Chapter Four
August
“And you’re still coming?” Her sweet, gentle voice chimed, dripping with honey laced with something sharper, as her kind voice melted through the phone.
A knowing smile teased the edges of my mouth, the taste of excitement on my tongue as I leaned back in my worn leather chair and it creaked a counterpoint to the frantic thrumming in my chest. “Yes, Barb. I’ll be there. On time. And... with a plus one.”
Her shriek, raw and untamed, ripped through the line, shattering my fragile calm.
“Plus one?” Barbara—my parents’ longtime companion, a woman whose smile could light up the darkness around her and whose eyes held life’s mysteries of joy and love—was unleashed.
“Oh, spill it, Auggie. Name? Pretty? Don’t answer that, of course she’s breathtaking.
Where’s she from? Doctor? Sisters? Brothers?
Auggie! Why the hell aren’t you answering me?
” Her voice, a torrent of breathless questions, tickled me to no end, leaving me breathless, exposed, and strangely exhilarated.
My head snapped back, my laugh ripping from my throat, raw and unrestrained.
God, I loved Barb. It wasn’t just love; it was a primal, visceral thing, a fierce loyalty etched into the marrow of my bones.
She was the goddamn mortar holding my unique family together, a mosaic of eccentrics and outcasts glued by her incandescent spirit.
The warmth that radiated from her wasn’t just a feeling; it was a tangible force, a sun against the perpetual twilight of my life.
Gentle? She was a goddamn saint, a whisper of peace in a hurricane of corporate sharks, social climbers with their diamond-encrusted smiles, and the rough-and-tumble, leather-clad wolves of the biker world that gnawed at the edges of my existence.
Each of them a predator circling, waiting for weakness.
But Barb? She was the one who kept me from becoming prey.
“Because you won’t let me get a word in edgewise, woman!”
“Auggie, you scoundrel, you know I can’t resist a mystery. Now, spill the beans!” Barbara’s playful tone belied the sharp curiosity that lurked beneath her words. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and I found myself grinning like a fool, relishing the moment.
“Her name is... actually, I’ll let that be a surprise.
Let’s just say she’s a rare gem. She’s so smart.
Quiet, yet she sees everything, and she has a heart as big as yours.
” I paused, savoring the anticipation that hung between us.
“And she has this way of making me feel... alive, Barb. It’s like she ignites something within me that I didn’t know existed.
” My voice softened as I confessed, “I think she might be the one.” My words hung in the air, heavy with significance.
Barbara’s response was immediate and effusive.
“Oh, Auggie, my dear, sweet Auggie! I’m so happy for you!
I can’t wait to meet her. Bring her to the party, and we’ll show her a damn good time.
She’ll be family before she knows it!” Her enthusiasm was a tidal wave, threatening to sweep me off my feet.
But it was a feeling I welcomed, a feeling of belonging and joy that Barbara had a talent for invoking.
“I will, Barb. I can’t wait to see you too.
” My voice caught slightly as I realized how much I meant it.
Barbara was more than just a friend or a companion; she was the heart and soul of my unconventional family, the glue that held us all together.
And in that moment, I knew that whatever the future held, as long as we had Barbara, we’d always be okay.
After hanging up with Barb, I quickly showered and dressed. Grabbing my coat and keys, I headed out to pick up Diana, and for the life of me, I couldn’t stop smiling.
The drive from my small apartment to the NYU campus took damn near an hour, not that I was counting down the minutes.
Pulling into a parking spot, I cut the engine and got out before heading into her dorm building.
Racing up the stairs, I soon found myself standing before her door, my hands sweaty as my heart beat a mile a minute.
I didn’t know what it was about Diana, but just thinking about her got my blood pumping and my heart racing.
Knocking on the door, I didn’t have to wait long before it swung open, and there she stood, a vision of beauty and intelligence.
My Diana.
My woman.
My future with her golden blonde hair falling in soft waves around her face, and her eyes, deep pools of mystery, sparkling with a mischievous light. My heart, which had been thrumming wildly, stilled for a moment as I drank in the sight of her.
“August,” she breathed, her voice a soft caress that sent a shiver down my spine. “You’re here.”
I stepped forward, my eyes never leaving hers, and took her hand in mine, bringing it to my lips for a gentle kiss. “I am,” I murmured, my voice thick with emotion. “And I can’t wait for you to meet my family. They are going to love you.”
Diana’s smile, full of warmth and a hint of something mischievous, lit up her entire face. “I can’t wait either,” she said, stepping aside to let me in. “But first, I have something for you.”
Intrigue laced through me as I followed her into the cozy confines of her dorm room. The scent of her, a mixture of books and something uniquely hers, enveloped me, and I felt that familiar spark ignite within.
She handed me a small package, her eyes shining with excitement. “It’s just a little something the men in my family wear,” she said, her voice laced with a hint of uncertainty. “I wanted to give you something of myself before we left.”
My fingers fumbled slightly as I carefully unwrapped the gift, my curiosity piqued.
Inside, I found a simple leather bracelet, the soft brown etched with the Goddess of the Hunt, Diana, her namesake, with a unique silver clasp that held it together.
I’d never seen anything like it before. But it was the engraving that truly took my breath away.
“Always,” it read, and in that moment, I knew this woman standing before me was the always kind of love.
I could hear laughter coming from within the house as Diana and I walked into my family home to find several kids running around.
Keeping her hand firmly clasped in mine, I steered her through the house and toward the kitchen, knowing I would find Barb standing over the stove cooking.
The woman loved to cook, and thank God, because neither my mother nor father could.
Though they were good at ordering takeout.
“Are you sure I look alright?” Diana whispered as she looked around the large house.
“You’re perfect, baby,” I stated when I heard my sister arguing with Barb again. Sighing, I looked at Diana and smirked. “I want to apologize right now for what you are about to hear and see.”
Walking into the kitchen, Diana and I got a front-row seat to another one of my sister’s drama-filled tantrums and, like always, my sister didn’t disappoint.
“But why?!”
My sister Amy was a senior in high school, spoiled rotten and a total pain in the ass, but she was my only sister, and I loved her to pieces.
Almost ten years younger than me, my sister was unexpected but loved and wanted.
From the moment she entered this world, she had me and everyone else wrapped around her little finger.
As she got older, so did her temper, which was known to be explosive occasionally.
The only one in the family who she seemed to even listen to was our mother, but knowing she was in the middle of one of her charity meetings, that left Barb and my dad to pick up the slack.
“All the other kids are going!”
“And if they all jumped off a bridge, would you follow them?”
“YES!” my sister adamantly rebuffed. “If it gets me out of this house, I would!”
“My answer is still no, Amy. I’m sorry. Maybe next time,” Barb huffed, refusing to back down.
“This blows,” my sister complained. “It’s only the movies. Kansas said Arizona will drive.”
“This discussion is over.”
“I HATE YOU!” my sister screamed just as my father strolled into the kitchen, and Amy shoved past him right into our mother.
“Explain yourself, young lady, right now.”
Gulping Amy took a few steps back and sighed. “Sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean to pull you out of your meeting.”
“Well, you did. So what’s the problem?”
“I wanted to go to the movies with Kansas, but Barb said no.”
“I’m still waiting to hear the problem?” my mother firmly stated as she glared at Amy, and when my sister didn’t speak up, our mother did. “Listen to me, little girl. If Barb says no, then she speaks for me and your father. Is that understood?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
With that, Amy quietly left, no doubt going up to her room to sulk.
Turning toward me, my mother smiled. “I’m glad you made it, August. Barb misses you.”
Quickly giving my mother a kiss on her cheek, I held Diana’s hand and walked her over to Barb and said, “Barb. I’d like you to meet my girl, Diana Cooper.”
Diana never got to utter a word before Barb engulfed her in a warm motherly hug. “Oh my God, Julia, look at her,” Barb said, grinning from ear to ear as she looked Diana up and down. “She’s magnificent.”
“I expected nothing less from our boy.” My mother smirked as she walked over to Barb, wrapping her arm around her waist before kissing her forehead.
“It’s wonderful to meet you both,” Diana greeted as my father groaned, looking put out and ready to run for the hills.
“Julia, you’d better get back out there. The natives are getting restless,” my father, Albert, groaned as the back door flung open and in walked Virginia Stone.
“Who the hell are you calling native, Al?”
“You!” My father grinned. “You are all nuts!”
“Julia,” Virginia scoffed, looking at my dad before smiling at my mother. “Nicoletta and Daniella have agreed to open a center in Chicago.”
“Oh, how wonderful!” my mother joyously praised as she linked her arm with Virginia’s, and both women walked back outside talking a mile a minute.
“You must forgive Julia,” my father said, wrapping his arm around Barb, who leaned her head on his chest. “We’ve got a full house today.
The Sunshine Charity is Julia’s baby. She runs the charity with her best friend, Sylvia St. James, whom I’m sure you’ll meet momentarily once she arrives.
They all get together once a month to discuss the charity and whatnot.
Mainly, they all get drunk and hide from their husbands. ”
“I understand,” Diana replied, stepping closer to me.
I watched as Diana’s gaze shifted, and my brow furrowed in confusion.
I followed her eyes to the window, where a man stood outside, his eyes locked on Diana.
The man wasn’t a stranger, his dark eyes intense and unreadable.
I felt a surge of protectiveness towards Diana and moved to stand in front of her, blocking his gaze.
The man smirked, then turned and walked away, disappearing from view.
I felt a moment of relief, but my concern remained.
What the hell was Daniel Scott doing here?
As if sensing my thoughts, Diana spoke softly, “Who was that man, August? I’ve never seen him before, but the way he looked at me.
..” Her voice trailed off, and I could see the confusion and unease in her eyes.
I wanted to reassure her, but before I could speak, the sound of laughter and chatter filled the kitchen as more guests arrived.
The moment between us was interrupted as my attention was pulled towards the new arrivals.
I recognized them as my mother’s friends, the core group of the Sunshine Charity.
Among them was a woman with a presence that commanded the room.
She was tall and elegant, with golden hair that fell in loose curls around her face.
Her eyes sparkled with mischief, and she exuded an air of confidence and warmth.
I knew this must be Jane Craven, my mother’s best friend and co-founder of the charity.
She greeted me and Diana with open arms, pulling us both into a hug as if we were long-lost friends.
“Oh my God, Sienna!” Sylvia preened. “Would you look at how handsome August’s gotten, and his date is stunning. Power couple if ever I saw one.”
Sienna Mitchell, the wife of the newly elected governor of South Carolina, nodded. “I agree. Veronica, come meet August and his date!”
A beautiful woman with long dark hair walked over along with another stunning woman, and Sienna introduced them. “August. I would like you to meet Veronica Meeks and Lucy McClaren. They are the newest members of the Sunshine Charity.”
“Ladies.” I smiled, shaking both their hands, and said before anyone could ask me anything, “It’s wonderful to meet you all, but we have to get going. Diana and I have reservations in the city.”
Several moans and sighs quickly followed as Barb walked over between us, linking her arms in ours. “Come on, you two. You don’t want to be late for that date.”
After saying several goodbyes, promising to stay longer next time, Barb ushered us through the now-packed house and back out to my car.
“I’m sorry, Auggie,” Barb said softly. “I didn’t know when I invited you that Julia had scheduled her monthly charity get-together.”
Pulling the woman into my arms, I hugged her tightly. “It’s alright, Barb. I will bring Diana next week for dinner. Just the family, okay?”
Barb smiled up at me. “I would like that very much.”
Releasing her, I said nothing as Barb turned to Diana. “Thank you for coming. It was wonderful to meet you.”
Diana hugged Barb and whispered, “It was lovely meeting you too.”