Chapter 22 #2
Hazel led us to the living room, and I dropped onto a thickly padded armchair and curled around a cushion.
Mom and Dad sat on the sofa, and Alec claimed the chair facing mine.
Hazel left and returned a moment later with the plate of cookies.
The ones on top were steaming hot, so she must have just taken another batch out of the oven. She placed them on the coffee table.
“Can I get anyone a drink?” she asked, her gaze flitting around.
“No, thanks.” I tried to smile at her but couldn’t quite manage to make it happen. “I can get something if anyone is thirsty. Will you join us?”
She backed away a few steps. “I think you need some family time. I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me.”
With that, she disappeared into the other room. I kind of wished I could do the same.
“How are you doing?” Mom asked, shuffling forward to perch on the edge of the sofa, so she was as close to me as possible.
“Not great,” I admitted. Who would be, after being exposed to the world in the midst of an intimate act?
She and Dad exchanged a glance.
Dad shifted closer too. “Honey, we’ve been talking, and we think perhaps you should come home for a while.
You can lie low, take a break from school, and return when you’re ready.
I know it doesn’t feel like it now, but this kind of thing blows over quickly.
In a couple of months, hardly anyone will remember what happened. ”
“I’ll remember.”
“I know. I’m not saying it isn’t awful, because it is, but if you’re at home, then we can take care of you.”
The way we always used to.
The silent words hang between us, unspoken.
Mom took a cookie, perhaps hoping that the movement would break the tension. “Just for a while,” she said with a full mouth.
“I’m happy here.” My voice quavered, and their eyes filled with pity.
Damn it.
I hated that, however much I tried, in their minds I’d always be the shy little girl with a stutter. I was a woman now. An independent one, who’d accomplished plenty on my own.
“Are you?” Alec asked.
I stiffened. Obviously, I wasn’t thrilled with life at the moment, but I wasn’t about to run home with my tail between my legs either. It might be tempting to let them fix all my problems, but I could handle this. I was strong.
“Jane?” Austin’s call echoed through the house, followed by footsteps heading in our direction.
I stood, eager to see him, but as soon as he stepped into the room, Alec intercepted him.
“Why haven’t you been here with Jane?” he demanded, getting up in Austin’s face. “You left her alone when she needed you.”
Austin’s eyes widened and he fell back a step but did and said nothing to defend himself.
“Alec,” I snapped, circling around him and putting myself between him and Austin. “Leave him alone.”
Austin shook his head almost imperceptibly. “He’s right.”
“No, he’s not.” What was it with these men? “I needed you to deal with the people who had to be dealt with, and you have.”
Alec scowled, but he sat and watched us warily.
“How did the meeting go?” I asked, sliding my arm around Austin’s waist.
Austin looked down at me, his glacial eyes thawing several degrees. “Joseph Trent was there too.”
“Oh, no,” I breathed. That couldn’t be good.
“Actually, they were more understanding than I expected.”
I slumped. “Thank God.”
He bit his lip. “They, uh, said they wouldn’t remove my captaincy or penalize me if I do certain things.”
“Like what?” I didn’t like the look in his eyes.
“Nothing. We can discuss it later.”
“Tell me.” When he continued to hesitate, I sighed. “I know I melted down earlier, and I’m still upset, but I’m your partner in this. We can get through it together.”
He watched me carefully. “I have to sign a form swearing not to do it again.”
“And?”
He grimaced. “Get involved with a charity fundraiser to support online privacy.”
I blinked. “That’s not too bad. Why do you look so worried?”
With a rough exhale, he said, “Gus said that we’d both attend, and he wants your family there too.”
“My family,” I repeated dully.
Alec snorted. “You mean the Wright dynasty? The team owner wants us to swoop in and shower you both with approval and remind everyone how much they love Dad and Uncle Wayne while subtly making it obvious that you’re part of us now.”
“We’ll do it,” Mom said quickly, but my chest was already tight, my heart heavy, and tears stung my eyes.
I was so stupid.
Of course he and Gus hadn’t wanted me present for their strategy meeting before heading over to meet with the team’s management. Austin knew how it would make me feel for them to exploit my family connection, yet he’d allowed it to happen anyway.
“I didn’t know he’d offer that,” he said as I disentangled myself from him and stepped back. “I tried to argue.”
“Not very hard, I’d bet,” Alec muttered.
Austin looked down at his shoes, telling me all I needed to know.
“It’s not a big deal.” Dad moved around, so I could see him better, a furrow between his brows. “I never minded doing charity events. I’d be happy to go along. It might even remind me of the old days.”
I rubbed my chest and couldn’t bring myself to meet anyone’s eyes.
It might not be a big deal to them, but it was to me.
I’d asked Austin why he was interested in me and he’d assured me that it had nothing to do with my parents.
How was I supposed to believe that when he involved them the instant it looked like it might benefit him to do so?
Dad put his hand on my shoulder. “Jane. Honey. I know you like being independent, but your mom and I want to help you. We hate seeing you upset. Won’t you let us do what we can?”
I sighed and dabbed at my eyes, hoping no one noticed they were wet. “Fine. Thank you.”
Austin cleared his throat. “They want us to do an interview together. They’ll choose the journalist and pre-approve the questions. Gus will draft responses for us.”
“Oh.” I blinked. For some reason, I hadn’t expected there to be more. In hindsight, I should have. “You want me to release one of those emotional interviews where I talk about how traumatized I am by what that photographer did.”