At one point, a group of my mother’s friends surrounded us. I hugged them and listened to them tell me how much my parents missed me and always talked abo
ut me. It was a nicer day than I ever thought it could be.
The shopping trip took longer than expected. I surprised Mom by telling her I’d grab something for dinner on the way home. We stopped in at a BBQ place I used to love and got chicken and ribs with all the fixings. Neither of my parents could resist food, and this a little way of thanking them for everything they did for me. I would do it in words as well, but I was going to spoil them while I was here.
They might not be the only people who I planned to spoil. I was getting up early tomorrow to take care of something so I could enjoy the rest of my vacation.
They went to bed early after the feast. There were plenty of leftovers in the fridge. I could tell that my folks were happy about my change in attitude. Mom hugged me tightly before she went down the hall with Dad. I planted myself in my old bed and turned on the television to watch some of the late-night shows, taking a moment to relax.
I hadn’t heard from Preston about the investment, but I also didn’t think too much about it. I felt content just being here and catching up on a little bit of pop culture. It helped that my belly was full of some of the best food money could buy. That was saying a lot considering some of the food I’d enjoyed in New York at all hours of the night. You just couldn’t beat authentic Texas barbecue.
Mom was right. There really was something special about this place.
I checked in with my assistant. The situation hadn’t changed. He was still buried in communications with lawyers and staff alike. I told him to get some rest and tackle it in the morning. This investment wouldn’t make or break me. I had plenty of money to get by. Perhaps it wasn’t money that I wanted at all. Maybe I was just trying to fill a void that I never wanted to acknowledge before.
Preston asked me if I was feeling all right, knowing my habit of working through the night to acquire what I wanted. Admittedly, I had been relentless when I wanted something in past, but Preston sounded exhausted. He’d been killing himself while I’d been eating and laughing with my family. Maybe I’d offer to cut him loose early so he could go see his own family back home.
“I’m good,” I said. “You just sound beat, and with the time difference and everything going on, it’s time for a break. Get some sleep. It’s practically Christmas, Preston.”
“I’ll have to thank your mother for whatever she made you drink tonight. I will talk to you tomorrow.” He sounded happy.
I ended the call, only to sink back on my pillows. It was time to sleep for all of us.
Chapter Eight
Rebecca
I sipped my coffee and walked over to the register, stifling a yawn. It was slow this morning at Grayson’s, but that was typical for a cold, snowy morning. I had the radio up just a little louder than usual and hummed along to the indie song that played through the room.
When I opened the shop, I took some liberties. I was going on eleven years as a stylist, so a little change in music wouldn’t hurt anybody.
I started to wipe down stations once it hit ten o’clock. I would only be in here for another hour on my own before Heather showed up for her shift. The door chimed, and I glanced up in surprise.
It was Austin, dressed casually in worn jeans, a plaid flannel, and a thick coat. He held two cups of coffee in his hand. I approached him with a cautious smile, noticing the hat on his head.
“Is your hair okay?” I asked.
“My hair?” Austin asked, frowning. He handed me a cup marked with few letters. “I thought you might want some coffee. It’s chilly this morning.”
My brow furrowed as I stared at him. “I just assumed you’d only come back here if you needed a haircut. But the last one was so recent. And it seems like you’re not spending much time in town at all.”
Kim kept me informed of all the local gossip. I mostly worked and stayed home. The most I’d do is go to Kim’s like I did the other night. She was much more of a social butterfly than I was.
“My hair is fine. You did a great job with it.” Austin sipped his coffee before looking around. He cleared his throat. “I wanted to talk to you, Rebecca.”
“Me? About what?” I assumed the last time we spoke would be it. He was only here through the end of the month, and I could hide out that long, apart from being here.
Austin walked over and took a seat at my station. He sipped the coffee again with a violent shiver. “Jesus, it’s cold.”
“You’re the one who came out in the weather,” I responded. He looked at me with a stern expression. There I go, talking like a fool again. “Sorry. What did you want to talk about?” I was like a teenager all over again around Austin.
“I wanted to apologize to you for the other night,” he said.
I tilted my head in confusion. “For helping me?” Austin regretted that?
He waved his hand in the air and shook his head. “No, I could never regret helping you.” Austin smiled.
I reached for my first cup of coffee, finding it empty. I searched around for the cup that Austin brought.