

Her mom, dad, Coco, Beckett, and Gigi, Griffin’s entire family…the boy was enveloped in love and affection.

And she saw it clearly for the first time right then. Even if the kids did make fun of him, even if Savannah rejected him, Austin would be okay because he had so much support.

As Lulu would have been.

“Who wants to go to Bliss?” her mom asked.

Everyone was excited about that. “Let’s do it.”

Griffin wrapped an arm around Austin. “Sound good?”

“Sure. Just give me a sec” Austin scanned the crowd milling around the auditorium.

“Half the audience will be heading there right now, so you guys go ahead and get us a table,” Stella said. “We’ll be right behind you.”

As they left, Stella moved to the other side of Austin, she and Griffin like a brace of bodyguards, both instinctively wanting to protect him. And when Austin stiffened, they both followed his gaze.

“That’s her?” Griffin said it low.

Austin gave a curt nod. Strong, courageous boy that he was, he made his way to the tall, pretty girl with long, wavy, red hair.

“She’s not smiling,” Griffin said.

“But at least she’s not with a boyfriend.”

“She’s fourteen.”

“I loved you at fourteen.”

He cut her a look, his features softening. “Don’t remind me how I felt about you at that age. Even though we weren’t dating.”

“If Lulu hadn’t been crushing on you, believe me, we’d have been dating.”

He chuckled. “And I’d have gone to jail.”

She let out an exaggerated huff. “Do you honestly not have a single romantic bone in your body?”

“You don’t seem to mind the bone I do have.”

A laugh burst out of her. “It’s one of my favorite things about you.” She shut her mouth when Austin reached the girl. “If she so much as gives him a funny look, I’m going to—”

“To what, exactly? I really want to hear this. You going to punch her? Rough her up? What’re you going to do to the fourteen-year-old girl who doesn’t want to date our boy?”

“It’s crowded in here. I could trip her.”

“Very mature.” When her elbow jabbed into his gut, he grunted.

They watched as the two teenagers talked easily. The girl even laughed at something Austin said.

“Well, would you look at that?” Griffin said. “He has an actual personality. Looks like he’s talking in whole sentences.”

“What the hell is he giving her?” Stella caught a glimpse of a glossy black box with a gold bow. “That’s from Coco’s. Please don’t tell me he carried a box of chocolates under his shirt? Or in his pocket? He must know better than that.”

“It was in his guitar case.”

“You saw? And you didn’t tell me?”

Savannah looked surprised—and impressed—as she accepted the gift.

“She seems cool with everything,” Griffin said.

“She really does. I thought she’d be embarrassed by his song, but she doesn’t look it.” The couple laughed, and then Austin turned around. “He’s coming back. Pretend we’re having a conversation.”

“We are having a conversation.”

She tugged on his shoulder to make him face her. “What, um, flavor ice cream are you getting?”

“You’re not nearly as smooth as you used to be.”

Laughing, she whacked his arm. “This is a big deal.”

“We might not have to worry about flavors.”

“What does that mean?”

“If she shot him down, he’s not going to want ice cream with our entire families staring at him, asking how it went with Savannah.”

“Good point. If that happens, we’ll text our moms and go home.” Home. Happiness infused her. She and Griffin James were making a home together.

Last night, at the tree trimming, he’d asked if she liked the engagement ring.

He’s going to propose.

He’s going to ask me to marry him, and I’m going to cry like a baby and throw myself into his arms. And then I’m going to text my family and shout it from the rooftops. I’M MARRYING GRIFFIN JAMES.

Waiting for it would absolutely kill her.

As Austin approached, she gave him a big smile…but he breezed right past them.

They quickly fell into step on either side of him.

“Well?” Stella asked. “How’d it go?”

“All right.” He depressed the bar that led them out into a bitterly cold night. Headlights flicked on in the parking lot, and engines rumbled.

“She looked happy with the chocolates.” In her high-heeled boots, she had to work harder to keep pace their long legs.

Griffin clicked the keypad, and the lights flashed on his truck. They got in, and Stella rubbed her hands on her pants. “Turn on the heat. It’s freezing.”

“If I turn it on now, it’ll just blow cold air on you.” He fired up the engine.

Stella glanced at Austin—and the boy smiled back at the inside joke.

Oh, my God. He smiled.

That means he’shappy.

Yes.

Night made.

She tried to keep her voice casual, but she was dying for the details. “Looks like it went well with Savannah.”

He murmured a quiet, Mm-hm.

“So, what happens now?”

“Nothing. I didn’t do it to get something out of her. I just like her.”

“Oh, my God, Austin. What did she say?” Stella twisted around to see his face in the dark interior.

Austin glanced out the window. “She said it was a good song.” And then his gaze swung back to her. “She liked the chocolates.”

The way he looked at her felt like he was thanking her, and it made her heart swell. “I’m glad it worked out so well.” When he didn’t say more, she asked, “So, where did you guys leave things?”

“She said she’ll see me in class.”

“Do you want to have her over?”

“To the house? No.”

Stella flicked a glance to Griffin to see if he understood why a boy would write a girl a song and buy her chocolates and not want to spend time alone with her.

But Austin caught it. “I like her. I think she’s cool, but I don’t know her. I’ll talk to her at lunch and at the training center.” He held up his phone. “I got her number.”

“You know that small party we’re having for your birthday? Just family?”

He nodded, wary.

“What if we change it? What if we invite some of the kids in the snowboarding class instead?”

He caught Griffin’s gaze in the rearview mirror, and they had some kind of silent communication she assumed had to do with the Pilsons.

Idling in the middle of a long line of cars waiting to leave the school parking lot, the red taillights cast a glow on Griffin’s strong, handsome features. “If you want to invite a few friends, that’s fine.”

Austin’s tension broke. “Yeah, okay.”

“Perfect. We’ll have a family dinner Friday night, and then on your birthday, we’ll do something with your friends.” Stella settled back in her seat. She didn’t want him to see how excited she was. This kid had been through so much, and he was good and smart and mature…she just wanted to make him feel special and loved.

By the time they reached town, the streets were lined with cars.

“You were right,” Griffin said. “Everyone had the same idea.”

“I’m glad I sent them early.” Through the window, she could see their families had dragged two tables together, and they already held ice cream cones. The line was out the door. “Let’s park at Coco’s. She and Beckett are in for the night.”

“You guys get out,” Griffin said. “I’ll catch up with you.”

She kissed his cheek before stepping into the street. The moment she hit the sidewalk, she looped her arm through Austin’s, and they entered the crowded parlor.

Hit with the warmth inside, she loosened the scarf around her neck.

Her mom got up to greet them. “Here’s the star of the night.” She gave Austin a big hug.

The others joined in—Griffin’s brothers, his parents, her Dad, Gigi—everyone surrounding him, praising his performance, and Austin just stood in the center of it and drank it all in. Quiet as usual, only tonight he looked as far from broody as she’d ever seen him.

“I’m proud of you, sweetheart.” Her dad slung an arm around her shoulders.

“Me?”

“Yes, you. You did a great thing for that boy. He’s come a long way since he moved here, and that’s because he’s been touched by the Stella magic.” He wrapped her in his arms. “I’m so damn glad you’re home. We’ve missed you, your special energy.”

“Got you your fave.” Gigi held out a cone.

She stepped back from her dad and accepted the caramel dark chocolate ice cream. “Thank you.” She took a lick. “Yum. So good.” She touched her sister’s arm. “Thank you so much for working with him.”

“Oh, honestly, it was no big deal. It was my pleasure.”

“It was a big deal, though. Just you getting up there with him means he won’t be the loner new kid anymore. But it’s so much more than that. He’s only ever played his guitar secretly in his room. If we tried to come in, he’d hide it. So, for him to perform in front of the school? I think you opened up the world of music for him.”

“Aw, that’s really sweet to hear. But, really, fuck them for trying to suppress his talent.”

“Yep. Fuck them.”

“Girls.” Her mom joined them. “’Screw’ them would convey the same meaning.”

Gigi and Stella looked at each other, pretending to contemplate the word choice. At the same time, they shook their heads and said, “Nope.” And burst out laughing.

“So, what happened with Savannah?” her mom whispered.

“I think it went well. I suggested he invite her and some of the other kids from the snowboarding class to a birthday party next week, and he said yes. So, let’s have the family dinner on Friday, and then I’ll do something for his friends on Saturday.”

“What about having an indoor pool party at the Owl Hoot resort?” her mom asked.

“That’s a great idea.”

Stella had never been happier in her life. She had her family back, she had her dream career…

And she had Griffin.

Riding high, she gave her mom and Gigi hugs.

Five weeks ago, she hadn’t thought any of this was possible.

And now she had it all.

She wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize this new life.