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Chapter 86: Austin
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2022-10-26 14:22:02Related chapters
The Journey Collection Chapter 87: Miranda
I hated that he'd gotten the best of me, that he'd made me cry. The cruiser idled a few feet away, and I dropped my shoulders when Sheriff Patton leaned over the passenger seat."Miranda, darlin'"-I still hated that term and every memory that came with it-"you need a ride home?"At first, I didn't answer and instead, I glanced at Austin. I'd begged him to tell me what he wanted me to do, what punishment would suffice, and in return, he'd stared at me, bewildered. Without a response, without an end to this insipid feud, I chose what I believed to be an out that had presented itself unexpectedly.It wasn't exactly home, but Cross Acres would have to do for tonight. So, I nodded and took the ride he had offered. Yet sitting alongside the man who'd delivered the news that had brought my world crashing to the ground, I wondered if I would have fared better with Austin. "Gotta say, I'm surprised to see you back in these parts." He shifted his attention from the road to me, I assumed
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 88: Miranda
If I'd never known Mama, the expression on Sarah's face would have been foreign. Since I had, I remembered it from my childhood, and not fondly. Whatever was coming wouldn't be fun, but she believed it was best in the long run. Which meant, I'd hate it. Sarah opened the door as she answered. "To get my purse. And then I'm going home. I'll be back in the morning to pick up Daddy. You're welcome to ride with us." She glanced at our father, tapped her fingers on the wood, and then disappeared inside.I hadn't been alone with my father since I'd gotten here. Any time I'd been at the hospital, Eason had been there, and Daddy wasn't awake. A chill slid up my spine like a snake slithering through grass, and it coiled around my neck, threatening to choke me."Sit down, Miranda. I ain't gonna bite." There was a softness to his gruff tenor.The porch creaked beneath my weight as I moved to take the seat Sarah had vacated moments earlier. No sooner had I sat down than my sister strolled
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 89: Austin
"What are you doing here, Austin?" Charity must have forgiven my outburst at the diner earlier this week. She raced up to me the moment she saw me standing at the bar.We didn't have a lot of indoor places to hang out in Mason Belle. Well, actually, we had one. The Hut. It wasn't much to write home about. A handful of local, retired vets had gotten together and started the bar. They only opened on Friday and Saturday nights, and they only sold beer and a handful of liquors. Anyone who cared to call a label from the shelf needed to ride into Laredo, because they couldn't do it here. It didn't bother me. I wasn't much of a drinker, and when I did drink, it was Southern Comfort, which they stocked, or an occasional beer. I rarely came into town, and I spent even less time at The Hut. I'd become a bit of a loner since high school, and I preferred my own company to that of others. I saw enough of Brock on the ranch, and I socialized with everyone else in town at church every Sunday. Ho
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 90: Austin
I kept watch over her from the corner of my eye. She didn't talk to anyone other than the bartender to order a drink. The amber liquid never appeared to diminish, but I'd kept count of how many glasses she'd ordered...and consumed. I assumed it was whiskey, although that was nothing more than a random guess. It didn't matter if it was whiskey, tequila, bourbon, or rum. Unless she'd taken up drinking in New York, the moment she stood from that stool, she'd fall flat on her ass. I wasn't here to keep her from embarrassing herself, but I'd be damned if I would have to face Jack Adams after another one of his daughters nearly killed herself in a fatal car accident. If that meant I had to stay here until last call to ensure she didn't become a smear on the highway, then so be it. Brock kept me occupied with several crappy games of pool, a few rounds of darts, and water in a glass that made it look like vodka without the regret of alcohol. Twenty-four years of friendship and the man co
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 91: Austin
Getting Miranda to the truck hadn't taken much effort. She had followed willingly, and I didn't hesitate to take advantage of her fingers laced with mine when I pulled her out to the parking lot of The Hut. It was hard not to acknowledge how it felt to have her back in my arms on the dance floor, or how much I'd missed holding her hand. And when she climbed into the cab of my truck, it took effort not to focus on the sway of her hips or her tight ass. There had never been another woman who did for me what Miranda Adams did, and that clearly hadn't changed. If it hadn't changed in six years, it wasn't going to in sixty.The ride back to Cross Acres proved uneventful. Country music played on a low volume, and Miranda stared out the window. I snuck glances at her and noticed she didn't even mouth the words. "Do you not listen to country anymore?""Hmm?" Not only did she not appear to listen to country music, she wasn't listening to me, either. I pointed toward the radio. "You can c
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 92: Miranda
The sun that came through the slats in the blinds might as well have been a wrecking ball. The light hit my eyes with a blinding blow that amplified my hangover. I jerked the blankets over my head in search of darkness, but it didn't help. Last night was nothing more than a fuzzy memory at the moment-well, other than the whiskey-and then it all started to come back, bit by painful bit. Each scene that played out in my mind sent a zing of agony to my temples, and the moment I remembered telling Austin that I still loved him, my stomach lurched. Then it rolled.With one hand over my mouth and the other flinging the quilt back, I then took off toward the bathroom. My foot slipped, and I found myself scurrying across the floor like a monkey. I fell to my knees in front of the toilet and lifted the lid to purge. I didn't need a reminder of how much alcohol I'd consumed while I sat at The Hut, but in case I'd forgotten, I now had a visual. Even after I had flushed the toilet, the vile s
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 93: Miranda
It didn't take long to pack my bag. I'd bought more at Walmart than I'd actually brought, and none of that needed to go back to New York. I folded it all and neatly put it into the drawers in my old dresser. It seemed silly since I doubted I'd ever be back to claim any of it, but it belonged here; I didn't. With my suitcase in tow, I glanced back one final time at the bedroom I'd grown up in. It was bittersweet, but at least now I wouldn't have regrets. I had come back. I'd tried to face the demons, even if I hadn't righted any of the wrongs. There was no sense in lingering. Nothing would change, regardless of how long I stood there. And for the second time in my life, I walked away. There were some decisions in life that couldn't be undone. I couldn't make reparations in this town for a choice I'd made years earlier. Teens everywhere disobeyed without the consequences my actions had brought. That wasn't my fate; this was. Daddy sat in the kitchen with Sarah when I reached the
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 94: Miranda
Sarah and I had taken a couple of minutes to compose ourselves before she pulled back onto the driveway and parked in front of the Burins' house. Just like my own, nothing about this one had changed since I'd been gone. There were so many memories here and around their property. I'd spent as much of my youth roaming the pastures of Twin Creeks as those of Cross Acres. I fought a mental battle against letting the happiness of my youth shadow the reality of my life. I doubted I would be any more welcome here than I had anywhere else in Mason Belle, probably less. I'd hurt their son as much as I had myself and my sister. Parents weren't likely to forgive that type of indiscretion. Not that I blamed them, or anyone else. I didn't. They all had every right to hate me, to hold a grudge. I reached for the seatbelt, still unsure whether I should sit tight or accompany Sarah to get her kids. When she didn't stop me, I pushed the button, released the belt, and then got out of the car. Aust
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
