Just to warn everyone, there is a small time jump in this chapter so don't get confused! I just wanted to pull it all together quicker!
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Austin
"Where are you going again?" Rose asked as she was separating our father's medicine. I scratched my beard as I sat in the kitchen chair.
"I gotta go outta state for a little." I cleared my throat and took a sip of my beer.
"It's 7:45 in the morning and you are already drinking?" She scolded me.
"It's 5pm somewhere." I smirk.
"So you want me to take care of dad all day and night? While you go and do what?" I shook my head no.
"Whenever you need, I told Jack to come and take your place. Dad loves him like a son. They'll be fine together." She rolled her eyes. "What?"
"You couldn't have found anyone else to come and take care of him?"
"What is the problem?" I lean forward and pierce through her.
"I just don't want to see him is all."
"What happened between the two of you? He won't talk bout it." Jack and Rose dated off and on for years. They broke it off but everyone knew they were going to get back together soon enough. Until they never did. Neither of them will talk about it.
"Austin, I just can't deal with that. He causes too many problems." She looks up at me. I just stare at her, knowing she will cave in and tell me. It worked. "He couldn't commit to me so why would I stay with him?" I nod understanding.
"Listen, Jack is the only one dad likes. They will be fine and so will you." I stood and chugged the rest of my beer.
"You need to stay here. I'm going to meet up with Neil." What?!
I shook my head no at her, "That ain't gonna happen. Y'all are done." I growl.
"I told you not to tell me who I can see. Jack isn't even close to perfect but you wanted me to be with him so bad. I'm just getting coffee with him and you better stay off my case." I scrunch my nose at her statement.
"Even after everything you know, you still wanna hear that punk out?" I grit my teeth as she approached me.
"There's two sides to every story." She smiled innocently. "Where are you going, for real." I shrug and try to walk away. She grabbed ahold on my arm to stop me. "Please, don't do something you'll regret, Austin. You're my brother and I don't want anything happening to you." I could feel her worry.
"I always come back home. Don't worry." I gave her a hug before heading back to my room.
~~~
"Is this seat taken?" I ask as politely as I could to seem presentable.
"You are more than welcome to take that seat." She smiled widely at me and skims me up and down while biting her lip. I smirk at her actions.
"I'm Austin, you are?" I sit down next to her at the bar. I reach out my hand out to take hers.
"I'm Roxanne," I took her hand and kiss the back of it.
"Beautiful. Just beautiful."
She giggled, "My name?"
"All of you."
~~~
"Ight. I just got off the plane and I'll be home shortly. I know, I know, I missed you too. Bye." I hung the phone with Rose and hopped in the car.
"I'm not so sure about this, Austin. I don't think I'm ready for this." Roxanne bit her lip as she looked in the back seat.
I placed my hand on her thigh to reassure her, "It's okay, baby. I gotcha. If you ain't ready, you don't gotta. I'm still gonna take care of you guys." She smiled softly and kissed me on the cheek.
I was gone for three months. I was gone for a mission that I knew only I could complete. I knew Jack could hold down the fort while I was away. The day Neil came to my shop and I found out he was slumping around with my little sister, I was angry. I tried to get Rose to listen to reason but she was as stubborn as a bull. I just want to protect my sister from everyone to everything. Neil was a threat and I needed to take him out.
After a long night of researching everything about him, I eventually found something that could split up Rose and him. I learned everything about his baby mama, Kat. But the further I went back, the more I found.
Neil slipped up and cheated on Kat. Roxanne was his one night stand. I found her and found out something I couldn't research. She got pregnant by Neil, had his baby and kept it.
Over the last three months, I got very close to her. I told her the absolute truth on why I was there. Turns out, she has been trying to track him down to at least get child support. I knew I had her once I heard that. Unexpectedly, her an I got along great. I chose to stay longer than I needed. We hit it off great. I got along with her kid too.
She agreed to come back with me. I know for a fact, he has no idea about this child and neither does his baby mama. I know Rose like the back of my hand, I know she will not want to be in the middle of this drama whatsoever.
Roxanne and I quickly moved forward with our relationship. Neither one of us expected that. I have never felt this way about any other women. I knew she had a kid but that didn't bother me. I've always wanted children.
"I want you to meet my sister before you decide to do anything about Neil. We ain't in any rush." She nodded, I could see she was nervous. I squeezed her upper thigh and smiled at her to make her feel more comfortable.
