The Reluctant Beauty (6 page)

“Where else can you go?”

***

Austin shook his head. Saturday night, with Peg and her family, locked up in King’s Department Store of all places. How in the world had he gotten mixed up in this in the first place?
His sister.
It was all her fault for getting him to that bar.

The only bright side for Austin was he’d been sheltered from the world and the press for a while. Now, if only it would hold out, he’d be thrilled.

Peg made one last-ditch effort to call her super. “No can do, guys and gals. He’s not lifting a hammer until the crew gets there on Monday morning. At least he got the water sopped up and the fans to dry it out are still going.”

“That settles it,” Austin said. “Sleepover.” He tried to make the best of it.

“I called the boss boss. Charlie owns the store. No answer.” She nibbled on her lip and tapped the pencil on her clipboard until the end dulled to a blunt edge.

“How bad can it be?”

***

It was worse than he thought, Austin realized an hour later. Her mother, a ball of energy, had directed them to rearrange the display furniture to make it homier, move portable walls to form a house-like atmosphere, hang drapes, and set the table with the best King’s had to offer and was now debating where to order dinner from.

Poor Peg rushed behind her, trying to stop her, and finally just started making lists of items they were using on the pages on her clipboard. “No, Mother, not that,” Peg warned. The lamp teetered precariously and then tipped over, smashing to the floor.

The emotions chasing over her face stabbed at him. She’d gone from gritting her teeth to all-out clenching her jaw.

He went to her, putting his arm around her. She sighed and put her head on his shoulder. “For a hottie, you’re sweet,” she said.

“Don’t let my secret get out, all right?”

She half laughed, half snorted.

“Why don’t we escape this place?”

Jerking her head up and turning to him, she asked, “The store? No can do. I got to keep an eye on them or they may destroy this place.”

“Five-minute getaway, that’s it.” He’d like to run a lot longer and a lot farther than that with her.

He wondered where that thought had come from. His plan of running away to a nice, warm island somewhere hadn’t entered his mind for what, a couple of hours now? That surprised him.

Two years of travel and playing nearly every night had soured him on the industry and music world. Just to get by the last few months, he’d conjured up the idea of this vacation.

Alone.

Every day, sometimes a dozen times a day, he’d replay the image of a long stretch of beach in his mind. Deserted beach with white sand and no one around beckoned to him.

He’d even left his guitar with his bandmate in New York, right after he’d had all his hair shaved off and ditched his “work” clothes. His rock persona stayed behind.

But when had he stopped thinking or wanting to shed the rest of the world? About chucking it all and leaving everything behind? Including people?

Looking at her, he realized Peg had everything to do with it.

Austin swallowed hard. He backed away. “I’ll go…check with the guard…about food.”

***

Peg jammed her fisted hands on her hips, the clipboard clutched in her left hand. He couldn’t have broadcast it more loud and clear. He didn’t want to stay around her. He might have asked for the mini getaway, but somewhere from the time he suggested it until a second ago, he changed his mind.

“Figures,” she muttered. “All of them run. Eventually.”

Her heart tugged as she turned away from his fleeing back. “Too bad.”

Brushing it aside, she nearly threw up her hands as her father lay snoring in one of the store’s recliners. Her mother tucked a blanket, a brand new beautiful white cashmere one the store had just gotten in, around him.

“Biscuits and bunnies, I’m never gonna be able to pay all this back to King’s. I’ll be working this off until I’m eighty!”

“Hey, sis, this is the best.” Her brother dragged the display baby car seat in one hand while pushing a stroller in the other. His wife had a bundle of baby clothes clutched to her. “We should have come to see you much sooner. King’s has great stuff.”

Groaning, Peg began to jot down more things they’d grabbed up. Beads of perspiration dotted her brow and she swiped at them. Man alive, make that ninety before she paid it all back!

***

Austin waited for the food, having followed Bruno’s advice and called Marcus at his pub and grill, putting in a mayday for Peg. Her former boss and a husband to one of the King sisters came to the rescue and said he’d deliver it himself.

“You
the
Austin Rhoades?” the guard, Bruno, asked as he stood by his side at the door.

“Yep.”

“Don’t you play with our Peg, you hear? She’s a sweetheart with a heart of gold. Keeps this place running. Now we don’t want Peg to get hurt, do we?” He clasped his hands together and flexed them away from him, his knuckles cracking.

“No.” Austin frowned. “Nobody’s going to hurt Peg.”

“Just sayin...”

“Loud and clear.”

“Now all you gotta do is walk out that door. I won’t be the wiser. She won’t get any deeper than she already is, understand?”

“I don’t run.”

“Really? Could have fooled me. Word’s out on the street that you left your band. Broke it up after ten years.”

His heart stilled. There was only one person he’d talked to about that. His buddy who had possession of his guitar at the moment. It was a thought, just a thought, he’d spoken out loud on one of his lowest days on the tour.

“Talking about trying to replace you. Who could ever live up to it? Would anyone accept the band without the founder? You know. All over those shows.” He nodded to his tucked away office and Austin could hear the blare of the TV set.

A chill went through his body. There’d be questions. Lots of them. Statements wanted. Interviews desired, sought after, chased after to obtain. How in the world was he ever going to hide from the press and the public now?

He’d tucked away his phone, silencing the ring, last night after speaking with his sister, Evelyn. He’d never checked on the text messages coming in, never missing the constant blaring and demands from the industry.

Now, he refused to contact anyone. He needed time. Time to figure out what his next move would be. Time to make a plan.

Marcus and his wife, Francie, hand delivered the boxes of food.

“Here, Bruno, I brought your favorite,” Marcus said, handing over a meal.

The guard smacked his lips. “Now which favorite could it be? You’re the best, Marcus. You go on up and get Peg and her family set up. Stop by and chat some before you head out.”

“Will do,” Francie said.

“No baby with you tonight?”

“Can you believe Mother and the Colonel are babysitting Madeline tonight so we can finally have a date night?”

“Her?!” He shook his head. “As I live and breathe, I would never have guessed that.” He walked away, muttering to himself, still clearly stunned at the news.

The couple chuckled. “We would have never believed it either, Bruno,” the woman called after him.

 “Nice to meet you. Friend of Peg’s?” Marcus’s question sounded innocent enough, but there was an underlying tone.

“New friend. Actually, I’m Evelyn’s half-brother.” He shook Marcus’s hand and then nodded to the man’s wife.

“No way! Evelyn never told me about you. And I worked with her in the wedding boutique,” Francie said as they walked across the marble floor.

“You’re
the
Francine King?” Austin asked, recalling his sister’s words of praise. “Ev adores you.”

“It’s mutual, I assure you,” Francie said. “But why?”

He grimaced. “Different fathers. Different last names. She doesn’t want to ride my coattails. But I’d do anything for her.”
Even stay away so she could carve out her own life.

“Makes sense,” Marcus said. “People want to make it on their own. Evelyn’s a go-getter. By the way, I used to be her boss, when I temporarily was in charge of the store.”

Austin recalled his sister’s stories. Hers was the only call he welcomed each week while on the road. Her funny stories, store gossip, and her delight in her job made him laugh right along with her and miss her even more. Maybe it was because he wanted to be a part of something that brought him that kind of joy was one of the reasons he lingered here now.

He could have walked out that door just as Bruno suggested. But his feet were planted firmly and he didn’t have any desire to run.

That brought him up short.

“Which way?” Francie asked.

“Housewares, is it?” He scratched his head, literally and figuratively.

He’d barely seen his sister at breakfast this morning. He had no connection with the store himself. The Newbury family was funny, but invasive, and pushing Peg to fit in with their ideal of what her life should be.

He didn’t have to stay. But he did.

It was all because of a funny, sexy, long-legged, fantastic kisser named Peg.

***

Peg sucked in a sharp breath when he rounded the corner. He led her friends toward her. But when he looked up, catching her stare, her knees nearly gave out.

Holy hotness was gazing at her as if he could eat her up.

“Yeah, right,” she muttered under her breath. “As if I would ever be that lucky.” She snorted. “In
my
dreams.”

His slow, sexy smile did strange things to her heart.
Nah, can’t be
.

“Boss, Francie, thanks for saving my tail. I owe you. Big time,” Peg said, going to help with unloading the boxes of food. She did everything in her power to avoid looking at Austin and his hotness again.

Her family gathered around. Peg introduced them, ending with, “Boss, I swear I’ll pay it all back.” She crossed her chest. “Cross my heart, hope to die.”

Marcus laughed. “I’m not your boss anymore, Peg. And the King family isn’t worried about this.”

Francie came over and hugged her. “You lost so much. Your clothes, too?”

“Right through the bathroom ceiling, spread out like a river, and into my closet.” She shook her head. Nothing but a stack of soggy destroyed clothes and ruined shoes piled on the closet floor were left for her to return to. Her list for must-haves grew every time she thought of what she’d lost. Her whole business wardrobe.
Kaput!

“Pick out what you need here. Don’t worry. I’ve got some clout, if you know what I mean.” Francie chuckled.

Marcus gave Peg a quick hug, too. “Food’s on me. Clothes on the King sisters. It’s the least we can do for all you’ve done for us.”

Tears smarted her eyes. “You’d do that for me? Sassafras and smelling salts, I’m a puddle.”

Out of nowhere, Austin appeared by her side. “I’ve got this, guys. You look like you’re going somewhere.”

It was only then that Peg realized they were all dolled up. “Holy Toledo! Your date! The theater. Go,” she waved her hands. “Your first official date in forever. Don’t let us stop you. Shoo!”

Francie kissed her on the cheek. “Take care, Peg. Pick out some clothes. Rest here tonight and we’ll see you in the morning.”

“Huh? Morning? But it’s Sunday. Store’s closed.”

“You forgot?” Marcus tsked her. “You do have a lot on your mind if you forgot Griffin’s soldier buddies coming into the store tomorrow. Shopping spree for the guys in the Wounded Warrior program?”

“Ball tomorrow night,” Francie prodded.

Peg smacked herself on the forehead. “Ah, shut me up and call me crazy. I did forget.” With trying to find a date, her family showing up early—a week early—and the leak in her ceiling, no wonder she’d forgotten. That’s not to say, holy hotness didn’t have a lot to do with making her lose her mind, slowly but surely.

***

Dinner wasn’t as much as a trial as Austin thought it might be. Underneath it all, the Newburys loved Peg and wanted only the best for her. Of course, it was
their
best, not hers, but still they cared for her.

“Now, dear, you’ve done quite a job here, or so Marcus told us. But really, it’s high time you plan for your future,” her father said.

“Pop, I got it, okay. I can do it all.” She scrunched her eye up and winked at Austin as she passed him his plate.

 He held back a chuckle. She was so adorable.

“The King family needs me. I’m the bomb. I run a tight ship. Well, most days, I do. But we’ve worked hard these last coupla years to bring this store back and beyond. I’m not ditching them now.”

“But...” Her mother snuck a peek at Austin and then turned back to her. “Peg, he’s not going to wait forever for you…”

The unspoken words were hanging in the air.
Snatch him up before he changes his mind.

“Your mother’s right, Peg,” her father agreed.

Clearing his throat, Austin said, “Professor Newbury, Mrs. Newbury.” He nodded to her parents and then to the brother and his wife. “I’m in no hurry.” That much was true. “Peg’s worth waiting for.”
Where had that come from?

All five of them looked at him as if his nose had grown a foot long. Peg rolled her eyes.

“Don’t lay it on so thick,” she said under her breath and between clenched teeth. “Pop, Ma, I got this.”

Someone snorted. Her brother. “Come on, sis. You getting married? When have you ever been more serious about a guy than your work?” He shook his head. “Never.”

Peg plopped down in her seat. She rested her elbows on the table and held her face in her hands while she glimpsed at Austin.

Help
was written all over her features. Austin swallowed hard.

“Geez, Louise. You guys don’t have much faith in me, do you?” She pushed away from the table and stood up, gathering the empty containers. “So, I love my work.” She shrugged. “So, I’m not all gung ho on tying the knot and dropping out a baby.” She shrugged again. “Big deal.”