22. AUSTIN
Chapter twenty-two
AUSTIN
I drive back to the ranch with the windows down, hoping the wind will carry away my thoughts of Hayley. But even the rushing air reminds me of her – soft and gentle yet electrifying. I turn on the radio, desperate for a distraction, only to be met with the twanging chords of a country love song.
"Even you are reminding me of her," I mutter to the radio, shaking my head.
I take one hand off the steering wheel, pressing my fingers to my lips. The memory of our kiss is still fresh, still tingling on my skin. I hadn't planned to kiss her, but seeing her cute face, the hint of jealousy in her eyes, and the hope that maybe, just maybe, she was finally ready to accept me – it all pushed me to take that step.
Now, with everything over, I'm left wondering if I've pushed her further away instead.
Did I misread the signs? Was I too forward? The questions swirl in my mind like a dust devil, picking up speed with each passing mile.
I sigh heavily as I turn into the driveway, the gravel crunching under my tires. The house feels even more lonely tonight, dark and quiet – an emotion close to the turmoil in my chest.
I've barely been inside for five minutes when my phone starts ringing. It's on the desk across the room, and I dive for it, my heart racing. Could it be Hayley? Has she decided to reach out after all?
But as I grab the phone, my excitement quickly turns to disappointment. It's not Hayley – it's work.
"Hello?" I answer, trying to keep the frustration out of my voice.
"Mr. Austin? This is Zhang Wei from China, I had to use the emergency line," comes the voice from the other end.
My face falls as I listen to what he has to say. Instead of the good news I was expecting about the merger acquisition being finalized, Zhang Wei informs me of a fraudulent alert that's been noticed. The other side has halted the contract for now.
"We need you to come to China immediately," Zhang Wei says, his tone urgent. "They're saying they won't proceed unless you're here in person."
I run a hand through my hair, my mind racing. "How soon are we talking?"
"I've booked a ticket for you," he replies. "But it leaves in an hour. I know it's short notice, but-"
"No, no, it's fine," I cut him off. "Send me the ticket details. I'll be there."
As soon as the call ends, I'm dialing my secretary in the city. "Hey, it's me. I need the helicopter ready and at the ranch ASAP. I've got an emergency flight to catch."
With that arranged, I immediately start packing a small bag, throwing in essentials without much thought. As I zip up the suitcase, I pause, my hand hovering over my phone. I want to call Hayley, to explain why I'm suddenly leaving, to hear her voice one more time before I go. But then I remember my promise to give her space.
Reluctantly, I pocket the phone without making the call, but then I realize how bizarre it will be for her to find me just gone, no explanation. I dial and when her phone goes to voice mail, I tell her briefly that I have to leave on a business trip and that I’ll call her as soon as I get home. After I hang up I add to myself, “Oh yes, and Hayley, I’m going to miss you like crazy.”
The only person who can come here tonight to look after my dogs is Sarah, my cousin. She's been here briefly to see me – and probably to update my mom and sister about my private life. According to them, I barely tell them anything these days.
I quickly type out a message to Sarah: "Emergency work trip. Need you to watch the dogs. I owe you one."
Her reply comes almost instantly: No problem, cuz. But you better tell me all about this Hayley when you get back. ??
I can't help but smile. News travels fast in a small town, especially when your family is as nosy as mine.
The distant sound of chopper blades reaches my ears, growing louder by the second. I grab my bag and head outside, watching as the helicopter descends onto the open field near the house. The wind whips around me, and for a moment, I'm reminded again of Hayley – of how it felt to hold her close, to finally taste her lips.
As I climb aboard the helicopter, I cast one last look towards the cottage…Part of me is relieved; I'm not sure I could have left if I'd seen her. Another part aches, wishing for one last glimpse.
The helicopter lifts off, and I watch as the ranch grows smaller beneath us. Hayley's car isn't in the driveway – she's not back yet. My thoughts are a jumble of business concerns and memories of Hayley – her laugh, her smile, the way she looked at me tonight. I don't know what I'll be coming back to when this trip is over. Will she have decided to give us a chance? Or will my sudden departure have ruined everything?
***
Sixteen hours after leaving Redstone, I finally touch down in Shanghai. The thousand lights below couldn't be more different from the ranch I left behind…
As I step off the plane, the cold air hits me like a wall, a big change to the dry Texas heat I'm used to.
Wei and his team are waiting for me at the airport, their suits are a reminder of the world I'm stepping back into. As we walk to the car, I turn to Wei, desperate for information.
"Brief me on what's going on," I say, my voice gruff from the long flight.
Wei's face is grim as he responds. "One of the employees working on the merger was caught siphoning money. When the Japanese merger team investigated, they discovered the person had a partner on their own team. It's caused a full investigation and put the entire deal in jeopardy."
I run a hand through my hair, feeling the weight of the situation settle on my shoulders. "How bad is it?"
"Bad enough that they're threatening to pull out entirely unless you personally oversee the rest of the acquisition," Wei says.
I nod, my mind already racing with potential solutions. Despite my exhaustion, I know I have to get to work immediately. We head to one of my luxury hotel chains, where I quickly drop off my bag and change into a fresh suit provided by the hotel.
As I adjust my tie, I can't help but think of Hayley. Would she even recognize me right now? The thought of her brings a pang to my chest.
A driver is waiting for me downstairs, with Wei already seated next to him. As we pull away from the hotel, I turn to Wei.
"Where's the meeting taking place?" I ask.
"At the headquarters," Wei replies. "They're all waiting for us."
The drive to the headquarters is tense, the air in the car thick with tension. As we arrive, I brace myself for what's to come. The moment I step into the conference room, all eyes turn to me.
"Gentlemen," I say, my voice steady despite my fatigue. "I understand we have some issues to discuss."
What follows is hours of intense negotiation. The Japanese team is understandably wary, their trust shaken by the fraud discovery. I listen to their concerns, my mind working overtime to find a solution that will satisfy everyone.
"I understand your hesitation," I say, addressing the head of the Japanese team. "But I assure you, this incident is not representative of our company as a whole. We've already begun a thorough investigation and are implementing stricter controls to prevent anything like this from happening again."
The discussion goes back and forth, tension rising and falling since their side didn’t want to admit they have some fault too. As the night wears on, I can see the fatigue setting in on everyone's faces, mirroring my own exhaustion.
Finally, as the first light of dawn begins to peek through the windows, I make my final pitch. "I'm willing to personally oversee the rest of the acquisition," I say, meeting each person's eyes around the table. "I'll be hands-on throughout the entire process to ensure everything goes smoothly."
There's a moment of silence, and then slowly, nods begin to appear around the table. We've done it - they're willing to give us another chance.
As the meeting finally ends and everyone leaves the conference room, I slump back in my swivel chair, feeling like a zombie. My hair is ruffled, my suit wrinkled, and I'm running on nothing but adrenaline and coffee.
I swivel my chair to look out of the high-rise window. The sun is peeking out from below the clouds, staining the windows around. For a moment, I'm reminded of Redstone, of watching the sunrise over the ranch. But instead of the gentle chirps of early birds, I'm greeted by the constant noise of traffic far below.
I've been so busy since arriving that I haven't had a chance to contact Hayley. I wish I could see her now, explain why I had to leave so suddenly. But even now, with the deal hanging by a thread, I know I can't leave China until everything is finalized.
I close my eyes, and for a moment, I can almost smell the earthy scent of the ranch, feel the comfortable weight of a flannel shirt on my shoulders instead of this constricting suit. Don't get me wrong - I'm grateful for what I've accomplished in the business world. But there's a part of me that feels more at ease on horseback than in a boardroom.
Sighing, I pull at my tie, loosening it. The weight of the past few hours, of the decisions made and the ones still to come, settles heavily on my shoulders. But there's one more thing I need to do before I can rest.
I pull out my phone and dial Sebastian's number, switching to video call. His face appears on the screen, the ranch visible in the background.
"Hey, boss," he greets me.
“Boss, is that boss? Let me see!”
“Charles go away!”
“Heyyyy Antonio!”
Different ranch hands ran to the screen, but Sebastian escapes in time.
I can’t help but chuckle. "How are things going on the farm?"
Sebastian nods, launching into a rundown of the day's operations. I listen attentively, part of me wishing I was there to handle these familiar tasks instead of staying thousands of miles away.
As Sebastian wraps up his report, I hesitate for a moment before asking the question that's been on my mind. "Have you seen Hayley this morning?"
There's a pause on the other end, and I can see Sebastian's brow furrow. "No, I haven't. Is there a problem?"
I quickly shake my head. "No, no problem. Just... keep an eye out for her, will you?"
Sebastian nods, though I can see the curiosity in his eyes. As the call ends, I'm left staring at my own reflection on the darkened screen. The face looking back at me is gaunt, with dark circles under the eyes and a day's worth of stubble on the chin.
I run a hand over my face, feeling the weight of the distance - not just the physical miles between Shanghai and Redstone, but the distance between the man I am here and the man I am back home … the man who kissed Hayley under the stars, who feels most alive with dirt under his nails and the open sky above him.
As I turn back to the window, watching the sun climb higher over the Shanghai skyline, I make a silent promise to myself. If Hayley chooses me – all I have to do is make sure she never regrets her choice.
With another sigh, I straighten my tie and prepare to dive back into the documents I need to review. The sooner I wrap this up, the sooner I can get back to where I truly belong.