Southern Hearts (Southern Love Series) (17 page)

"I did." Hank chuckled. "Things with Natalie
and me are complicated."

"Well, I can't tell you how to live your life."

Austin sat on the tailgate of the pickup truck with Hank.
They did their talking about the weather as they shared the meal that Farrah
prepared for them.

"Man," Austin said, "whatever you guys are
facing, I hope you can work it out."

"Man, all I can do is try and make my marriage work
until I can't." Hank took a swig from the bottle of water. "Did you
talk to Shane?"

"He got to Jasmine's house as her water broke. Just in
time."

Austin ate a spoon full of potato salad. "You know
what's so funny about the situation?"

"Yeah. He has to deal with Jasmine's brother, who is
very protective." Hank laughed.

"That's a good one, but that's not the funniest thing
about it," Austin said, looking at Hank. "Shane doesn't even realize
that God has blessed him with another soul mate. When he does, I want to be a
fly on the wall."

"Well, I'm happy everyone is happy and moving on with
their lives," Hank said sadly.

"Talk to your wife." Austin patted Hank's shoulder.
"I'm having a small dinner party so Farrah can meet Liam and his wife
Melanie. Plus, cooking seems to make my baby happy. And when she's happy, I'm
happy."

"You were meant to fall in love with her." Hank
said softly.

Austin nodded his head as he left his best friend sitting
on the tailgate of his truck eating his sorrows away.

He didn't know what problems were going on in his cousin's
marriage, but he prayed to God that Hank didn't allow whatever was going on to
ruin the type of man he was.

Austin spread the blanket on the grassy pasture for their
afternoon picnic by the pond. "Milady," he said as he helped Farrah
onto the blanket.

The weather was perfect for a romantic picnic on the ranch.
The sun was just setting. Farrah loved the privacy the vastness of the ranch
offered. She watched as Austin lit tea lights around them, creating a romantic
ambience.

"So, Austin, this was your idea, and you didn't allow
me to cook." Farrah pouted.

"Did I tell you how much I love it when you
pout?" Austin leaned forward and kissed Farrah. "I want you to take
it easy and just enjoy me spoiling you for a second."

"Okay." Farrah smiled. "So, tell me Austin,
where did you order our delicious dinner from?"

Austin put his hands to his heart like he was wounded.
"I'm hurt that you think that I can't cook."

"Did you prepare this meal?"

"I sho' nuff did."

Farrah laughed so hard she had tears in her eyes. "I
love you."

"Don't tell me that until you eat my food."
Austin took the lid off a bowl. "Pasta salad with fresh vegetables and
grilled chicken. We have fresh baguettes. I made you a fruit salad with honeydew,
peaches, and strawberries that I plan to feed to you. Oh, and I brought
cranberry juice."

"Austin, you thought of everything." Farrah sighed
and bit into the juicy strawberry he dipped into her mouth.

"I wanted to show you that I have this unbelievably
romantic side."

"Okay, but we're still not having sex until after the
wedding."

"Farrah, sex is not why I'm with you. Sex is an
extracurricular activity, an added bonus. You have my heart in your
hands."

"I wouldn't see love if I didn't have you in my
life."

Austin stared into Farrah's eyes. His life was coming full
circle. He finally had this wonderful woman in his life who was going to be his
wife and the mother of his child.

"Eat," he urged, feeding her a forkful of pasta.

"Mmm," she moaned as she savored the taste of
rosemary. "This is so delicious. I guess there are two chefs in the
family."

Austin chuckled. "I can only cook simple dishes such
as boiled pasta and grilled chicken."

"Is that right?" She smiled.

"Yes."

"Austin, you're lucky that you happen to be handsome
and that your country accent is sexy."

Austin saw the happiness in Farrah's eyes just for a moment
before sadness overtook them. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing."

"I want you to be happy, and sometimes when you don't
think I'm looking, I can see the sadness and longing in your eyes." Austin
paused and reached into the wicker picnic basket and handed Farrah an envelope.
"Open it."

"Austin?" Farrah said after reading the letter.

"Just hear me out." Austin took her hands.
"I know you are happy here with me, but I also know how happy Southern
Rose made you. That restaurant was your baby, and you were proud of it."

"I'm scared of opening another restaurant only to have
it be burnt to the ground. What about people protesting my establishment
because of my relationship with you?"

"Farrah, where would this world be if people gave in
to their fears? We wouldn't be anywhere." Austin could see her thinking
about what he said.

"I will have to think about it. We're getting married
in a week and a half and, in case you've forgotten, we're having a baby."

"Farrah, we can do anything that we put our minds
to." Austin stroked the side of her face. "I don't want you to worry
about money or the start-up costs."

Farrah looked startled. "I can't take your money. The
insurance company hasn't finished the investigation, but when they do, I will
receive the insurance policy. I will build a Southern Rose here in Nashville
when the time is right."

"I purchased land in Dallas, where I plan to build a
shopping plaza which will also have a restaurant that my wife will own. It will
be on your own terms."

Austin didn't want to push Farrah more than he already had.
He loved her to death, but he knew how much Southern Rose meant to her.

"Thank you." Farrah tucked the envelope back into
the wicker basket. "I just need time to think."

Austin nodded. He didn't have the heart to tell Farrah that
he'd purchased a building for her already. He was trying to think of a holiday
that would excuse his expensive gift.

"Whatever my sweetheart wants."

Farrah enjoyed the remainder of the picnic with Austin.
They sat on the blanket eating and watching the sun dip over the hills. She
couldn't ask for a better day with Austin. They laughed and told jokes as they
lay on the blanket underneath the stars. Yeah, today was perfect from the
beginning to the end.

***

"I thought we agreed to keep our relationship on the
down-low," Farrah said, frowning when Austin told her about the dinner
party he'd planned.

"Are you ashamed of me?"

"No! Maybe you should be the one who's ashamed of
me." Farrah sat down in the chair and looked at Austin. "You will
tell me that I'm reading too much into things, but I promise I just don't want
to make a fool out of you."

"Farrah, I love you. I just want you to have the
self-esteem that you used to have. I don't give a flying fuck what people think
about our relationship. My momma used to always say that people are going to
judge you every day of your life, even when you're dead. Shit, I don't think
you're really even living unless you give people something to talk about."

Farrah laughed at Austin. "Maybe I needed that pep
talk." Austin kissed Farrah's forehead before leaving the room.

Farrah went to the bed, lay back, and closed her eyes.
Taking a deep breath, she exhaled slowly. She thought about what Austin said
about having unfinished business and she felt like she did in her heart.
Opening her eyes, she sat up in bed and pulled out the tabloid magazine from
her nightstand. She had found the magazine in the trashcan in the kitchen. She
assumed one of the housekeepers had brought it in. On the front cover were
Rebecca and Austin with the caption
Torn Apart.

Picking up the phone, Farrah called the one person that
could get Rebecca to the ranch.

"Regina, I need a favor."

***

"Austin, we know that you're planning to get married
to Farrah Rue on the ranch."

"Yep, that's not a secret." Austin fixed them a
glass of scotch.

"I was thinking that we could shut Rebecca up once and
for all." Samuel smiled slyly.

"I'm listening." This was music to Austin's ears.
His mother always said
sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will
never hurt me
. But in this case he was worried about the stress this drama
had put on his pregnant fiancée and their unborn child.

"A magazine wants to do a Q&A with Farrah and you.
I haven't told them you guys are getting married, but if they knew that, I'm
pretty sure they would give you guys the front cover and a whole spread in the
magazine."

"I have to talk to Farrah about it."

Austin wasn't about to sign them up for anything without
Farrah's consent. He knew better than that.

"You do know that she plans on talking to
Rebecca?"

Austin paused, his drink suspended midway to his mouth. Did
he hear Samuel correctly? "What?"

"Rebecca's publicist contacted me due to Farrah not
having her own publicist. Rebecca wants a third party present, such as a
reporter."

"Does Farrah know?" Austin sighed.

"All Farrah did was to reach out to Rebecca. There is
something else I want to talk to you about."

Austin had a feeling that whatever Samuel had to say was
about to blow the roof off the house.

"You wanted me to keep tabs on the Dallas Police
Department about the arson and the threatening letters to Farrah. There was
something interesting regarding those letters. The investigator found out the
sender was Rebecca's cousin, a guy named Ralph."

"Is he being questioned about the arson?" Austin
shook his head. He'd always felt that the burning of Farrah's restaurant with
her in it was personal on so many levels. "Did Rebecca put him up to
it?"

"That's what the private investigator is trying to
figure out. Right now, Mitch is going over Ralph's bank accounts with a
fine-toothed comb."

"I want to know everything, even if you find something
out at like two o'clock in the morning. Man, tell Mitch I want him on that boy
like white on rice."

"I will tell you whatever details Mitch finds out. He
is instructed to turn it over to the authorities in Dallas."

"If Rebecca is implicated in this, I want her thrown
in jail." Austin finished the rest of his bourbon with Samuel before his
advisor and publicist left.

***

Austin walked upstairs, where he found Farrah in bed
reading one of those pregnancy books on what to expect.

"Hey, baby," Farrah said. She looked up with a
sly smile before taking a sip of ginger ale. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, Samuel just came over to talk about a magazine
interview he thinks we might be interested in doing."

Austin never kept anything from Farrah, but he didn't want
her to worry about something possibly fruitless. There was no concrete evidence
that Rebecca had anything to do with anything.

"Magazine interview about what?" Farrah patted
the side of the bed next to her.

Austin scooted next to Farrah and pulled her into his arms
"A magazine wants to interview us and give us the front cover plus a
spread of our wedding inside."

Farrah bit down on her bottom lip. "What do you
think?"

"We can tell our side of the story. Give people a
glimpse of our love." He kissed her head.

"Can I sleep on it?'

"Of course. I told Sam it was your decision because
it's your wedding."

"It's
our
wedding." She kissed him.
"I'm amazed that you're doing all the planning."

"I will have you know that I have everything under
control. All you have to do is bring your sexy ass to the altar and be prepared
to marry the man of your dreams."

"You're kind of full of yourself, don't you
think?"

"Nope." He laughed and pulled the book from her
hands. "I want to remind you that I have mad skills, Ms. Thang."

"Please, don't ever say Ms. Thang. Or mad
skills." Farrah laughed. "You sound like a cornball."

Austin sat there and watched Farrah laugh. "I miss
that."

Her expression turned serious. "What?"

"That laughter and smile." He stroked the side of
Farrah's face.

"I miss your smile too," she said softly.

"Get some rest. You're going to have a busy day
tomorrow." Austin helped Farrah get comfortable in bed and tucked her in.

Farrah made small talk with Austin until she fell asleep.
Austin sat up looking through the pregnancy book Farrah was so engrossed with
as he listened to her adorably soft snores.

***

"Ms. Rue, I don't think Mr. McBride had this in mind
when he planned a dinner party."

Farrah turned around to see Regina's face masked in worry.
"Austin is very wasteful with money, Regina.

He should have just asked me to cook the food."

"Ms. Rue—"

"Don't call me that. My name is Farrah," she
interrupted.

"Okay, Farrah, we're all just concerned because this
is the first trimester," Regina said as she walked behind her.

"Regina, I got this. I've read so many books about
pregnancy. I know the dos and don'ts; I will not lift or bend over,"
Farrah said calmly. Ever since she'd arrived at the ranch, Regina had been
treating her like she was an invalid. "Regina, do you have any
children?"

"Sí, three daughters and two sons." Regina took a
pot from Farrah's hands.

"So, did you work when you were pregnant?"

Farrah smiled in triumph when Regina gave her back the pot.

Regina shook her head in disapproval. "Mr. McBride is
not going to like this."

"Not going to like what?" Austin walked into the
room wearing jeans and a red flannel shirt.

Farrah cleared her throat and looked at Austin. "I
kind of canceled the caterers and chef for tonight."

"I knew you were going to do that, so I took the
liberty of hiring two catering companies," Austin said without missing a
beat as he leaned down to kiss Farrah.

Farrah blocked his kiss with her hand. "Austin, why
can't we be a normal couple and plan an intimate dinner party?"

Austin thought about what Farrah just said. She wasn't the
type of woman who'd spend thousands of dollars to host a small dinner party.
His Farrah was the type of woman who spent countless hours in the kitchen
cooking and preparing a meal for her guests.

"All right," he said. "I'll cancel the chef
for tonight, but I will keep the caterers to serve the food."

Farrah squealed as she hugged him. "I promise I'll
take it easy."

He watched as Farrah rambled off ingredients that she
needed for a dish. He could watch her cook all day. "That girl is
passionate about two things: family and cooking." Regina smiled. "Farrah
is the right one for you."

"Thank you for coming to Nashville when I asked
you." Austin looked at the woman, who was like another mother to him.

"
Mijo,
you don't have to thank me." Regina
kissed Austin's cheek before she went to assist Farrah with cooking.

***

Farrah took one last look at her appearance in the mirror.
She'd promised Austin that she wouldn't work too hard in the kitchen, and he
made sure that she kept her promise. She counted at least ten times that Austin
came into the kitchen to either watch her cook or to help her with a dish.
Tonight, she'd planned a sophisticated but country-style menu.