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He shook his head and slammed the bottle back onto the shelf. Austin pressed his forehead against the cold tile as the water pummeled his body. His gut twisted, churning and swirling, mimicking the turmoil in his heart.
“But I can’t turn down this job either,” he whispered, the truth breaking free from his lips. “I just can’t. It’s everything I’ve always worked toward.”
An invisible force squeezed his heart deep within his chest, gripping and crushing the delicate strings that just yesterday had stitched back together.
It’s not fucking fair.
Austin inhaled and yanked his head from the safety of the tiled wall as his phone rang on the bathroom counter. He frowned and turned the shower off, stepping from the steamy space to tap the speaker phone icon on Mitch’s name.
“Yeah?”
“Hello to you too.”
Austin rolled his eyes and snagged a towel from the hook. He wrapped it around his waist and leaned forward, folding the top half of his wet body over the counter. “Sorry,” he muttered. “What’s up?”
“You okay?”
Austin sighed. “Sure.” Closing his eyes, he pressed his fingertips into his temples, massaging the skin, bearing into the source of pain pounding in his brain. “I’m fine.”
With a snort, Mitch answered. “Yeah, you sound fine.”
Austin rolled his eyes again. “Kind of a tough day, Mitch. What do you need?”
“I’ll pick you up in twenty, all right?”
“Why?” He wrinkled his nose, digging into his brain to recall the minute-by-minute itinerary Lauren had created, color coded, and distributed to every member of the wedding party.
“I’m supposed to pick you up.” He snorted. “It’s on the itinerary. That way your car isn’t here, I guess.” Paper shuffled on the other side of the phone, bringing a small smile to his lips.
Lauren, you don’t disappoint.
“Twenty sounds good. Thanks, man.” Austin moved to tap the red button, his fingers hovering over the device. “Wait... hey, Mitch?”
“Yeah?”
“Have you seen Casey? Are the girls over there?”
“The house is quiet, dude. The itinerary says something about an appointment at Curls and Cuticles.” He snickered. “That sounds terrible.”
Austin nodded. “Okay... yeah. It sure does. See you in twenty.”
“See you in twenty.”
Mitch ended the call, and Austin turned to the mirror, his reflection slowly materializing through the steam. He stared, the hazy fog circulating in the air. “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us,” he mumbled, dragging his hand across the mirror and smearing his reflection in the steam.
I’d rather battle a Balrog.
––––––––
Austin’s too-tightloafers crunched the dead grass. His elbow knocked into Josh as they walked side-by-side down the path toward the ceremony site.
“You okay?” Austin grinned, eyeing the pattern of yellow and gray bows bordering the path to the meadow.
“Nervous...” He stuffed his hands into his pockets and smiled. “Guess I shouldn’t be though. I’ve done this before.” He elbowed Austin back with wide eyes.
“Well, you’ve got the right girl on the other side this time.” His foot squashed a yellow rose petal. “I mean, anyone is better than Tess, but Mavs...”
Josh stilled, his feet faltering on the path.
