Chapter Nine #2
"Your names. And something about the existence of field goals. Didn't know those were a thing." My gaze flickers to Killian. "No offense, but your job sounds like the worst. They couldn't pay me enough to do all that running."
"That's fair." Killian grins at me. "If they didn't pay me really fucking well, I wouldn't do it, either."
"So," Dace says, nudging Austin, "is she coming to the game, or is this a 'keep her tied up in the hotel room' situation?"
Austin's green eyes flare with mischief. "She's coming."
"Oh, I bet she is," Dace cackles, which makes Killian shake his head.
I don't blush. I do not blush. "Is this the part where you guys haze the new girl? Because I rushed a sorority in college, so you should know that I'm prepared."
"You were a sorority girl?" Austin asks, one brow arch.
"I said I rushed a sorority. I didn't say I was accepted."
"Why the fuck weren't you accepted?" he growls.
"Apparently, you're not allowed to call the president a heinous bitch to her face, even if it's true. Who knew?"
"Jesus Christ." Austin shakes his head, chuckling at me.
Dace just grins. "We're not allowed to haze anyone since the Licorice Incident."
Killian groans.
"Jesus Christ," Austin mutters again.
I cock a brow. "Licorice Incident?"
Dace leans in, lowering his voice only enough to make the story more interesting. "One year, our rookie had to eat a piece of licorice out of the QB's ass crack. The league had opinions. A lot of them, actually."
I blink. "Was it red or black licorice?"
Dace looks like he might die laughing. "Black."
"No wonder they had opinions," I mutter, shuddering as Austin buckles me in. "That's a crime against humanity."
He and Killian both laugh before Dace launches into a rant about black licorice hate.
Austin squeezes my thigh, drawing my gaze to him. His expression is soft and warm, his eyes bright. "See?" he murmurs, pressing his lips up against my ear, so close I shiver. "Everything is going to be fine."
For once, I actually believe him.
Dinner is at a restaurant so fancy, I'm sure the sign over the door probably cost more than my entire apartment. There's no way I'm dressed the part in my clearance dress, but Austin hauls me from the cab anyway, his hand locked around mine like he's determined to make sure I can't bail on him.
I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves as we hurry inside. As expected, the entire place is stunning. One wall is a glass aquarium, with smaller aquariums scattered throughout. The fish inside are all gorgeous, the kind you find off the shores of tropical beaches.
"Mr. Hawkes," a hostess says, beaming at him. "Your family is already waiting, sir. Follow me, and I'll take you to your table."
"Thank you," Austin murmurs politely, wrapping one arm around me to pull me close.
I feel like my heart might beat out of my chest as we follow her through the restaurant, past diners in expensive suits and couture, to a private room in the back.
I recognize his brother as soon as we enter. He looks like a slightly smaller, grumpier replica of Austin, with the same stunning green eyes and dark hair. He's scowling at the table like he's contemplating setting it on fire.
Their parents are nothing like I expected. Honestly, I'm not sure what I expected, but it's not the petite brunette with a bright smile and an infectious laugh, or the calm giant at her side who looks like an older version of his sons. They seem almost…normal.
"Austin!" his mom cries as soon as she spots us, leaping up to hurry across the private dining room toward us. She flings her arms around her son, squeezing him in a tight hug.
"Hey, Ma." He leans down, planting a kiss on her cheek. "You behaving tonight?"
"When has your mother ever behaved?" his dad drawls, sauntering over with a grin on his face.
"Sinclair!" His mom swats her husband on the shoulder. "Don't you be lying to our children. I behave just fine."
"Uh-huh," Austin says, grinning. "You're full of shit too, Ma."
She harumphs at him before turning to me. "Oh, sweetheart." Her expression softens before she pulls me into a hug. "Look how beautiful you are!"
"Hi, Mrs. Hawkes," I whisper, hugging her back awkwardly. "It's really nice to meet you."
She just cups my cheeks, beaming at me. "Is my son being nice to you, sweet girl? Do I need to stick my foot up his—"
"Ma!" Austin protests.
"What? I'm just asking," she says, her green eyes flashing when she looks at him. "Don't think I haven't seen the pictures, Austin Alaric."
Fuck my life.
I squirm in my heels.
"I'm so sorry about those," I whisper, my cheeks hot. "I promise, it wasn't what it looked like."
"Oh, honey." She gives me a sympathetic smile, hugging me again.
"Don't you even worry about it. My son should be ashamed of himself for not setting the record straight as soon as those photos were published.
You did nothing wrong. Frankly, he probably deserved worse than a little wine on his pants. He can be a bear."
"She's right," Mr. Hawkes says, his voice a deep, disapproving rumble as he pins Austin with a hard look. "Austin deserves a boot up his ass for not speaking up sooner."
"Pops!" Austin protests.
I just grin at him as his parents lead us to the table.
"Hey, bro." Sidney holds his fist out for Austin to bump it before his eyes come to me. He's…intimidating as hell, honestly. Even though he's not quite as big as Austin, he has this intense aura that's something else. "You must be Serena."
"Hi," I murmur, smoothing my hands down my dress. "It's nice to meet you, Sidney."
"This asshole giving you problems?"
"Always."
Sidney actually cracks a smile. "Sounds about right. You ever need backup, call me. I'll happily kick his ass for you."
"Thanks," I whisper.
He winks, and the entire menacing aura vanishes, replaced by something softer. I have a feeling he's a big teddy bear beneath the gruff exterior, but he hides it well.
"I see we're all picking on Austin tonight," Austin grumbles, pulling out a chair for me.
"It's not our fault you have a stick up your butt," his mom says, her tone sugary-sweet. "It makes picking on you so much fun for us."
I choke on laughter, earning a scowl from Austin. "What? I'm just glad I'm not the only one who noticed the branch up your ass."
"Are you kidding me?" His mom laughs. "He was born with it lodged up there."
"Jesus Christ," Austin mutters. "I need a drink."
The next half hour is a blur of seafood towers, red wine, and a thousand little stories about Austin as a kid, each one more humiliating than the last.
His mom is a force of nature—tiny, hilarious, affectionate, and blessed with the kind of memory that never forgets a single embarrassing detail.
His dad is quieter, but with a sneaky sense of humor that I immediately love.
He reminds me a lot of Austin, or maybe Austin reminds me of him. Either way, they're two peas in a pod.
Even Sidney loosens up after a bit, trading insults with Austin with the loving familiarity that says they've been doing it their whole lives.
No one brings up the memes, or the headlines, or anything related to the last two weeks again.
It's like they're determined to let me just be a girl meeting her boyfriend's family, not the woman the whole world watched "blow" the league's Golden Boy.
It's the nicest anyone's been about my mortification.
After the third round of appetizers, the conversation shifts to the only Hawkes sibling not at the table. Even though Sophie lives in Chicago, she couldn't attend because of her performance schedule.
"I still can't believe she hit him," Sidney grunts, scowling at his wine. "She hasn't even answered my texts since it happened. You'd think being on fucking national television would make her less of a brat."
"Maybe she doesn't want to talk to you, Sid," their mom says, warning him with a single sharp look. "You're always giving her shit when she's already upset."
He rolls his eyes, but I can see the worry etched into the lines of his face. "She shouldn't have had to smack him on stage. She should've told us what was going on. We'd have handled it long before it got to that point."
"She handled it," Mr. Hawkes says, sounding amused and proud at the same time. "She's a grown woman now, son. She doesn't need her big brothers stomping in every time she has an issue like she did when she was a little girl."
"Doesn't mean we can't offer," Sidney mutters.
"Alright," Austin growls, tossing down his napkin. "Is anyone going to clue me in on what the fuck happened?"
His mom sighs, setting down her fork. "The little shit's been making her life hell since they were partnered for Swan Lake.
He wanted the part to go to his girlfriend, and he's trying to get your sister fired.
He keeps saying she's too heavy for him to lift, so he tries to drop her or 'accidentally' hurt her.
" She makes air quotes, her expression lethal.
"Last night, he let her fall on purpose.
She hit the floor so hard, she could have broken something.
When he told her it wouldn't have happened if she weren't such a fat ass, she slapped him, exactly like he deserved. "
"That fucker," I hiss, and all conversation halts. Heat crawls up my cheeks as I realize I just said that out loud, to his entire family.
There's a moment of complete silence, and then the whole family erupts into peals of laughter.
Mr. Hawkes pounds his fist on the table, his eyes shining. "That's my girl. Never take shit from anyone, Serena." He jerks his head at Austin. "Not even this one."
I smile weakly, relieved they're laughing. I can't believe I said that out loud!
Austin's hand finds mine under the table. He leans close, his lips at my ear. "You're perfect," he whispers, his voice thick with pride. "So fucking perfect, baby."
I glance over at him, and he's grinning at me like I hung the moon. I try to keep it cool, but it feels like my heart is doing backflips. I feel perfect, in a way I never have before.
With him, right now…this is everything.
We linger over dessert and drinks until the restaurant starts to clear out.
Mr. Hawkes picks up the tab with the kind of casual flair that comes from decades of practice, and Mrs. Hawkes bundles the last of the shrimp cocktail into the world's fanciest doggy bag, winking at me as she tucks it into her purse.
I barely make it two steps out the doors before I'm blinded by a dozen camera flashes and the roar of voices shouting Austin and Sidney's names. The sidewalk is a wild mass of press and fans, all jostling for a better look or a better shot.
"Shit," I whisper, flinching as the first question is hurled at us.
"Serena, what do you say to people who think you're a gold digger?"
"Austin, is it true that Serena changed your mind about love?"
"Mr. and Mrs. Hawkes, what do you think about the inappropriate photos and your son and Miss Abrams?"
Oh my god.
I want to crawl into the nearest gutter and die.
Austin doesn't even slow down. He tugs me close, one arm cinched tight around my waist, the other up as a shield in front of me. The cameras keep popping, their flashes so bright I see spots in front of my eyes.
"Don't you dare," I hiss, staring up at Austin in warning when he spins me toward him. But he's already got that look—the one that says he's about to do something reckless and a little bit unhinged.
He grins at me and then hauls me closer, planting the most possessive kiss of my life on me. There's an audible gasp from the crowd. I'm pretty sure I hear his mom laughing. But none of that matters because his lips are on mine.
By the time he lets me up for air, my knees are weak, and I've almost forgotten that we're going to be all over the news again.
"She's the best thing that ever happened to me," he rumbles, grinning at the crowd.
The reporters eat it up, pelting us with even more questions as he tucks me under his arm and hurries us toward the cab waiting on the curb. I don't even get a chance to say bye to his family before he's bustling me inside, shutting everyone else out.
"We're going to be all over the news again," I mumble, trying to sound annoyed. I fail miserably. It's hard to be annoyed when your lips are still tingling.
Austin just grins, his thumb brushing my jaw. "That's the point, baby."
"Austin," I groan.
He leans in, cupping my cheeks between his massive palms. "You're not getting it," he murmurs. "I want everyone to know you're mine. If I have to kiss you in front of every camera in the world to make that clear, then I'll do it, Serena."
The words go off like a bomb in my chest. Panic claws up my spine because he's serious. I know he's serious. He's…crap. He's in love with me.
And nothing has ever been so terrifying in my life. I can't do love. I can't be like my parents. I can't love him and then lose him and spend the rest of my life hating him because he's not mine anymore. I won't survive that!
"Hey." He brushes his lips across my forehead, instantly muting the panicked spiral of my thoughts. "It's okay, princess. We've got time."
I take a deep breath and then exhale, trying to relax. He's right. We do have time. We have all the time in the world.
So…why do I suddenly feel like there isn't nearly enough of it?
Because you love him, a little voice whispers.
I'm not sure what scares me more. The fact that it's right…or the fact that I don't hate that it's right.