Chapter 6
SIX
JANE
I eased the door handle down bit by bit, pushed the door open, and peered out through the gap created.
No sign of Austin.
Thank God.
Despite having plenty of time to process yesterday, and having slept on it, I still wasn’t sure what I was going to do.
I tiptoed out and made my way down the stairs on silent feet. In the kitchen, I prepared his usual breakfast as well as my own bowl of Greek yogurt, granola, and fruit. His dinner was still in the fridge, so he must have eaten elsewhere last night.
“Hi, Jane.”
“Eek!” I spun around, my hand flying to my chest, my heart hammering. Austin stood behind me in a sweat-soaked T-shirt and gym shorts. “You scared me. Don’t do that.”
“Sorry.” Sheepishness was an unfamiliar expression on him. He was usually so self-confident. “How are you?”
“I’m fine.” My left knee started to bounce, and I bit my lower lip. Much as I was angry with him, I owed him an apology too. “I’m sorry for running off with the Range Rover yesterday. It’s safe and sound in the garage now, I promise.”
I didn’t apologize for losing my temper with him. Frankly, he’d deserved that.
“I know. I’m the one who should be sorry. I—”
“Let’s not talk about it,” I cut him off.
He shifted from one foot to the other, and I almost squirmed. I couldn’t remember the last time we’d had an encounter quite this awkward.
I grabbed his breakfast and thrust it toward him. “Here.”
“Thanks.”
Head down, I selected a spoon from the drawer and circled the counter to sit at the breakfast bar while I ate.
My tablet was already on a stand, so I switched the screen on and opened the professor’s brief on an assignment that was due at the end of the week, intending to take advantage of the chance to get a little work done.
But Austin didn’t take his breakfast to the table, as he usually would. Instead, he claimed the stool beside mine. If I inhaled through my nose, I’d no doubt smell clean masculine sweat and a hint of the liniment he always wore during the ice hockey season.
“Where did you go yesterday afternoon?” he asked, venturing dangerously close to forbidden territory.
I glanced over, but fortunately, he was looking at his breakfast rather than at me.
His cobalt eyes could be intense, and I wasn’t prepared for that.
In fact, he’d thrown off my entire morning routine and now I didn’t know what to do or say.
For some reason, I didn’t want to mention the ice rink. It felt too personal.
“I just drove around.” I kept my tone light. “Don’t worry: I filled the Range Rover and paid for it myself.”
“You didn’t have to do that. I don’t care if you run it dry.”
Of course he did. No one expected to have to pay for their assistant to throw a tantrum. Not that I’d used quite as much gas as I might have led him to believe, considering all I’d done was visit the rink.
I dunked my spoon into the yogurt, scooped out a healthy dollop, stuck it into my mouth, and closed my eyes for a moment to enjoy the rich taste and creamy texture.
Austin sipped his green smoothie and then cleared his throat. “Before yesterday, did you know I wasn’t aware of who your family are?”
I shoveled more yogurt, wishing I’d retreated to my room instead of following my usual routine and eating here. “I figured that either you didn’t know, or you knew and didn’t care.”
“I see.”
He didn’t say anything else. Nor did I.
We ate quietly, except for the chink of cutlery against pottery and the occasional cough or sigh.
It was almost painful. I leapt to my feet as soon as I was done, tidied away my bowl, and started on the breakfast dishes.
Once the cleaning up was finished, I packed a lunch for Austin to take with him and slid it to him along with a water bottle.
“Thanks,” he said, tucking them into his bag.
“No problem.”
Ugh. Could this be any more awkward?
I drove him to the stadium, noting as he got out of the car and headed in that he was favoring one foot slightly. Was he injured?
Shit, I should have noticed sooner and done something about it. There was nothing I could do now, though.
I went to school next, parked in the student lot, and made my way to the arts library, where I settled on a comfortable chair. I opened my bag, groaning when I didn’t see my laptop inside. I sifted through, but sure enough, it wasn’t there. Damn.
I considered trying to study from my phone—I didn’t have my tablet with me either—but I really needed my laptop for this. Clara was in a class for another hour, so she wouldn’t be any help. I’d just have to go back and get it.
I closed my bag and slung it over my shoulder, grumbling under my breath. If I hadn’t been so distracted by Austin and our argument, I’d never have made such a silly mistake.
Retracing my steps across campus, I wrapped my arms around myself to combat the chill from the brisk wind whipping through my clothes.
When I reached the Range Rover, I connected the sound system to an audio textbook I’d downloaded and cued it up to read the relevant chapter while I made the journey home.
I understood the theory, but I wasn’t great at remembering things just from hearing them.
I was more the type of person who needed to write things down to assimilate them.
Instead of pulling into the garage, I parked out front. After all, I’d only be a few minutes. I dashed up the stairs, found my laptop, and carried it back down but came up short.
There, approaching the house’s front door, was a man I’d never met before but would have known anywhere. He was an older version of Austin, slightly softer around the middle and with a harder glint in his eye.
Austin’s father.
I stared up at him, completely taken aback.
I’d never expected to come face-to-face with Jon Harris.
He and Austin were estranged, and when I’d begun working for Austin, one of the first instructions Gus had given me was to make sure his father’s calls never went through, and that if Jon tried to facilitate contact in any other way, he had to be stonewalled.
This was not a man who should be anywhere near Austin’s home.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded, the words slipping from my lips before I could think them through.
“I’m here to see my son. Austin.” His gaze scanned me up and down and seemed to find me lacking. “Who are you?”
“Jane.” I held on to the door with one hand and grabbed the doorframe with the other. I didn’t trust this guy not to try to push past me. I didn’t know much about Austin’s childhood, but I’d heard enough from Hazel to be certain that Jon wasn’t a nice person. “Austin is at training.”
Considering how obsessed Hazel claimed he’d been about Austin’s career, I doubted he didn’t know that. He’d have at least some idea of his training schedule, estranged or not. Obsession didn’t just go away because access to the object of one’s obsession became restricted. If anything, it grew.
“I’ll wait inside.” He sounded so sure of himself, as if he had no concern that I might prevent him from doing so.
I studied him. He was in his mid to late fifties at a guess, with more salt than pepper in his hair and a lined face. The fact that the deepest lines were between his eyebrows and pinched around his lips made him look like he was permanently scowling.
Internally, I debated what to do. Confrontation was one of my least favorite things, and with how shaken up I’d been yesterday, it probably wouldn’t take much for me to lose control of my verbalizations. I didn’t want that to happen in front of a man like this.
I wouldn’t let him in, though. However annoyed I might be with Austin, I wouldn’t subject him to his at best unpleasant or at worst abusive father. He trusted me to keep him safe, and no one deserved to experience a betrayal like that.
“Well?” he demanded, apparently sick of waiting for me to reply.
“I’m afraid I can’t let you in.” There was barely a wobble in my voice. I raised my chin, proud of myself. “I’ll have to ask you to leave.”
He crossed his arms over his barrel chest. “I’m not going anywhere.”
My leg started to jitter again, and I willfully stopped it.
I could just leave, but there was every chance Jon might go searching for the spare key, and I couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t find it.
The thing wasn’t all that well hidden, and I could hardly ask him to wait while I went and hid it better.
His expression softened slightly, his lips curving into a smile, but it screamed of insincerity. “Come on, Jane. What harm can it do? I’m his father.”
I was tempted to say something snarky, but I didn’t trust myself not to stutter and I also wasn’t sure how he’d take it.
Neither Austin nor Hazel had said anything about him being a misogynist, but considering he’d practically ignored his daughter, I had to assume he didn’t have a high opinion of women, which meant he wouldn’t like one talking back to him. Would he become dangerous?
“I’m sorry, but I can’t.” I edged toward the car. I could call Austin, but he was probably on the ice, and I was still too mad at Gus—who I was certain was behind Austin’s proposal yesterday—to speak to him.
“Who wouldn’t want their dad to drop by for a visit?” he tried, still going for the smarmy approach.
I glanced past him, wondering if I should make a run for the Range Rover. “Like I said, I can’t let you in and I think it’s best if you go.”
His face darkened. “Open the door, you stupid bitch.”
My mouth fell open and I flinched away from him.
He rolled his eyes. “I know your type. You’re a gold digger hoping to sink your claws into my son. You might think you’ve got him on the hook, but I assure you, if you stand in my way, he’ll drop you faster than a red flag at a bullfight.”
I stared at him, unable to say a word. Sweat broke out on my upper lip and my pulse beat a rapid tattoo. In the blink of an eye, everything about him had transformed from wheedling to threatening.
Not only that, but no one had ever spoken to me like that before. Based on the smell of him, he might have had a few drinks before coming over.
Be that as it may, arguing with him wouldn’t get me anywhere, and honestly, with how intimidating he was, there was every chance I’d end up silently gaping at him like a fish.
I’d rather not risk it, so I pushed past him and ran to the car, circled it quickly, and dove into the driver’s seat. I locked the door behind me, started the engine, and peeled away from the curb.
My hands didn’t stop shaking until I’d rounded the corner and parked a couple of blocks away.
I grabbed my phone and inhaled slowly, wondering if I should call the police.
I didn’t want to cause a scene, though. If anyone got word that the police had been sent to Austin Harris’s house, it’d be in the tabloid news within hours.
I couldn’t just leave his dad there unattended, though. Reluctantly, I opened my contacts and searched for one I’d hoped I’d never have to use: Sylvia.
After a long pause, because I really didn’t want to talk to the woman who treated me like an obstacle on her journey to winning Austin’s heart, I hit the Call icon.
“Hi.” Sylvia sounded confused. “Uh… can I help you?”
“Hi, Sylvia.” My voice shook, but at least it worked. “There was a man outside Austin’s place before. Is he still there?”
“He just left.” She didn’t pretend she hadn’t been snooping out the window. Sylvia was an independent realtor and her office faced onto the street, so she always kept an eye on comings and goings. “What’s going on?”
He’d gone. Thank God. That meant I didn’t have to escalate the matter.
“He’s someone Austin doesn’t want to see,” I told her, knowing that despite her dubious intentions, Sylvia would want to do what she could to protect Austin. Especially if she could claim credit for it later and use it to impress him.
“Oh.” Something clanked. “He’s definitely gone. Shall I… call Austin if he comes back?”
“Call me. We need to shield Austin from him completely.”
“Okay. I will.” Disappointment laced her tone, but I believed her. She wouldn’t risk upsetting the man she’d set her sights on.
“Thanks.” I ended the call and tossed my phone onto the passenger seat.
I practiced my breathing exercises. They were getting a workout lately. Once I’d calmed down, I pulled back onto the road and returned to campus.
Clara’s class had finished, and I met her outside the arts library. We studied together for a few hours, until it was time for me to pick up Austin.
On my way to the stadium, I internally debated whether to tell him about the visit from his father. I didn’t want to upset him when things were already strained between us, but if his dad was trying to creep back into Austin’s life, he deserved to know.
I parked behind the stadium, sent him a text to let him know I’d arrived, and waited.
A few minutes later, he slipped out a side door and lugged his gear bag toward me.
I watched him walk. He didn’t seem to be limping, which was good.
I’d hate to think he injured himself on the first proper day of training.
In fact, he looked remarkably good. A little too good for comfort, with his mussed hair and soft, touchable clothes over a hard, muscled body.
I popped the trunk and he dumped his bag inside and got into the back seat.
I started his usual post-training playlist and backed out of the space.
Despite the background noise, the silence between us was strained.
I entered the stream of traffic and slowed as a light turned red up ahead.
“I ran into your father today,” I blurted, then immediately regretted it. I’d thought Austin had crossed a line by asking me to pretend to date him, but using what I knew was a fraught relationship as a conversation-starter because I felt awkward wasn’t exactly professional either.
In the rearview mirror, I saw him stiffen.
“You did?”
“Mm-hm. He came by the house and asked me to let him in.” There was no point saying exactly how awful he’d been. That would only upset him for no reason.
He looked out the side window. “I hope you didn’t open the door for him.”
My breath caught. “No! Why would I do that?”
He shrugged. “He has a way of getting into people’s heads. He’s trying to get into mine, and he’s probably hoping to use you to do it.”
We’d been crawling forward, but I jammed on the brakes, ignoring it when someone behind me honked their horn.
“I’m smart enough not to fall for his ploys,” I said.
The whites showed in his eyes. “Jesus, Jane. Don’t stop in the middle of the road.”
“Ugh.” I dragged my hands down my face. “Sorry. Just have some faith in me. Please?”
I’d been a trustworthy assistant. Why would I start letting him down now?