Chapter 23 #2
He sets his fork down, wiping his face with a napkin and laying it over the empty plate.
“It all started the day you weren’t feeling well, and Emmett was here for a visit.
He left kind of abruptly, but instead of going home, he drove around to the guesthouse.
I decided to mind my own business at first, but when he showed back up while I was away at that medical conference, the wheels in my head started turning.
I couldn’t figure out how the two of you knew each other—at least not until I pulled out the contract you signed when you agreed to work for me.
When I saw your real last name, all the puzzle pieces started falling into place. ”
Oh, shit. Here we go.
Emmett’s brows pull tight, his gaze focusing on me.
“What does he mean, your real last name?” My heart stops at the question.
I know I’ve been open with him about how much I regretted my decision to let him go, but now he’s about to be made aware of the full extent of it.
How, even though I was lying in the bed I made, I carried him with me through it all because I never wanted to be anyone other than Stella Hayes.
“I…um,” I stammer, my eyes filling with tears as I turn to face him.
“I never changed it back after I left. I lied to myself and my parents for years, saying that I didn’t have time, or that the paperwork was too daunting.
But the truth is, it made me feel connected to you.
It was the final tether that I just couldn’t bring myself to undo.
I understand if you don’t want me to have it right now.
I’ll earn it back, Em. I prom—” He cuts me off, slamming his mouth to mine in a rough kiss, arms wrapping around my waist and lifting me off the floor.
Caught off guard, I squeal, my feet kicking up behind me as I dangle from his tight grasp.
“Stella Hayes.” The moniker is like a song against my lips, my entire body melting at the sound.
“All this time. Holy shit.” He kisses me again, the soft slide of his tongue against mine eliciting a quiet whimper.
I all but forget that we’re not in the room alone, ready to let him take me right here against the countertop until Austin clears his throat loudly.
“Anyway,” he booms, bringing our attention back to his unfinished story.
“I did some Googling and found an old newspaper article from Emmett’s senior year.
He had broken some kind of receiving yards record, and it made the front page.
But it wasn’t the article that caused me to meddle in your business.
It was the photo beside it. The way you two were looking at each other—like there was no purer love in the world—I couldn’t just leave you to your own devices.
I had to intervene. So, I started putting you in situations where you’d have no choice but to face your feelings for one another.
The two-hand touch game, where I faked an injury.
Gently encouraging Theo to talk to Stella at Jett’s house.
” He points his scowl at Emmett. “Which almost fucking backfired when you practically choked the poor guy out.” His shoulder lifts into a small shrug as his eyes bounce between us.
“I don’t know your history—and I don’t need to—but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out you still care about each other.
If giving you a little nudge was necessary to make you see that, I was willing to do it. Plus, I was bored. So fucking bored.”
I choke on a laugh. “Wait. You did all that on purpose? To get us back together?” I was so worried he’d be mad at me for lying that the fact he’s known for weeks is taking a minute to sink in.
This is the absolute last thing I’d have ever expected, but I can’t ignore the warmth spreading throughout my body at what Austin did for us.
He just may have been the catalyst to us finally moving past all the pain we were holding onto, and we had absolutely no idea until right now.
“Of course, I did,” he replies matter-of-factly. “The two of you are important to me.”
Tears spill from my eyes, and I round the counter, pulling him into a tight hug.
Outside of Emmett, I’ve never had this kind of support in my life.
My parents hated the idea of us being together, only offering help and guidance after I told them I had left.
They didn’t ask me if I was sure or encourage me to think about my decision for a while.
Instead, they hired an attorney and paid to make the entire process as fast as possible.
They preyed on my age and vulnerability and got exactly what they wanted.
But Austin—a man who I met mere months ago, and who didn’t know either of us growing up—went out of his way to give us opportunities to work it out.
He cares about my happiness more than my own flesh and blood, which should be upsetting, but it’s just… not.
“Thank you,” I whisper, reveling in the warmth of his embrace. “And I’m sorry I was dishonest. I didn’t want my past with Emmett to make you feel uncomfortable, but I should’ve been truthful with you afterward. Please don’t be mad at me.”
He chuckles. “I’m not mad at you, Stell.
Honestly, I’m glad you did it. Because you were right.
I don’t know how I would’ve reacted to that information, but it very well could’ve played a part in my decision to hire you.
I know you could’ve gotten a job anywhere else, but you risked possible pain and sadness to help me.
That tells me everything I need to know about the kind of woman and nurse you are. ”
I sniffle, wetness from my cheeks soaking into the shoulder of his T-shirt.
Being a nurse is such a rewarding job—one that I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world—but we often leave at the end of the day wondering if we’ve actually made a difference.
I’d have done anything to ensure an easy recovery for Austin, and I’m glad he sees that.
It’s patients like him that make this journey so worthwhile for healthcare professionals like me.
I’ll cherish the time we’ve had together, and hopefully, we’ll be friends for a long time after.
“All right, then,” I say, lifting my head and giving him a bright smile. “Now that that’s over with, I’m going to go take a shower. You made me sweat a little bit. I probably stink.”
“I wasn’t going to say anything,” he jokes. I slap his good shoulder, and he barks a laugh, rubbing it as though I hurt him. I roll my eyes, turning back to where Emmett is watching us with a quiet smile on his face, but Austin stops me before we can leave the room.
“Wait! I didn’t get to tell you why I asked you to come in here in the first place.”
What? I figured he wanted to confront me about Emmett.
That’s the whole reason I was so worked up, and why I exploded, confessing things that definitely didn’t need to be said.
I was so rattled, I literally almost peed my pants on the way over, and now he’s telling me that none of it was the intended topic of conversation?
I’m going to kill him.
Reading my mind, Emmett chuckles, earning a playful scowl as I turn around with a frustrated smile plastered across my face.
Everything is out in the open, and my friendship with Austin is still intact, so I guess I can’t really be mad, right?
No harm, no foul…other than the fact that I told him what Emmett and I did last night—explicitly.
Austin’s expression goes somber, and I immediately forget about everything that just happened, focusing only on him. It’s like the tables have completely turned in a matter of minutes. He’s normally such a happy-go-lucky guy, but right now, the uneasy look he’s sporting is anything but.
“What is it?” I ask, panic evident in my tone as I wait for a reply. I whip my head toward Emmett, and he steps closer, placing a comforting hand on my lower back.
“I talked to the guys already, but I’ve been nervous about telling you.
The last thing I want is for you to think that what we did here was for nothing, but…
” Austin says, pausing for a moment, “I’ve decided to retire.
” My brows bunch in confusion, but he lifts a hand between us, mollifying me before he continues.
“My shoulder feels great. I know I could go back out there next season and be everything the Renegades need me to be. But that hit, and everything that happened as a result, made me think about what I want out of life. I’m about to be thirty-six years old—no wife, no kids, nothing to look forward to in the future.
I pass the time by playing matchmaker with my unknowing friends, when I should be out there dating and finding someone to share all of this with.
” He gestures around the beautiful home.
“Maddox is holding it down with the team. It’s time for me to move on to the next chapter. ”
I stand there, quietly processing for several seconds.
When I first arrived, the objective was always to get him back to a place where he could return to the field again.
It never occurred to me that he’d take another path.
While I’m shocked, I’m also completely ready to support him in whatever he chooses to do next.
“Okay,” I reply softly, a gentle smile blooming across my face. “I’m proud of you for making this decision, Austin. I know it wasn’t easy, but I have no doubt that your best years are still ahead of you. I’m grateful to be a part of it, even if it was only for a short time.”
He lowers his chin, looking at me as though that’s the most ridiculous thing he’s ever heard.
“Get outta here with that nonsense,” he scoffs.
“You’re stuck with me. I’ll be the big brother you never knew you needed.
” My heart swells in my chest, grateful that we found each other when we did and created such a unique bond.
We talk for a bit, deciding that this will be my final week as his nurse.
He offers for me to stay in the guesthouse for a while longer, so Emmett and I can continue spending time together.
I’ve put away enough money to take a few months off, so I accept, under the condition that I pay him rent.
It was one thing, getting free room and board when I was working here, but I refuse to freeload when I’m fully capable of taking care of my own bills.
It beats having to find a new place when I’m already so cozy here.
For the first time in years, it almost feels like I have a home.