Fighting to Breathe (Shooting Stars 1)

“How do you two know each other?” Ben asks, and I clear my throat, feeling suddenly uncomfortable.

“Keith is Mom’s doctor,” I say, earning another grunt from Austin. “She was supposed to come with us, but got a headache.”

“Is she okay?” Rhonda asks, not sounding concerned at all, which surprises me.

“She’s fine,” I mutter, suddenly finding the label on my beer bottle very interesting.

“You know what you want, Wolf?” Ben asks, pulling his arm from around Rhonda and standing.

“The usual,” Austin says, then Ben’s head dips to look at Rhonda.

“What do you want to drink, babe?”

“A virgin daiquiri.” She smiles, and he shakes his head and dips lower, brushing his mouth against hers before walking off to the bar.

“I’m going to use the restroom,” I say, praying that Austin releases my hair so I can get up without looking like I’ve gotten whiplash. Lucky for me, he does. The second I stand, I realize my dilemma. Austin is on one side, and Keith is on the other, both of them caging me in. “Excuse me,” I tell Austin, scooting in front of him, and then cry out as my feet get tangled and I end up in his lap. His arms wrap around me and the whiskers from his beard tickle my neck, where I feel him inhale a sharp breath against my skin, causing my core to contract.

“Sorry,” I stammer. His hands give me a squeeze as he lifts me up, putting me on my feet. “Thanks.” I mutter not even looking at him before I rush to the bathroom, shut and lock the door, then go to the sink and run my hands under the cool water.

“Lea,” Rhonda says from the other side of the door, so I take a breath, open it, and move out of the way, when she joins me inside. “Are you okay?”

“Yep.” I bite my lip and she narrows her eyes.

“You wanna talk about it?”

“Austin’s here,” I blurt, covering my face, then lower them when I hear her begin to laugh. “What’s funny?”

“Austin said the same thing, only it was more of a growl, when he saw you were here with Keith.”

“I’m not here with Keith.” She raises a brow. “Not like that. Mom’s playing sick,” I whine.

“Austin doesn’t know that.”

“He does; I just told him,” I explain.

“Okay, he didn’t know that. He just saw you with another man and flipped.”

“He didn’t,” I whisper.

“Lea, you need to open your eyes.”

“He told me he hated me. I mean, I know since then he said he didn’t mean it and has been nice, but you didn’t see the look in his eyes when he told me.”

“Since then, you guys have had a few talks, and even a meal together.”

“He hasn’t talked to me in weeks,” I try again, not wanting to even hope she could be right.

“I think he’s trying to get his head figured out.”

“He has a girlfriend,” I remind her, feeling that realization crush against me like a boulder.

“Who, Anna?” She laughs, waving me off.

“They’re moving in together,” I scoff.

She grumbles something under her breath then grabs my hand. “A few days before the baby shower, he told Anna he didn’t want to see her anymore.”

“What?” I hiss, pulling my hand from her grasp.

“I won’t tell you you’re the reason, but you’re the reason.”

“Oh, God.” My stomach drops and my eyes get big.

“Lea, it’s okay. I told you they were not as serious as she made them out to be.”

She did tell me that, but I still feel bad thinking that me being in town is what broke them up.

“Just let it flow,” she singsongs.

“Let it flow?” I shake my head.

“Yes, let it flow. Whatever happens is what is supposed to happen, so just sit back and enjoy the ride.”

“Have you been drinking?”

/>   “I wish.” She smiles then unlocks the door. “Now, let’s go eat. I’m starving.”

I follow her back to the table, where the guys are all talking while looking at the TV hanging in one of the corners. When I reach the table, I debate once again on how to get to my seat and wonder how dumb it would look if I crawled under the table.

My gaze goes to Austin. He tips his head to the side and I swear I see a smirk form on his lips, right before I squeeze in front of him, praying I don’t end up in his lap again. I bite my lip when his hands go to my hips as I pass, helping steady me until my ass touches the seat. “Thanks,” I tell him then look up and glare when I hear Rhonda laugh from across the table.

“Are you okay?” Keith asks quietly, and I turn towards him.

“I’m fine.” I ignore the slight tug of my hair and give him one of my perfected fake smiles.

“Do you have plans for tomorrow?” he asks.

Oh, God, I’m really going to kill my mom for this. “I—”

“She’s going with me,” Austin cuts in, and I spin my head around to look at him. “Sorry, man.” He leans forward, putting his elbows on the table, then looks from Keith to me. “I called Larry, and we’re going to look at his office space tomorrow.”

“What?” I breathe, trying to wrap my head around what the hell is happening.

He shrugs and takes a drink of his beer. “Figured it wouldn’t hurt to check it out.”

“I…” I look around the table at everyone watching me then over at Keith, who looks slightly disappointed, but not much. “Sorry,” I tell him, and he shrugs, taking a drink of his beer.

“There’s salmon in the rivers all summer long. We can go another time.”

“Yeah,” I agree, feeling another tug on my hair, which I ignore like the others.

Thankfully, the rest of dinner is filled with quiet banter and laughs, sitting there I couldn’t help feeling like this is where I’m supposed to be.

Chapter 6

Lea

I walk Rhonda out to her car and give her a tight hug. We just wrote up my mom’s care plan, and even though it was sad hearing about what would happen, I feel relived knowing there is a plan in place for when the time comes.

“You need anything, you call me.”

“I will.” I smile, wiping under my eyes.