24. AUSTIN

Chapter twenty-four

AUSTIN

It's been four days since I came to China, and for the first time since the night I arrived, I finally make it back to my hotel room. With a loud thud, I collapse onto the bed, my body sinking into the soft mattress.

"Uuggh," I groan, feeling like I'm laying on a cloud of feathers – a big change to the hard chairs of conference rooms I've been occupying for what feels like an eternity.

"I wish the work was over," I mumble, stifling a yawn. My eyes flutter closed, and before I know it, I'm drifting off into a much-needed sleep. When I finally open my eyes, the first thing I look at is the clock. I'm shocked to see that three hours have passed in what felt like mere seconds.

"Man, I'm so tired," I yawn, somehow feeling even more lethargic than before. Running a hand through my hair in frustration, I realize that despite my exhaustion, there's no way I can sleep again.

With only 30 minutes before I need to head back to the office, I reach for my phone to check for any missed work calls.

There's no message from Wei and none from back home.

"I guess that's a good sign," I yawn once more, scratching the stubble that has formed. As I'm about to set my phone down, the message icon suddenly pops up on the screen.

Badum. Badum. My heart begins to race, but this time it's not due to work-related anxiety.

Suddenly my world turns upside down.

It's not a dream.

The message is from Hayley, and though it's only one sentence, it's enough to make my head spin. I miss you, I hope you come back soon.

A burst of giddiness runs through me, and I can't help the wide grin that spreads across my face. At that moment, I wish I could teleport across the ocean, wrap my arms around her, and tell her how much I've missed her too.

Honestly, my heart is pounding so hard I can hear it in my ears.

I know this doesn't necessarily mean she's ready to date me, but it has to be a good sign... right ?

Without thinking, I hit the call button. "Come on Hayley, pick up…" I mumble, absently bouncing my leg. But even after the thirty seconds are up, there's no answer. I try again, and still nothing. On my third attempt, I finally accept that she's not going to pick up.

Suddenly energized, I leap off the bed and bolt across the room. My mind is racing, torn between the urge to shower and make myself presentable and the desire to go out immediately. In the end, I settle for washing my face - I need to look somewhat put together, at least.

Grabbing a few things off the nightstand, I'm out the door in record time, feeling more alive than I have in days. Minutes later, I find myself at the airport, staring down at what I had grabbed earlier- my passport, my heart pounding with anticipation.

I pull out my phone and dial Wei's number. Immediately the call goes through, and he answers. I waste no time with pleasantries. "Wei, I need you to hold down the fort for the next 24 hours," I say, my words coming out in a rush. "I'll be back tomorrow."

There's a pause on the other end before Wei responds, his voice filled with concern. "The Japanese team is scheduled to arrive at 4 PM tomorrow. If they don't see you here, they might cancel everything we've worked for."

I take a deep breath, weighing the risks. "I'll make it back before then, I promise."

"Is something wrong?" Wei asks, his tone cautious.

A smile tugs at my lips as I reply, "No, something more important has come up."

As I end the call, I make my way down the departure hall towards my gate.

***

The journey back to Texas feels like the longest journey of my life. Every minute that ticks by is agonizing, my mind filled with thoughts of getting back to see Hayley.

A delay at the airport cuts into my already limited time, and I find myself doing mental calculations. By the time I reach Texas, I'll have at most 30 minutes to see Hayley before I need to turn around and head back to China.

When we finally touch down in Texas, I'm relieved to see a helicopter waiting to fly me to Redstone. As we fly over the familiar landscape, I notice the sun beginning to set, creating beautiful colors of orange and pink.

Funny enough… it is almost like a painting of how I feel inside.

"Take me directly to the ranch," I instruct the pilot, my eyes scanning the ground below for any sign of the cottage.

The moment the helicopter touches down behind the main residence, I'm out and moving.

Two months ago, I would never imagine that I could very well be recreating a scene from a movie. I would never imagine that I would be running across the ranch, racing to see a girl that made my heart race.

My walk quickly turns into a jog, then a full-out run as I make my way towards Hayley's cottage. For a moment, I feel like I'm back in high school, heart racing with the anticipation of seeing my crush.

As the cottage comes into view, I slow my pace, suddenly aware of how disheveled I must look. I run a hand through my hair in a futile attempt to tame it, adjust my rumpled shirt, and try to catch my breath. Standing at the bottom of the three steps leading to the porch, I take a moment to compose myself.

Before I can climb the steps, the door swings open, and there she is – the woman who's been occupying my thoughts for days, standing right in front of me.

"Austin?" Hayley calls out, stepping onto the porch. Her eyes are wide with surprise, her voice filled with confusion and something else I can't quite place. "Your cousin thought you'd be gone for another week."

I take a step forward, my eyes never leaving hers. "You said you missed me," I reply, my voice softer than I intended. "I missed you too."

"Oh..." she breathes, her lips parting slightly in surprise. A flush creeps across her cheeks, and I feel my own heart start to race again. I have to stifle a groan – how is it possible that she affects me this much?

As she speaks, I can barely take my eyes off her.

Is this it? Is it real?

But then, another type of reality sets in.

As we're talking, something keeps nagging me at the back of my mind.

I glance at my watch. Twenty minutes.

That's all the time I have before I need to leave again. Twenty minutes to say everything I've been wanting to say, to hold her if she'll let me, to make sure she knows how much she means to me.

"Can I come in?" I ask, gesturing towards the cottage. "I don't have much time, but I couldn't... I couldn't stay away after your message."

Hayley nods, stepping aside to let me pass. As I brush by her, I catch a whiff of her perfume – something floral and light that makes my head spin. Inside the cottage, everything is just as I remembered it, but somehow it all feels different. More significant, somehow.

"I can't believe you came all this way," Hayley says, closing the door behind us. "What about what you had to do outside the country?"

I turn to face her, drinking in the sight of her. She's wearing duck-print pjs and a hoodie, her hair loose around her shoulders, and she's the cutest thing I've ever seen.

"Work can wait," I say, even though I know it's not entirely true. "This was more important."

Hayley's eyes widen at my words, and I see a flicker of something – hope, maybe? – cross her face. "Austin, I-"

"Wait," I interrupt, holding up a hand. "Before you say anything, I need you to know something." I take a moment to steel myself. "These past few days in China, all I could think about was you. The kiss we shared, the time we've spent together... Hayley, I'm falling for you. Hard. And I know my life is complicated, and I know I'm not always here, but I want to make this work. If you'll have me."

The words tumble out in a rush, and once they're out, I feel both terrified and exhilarated. Hayley stares at me, her expression unreadable, and for a moment, I'm afraid I've said too much.

But then she smiles, and it's like the sun coming out from behind a cloud. "Austin," she says, taking a step towards me. "I've been thinking about you too. About us. And I-"

The shrill ring of my phone cuts through the moment like a knife. I curse under my breath, pulling it out to see Wei's name on the screen.

I ignore it, focusing only on her. "Yes, you-"

"Are you sure?" Hayley says hesitantly. "It seems import-"

"Trust me Hayley, nothing is more important than this."

"OK…" She says, running her hand through her hair.

I freeze as she begins to speak, my heart swelling with each word she says.

She feels the same way.

To know that someone you like feels the same way is an effing beautiful feeling. I don't know when I started walking toward her. But before I know it, there's barely any space between us.

"I guess all our past bickering was meant to be," I tease, reaching out to hold one of her hands.

"Oh, pleas-"

Before she can complete her sentence once again, the phone begins to ring.

Wei sure knows how to pick his timing.

"I have to take this," I say apologetically, answering the call. "Wei, what is it?"

As Wei speaks, I feel my heart sink. The Japanese team has moved up their arrival time. If I don't leave now, I'll miss the meeting entirely, and the deal will fall through.

I end the call and turn back to Hayley, a deep frown between my brows. "Hayley, I…"

She holds up a hand, a sad smile on her face. "You have to go," she finishes for me.

I nod, feeling torn in two. "I'm so sorry. I want nothing more than to stay here with you, but if I don't go back now..."

Hayley steps forward, closing the distance between us. Before I can react, she's on her tiptoes, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek. "Go," she whispers. "We'll talk when you get back. I promise."

My heart soaring, I pull her into a quick, fierce hug. "I'll be back as soon as I can," I promise.

As I rush out of the cottage and back towards the main residence, I begin to make a call.

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