When 20-year-old Kara Bennett moves to Boston to escape her post-high school drama with her daughter, she didn't expect to fall straight into it in the form of Austin Mayer.
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All Kara Bennett...
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I SEIZED SERVING THE LASAGNA, BUT AUSTIN WAS FAST TO FILL OUR GLASSES.
Sitting across from him at his round table in the parlor, with candle lights — not for romantic purposes but the electricity went off right after I took the lasagna out — created a dramatic atmosphere in the room. The place prepared itself for the big tragedy coming next. It was nervously silent. I cut a piece of lasagna and chewed it as if my life depended on it. I didn't want this dinner to end — I never thought I'd be so miserable ending our relationship when it always had an expiration date in my mind. Sadly, the mind loved getting used to beautiful things.
As afraid as I was, even if too short, what we had was beautiful.
"Lasagna is great," Austin said. Looking at him, I tried to drink in the setup. The two of us had a romantic dinner with candles, and he complimented my lasagna. "It's really great. Tops the list."
"Thank you," I replied. "I learned it from your mother."
My confession made him choke. He can't even handle this. How will he react when he learns the whole story? He shot me a look — I could see that this was bothering him a lot. I took a deep breath and resumed eating in silence.
What if I didn't tell him? I told him that I knew Mila, and I met him before. It was a safe truth. I didn't need to tell him the salty parts. Did I have to let him go now? Just when we found each other? Just on the edge of falling? Tell him the truth, doll, Ace in my mind reasoned. There was only one wish I could make: his faith in me.
I wiped off my mouth with a napkin and looked at him. "I have to do this. I have to tell you the whole story."
"You don't have to," he replied, leaning forward to hold my hand. The warmth of him made me stray a little, so I pulled my hand.
"I do." I decided to keep my focus on his gaze. Maybe, if Austin looked into my eyes, he could see my genuineness — he would believe me, not Mila. I smiled as I went on: "If it were just the two of us, I'd not risk telling you." I shrugged. "I like you so much, Austin, and it feels terrible to be in this situation, but I have to consider Sophie."
Austin offered me a soft nod, keeping his silence as if he didn't want to scare me. Even when he tried to show me, I wasn't obliged to tell him, his gaze told otherwise. He was dying to know.
"Also, it's your call. I mean it. Don't think of hurting me if you don't want to be with me in the end. I'm immune to being abandoned." An awkward silence followed. "Even the people who made me didn't stay." I laughed to soften the situation, but my crooked laughter made me look even more pathetic. Fuck, I didn't even start.
"What about me asking questions as you go?" Austin asked.
"Sure, feel free to cut me." I took a breath. "I'm really doing this."
"I can promise you one thing, Kara. I'll never judge you." He grabbed my hand again and looked right into my eyes. His gaze was captive, honest, and warm.
