“Are you speaking from experience?”
Blake’s only relative was her father, and he was in prison for a laundry list of white-collar crimes.
“I am, and not just mine. It took AJ forever to accept it.”
Love filled Blake’s eyes as she looked at her fiancé.
“Thank you, Blake, I needed that.”
“We all need a reminder sometimes.”
After we stuffed ourselves with pizza, Meg’s bacon mac and cheese, a casserole I could eat every day if I didn’t care about myweight, and Emily’s salad, the only healthy thing on the menu, the guys cleaned up.
While the guys all kissed their women goodnight, Austin approached me. “We’re just down the hall if you need anything.”
Remembering what Blake had said, my cheeks warmed. Was Austin making a special effort to talk to me? To make sure I felt comfortable?
“Okay.”
“If you want to leave, or you think of something, or a question comes up, call me.” His steel-blue eyes stared into mine. I tried to see what Blake saw, thought she saw, but I couldn’t. She’d insinuated Austin had feelings for me, but all I could see was professional concern.
A feeling he’d have for any client whose life was in danger.
At least, I believed he was the type of man who’d be concerned.
“Okay.”I sound like a broken record.
“Okay,” he said with a soft smile. “Give me your phone.”
I didn’t hesitate—just handed my phone over like I didn’t have a mind of my own.
“I added myself to your contacts.”
I opened my mouth to say okay, but he cut me off. “Don’t say okay, okay?”
Of course my instinct was to reply, okay, but I caught myself and laughed.
He laughed with me.
Damn, if his deep laugh didn’t go straight through me and spark a flame that was entirely inappropriate.
He’s too old for you. Not to mention, a worldly guy like Austin would never be interested in a boring, small town, college girl like me.
He’s gorgeous. I’m plain.
He had money. I had debt.
He had a huge family tree. I’d known my birth parents’ names for less than a week.
We didn’t fit.
He lifted my chin so I had to look at him and asked, “Hey, what’re you thinking?”
No way would I tell him. “Nothing.”
“Nothing,” he made air quotes, “doesn’t make you look sad,” he said, but didn’t push.
“Winchester, are you coming?”
