“Nah, it was nothing like that,” I told him. “Actually, I’m surprised that they haven’t bothered me at all. It’s like they don’t even care to look for me anymore. Maybe my company is obsolete and I don’t even know it.” I gave half a laugh, and Austin rolled his eyes.
“Says the guy who just did an interview on Friday morning,” he reminded me. “They’re probably just all still working through the sound clips from that. But come on, what happened? Start at the beginning.”
I shrugged. “I took Abby to Wisteria for the weekend, right after I had that interview on Friday. But on Saturday, yesterday I guess, her brother was in a car accident. Abby’s sister-in-law called her with the news, and Abby needed to get to the hospital. He’s going to be all right, though. Out of surgery and everything.”
“Yikes, that must be scary for Abby,” Austin said. “What are you doing getting lunch with me? I bet she could use a little support from you.”
I smiled at him. “I was there all day yesterday,” I told him. “Except for when I did the food run for her and the kids.”
“The kids?” Austin asked in surprise.
“Yeah, her niece and nephew were there at the hospital too,” I explained.
“Huh,” Austin said, looking like he didn’t know what to say to that. Finally, he shook his head. “And Abby was okay with you being there with her family like that?”
“She actually asked me not to leave,” I told him. I paused, looking down at my sandwich. “To be honest, I think I’m in love with her. And yes, I know how cheesy that sounds. But I was just there helping out yesterday, and I realized that I would do whatever it took to make sure she was okay. Anything that she asked, I was there.”
“Oh wow,” Austin said, shaking his head before grinning at me. “She’s got you wrapped around her little finger, I guess. You’d do anything for her?”
I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t help grinning in response. “Yeah, to be honest,” I told him, shrugging easily. “I can’t help it, though. She’s just different from anyone I’ve ever met. I really care about her.”
“I’m happy for you,” Austin said seriously. “Abby seemed like a great girl when I met her. And I could tell that she genuinely cares about you.”
“Yeah.” I sighed, poking at my food. “The trouble is just this whole media thing. I understand why she doesn’t want to be in the papers all the time. Especially not for the kind of things that they write about me. But at the same time, I’m not sure how much longer we’re going to be able to keep our relationship a secret like this.”
“Have you tried talking about it?” Austin asked. “Maybe she would feel differently about it now that you guys are actually in a serious relationship with each other. You know, if she knows that you stand beside her no matter what?”
“That’s just it, though,” I said, shaking my head. “She knows that I’m not the guy in those tabloids. She has to have known all along that I wasn’t going to let her reputation in the business world tank just because she was seen out with me. But it’s like she doesn’t trust me to keep her safe. I just don’t know if anything is different now.”
Austin chewed on his lower lip. “I’m guessing,” he said slowly, “that it’s not just her business reputation she’s worried about. Maybe if you make it clear that you’re there for her, and for her not just for her reputation in the boardroom, then she would feel like it was more of a fair bargain?”
“I know you’re right,” I said. “I’m just afraid that if I so much as bring up anything to do with the media, she’s going to think that I want to go around flaunting our relationship at every chance I get. Which to be honest, I do. She’s beautiful and charming, and I want everyone to get to know her. I want to take her to events with me, and I want to dance with her again. But I’m not looking to do anything she would be uncomfortable with.”
“All things that you probably need to be telling her, instead of me,” Austin pointed out, looking amused. He paused. “Look, if she cares about you as much as I’m sure she does, and if she cares about you half as much as you seem to care about her, then she’s going to at least give you the chance to say what you want to say. I wouldn’t be worried.”
“You’re right,” I said. Then, I shrugged and gave him half a smile. “But I guess there’s no sense worrying about any of it right now. With the whole thing with Abby’s brother, it’s not like I can have a conversation like that with her anytime soon. I don’t want to stress her out any more than I have to.”
“Probably a good call,” Austin said, nodding. “But don’t wait too long.” He paused. “I don’t want to see you get hurt again. And even though I don’t think that Abby wants to hurt you, there’s definitely that possibility there.”
I nodded slowly in response to that. “Yeah, I know.” I sighed. “I already feel like I’m in over my head.”
“You know I’m here for you no matter what,” Austin said, leaning across the table to clap me on the shoulder. “Now do you want to hear all the stupid things that have been posted in the wake of your interview the other day? I’ve saved a folder full of screenshots for you.” There was unmistakable glee in his voice; Austin delighted in telling me some of the stupider things that the tabloids had to say about me. It was one of the only things that kept the press manageable most days.
I rolled my eyes. “All right, let me have it,” I told him, already grinning at the change of subject.
My phone started buzzing when he was halfway through his folder of screenshots. I glanced down at the screen and then gave Austin
a somewhat guilty look when I saw that it was Abby. Austin waved a hand at me. “Go ahead and answer it, lover boy,” he said, grinning at me.
I snorted and picked up the phone. “Hey, is everything all right?” I asked immediately.
“Yeah,” Abby said, actually sounding pretty cheerful. “The doctor came in a little while ago and told us that in light of everything, Matt’s looking really good. Leanne and the kids are there with him now. Layla’s already covered the place with about ten thousand pictures of hearts and stars and whatever else she could think of.”
I could hear the fondness in her voice, and I had to smile at it. “Glad to hear it,” I told her. “So where are you if you’re not there?”
“Back at my place,” Abby said. “I wanted to take a shower and probably take a nap as well, plus charge my phone. Thanks again for bringing all my stuff back for me.”
“No problem, seriously,” I told her. “You doing okay?”