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Chapter 66: Austin
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2022-10-26 14:22:02Related chapters
The Journey Collection Chapter 67: Austin-Past
"Austin, son, don't forget Miranda's present," my mother called out to me when I was halfway up the Adams' front steps.It wasn't like she couldn't grab it from the back seat, but I knew better than to make that statement with my father rounding the bed of the truck. He'd backhand me into next week for sassin' my mom."Yes, ma'am." My shoulders slumped as I gave in and went to retrieve the bag.Staring at the mounds of pink tissue that spilled out of the top, and the sparkly polka dots on the paper, I groaned as I took hold of the strings. Sure, Randi was a girl, but there was enough pink on this bag to make Pepto puke. And I wasn't terribly interested in being seen carrying it into my best friend's birthday party. It was bad enough my mom made me get her a doll that she would never play with. I ran as fast as I could back up the steps and into the house to find the first place I could to dump the stupid thing.Luckily, the gift table was right inside the front door. I promptly
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 68: Austin-Past
Had I not been listening for an answer, I would have missed it over the chatter of people around us and the rides running. The bouncy house to our right provided all kinds of white noise to keep it inflated. It didn't take a rocket scientist to recognize she was upset. Even realizing that, I didn't have a clue how to fix it. Thankfully, the ride stopped, and we were seated in the empty cart. There wasn't a word exchanged between the two of us. She stared over the side and clung to my hand. Our fingers wound together, and I wondered if that was the only thing keeping her grounded. Her thoughts were a million miles away. She could have easily floated off with them.I didn't know much about girls and even less about women, but I had an older brother who was an expert. Charlie always told me that if a woman was quiet, and I was positive that I wasn't the cause, then keep my mouth shut. That's what I did through all ten circles we took. And when the guy running the ride let us off, I deci
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 69: Austin-Past
I didn't have the foggiest idea how long we had stayed in the fields. It had to have been hours with just nature and a lone cow who came to say hello, briefly. The sun had dropped from its highest place in the sky, and the heat had started to fade. Even through hearing our names called, we never moved. Punishment was inevitable, so at this point, leaving before Randi was ready wouldn't lessen whatever I faced. There hadn't been any sirens, and no one turned out the dogs, so they believed we were safe, just avoiding them. Them being whoever looked for us, most likely her parents and mine.As if she'd heard my thoughts, she pushed up, breaking free of my hold. Righting herself, she folded her legs Indian style underneath the skirt of her dirty dress, and I followed her lead. With each hand, she swiped at the moisture on the opposite side of her face, leaving streaks worse than makeup would have caused. Her eyes were rimmed red and puffy, and the fury of her emotions fanned out in raw c
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 70: Miranda
The first two days Eason and I had been in Mason Belle were spent at the hospital, for the most part. I had no idea how exhausting it could be to sit next to a bed all day. The drive back and forth didn't help, and I wished now that we'd gotten a hotel room. I'd done a fairly good job avoiding Sarah and only coming a few minutes before she had to leave. So much remained unresolved between us. We'd managed to meander around it on the phone; yet somehow, in person, it was like dragging an iron ball on a chain by my ankle. The weight was crippling.Eason and I sat on the couch in Daddy's room. The tick of the clock kept me engrossed, wondering when Sarah would leave. At twelve past the hour, I finally asked, not so eloquently. "Don't you need to go?"She snickered from across the room and shook her head. It was the same thing she used to do when I was younger and she thought I'd said something stupid. "The kids are out of school today, so I left them with Charlie's mom this morning. I
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 71: Miranda
The blare of my alarm at four thirty was as unwelcomed today as it had been during my childhood. As I fumbled to silence the offending noise on my phone, I wondered what I'd been thinking when I agreed to this charade. I hadn't been fit for the part growing up, and I wasn't any better suited for it today.Moving through the house that once was as familiar to me as the back of my hand, I tried to remain quiet so I didn't wake Eason. I didn't flip on the lights until I was safely inside the bathroom. My disheveled appearance was a sight to behold. There wasn't much point in doing anything with it, either, so I washed away the remnants of makeup from the day before and ran a brush through my mop. It wasn't much of an improvement, but at least I no longer looked like I had stepped out of Night of the Living Dead. After I brushed my teeth, I moved back to my room. The Walmart bags were on the floor next to my suitcase, and I didn't bother to look at what I pulled out. I wasn't here to imp
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 72: Miranda
It didn't take long to remind me of why I'd hated doing this stuff most of my life. The flies drove me insane, and even in the early morning hours, the heat was oppressive. The stench of the wildfire's destruction produced a headache less than thirty minutes after I walked out the kitchen door. The only decent part of the tasks were the animals. They'd always been the bright spot in the chores around here. Daddy had always been fond of paint horses. He swore they were the best for working cattle. Personally, I'd never cared what breed they were. I loved them all. But I didn't know the names of any of the ones I'd seen. Daddy hadn't had them when I was here last, which seemed odd. Everything was different in a town so small that nothing ever actually changed.Voices lured my attention, and I peered out from the stall to find Austin with another worker at the front of the barn. His tone was low, so I couldn't hear him; I wasn't interested in his conversation, though. Since I'd been hom
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 73: Miranda-Past
The high of winning homecoming was wild throughout the town. There wasn't much that went on here, outside of cows and farms, so winning at football drew a crowd. Truth be told, losing attracted the same crowd; they were just in better moods following a victory. And there were two people the town coveted after a win-or maybe only one. Since we came as a package, I'd always believe it was two.The quarterback and the captain of the cheerleading squad.Austin and I were like royalty, and a win only served to cement that notion. It wasn't a secret to anyone who had ever stepped foot in Mason Belle, Texas. There were lots of unknowns in life; however, Austin Burin and Randi Adams weren't one of them. It was a given, like pancakes and syrup or gravy and biscuits, that the two of us would end up together. And the town's people salivated when we were together. It was a high I wished every kid my age could experience. Then again, it probably wouldn't be all that fantastic if it were ordinar
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 74: Miranda-Past
There were some pluses to having grown up in the same small town where everyone knew each other, and all my friends' parents were well acquainted. It wasn't unusual for ranchers to spend time helping each other, and they often came from other counties. It was even less rare to find kids hanging out at all hours of the night with each other tending to animals. Or maybe that was just in Mason Belle. Either way, it was a regular occurrence for other kids in the county, just not one I'd experienced before tonight.Daddy loved the Burins and their sons, and he trusted Austin with my life. He didn't have any reason not to, although I wasn't sure Daddy remembered what life was like as a seventeen-year-old boy with raging hormones. If he had, I couldn't be certain he would have allowed Austin to spend the night in the barn with me while the two of us monitored Lacey...alone.Daddy could have easily made Sarah sit out here, which would have been far less entertaining for me, but Austin had
Last Updated : 2022-10-26
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The Journey Collection Chapter 105: Jack-Epilogue-Five years later
I threw the truck in park, glanced at the clock, and then jumped out, slamming the door behind me. It had been over an hour since I'd gotten the call, and I hadn't been able to reach Austin since. My feet refused to carry me as fast as I wanted them to move, and the second I made it inside the emergency room, I came to a halt. A flood of memories hit me, and they weren't the good kind.The last time I'd stood in this room, I was blind with rage. It was also the day Austin became a man, and I lost my little girl to the person who owned her heart. It took guts for him to step in front of her that day. Almost as much as it took for him to confront me when he got back from New York. I'd hoped that day would never come, but I prayed for it all the same. In order to atone for a sin, I had to confess it...and then deal with the punishment. Austin had made damn certain I understood that if I ever raised a hand to Randi again, there wouldn't be a hound in the world who'd sniff out my remains.
The Journey Collection Chapter 104: Austin
My phone rang for the fourth time since I'd left for work this morning. I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face seeing Randi's name flash across my screen. Her calls came at inconvenient times, but damn if it didn't make my day. I slid my hand from the glove I was wearing to swipe my finger across the screen. "Hey, sweetheart." "What are you doing?" The boredom in her voice was palpable, and it caused me to snicker when I responded."I'm working. The same thing I was doing the other three times you called.""Oh... I'm sorry. I'll let you go."I tucked the phone between my shoulder and my ear so I could talk to her and at least make it appear like I was working to anyone who might see me. "Everything okay?" "Yeah, I'm just bored."We'd had this conversation several times in the last few days. "Why don't you get out of the house? Go into town. If nothing else, go grocery shopping." She was afraid of the reactions she'd get without me, Sarah, or Jack at he
The Journey Collection Chapter 103: Austin
There'd never been a day in all the years I'd been coming to Cross Acres that I'd dreaded it. Even when Randi had shown up unexpectedly, it was never the ranch I didn't want to be near. For years, this place had been my solace. Today, however, I had to have a conversation I wasn't keen on having with a man I'd respected my entire life. Not even the sound of the gravel under my tires soothed the ache in my chest.I'd debated on whether or not to go straight to the farmhouse or get the guys out working before I pulled Jack aside. I'd opted for the second. If there were a scene, no one needed to be around to witness it. I didn't care if Jack had deeded the ranch over to me; this was still his home, and these men respected him.It had taken me a little over an hour to get everyone out of earshot, and once I had, I climbed the steps to the front porch. At a little after six, there was no doubt in my mind Jack was awake-it was in his blood. He'd get up when the rooster crowed for the res
The Journey Collection Chapter 102: Miranda
The four-day drive back to Mason Belle turned into seven. Austin and I used the time to catch up; although, not a lot had gone on in either of our lives. Our greatest sticking point had been my relationship with Eason. It took a FaceTime call to him and Garrett to get Austin to relax about the security of our friendships. By the time we'd hung up, Garrett had Austin howling with laughter and Eason shaking his head in the background. Austin and Eason would need to get to know each other, and that could happen over time. For now, they seemed to appreciate what the other brought to my life and left the mutual understanding at that.After stopping at the airport to pick up his truck, we arrived at Austin's house before lunch, and he'd insisted we go inside to eat before he went to Cross Acres. Unable to convince him that food and a nervous stomach didn't make a happy union, I gave in. It dawned on me that it wasn't his refrigerator he wanted to show off. Austin was proud of the two-story
The Journey Collection Chapter 101: Miranda
Every inch of my body coiled, and each step I took required more effort than the last. I'd left Austin to explore New York-well, the bagel shop at the corner-while I went to have a conversation with my best friend and boss. My stiletto-clad foot slipped on the marble floors in the lobby, and an older gentleman kindly prevented my fall. Heat rose in my cheeks, and embarrassment gripped what little hold I had on reality. "Don't worry, sweetheart. Happens to me all the time." He lifted his hand, and a nervous giggle passed my lips. Even at his age, he was spry, and I found humor in the cane he showed off with pride. I wondered if women found that attractive later in life, although I didn't ask. Instead, I patted his hand and thanked him. He then shooed off my apology. "A girl as pretty as you, the pleasure was all mine." Yeah, this guy definitely played the geriatric field. The man straightened his suit jacket, tipped his cane to the up arrow, and then pressed the button to ca
The Journey Collection Chapter 100: Miranda
It took me a moment to recognize the arms wrapped around me and realize the heat behind me wasn't a blazing inferno I needed to escape before the house burned to the ground. In the haze of waking, last night was more like a dream than reality, and his embrace reminded me that life didn't always follow an expected path. I wiggled free without rousing him and rolled to my side. As soon as I did, I regretted losing the comfort that being close to him provided. Although, the view made up for the loss of contact. Austin's disheveled hair gave him a boyish appeal in direct contrast to the maturity that age had given his body. My heart swelled, knowing I could think about him and not feel like a dagger had pierced my chest. He had the capacity to forgive, and despite the unknowns, that trait had the power to heal. Couple it with devotion and love, and somehow, we would get through this together. Austin stirred in front of me, and my picture of perfection came to life when he moved. His
The Journey Collection Chapter 99: Austin
We had talked late into the night. I didn't know where her roommate was, but I was glad he hadn't interrupted. Eason would throw a monkey wrench into any progress I made once she realized she hadn't factored him into the equation. By the time she had convinced me to spend the night, I didn't have a commitment from her to come home with me. She had, however, admitted that she wanted to be together. If that meant I needed to sell my house in Mason Belle and relocate to New York, then I'd do what I had to do. Life without Randi was no longer an option.She held my hand and led me down a dark hallway and up a flight of stairs. Randi didn't bother flicking on a light until we stepped into her room. Her life had changed drastically while she'd been in New York. Her family had money by Mason Belle standards-at least they had while she lived there-but she lived in luxury here. Her bedroom was the size of my den and kitchen combined, her king-sized bed overflowed with pillows, and while I did
The Journey Collection Chapter 98: Austin
I'd made it this far without nerves taking over or second-guessing my trip, not even on the flight from hell where I swore the masks were going to fall out of the overhead compartment at any given moment. Oddly, I'd been most apprehensive over leaving my truck in an uncovered parking lot at the airport. Now, standing on Miranda and Eason's doorstep, I hesitated to lift my fist to knock.For two days, I'd tried to reach Miranda, and for two days her phone went to voicemail, even after I assumed she'd gone back to work. That same lost feeling I'd experienced when she left the first time had returned, except this time, I wasn't willing to accept her decision as my fate. I didn't ask Sarah where she lived. I didn't talk to Jack about where I was going when I told him I needed a couple of days off. Not even my parents were aware I'd left the state. I made the choice to chase her, and no outside influence would alter my plans, so there was no point in discussing it. It proved a tad diff
The Journey Collection Chapter 97: Austin
I'd expected her to call. After the things Miranda had admitted, I thought she'd use my number when she got up. The minutes and hours barely moved on the clock. Exhausted wasn't a good way to spend a day on a ranch. The work was physical, the sun was brutal, and I needed it to end. Hearing from Miranda would have broken up the monotony, and I'd hoped the two of us could sit down to talk. The few hours of rest I'd had last night were spent mulling over every word she'd said. The things she had confessed brought on more questions than answers. I doubted I wanted the answers, but in the end, I'd need them. Since she hadn't called, it was clear, I would have to force the conversation. She needed to get her rental car from The Hut which gave me an excuse to be alone with her without making an issue out of it.But when I got back to the barn, the only vehicles there were mine and Brock's. I'd successfully avoided him all day, and if I played my cards right, I'd get out unnoticed. I didn
