AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I looked at Amelia who was glaring at her son. “That is absolutely unacceptable. You do not speak to our guests like that Austin. I’m ashamed of you.”
“Mom, let’s be real. She just got here from New York. Now she’s already looking at Grandma’s ring and she wants to marry Beau. Like, you don’t even know Beau.” He stared at me. “You really want to marry him? How far are you going to take this, Lucy?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just—”
“You know what? Forget about it. You do whatever you want to do. If you want to marry my brother, go right ahead. I just don’t even care anymore.” And then he left the kitchen in a huff.
I handed Amelia back the ring. “Sorry, I wasn’t saying that I wanted the ring. I just wanted to look at it. I mean, Beau had mentioned it to me and—”
“Oh, my darling, do not worry about Austin. He is a moody, moody man,” Amelia apologized to me. “He has no idea what he’s talking about. He wouldn’t know love if it hit him in the face.” She shook her head. “Sometimes I really wonder about that boy.”
“I’ve never known him to be like this before,” Ranger said. “He’s not normally rude like this to women. I just wonder what’s going on. Maybe he’s jealous. Maybe he—” Amelia shot him a look, and his eyes narrowed. “Is there something I need to know, Amelia?”
“Not right now, dear. Not right now. Now, Lucy, you go ahead and get ready for dinner, and I’ll make sure that Austin apologizes to you.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that. I mean, if he doesn’t like me, it’s fine. There’s nothing I can do about it.”
“Oh, I think you’ll find that the problem is quite the opposite, my dear,” Amelia said with a small smile. “Now run along and get ready. Dinner will be ready soon.”
Chapter Eighteen
I stared at my suitcase and clothes and debated whether to pack up my belongings and leave. Austin’s words had hit me to my core. My soul was aching, and all the self-doubt I’d been fighting was threatening to bubble over the surface. I wasn’t a gold digger, but I knew that the mere fact that I was here looked questionable. I had my reasons for being here, of course, and they were good reasons, but they were hard to understand and hard to explain.
Knock, knock. I ignored the fact that someone was loudly banging on my door. I didn’t want to speak to or see anyone.
“Lucy, can I come in?” said Austin’s deep voice. I didn’t respond.
Knock, knock. The banging was loud now. “Lucy, I know you’re in there! Can I please enter?” he shouted.
“No!” I shouted back, not leaving the bed.
“Please? I have a cup of tea for you. Please let me come in.”
“I don’t want any tea. Just leave.”
“It’s good tea, I promise. I added lemon and honey.”
“Go away.” I glared at the door, even though I knew he couldn’t see my face. I had absolutely no interest in talking to him. He had really hurt my feelings.
“Lucy, please.” The door creaked as he opened it slowly. He poked his head inside and smiled at me. “Can we talk? Please?” he said.
His eyes pleaded with me, but I just turned my face away. I wasn’t going to let his handsome face and puppy dog eyes convince me to let him in and to talk to me. I was done with him. I never wanted to speak to him again, and I certainly was never going to kiss him again.
“I said no, I don’t want to talk. I’m not interested in what you have to say. Go away, Austin.”
“I’m sorry, Lucy. I—”
“I don’t care!” I turned back to look at him. “You said what you said and that’s that.”
“I don’t really think you’re a gold digger, Lucy,” he said.
“And I don’t really think you’re a nice guy, Austin.”
“That’s not what you said when you kissed me.” His green studied my face as he held the cup out toward me.
“I don’t want any tea, and I don’t want you. Get out.”
“I made it especially for you.” He gave me a soft, sweet smile.
