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“Very romantic.”
Considering her dismissive attitude, I ask, “You don’t believe in that kind of magic, huh?”
“I’ve been in love three times. The first two gave me daughters. The third one was simply arm candy. Not one of them involved magic.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Your daughter makes my heart hard and hot in my chest. Leaving her isn’t an option, but I can’t let my club down.”
Suzanne exhales deeply, relenting to how I refuse to fear her. “I noticed immediately how Austen’s smitten with you. She doesn’t normally notice men in a positive way. My heart hurts when I remember how she was before that summer. Those men stole something important from her. But Urick could have still saved her confidence, if he had reacted in the way I would have.”
Resting her hand on the door as if thinking about Austen somewhere in the house, she whispers, “She still blames herself because Urick acted like it was simply a misunderstanding or something harmless that spiraled out of control.”
Her gaze finds me. “I know he adored Austen. She was his princess. They both loved horses. He would stand outside and watch her ride for hours. They were close, and she trusted him. Through Urick, she trusted those men. Because she thought they feared him too much to hurt her. But they knew what she didn’t. Urick was more attached to the idea of redeeming them than protecting her.”
Suzanne sighs deeply. “If the assault happened in Banta City, I’d have killed those men. Austen would have understood how it wasn’t her fault. I know she’s old enough now to see how they were wrong. She’s had a lot of therapy. But Urick’s dismissal toward what happened scarred her in a way therapy can’t seem to fix.”
Studying me, Suzanne shakes her head. “She shouldn’t go with you. Urick will guilt her into forgiving him. His sons will try to hurt her. She’s safer here. I know I’m right, but I also know I can’t stop her. Austen has unfinished business back there, both with you and Urick. She needs to face the past. I just don’t know if she’s strong enough to stand on her own.”
“She won’t have to. I’ll be at her side.”
“And if she can’t give you what you want?”
“We’ll both need to settle for what’s real. There’s no living up to the fantasies we’ve created about each other. But I believe Austen will be mine until I take my last breath. It’s what I feel, even if I can’t explain why.”
Suzanne stares at me unconvinced. Of course, she can’t understand because she’s never felt such magic.
“Were you close with your parents?” I ask, startling her from her thoughts.
“They traveled for most of my childhood. I barely knew them.”
“Did you leave your daughters alone a lot?”
“No. I hated for them to visit their fathers. I’ve always wanted them close.”
“Because that’s what you wanted as a child?”
“No, I preferred when my parents weren’t around. I got to run the house. I’ve always been bossy.”
I share her smile before asking, “So, why did you always want your girls close?”
“When they were born, something changed inside me. I found them fascinating. My life no longer felt like my own. It’s difficult to explain. After all, I loved my parents. I’d been in love with men. But the feeling was different with my girls.”
“Because what you feel for them is magic. It doesn’t need to make sense. It’s alive inside you at a primal level.”
Suzanne studies me with eyes so similar to the ones I’m already falling in love with. “And you think that’s what you feel for Austen?”
“It’s been a dozen years since I saw Austen. I lived a fun life. I was never miserable. I dated other women. But I never forgot her. Some part of me knew Austen would come back into my life, and I’d make my move,” I explain and shrug. “And I was right. How can I disagree with such magic?”
Suzanne watches me for a moment. Her expression is so open as she considers putting Austen’s dreams ahead of her own worries. She doesn’t want to let her daughter go. However, Suzanne knows no other man will come along and claim Austen like I do.
“Do you promise you’ll keep her safe?”
“I swear on my life.”
Suzanne nods and exhales out her doubts. “I’ll have a mechanic check her new Range Rover for the drive. The staff can help Austen pack.”
I’m a little surprised by how quickly Suzanne backs down and agrees. After my parents nursed a lifelong garbage view of me, I’ve always assumed authority figures would see me in the same way.
Fortunately, Austen’s mom isn’t like my parents. She wants her children to be happy, even if it means her own heart suffers. As Suzanne leaves me alone in the library, I consider how much Austen takes after the powerful woman.
