601 Twilight Ln. by Kat Baxter
Chapter 10
Austin
The first thing I notice when I wake up is that I’m alone. I grab my phone to check the time and it’s a little after nine. I rarely sleep this late, but yesterday was a big day. And last night … holy fuck, last night was incredible.
The most amazing sex of my life. And stubborn Selina won’t admit that it meant more than just two people getting off. Not just because of her virginity—hell, that’s not even the main reason. I know I’ve already fallen hard for her. She feels like mine, feels like she belongs in my arms, in my bed, next to me. Forever.
I get up and throw on some sweat pants, go to the bathroom and brush my teeth. The sounds of someone cooking come from across my house so I head to my kitchen, thinking I’ll find my bride, but instead, my mom stands behind the stove.
“‘Bout time you got up,” she says without looking behind her.
“Where’s Selina?” I ask.
This time I get a glance. “She’s your wife, baby boy, kinda your job to know where she is.”
I scrape my hand over the back of my skull.
Mom busies herself making me a plate, then sets it down on the small island. She sips from her coffee and gives me the look. The one I’ve never been able to avoid. She knows something and she’s going to fish until she gets whatever detail she’s after.
I sit and start eating, stalling the best I can.
“Austin, I do not have the time nor the patience to deal with this shit this morning. Did you just get drunk? Is that what happened?”
I swallow and my food goes down like a rock. I look up at her.
She narrows her blue eyes—eyes like mine. “Don’t even think about lying because I’m your mama and I know you.”
“If you knew something was off, why did you through us a party?”
She gives me a sly smile. “It wasn’t just my idea and things got a bit out of hand. Besides which, I didn’t really know something was off until I saw the two of you together. But that is not the point. So are you really married?”
“Yes, it’s legal.”
“And?”
I exhale slowly. “I offered to get an annulment when we realized what had happened, but she was worried that people would blame her. So we decided to make it look real for six months.”
My mom gives me a long, studied look that lays me bare.
“There’s nothing fake about your feelings though,” mom says, because she’s my mom and she knows me better than anyone.
I shake my head, not bothering to deny it.
“Oh Austin, how did you get that drunk? That’s not like you.”
I suck in a breath, consider my words, and then settle on telling her the truth.
“I wasn’t that drunk,” I admit, because my mom would know if I was lying anyway, and honestly, I just need to get this out. To talk through it with someone. “She wanted to do tequila shots and I did a couple with her. The truth is, I got wrapped up in the fantasy. I thought she wanted me, thought she wanted us. And I didn’t realize she was pretty wasted. So she suggested we get married when we walked past the chapel and it’s like everything clicked into place.”
I close my eyes and I can still see some of her smiles from that night. “I mean the truth is I grew up hearing you and dad’s story. How you met on a Saturday and by the following Wednesday he’d put a ring on your finger.” I chuckle at the memory of hearing him tell their love story so often. “Dad always told me, ‘when you know, you know.’”
Mom repeats that last part with me.
She’s smiling though it’s wistful and bittersweet. That should scare me. The thought of loving someone that much and then losing them. But the truth is, I don’t care. I just want to love her.
“So despite the fact that I think Selina and I belong together, she doesn’t feel the same way.” I lift a shoulder in a shrug. “The best I can hope for is that I can change her mind in the next six months.”
Mom is quiet for a few minutes, then she nods. “Well, I think you’re right.”
“About which part?”
“That the two of you belong together. The heat coming off of y’all at the diner was enough to singe my eyebrows.”
I shake my head. “We’re not talking about that.”
She chuckles. “I’m not so old I don’t remember the passionate early days.”
“Seriously, Mom, just stop.”
“Fine. The point is, I can clearly see that you love that girl and I’m pretty sure she feels the same way. But that girl is like a scared rabbit. She only lets you get so close before she hops away.”
“Tell me about it.”
“She’s working in Rosie’s barn. I saw the lights on when I was driving over here.”
“Dammit! Why didn’t you tell me that already?”
“Because we needed to have this chat. And you needed to acknowledge what you truly want before you go after her. You might be my son, but if you break her heart, you and I are gonna have some trouble.”
“I’d never hurt her. At least not on purpose.”
She nods. “Go take a shower and then go find your bride.”
I stand and kiss my mom’s cheek before going and following her instructions. I need to be prepared for what I’m going to tell her. I could play this a couple ways, try to be easy and casual and just wait for her to catch up, or I can be honest and tell her how I feel.
There’s no choice, not really. I’m not a player, never have been. I’m honest and would likely do a shit job of trying to hide my feelings. Yep, it’s definitely time to tell my wife that I’m madly in love with her.
I’m within walking distance, but decide to drive the truck in case she has anything she wants to haul back to my house. But when I pull up I see another vehicle parked there. It’s an expensive sports car and a knot bundles in my stomach.
I walk over to the barn and I stop when I hear voices.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Selina snaps.
“Don’t be like that,” a male voice says. “I miss you. I miss us.”
Selina snorts. “There was never an us, remember? I was just your dirty little secret.”
“That’s not how that went,” he says, his voice edged with anger.
I take a step closer, but I’m not going to intercede unless it’s clear she needs me.
“I saw your pictures online,” he says.
“What pictures?”
“You married that asshole.” It’s not a question.
“Yes, I did, not that it’s any business of yours. Seriously, Kyle, what are you doing here? You saw me at the casino and thought you’d come see one more time if you could get in my pants? Surely there are other girls you can torment back in Syn City.”
“It’s not like that. I really liked you, Selina.”
“But not enough to be with me in front of your jock friends. Yeah, I get it. I’m weird and not cool. But whatever, that was high school. Grow up.”
“I have and I want us to date. For real this time.”
“I’m married,” she says slowly.
I inch closer so that I can see into the barn. She’s standing on one side of a long wooden work bench and he’s on the other side.
“I don’t care.” He walks around the table to come closer to her.
My fists clench. That fucker is trying to hook up with my wife.
“You don’t care?” she asks.
“No.” He shakes his head. It’s the damn blonde from the other night. “I know you, babe. You can’t really love that guy. Not that way you loved me.”
“Are you serious right now?”
“Yeah, babe. I know how much you loved me. I know how good we’d be together.”
She steps closer to him and I hold my breath. Is she going to kiss him? No, she wouldn’t do that. I know she wouldn’t.
Her knee comes up and she nails him right in the nuts. He doubles over and falls to the ground in a fetal position, groaning and clutching his crotch.
“Fuck. Off. Kyle.”
That’s my girl.
That’s my cue. I step into the barn. “Hey, sweet girl.”
Her face lights up when she hears my voice. She tries to cover her reaction. Always the cool one, the unaffected one. But I know the truth. I see her gooey, soft center. I walk straight to her—stepping over the whining man on the ground—pick her up and kiss the hell out of her.
“I missed you when I woke up,” I say.
She gives me a small smile, it’s tentative and hopeful. “Yeah?”
“Oh yeah.” I nod to the man still grabbing his junk. “You need me to take out the trash?”
“Would you mind?”
“Not even a little.” I put her down, then lift the man to his feet. “Kyle, I’m pretty sure I introduced myself the other night,” I tell him as I guide him to the door. “I’m Austin and I’m not only Selina’s husband, I’m a cop. If I see you anywhere near her again, she’ll be filing a restraining order. Am I making myself clear?” I squeeze his neck just a tad when we reach his car.
“Yeah. Whatever. Fucking bitch isn’t worth it.” I shove him into his car.
“That’s where you’re wrong. That woman is worth everything. So thank you for fucking up with her because now, she’s mine. And I’ll never make the stupid mistakes that you made.” Then I slam the car door.
