Rush: The Season (Austin Arrows Book 1)(106)

I watch Spencer. I can’t tell what he’s thinking.

“But it doesn’t matter,” Noelle continues. “What’s done is done. And now he did find you and he left his phone number. He said to have you call him as soon as possible.”

“And then what?” Spencer inquires, his hazel eyes pinned on me.

I shrug. I really don’t know what’s going to happen next. “I need to call him, I guess. I’ve got to confirm he is who he says he is. Then, if that goes well, I’ll meet with him.”

That’s the most troubling part. The not knowing what he’s going to want out of this.

“I want to be there when you do.”

I glare at my brother. “That’s not gonna happen.” Sure, I love my brother, but talk about making a bad situation worse. I can picture Spencer punching James in the face, angry at the man who knocked his sister up and left her to raise the kid on her own.

Only James didn’t know about Bianca. It really wasn’t his fault.

Spencer leans forward and puts his arm on the table. “I don’t like the idea of you meeting this guy by yourself.”

“It’s not like I’m gonna meet him at a hotel room.”

“No?” His eyes drop to the table and he mumbles, “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

I feel like someone punched me in the stomach. I can’t believe my brother said that. I stare at him, hoping the tears I feel forming don’t get a chance to fall. I don’t want him to see how much he hurt me.

“What the f*ck is your problem?” Noelle hisses, her attention turning to him for the first time in the past half hour. “Why the hell would you say something like that?”

Spencer still doesn’t look at her, and I wish I knew what was going on with them. Clearly something happened. Something bad if their attitudes are anything to go by.

The door opens and I look up in time to see Kingston walking in. His gaze immediately slides my way. He watches me for a minute, but instead of joining us, he walks right to the bar and orders an iced tea.

My brother slaps the table and gets to his feet. “When you figure this out, let me know. Don’t you dare go meet him without telling me when and where. Someone has to watch out for you.”

I don’t bother to argue. He’s not going to listen to me anyway.

“Why didn’t Kingston come over here?” Noelle asks, pivoting in her seat to glance over at the bar.

“Don’t know.” I kind of do know, but I’m not in the mood to talk about it. When I woke up this morning, Kingston was gone. Not only was he gone from my bed, he was gone from my house. He didn’t leave a note, didn’t send a text. Just vanished.

If I share that news with Noelle right now, I might lose the fragile grip I have on my sanity. It’s possible I might have whiplash from how quickly everything changed. One second, we’re on a date, then next, he’s putting this wall between us. All because of a phone call I haven’t even bothered to make yet.

“Well, if you want me to come with you when you meet with James, I will.”

“I need to call him,” I tell her. “Until I do that, I don’t know what’s gonna happen.”

“Just let me know, sweetie. I’ve got your back.”

At least someone does.

My eyes instantly move across the room to lock on Kingston once again. He’s not looking at me, which only makes my heart hurt more. I push it away, refusing to acknowledge it. Right now, I have more than enough to deal with, and if Kingston wants to ignore me, that’s his business.

No. Wait. I’m not letting him simply turn his back and walk away. There are a lot of things that aren’t being said between us, but there’s one thing that has to be said.

And if that pisses him off … well, I’m sorry.





Kingston

When I walked into the Penalty Box and saw Ellie with Spencer and Noelle, I knew instantly what they were discussing. It definitely wasn’t a conversation about me and Ellie, because I seriously doubt she would share those details with her brother.

However, she would seek them out to talk about James and Bianca.

I had originally come in with the hopes of apologizing to her for leaving this morning. I didn’t have a good reason, other than it had been a moment of panic. After lying awake for most of the night, holding her in my arms, I’d worked myself up good. I know my fear is all in my head, and I’m already playing out scenarios that could possibly never happen, but I can’t seem to stop. The idea of James coming into her life…

Even thinking the man’s name makes my stomach hurt.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?”

I glance over to see Ellie standing at my side. I turn to my left to see Spencer sitting at the bar. He came and took that spot not long after I walked in, but the guy hasn’t said a single word.

I turn back to Ellie. “Yeah. Sure.”

“Can we go to my office?” she asks.

“Why don’t we go outside?” I suggest. I really don’t want to be in her office. I’m not sure I can be alone with her and not… Yeah. Can’t do it.

“Okay.”

I follow Ellie outside and then around to the side of the building. The wind is brutal today, and I see that Ellie’s only wearing a long-sleeved T-shirt. This was a stupid idea. She’s going to freeze her ass off.