Chapter 15

15

AMELIA

Austin is standing inside the grand foyer beside a small black suitcase.

His hands are crossed beneath his muscular chest, wearing his favorite Dodgers shirt and a pair of cargo shorts. The muscles around his face are tight; the color of his eyes a darker shade than the normally warm hazel I’ve always loved. His gaze darts back and forth between Will and me, but his silence is the eerie calm before the storm.

Fuck.

I purposely stand in the middle, not sure how this will go down. Austin knew of my relationship with Will but never asked for details. I narrowed it down to being a guy thing. The less they knew, the better.

But Austin isn’t the person I am worried about—it’s Will.

Will’s ego and confidence led him to become Mr. Billionaire CEO. He is every woman’s erotic fantasy, according to millions of women online who follow his social media page. Yet part of his so-called alpha trait is jealousy.

I’ve seen it in the past, watched Will react on his heightened emotions because of another man. I remember Liesel mentioning how “hot” it was, only for me to burst her sick bubble. It might be hot to read about in books, but real life is a whole other story.

On several occasions over the last day, he has brought attention to my engagement ring. But it’s one thing to bring it up in conversation, and another to see the man standing across from you. We’ve come so far this morning to ease the tension between us, and I know Austin being here will push him over the edge.

Will is not a forgiving man, much like my own father.

I want nothing more than to click my fingers and disappear, but I have no choice but to own the situation. I am the common dominator; all of this being my fault. I should have told Austin the truth, and I shouldn’t have gone to breakfast with Will either.

Eric’s annoyingly high-pitched voice replays in my head. “Deja vu. It’s the Lex, Charlie, and Julian love triangle all over again.”

It’s not a love triangle, I repeat. It’s merely an unfortunate situation I allowed to happen because I make poor decisions.

Stupid, careless decisions—because I can’t seem to let go.

I take a deep breath, finding the courage to get this over and done with, yet the more I procrastinate, the more panic overcomes me until I beg with my eyes for Ava to help.

“Austin, you remember Will, don’t you? He’s our cousin,” Ava assures him, rushing through her words. “It’s his dad’s birthday which is why we’re all here.”

Neither one extends their hands to greet each other, and I dart my eyes back to Ava for a lifejacket.

“I believe you are not actually related?” Austin questions in an arctic tone.

Will’s wide stance is followed with a scoff, yet he keeps his opinion at bay, not entertaining Austin’s comment.

“Um yeah, I guess if you’re getting technical.” Ava shrugs half-heartedly. “It’s great you’re here, though, last-minute like Will. The more, the merrier. Anyway, Will and I are heading out to the pool because Will and Gigi…well, I guess I’ll keep the gossip to myself.”

Her comment stirs jealousy, but I control my mannerisms in front of Austin to act calm and collected. Ava grabs Will’s arm, but his expression is less than pleased as he clenches his teeth with a deliberate head tilt. Inside Ava’s grip, he doesn’t move until she coerces him, and he finally leaves the room with her.

Austin watches me furtively, his arms still crossed with a cold stare creating tension between us. I prepare myself for what he is about to ask, unsure how to untangle myself from the mess I’ve made.

“You didn’t tell me he was back from London?”

“I only recently found out.”

“How recently?” he grits.

“I dunno, like a few weeks?” I answer flatly before I shift my gaze toward him. “I didn’t feel the need to bring it up. Just because he’s back doesn’t mean we have anything to do with each other anymore.”

“Well, you do,” Austin jeers with a pinched expression, his eyes narrowing at me. “He’s here.”

“As Ava said, he arrived yesterday.”

“And you didn’t think to mention it to me?”

“Austin? What exactly is the problem?” My tone is raised, the exhaustion of barely any sleep last night testing my patience. “He’s here. It’s his dad’s party. You didn’t return my call yesterday, so there was no conversation between us where I could bring it up.”

Austin releases an ugly laugh; its intent is not humorous or to lighten the mood. “The problem is that he is your ex-boyfriend. And we haven’t even addressed why the two of you were together just then?”

“That was years ago, okay,” I remind him, then intake a sharp breath. “We’ve both moved on. I’m engaged to you. I don’t understand why you need to make it a bigger deal than it is?” I say, trying to defuse the situation, and convince myself it’s nothing.

“Why won’t you answer me?”

I gaze at Austin, placing my hands in the pocket of my shorts. If he wants an answer, I’ll give him one. But as far as I am concerned, I have done nothing to break his trust nor compromise our relationship.

Except for that almost kiss.

“We went to eat breakfast. That’s it. It was early, so we walked to the café not too far from here. If you can’t trust me, then I have no words to make you change your mind.”

Austin runs his hands through his hair, letting out a sigh.

“You’re right,” he mumbles, lowering his head. “I’m sorry, it’s been a long flight, and I’ve had a tough week.”

He reaches his hand out for me, and I touch his fingers for him to pull me into a deep kiss. I don’t pull away, but it doesn’t feel right to be kissing here. I give it a moment before I place my hands on his chest to create some distance between us without offending him.

“Why don’t we spend time together, just the two of us?” I suggest, playing with the fabric of his shirt.

“No, we came here to spend time with your family,” he demands, catching me by surprise. “And that’s what we’re going to do.”

My parents enter through the front door, surprised to see Austin beside me. Of course, Mom is quick to welcome him, as is Dad. When I look closely at Dad’s expression, he appears somewhat amused by Austin showing up. Mom, on the other hand, gives me a probing gaze though keeps her thoughts to herself.

Ava returns, offering to show Austin to our room. I tell them I’ll join them in a few minutes, wanting to stay back with my parents for a moment. The second they turn the corner, I tug on Mom’s arm in a panic.

“What the hell do I do?”

“Millie, don’t panic. You’re all adults.”

“Have you met Will?” I question with a strained voice. “He isn’t exactly a patient man, and my engagement is not exactly something he’s accepted. Now Austin is here. Austin is just as competitive. How am I supposed to be in the same room as an ex-lover and new fiancé?”

Dad is suppressing his laughter, though I have no idea why he finds this amusing. I, for one, don’t. My lips press together while I watch him, crossing my arms in disbelief.

“Why is this so funny?”

“You said you had it all under control, Amelia.”

I throw my hands in the air. “Until this happened!” I turn to face Mom again. “C’mon, Mom, what do I do? You’ve been in this situation. What did you do?”

Mom purses her lips, trying to keep her smile at bay. “You don’t want to know.”

“No, tell me, please?”

“No, honey, it involves your father and his um…let’s say need to satisfy his urges.”

The penny drops, as does my stomach. Why, oh why—did I poke the fucking bear?

“Right, please don’t say anything more about that,” I mumble.

“Look, Millie. The truth is that you’re engaged to be married to Austin. You need to respect that commitment,” she says softly. “Yes, I realize I am a hypocrite for giving you this advice, but if I could turn back time, I would have ended my engagement before anything happened with your father because Julian was owed that respect. As for Will, he is a grown man who will make his own decisions no matter what anyone else says. You just need to make sure your actions and intent are clear, whatever they may be.”

When it comes to discussing Will, Dad’s face lowers to avoid the conflict. His opinion on the matter still stands, but nevertheless, I ask the question of him.

“What do you think, Dad?”

Dad lifts his gaze to meet mine. “I agree with your mother. You’ve committed to one man, and you need to honor that. If you have any doubt as to whether that is what you want for the rest of your life, then you need to be honest with yourself.”

It was the most logical thing Dad has ever said. Usually, his opinion is very one-sided and always to benefit him.

“I have some thinking to do,” I tell them both before walking to the room to find Austin.

* * *

Everyone arrives at the marina just in time.

Ava calls everyone’s attention to a list of rules and the itinerary for the day. I half-listen, noticing Will and Gigi are nowhere to be seen.

“Number one rule of the day,” Uncle Rocky yells, “what happens on the yacht stays on the yacht.”

“That’s what you said about Vegas,” Uncle Noah deadpans.

“And our trip to Cabo,” Eric adds with a grimace.

Dad rubs his chin before saying, “And our stay in Amsterdam.”

“Don’t forget the infamous Thailand getaway,” Uncle Julian is quick to mention.

“All right, all right, so I have a big mouth. My wife ain’t complaining, that’s for sure.”

Nikki purses her lips, annoyed at his running mouth. Aunt Adriana pats her shoulder while laughing softly.

“Rocky, a big mouth is great for giving head,” Eric says confidently. “But having a big mouth does nothing for a lady garden.”

“Are we back to using lady garden?” Kate complains, scowling. “It’s so Eric circa years before his addiction to Botox.”

“I’m sorry,” Eric drags, placing his hands on his hips, “I can’t say I keep current with vagina lingo. Ask me what the confused straight guys are calling dick, and I’m your number one man.”

I fall into a fit of laughter, welcoming Eric’s humor before we board the yacht. With blue skies and barely any wind—it’s predicted to be a smooth sail. Beside me, Luna is already taking seasick tablets her mom hands her.

Not long after we leave the marina, I pull Ava aside when Austin is busy with Andy and Nash.

“Where’s Will?”

“He had some important work thing to attend to so stayed back at the house.”

Ava continues to pour the drinks, but not before advising the waiter onboard which drink belongs to who.

“And, um, Gigi? Your so-called bestie?”

“Not feeling well.”

“Not feeling well?” I repeat as my mouth slackens. “What exactly is wrong with her?”

“Migraine, headache, something like that,” Ava says, nonchalant.

My chest begins to cave, followed by a sudden pounding inside my head. “Where is she then?”

“Back at the house.”

“So, you’re telling me that Will and Gigi are back at the house, alone?” I sputter, momentarily beyond words.

Ava places the bottle of Malibu down, scrunching up her face only to relax it seconds later and regain some calm.

“To answer the real question you are asking, Millie. Yes, they are alone, and I don’t know whether they are together or if this was intentional. Does Gigi like Will? Yes, she wants to fuck him, and that comes as no surprise since she’s practically thrown herself onto him in front of everyone since the moment we got here.”

I bite down on my bottom lip, hurt by the truth. What did I expect Will to do? Come out with us so he can watch Austin wrap his arms around me and kiss my lips. Even I knew that would be unfair and difficult to see, but it doesn’t erase the jealousy and hurt of knowing Will and Gigi are all alone.

And the truth is, Will is single and can damn well do whomever he pleases.

“I need a drink.”

“You’ve come to the right person. How strong do you want it?”

“Anything to erase the thought, Ava,” I mumbled beneath my breath.

It started with one drink, then over-eating on the delicious lunch served. Uncle Rocky stripped off to only a pair of leopard print speedos which Eric dared him to wear. Surprisingly, Nikki found it amusing courtesy of the extra-strong drinks Ava poured. When it comes to handling the bar, Ava is notorious for potent servings of liquor.

The rest of the afternoon became a hazy blur. Between Ava’s drinks and the intense sun, I found myself in a drunken stupor. I don’t even remember docking, nor how I got back home.

There was a moment when Austin placed me in bed, and Mom was standing beside him, insisting I had heatstroke because apparently—my skin was all red. Either way, I wanted to be alone and sleep.

Sometime in the late afternoon, I open my eyes to see Austin sitting beside me in bed. I let out an involuntary groan before sitting up, only for the room to spin and my stomach recoil.

“Austin?” I barely mumble, my throat incredibly dry. “What time is it?”

“Almost dinner time.”

“I slept that long?”

He nods, but notably, his stare is fixated directly in front of him, avoiding me.

“Tell me I’m crazy, Millie?”

I rub my eyes in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

“Tell me I have nothing to worry about. That you love me, and someday, we’ll get married.”

“I said yes to marrying you.” I keep my voice low, wanting to avoid an argument but also because my head is throbbing. How much did I drink? Too much because I feel like absolute trash.

“Months ago,” he deadpans. “But now Will is back in the picture…”

“Will is not back in the picture,” I state, trying to control my frustration. “He is back in Manhattan along with the other millions of people there. And in case you didn’t notice today, he was busy with someone else.”

Austin turns to face me, his stare anything but inviting. “I did, notice. And it’s clear you did too. Why else did you get blind drunk?”

“Because Ava poured? You know, as well as I do, she is notorious for her imbalance ratio of gin to tonic water. Plus, the heat today was ridiculous.”

“That’s what your mom said,” he mumbles, lowering his head.

I place my hand on his. “You have nothing to worry about except for getting changed because it’s our final dinner, and they’re bringing out some expensive cake made just for Rocky.”

He nods, but deep inside, his vulnerability is still eating away at him.

I hop off the bed a little too fast as my head begins to spin. Hanging on my wardrobe is a silk ivory dress Ava insists I wear. According to her, it will look fantastic for the photos she plans to use on her social media account.

“You use the bathroom here,” I suggest, grabbing my dress and shoes. “I’m going to use Ava’s. I’ll meet you back here in twenty minutes.”

“Sure.” He nods quietly. “See you soon.”

I linger at the door, then turn to face him. “Austin, are you okay?”

He releases a breath, rubbing his face in his hands. It wasn’t just us he worried about. There was the pressure of his medical degree looming over his head.

“As long as we are okay,” he tells me softly, “I will be just fine.”