The Volunteer
“He can listen if he wants. You seemed to enjoy it so much last time, who am I to say no?”
“Austin!”
I playfully shoved his shoulder with my foot. I was lying on the couch with my head propped up on the arm rest while he sat across from me, massaging my feet. I’d just finished telling him all about my day—and I only went off the rails once. Go me.
“Yes, my love?” He had that sparkle in his eyes that told me he was going to start trouble.
“You’re not supposed to say that. You’re supposed to be on my side.”
“I am on your side.”
He wrapped his hand around my ankle and tugged gently so I was lying flat on my back. My squeal turned into a giggle as he crushed me under his body weight.
“I’m always on your side. Which is why I’m okay if he wants to listen.”
I felt his smirk as he buried his face in my neck.
“Well, I don’t want him to. My noises are for you and you alone.”
He groaned, hands sliding under my shirt. “Fuck baby, you always know just how to rile me up.”
I laughed. “Breathing in your general direction is usually enough to rile you up.”
He tsked. “Still with that fucking attitude. I’m going to have to do something about that.”
He peeled my shirt over my head, kissing down my neck, chest, stomach, until he reached the waistband of my leggings.
“You can try, but it hasn’t worked yet. Plus, I think you like my attitude. Imagine I just did everything you said, how boring would that be?”
“True, then I’d have no excuse for all the naughty things I plan to do to you.”
He reached for the front of my leggings. I pulled away and rolled off the couch, crouching just out of his reach.
“Oh no. You’re not ripping another pair of leggings. I was pissed about the fleece ones you tore off me like a fucking animal.”
“I know, but you were so good you didn’t say anything,” he praised me, moving off the couch. His grin was wicked. “You kept your mouth shut just like I’d asked.” He inched forward, I inched back. “Didn’t I reward you for it?”
“Those leggings were two hundred fucking dollars, Austin. You’re lucky I let you do anything to me after that, let alone kept my mouth shut. Two hundred fucking dollars.”
“You want a new pair?” He stood and stepped forward; I stood and stepped back. “How many? One? Two? Ten? Tell me and it’s yours. Anything you want.”
“With what money? You’re dead.”
“The money my grandmother left me is in an account under the name my mother wanted to give me. It’s completely legit and no one knows about it. Not even Eva.”
“You have a whole other name? What is it?”
“Austin Wintershade. According to the letter, my mom wanted to combine their last names but my father freaked, something about an affront to his manhood.”
“What name does Eva know?”
“Matthew Winters. The only document I have with Austin on it is my birth certificate. My dad hated the name and wanted it removed from everything.”
“I like Austin better. It suits you.”
“Hm. I like the way you say my name.”
He stepped forward, I stepped back. He couldn’t distract me from the fact we were having this conversation because he was trying to rip off my leggings a minute ago. He laughed and shook his head.
“Why are you running away from me?”
“Because we’re having a conversation, and if you get any closer you’re going to jump me. Why didn’t you change your name, then? If you like it better?”
“I was going to legally change it once I turned eighteen, but everyone was already so used to Matt and then I got that account from my grandmother, so I thought maybe it would be better if I had money no one knew about. Especially if anyone ever came knocking about my dad. So I just stuck with it.”
“Winters is your mum’s or your dad’s last name?”
“Mom’s. That part I did change at eighteen. If I’d kept my father’s, I would have just said fuck it and gotten rid of it all together. Hayes is a pretty cool last name to have. If you wanted to share it with me, of course.”
I grinned. “I’d share anything with you.”
“Oh, that reminds me.” He grabbed his wallet from the front pocket of his jeans. He opened it, pulled out a black card, and held it out to me. “I spent the day making sure you were an authorized user. This card links directly to the account and there’s no limit.”
I stepped forward cautiously and took the card from his hand. It was for a bank I didn’t recognize, with sixteen digits, an expiry date, and my name—well, my future name. Violet Winterhayes.
“This… This is too much.”
I wasn’t entirely sure why I said that or where my tears came from. Maybe it was his willingness to hand over unlimited access to his fortune. Maybe it was seeing a glimpse of the future he was planning. Maybe it was relief that I wasn’t alone anymore.
Or maybe it was the overwhelming sadness that hit me like a freight train, remembering my parents weren’t here.
That I couldn’t call my mum and tell her about him, that she wouldn’t be going dress shopping with me, that we wouldn’t bicker over seating arrangements.
That my dad would never sit across the table from Aus, trying to grill and intimidate him.
That he would never get the chance to weasel his way into my dad’s good graces.
They would never get to bond over barbecues and beers, laughing in the backyard while Mum and I laughed at their bickering over a pitcher of sangria.
Austin pulled me into his arms and held me while sob after sob tore through me.
They would have loved him. Dad would have given him a hard time for a bit but he wouldn’t have lasted more than a week before they were best buds.
He would invite Austin over for Sunday night football and Aus would have gone—every Sunday without fail—even though he wasn’t a football fan, because it would have made me happy.
Mum would have spent every visit asking when we’d finally give her grandbabies.
He would laugh—tell her we were working on it.
He would wink at me and I would smack him, tell him to behave himself.
This was the first time I’d ever really considered how much of my life I would have to live without them. Thought about how much I wished they were still here so I could share these moments with them.
“They would have loved you,” I whispered. “I think they would have loved you more than me.”
His arms wrapped tighter around me as he planted kiss after kiss on the top of my head. He seemed to have followed my thought process because he didn’t ask me to clarify.
“Of course they would have, I’m the best,” he teased.
I laughed through a sob. “You truly are.”
He pulled back, only enough that he could cup my cheeks. “I love you and I can’t wait to share the rest of my life with you, but if you need me to slow down, I will. I didn’t mean to drag up all these emotions and I really hate seeing you cry. Tell me what to do. Tell me what you need.”
I was so fucking lucky. He was so fucking perfect.
I shook my head. “Don’t slow down.”
He sighed in relief. “Thank god, because I’d already gotten ahead of myself.”
I laughed. “What did you do?”
“We have an appointment Monday morning at the courthouse.” He was absolutely beaming. “I booked it first thing so we can go before work.”
“But… We don’t even have a licence. We have—”
“I did it last night. Submitted everything after you fell asleep. I got it back this afternoon all we have to do is sign it, and I get to call you my wife.”
“Aus…”
He dropped his forehead onto mine and whispered, “Tell me to slow down, Nightshade.”
“I don’t want to.”