Holi is woken by Austin pouncing on her like a frog, he is an oaf. "Wake up we have a busy day! Get up," he says and pulls the blanket then quickly snaps the blanket back over her, "Holiday! You are naked! Why the fuck are you naked?" he complains. Holi laughs and sits up letting the blanket fall off her breasts so Austin jams a pillow to her chest. "You woke me at fucking 5 am when you were getting up to work out I battled to fall asleep because your room is so hot so I took off my clothes," she moves the pillow and Austin lifts the blanket over her breasts, "then you open a fucking window not take your clothes off! There are rules, Holiday!"
Holi scrunches her face at him, "rules? what fucking rules?" Austin scratches around the bed till he finds her sleep shirt and slips it on Holi.
"Well, you already know rule number one."
"The ritual? It's a stupid rule."
"But it's a rule nonetheless. Rule number two - always...always keep yourself fully clothed."
"Rule number two is also stupid."
"I mean it Holi. It's a very serious thing. If we lose the game and people heard I broke my ritual there would be a mob with pitchforks and fire."
"Really?"
"Football fans are crazy motherfuckers."
Holi laughs this whole thing is just crazy, "so what time do we have to be at your game?" Austin frowns at her, "the game is on Sunday," Holi glares at him, "you fucking serious? I thought tonight after your game we could...you know," Austin smiles and wriggles his eyebrows, "look at you being all modest, but no sorry you have to suffer by my side for one more day...then I will fuck you." Holi snorts at him - he is an idiot.
"Whatever. So why did you wake me up? And what big plans do we have to do today?" she asks. Austin leans over and takes a coffee cup from the side table handing it to Holi, she practically inhales it. She has a thing for coffee. "Well, today would be the only day that I could focus on just you. Sunday is game day and Monday we get the kids back. So I wanted to take you somewhere nice for the day and then on a date tonight...what do you think?" Holi can't contain herself, a day that she does not have to worry about anything? No fighting for survival...that's dark. But just a fun day out? Yes, please.
"Yes, I would really like that. Can I ask where you are taking me?"
"No."
"Oh? Ok," Holi says. Holi may be living a new life here with him, but she will always have a little bit of 'street' within her and it plays dirty. If Austin thinks he is being cute by not telling her where he is taking her she will make him regret it...sure it's petty but Holi never claimed not to be. She smiles at him then whips off her shirt and gets out of the bed while Austin is busy scrambling to catch the shirt as it falls back down.
She is completely naked with her hands on her hips and a smirk on her face, just waiting for Austin to pull himself together and then look at her. When he finally does she can see he has a thin line of sweat on his brow. She lets him trail his eyes up and down her naked body and just as she can see his willpower start to crumble she turns and walks to the bathroom then closes and locks the door.
That was mean of her, she knows. But...once his game is done she will make it up to him. She hopes his fans know how important the game is to him and how badly he wants to win. Once out of the shower she unlocks the door and walks back into the bedroom. Austin is no longer in the room so Holi gets dressed and makes her way down to the kitchen expecting to see him making breakfast but unfortunately, she comes face to face with three people she was not expecting...she is only happy to see one.
She can't help folding herself into Ren's arms. She had not seen him since before she lost Mac and Bell, the way he is hugging her tight and rubbing her back in a soothing way tells Holi he has been through this himself, he knows, "Holi," he whispers in her ear, "he will fix this for you. I know he will," Holi buries her face further into his chest. Ren trusts Austin with everything he has, blindly. Holi can't help but wonder what Ren's story is. What did Austin do to make Ren so loyal to him? Hopefully, Ren will tell her one day.
"Hello! Where is Austin," Liza's shrill voice makes the hair on the back of Holi's neck stand up. She untangles herself from Ren and turns to face Liza and Trevor. What are they doing here? This may be Austin's house but seeing as Holi is now living here surely she has a say in who comes in. Both Liza and Trevor would be blocked...and not just from the house.
"I don't know where he is right now," she says making sure to let her annoyance at them come across loud and clear. Trevor opens his mouth to say something but is cut off by the sound of the sliding door opening and Austin steps in from outside.
Liza speed walks to him and throws her arms around his neck. It's only a matter of time before Holi punches her, Ren must have seen her body tense because he reaches out and touches her arm. "Austin, I was so worried about you. This girl was here in the house and you were missing. You can't trust anyone," Liza whines into his shoulder. Holi is going to punch her...Ren grips Holi's arm a little tighter.
Austin pulls a face and pushes Liza away, "what are you on about? Holi lives here...this is her home," he says and walks over to Holi and pulls her into his arms, "and trust? Well, I do trust her...she is my girlfriend," he says and kisses her cheek. Holi looks at Liza making sure to keep her smirk on full display, she shouldn't be so boastful but when it comes to Liza Holi just can't help herself.
"Are you serious?" Trevor says from the side and all of them turn to face me. Austin grips Holi a little tighter, "yes I am, Trevor," Austin says with a hint of warning. Trevor must hear it too because he puts his hands in defense but his smile worried Holi. He is looking at her like she is made of gold.
"This is perfect! Even better than you and Liza dating. When the media catch wind of you not only saving a homeless woman but her being so grateful that she falls in love with you! Holi can you cry on command? I can arrange a media release for this afternoon and if you could cry a little when you tell them how grateful you are that Austin saved you that would be even better!" the smile on Trevor's face is un-nerving. He is overly excited about his plan and starts dialing a number on his phone.
But before he can hold it to his ear Holi watches Austin snatch his phone from him and toss it into the pool, "there will be none of that shit. I am tired of your crap plans. If you can't promote my career based on my talents then I will find someone else that can," Austin says in a growl. Holi thinks Trevor would bite back and throw a tantrum but he is so shocked that he just stands there with his mouth open.
"Hello, can-" Liza starts but Ren cut's her off as he starts to gently push her out of the sliding door along with Trevor, "I think it's time for you guys to head out...seems like there are some a new era is afoot," Ren says then slides the door closed. Ren, Holi, and Austin watch Trevor grab the pool net and scoop his phone out of the pool while Liza storms off with her hands in the air.
"Coffee?" Austin offers and Ren nods. The two of them get to chatting like the last few minutes never happened. Holi is not sure what just happened but it feels like it was a big thing...like it's the start of events that will change many things, not only for her but for Austin too.
"Well, Ren. Seems you have less time to consider my offer," Austin says as he slides Holi her coffee. Ren smiles and takes a sip of his own coffee, "I don't need any more time. My answer is yes and I have already set the wheels in motion," he says. Holi has no idea what they are talking about, it annoys her. She hates being in the dark.
"What offer? What are you two talking about? Tell me," she does not mean to sound so demanding, but she wants to know. Austin smirks at her then looks at his watch, "oh shit, we are going to be late. I will tell you later, baby. Come on," he says grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the door. Ren waves his goodbye and Holi has to force herself to shrug off her annoyance, she wants this day - just her and Austin...just a normal day.
After close to an hour in the car, Austin pulls his car off the freeway and heads into the city. Luna's stomach drops, and he is heading into the tourist area. The area everyone visits LA for...the smokescreen. The world-famous home town to the rich and famous. The last thing Holi feels like doing is spending her day with rich people - that chip on her shoulder is still pretty deep. But she is trying to trust Austin, he knows her by now surely! He knows she would hate lunch or dinner at a fancy up market place, besides she is not dressed for places like that. She is sure her jeans and t-shirt would not cut it.
She lets out a little sigh of relief when he drives past that fancy road with those fancy shops in it where men take their kept women to "spoil" themselves and she can see he is trying to keep himself from laughing out at her relief. He is driving towards the beach, ok it's not her first choice but again she is going to trust Austin. He drives past the beach and no she is just confused. Where is he taking her?
Eventually, he comes to a stop outside a building and Holi can't help her mouth from dropping open. What the hell is Austin playing at? Holi is confused.
"A museum?"
"Not just any museum. A museum of Death!"
Holi takes another look then hops out of the car and takes a closer look. Ok... an odd place to take a girl on a first date. Holi takes in the huge skull on the wall and then turns to Austin looking at him in complete confusion. Austin chuckles then wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her in closer.
"You had me working hard at trying to decide where to take you. I know you would have hated going on a shopping spree or to a fancy restaurant. I was kind of stumped, but then I stumbled across this place...and some other places but this is our first stop. You were so willing to follow me into my 'murder room' I figured you would not be afraid to follow me in here."
Holi cranes her head and looks back at the building. It looks pretty dilapidated, the windows are all painted black and it just looks a little like...death. She smirks this is defiantly way more fun than the idea of the alternative. She steps out of Austin's arms and laces her fingers with his, "ok then, lead the way."
The museum is wonderful and horrible at the same time. There is a two-headed turtle, tons of animal sculls, and weird things in jars. There are freaky dark rooms with poorly dressed mannequins holding fake axes and dripping in fake blood. There is an old electric chair that they claim is haunted by at least four serial killer's spirits. Holi can't complain when they get to the end of the tour and although she would rather do this than anything else she can see Austin is also pretty pleased to get out of there.
They climb back into the car and Austin drives towards the hills. He has been quiet since leaving the museum but when they get to a stop street and a crow lands on the bonnet of the car with a thud, Austin all but jumps out of his skin and lets out a scream.
"Fucking hell, getaway you devil fucking bird," he shouts while clutching his chest. Holi can not contain her laughter and slumps on her chair in a fit of giggles. "No more death stuff, Holiday. That place has freaked me out...I am going to have fucking nightmares tonight," he says in a huff. He has a small smile on his lips so the mood is light in the car, "why are you moaning at me? You chose the place," Holi says between her laughing.
"Well," Austin says as he pulls the car into a parking lot, "no more freaky stuff, we are going to a happy place," he turns off the engine and climbs out of the car and Holi follows him. He takes her hand and leads her down the walkway abit until a bright yellow and pink gate comes into view then stops in front of it, "welcome to the garden of OZ," he says and unlatches the gate then leads Holi inside.
It's definitely the weirdest place Holi has ever been lush green plants cover the sky above them and make the city around them disappear. It feels like they have been transported into a new world. The pathway is made up of concrete that has old, broken, discarded tiles and toys pushed into it to make up pretty patterns.
There is also a lot of colored glass hanging from the trees above that shoot multi-colored beams of light across the garden as they catch the sun. Usually, the city sounds drowned out the bird sounds but here in the garden, it's so quiet that Holi can hear the birds chirping loudly. Holi doesn't want to talk, scared that it would pop the bubble that she and Austin have found themselves in. Judging by how quiet Austin is he is on the same page as her.
It feels like hours when they finally step back out of the garden on the street sidewalk, the city sounds and dry heat hit Holi on the face but she can't stop smiling. It's a fucking garden for fucks sake it's stupid that she feels like this but then again...it's not. She has never left LA, never left her problems - but in there, in that garden, LA felt so far away...even if it was just for a moment.
She feels Austin squeeze her hand and she looks at him, "you ok?" he asks. Luna leans in and kisses him, "yes" she whispers into his mouth. He smiles and tugs her back to the car, "come on." She follows him but is already kind of spent. Is that weird? She has spent every day of her life fighting and now the one day she gets to do 'normal...ish' things she feels tired.
She has not bothered to look over her shoulder once today and has a constant feeling of being safe. she knows it has everything and nothing to do with Austin. That makes no sense and so much sense...she is going crazy but in a good way. She can't help but huff and giggle at her insane thoughts. Austin is watching her with a look on his face that tells her she is definitely acting a little crazy.
But he is quiet, still keeping that promise to not ask a million questions. To be honest she would not know how to respond to him if he asked her what was going on in her head. Austin starts the car and heads up further into the hills, stopping at a small food van selling burgers along the way.
Eventually, he parks at the top of a hill, and Holi realizes that they are parked behind the Hollywood sign. Austin wriggles his eyebrows and grabs the food then climbs out of the car. Holi follows him. He starts walking away from the crowd of people into a bushy area and still Holi just follows him. Eventually, they get to a break in the fence that is pretty well hidden. Austin turns to her with a proud smirk.
"You know, you are not the only one that breaks the law. I am what the media would call a certified bad boy," he says pulling his face in what Holi thinks is supposed to be a smolder. Holi can't hold in her laugh, "oh really? And what makes you a bad boy?" Austin smiles, "this," he says stepping through the fence and then looking back at her with a proud smile. Holi frowns. She is confused, what the hell is he going on about?
"Holiday! I am breaking the law!" he says. Holi would think he is joking but he is now looking at her with a very serious face. "What are you talking about? I don't think it's illegal to climb through a broken fence, Austin," she says. Austin puts his hand on his hip and frowns at her, "this is federal land! There is a sign in the parking lot that says you can not climb through the fence. People have done it in the past and been prosecuted."
"Oh? Really? So why are you doing it then?" she asks still genuinely confused. Austin throws his hand in the air and stamps his foot, "because I am a bad boy, Holiday! A rule breaker! I don't care for stupid laws!" he says exasperatedly. Holi lets out another laugh then climbs through the fence and laces her arms around his neck.
"Oh, you are bad. A real bad boy...it's super sexy," she purrs and Austin nods along to her words. Then he leans in and kisses her. Holi eventually breaks the kiss and starts walking toward the sign, but Austin stops her, "what are you doing?" he asks, "I am going to the Hollywood sign...are we not going to eat under it? I assumed this was the plan," she answers.
"Um...well, that's illegal and not to mention pretty dangerous."
"Oh? I thought you were a rule breaker."
"Yes, but-"
"And that you did not care about stupid laws."
"I don't but-"
"It's ok. We can just eat in the car...that's what bad boys do...right?"
Austin scowls at her for a moment then stalks forward grabbing her and pulling her along towards the sign, stopping every now and then to hide behind a bush so the public doesn't see them. Eventually, they get to the sign and sit behind the 'H' and out of view from any onlookers.
Once they are settled Austin looks back at Holi with an expectant look. "ok, fine! You big baby! You are now a certified law-breaking bad boy...happy now?" she says with a roll of her eyes. Austin nods, "and don't you go forgetting it. Here," he says and passes her food to her along with a drink.
Holi can help the feeling in her stomach. She has been around men who really have no regard for the law her whole life. She can not recall a memory of her father not drunk or hopped up on pills. He had lived a life of disarray, breaking laws and ruining lives. She never knew her grandfather or any of her uncles but what she does know about them is that they are no better than her father.
That could be why she is so dead set on not letting Mac fall into the same trap as all the men in her family. But looking over at Austin now she knows that Mac's life will be different, he has a chance now and there is no doubt in her mind that Austin will be a strong influence on it.
It's funny how life works, Austin is bigger and more intimidating looking than any of the men in her family. He looks like he should be an asshole and she knows too that he could really hurt someone if he wanted to but instead here he sits next to her - keeping a hand on her leg because he wants to make sure she won't accidentally fall off the ledge that's a few meters away. He is kind and sweet, funny and loving. He is a selfless man...that gives of himself freely. He is the type of man she hopes with all her heart that Mac will grow into one day. Bad boys may be the cool thing to be, but she is happy that Austin is not.
"You are not a bad boy," she says suddenly with a mouth full. Austin looks at her offended, she rolls her eyes at him then climbs onto his lap and straddling him, "I like that you follow the rules and that this is probably the most outrageous lawbreaking activity you have ever done...but I like that you follow the rules and do things properly...it makes me feel safe."
Austin pulls her in tight, "you will always be safe with me, I promise," he says pulling her in even closer and kissing her. After a while he breaks the kiss and looks around then back at her, "ok so can we leave now? I haven't been able to enjoy my food because I have been waiting for the police to dispatch SWAT and drag us off to jail," he says. Holi snorts and lets out a loud cackling laugh. Austin quickly covers her mouth with his hand, "Shhh," he says in a huffed whisper, "you are going to get us arrested!"
He quickly pulls her up and then drags her back to the car through the hole in the fence and Holi can see the worry drain from his face the second he is back on the "legal" side. He is an idiot...but she loves it.
It's late in the afternoon by the time they get home and it's hot so they spend the afternoon doing nothing more than lazing around the pool. It's boring and normal and...perfect. By the time it gets dark they have both showered and are now sitting in the TV room waiting on their dinner order and deciding on what movie to watch. They settle on a rom-com at the same time their dinner arrives.
Austin goes to the front door while Holi gets glasses from the kitchen and then plumps up the cushions on the couch. Austin had ordered Chinese and lays it on the coffee table then they picked at the food while watching the movie. Before it gets to the halfway mark Holi can feel Austin's body slump against her and when she turns she sees he has fallen asleep.
It's late and he has a game tomorrow so they should probably go to sleep. Holi carefully untangles herself from Austin and props him up with a pillow so he does not fall over then she clears away the food, takes sir Charles out for a pee then has to chase him down as he runs down the passage and into Bell and Mac's bedroom. She finds him crying at the foot of their bed so she picks him up and tucks him into their bed, "I miss them too, buddy," she says scratching his belly, "just two more sleeps and then they will be home...promise."
She then locks the house up and turns most of the lights off. She grabs two bottles of water for her and Austin then goes back to the TV room and wakes him up gently, "come on bad boy, bedtime." Austin follows her in a sleepy haze and then falls into the bed when she pulls the covers back. Holi climbs in too and shuffles closer to Austin and he slips his arms around her. Perfect.
Holi tries to sleep but her mind is replaying the day and so it eludes her. Either Austin can read her mind or just has a sixth scent but he suddenly speaks, "I am sorry about today," Holi frowns at his words. What is he sorry about? "I don't understand why you are sorry, love," Holi shifts her body so she is facing him. He opens his eyes and looks at her, "today. I am sorry it was boring. The girls I have dated in the past just want to go shopping or eat at expensive restaurants...I just...I don't know," he says shrugging.
Holi smiles and pushes him onto his back then straddles him then leans down and rests her chin on his chest while she twirls his curls in her fingers. "You are right, today was boring, quiet, normal...I did not have to look over my shoulder, I did not have to worry about keeping safe, I didn't have to spend every waking second calculating my next move, I did not have to protect anyone...I just," she stops herself because she can feel the emotion bubbling up her chest.
She takes a breath and Austin waits. "Every day. Ever since I can remember, I feel like I was running, my mind never resting because I had to keep myself safe...had to keep Bell and Mac safe. When the rest of LA would fall asleep in their warm beds I kept one eye open. I am very tired. I knew there were people who did things like we did today...just for fun. It did not matter what we did today, my love. What mattered was that you made me feel...normal. I have never felt normal. Today was perfect."
Austin grabs her cheeks in her hands and pulls her up to him. He kisses her, slipping his tongue into her mouth and making her entire body tingle. They are both pent up and Holi can feel that Austin is losing control. If she does not stop this right now they will end up having sex. She does not believe in his stupid ritual, it's dumb. But it's his and he really does believe in it. The shit she will sacrifice in the name of love...it's bullshit.
She breaks the kiss and rolls off him, but Austin is not easily deterred and he simply rolls with her. So now she is under him and the smirk on his face suggests that he is far from finished with her. "how many women have you dated?" she asks him. Austin's smirk turns to a frown, "what? I don't want to talk about that when I am in bed with you. We are not having that conversation," he says. Holi rolls her eyes, "so a lot then," she eggs him on.
Austin's frown deeps, "you really care about that shit? If I know you well enough, and I think I do...you don't give a shit about that kind of stuff," he says. Holi smile and huffs out a laugh, "you do know me. I don't give a shit...but at least it got you thinking about something other than fucking me and messing up your stupid ritual," she says.
Austin shakes his head in disbelief then sits up, "See! I told you, Holiday! You are like a fucking drug...you turn my brain to mush." he says. Holi laughs at his dramatics then reaches out her arms and pulls him back down to her, letting him rest his head on her chest, "if you want to talk, do you want me to tell you what Ren and I were talking about this morning?" he asks. Holi had forgotten about that, she hums a yes.
"I never wanted to play for the Charges...sacrilege I know. But it was the Cowboys - up in Texas than I had hoped to be signed by. I met Trevor when I was young and dumb. I was desperate to play and he sold me that Hollywood dream so I trusted him, and made him my manager. I got signed by the Chargers and Trevor made it his mission to get me involved in the Hollywood life. I would be grateful...but it was never for me, it was for him. I thought I was done for, just had to deal with the fucked up choices I had made...even started to hate football."
He lifts his head and looks at Holi.
"Then I met Ren, we became fast friends. He was employed as just my driver, but the man has been around the block and he knows everyone. We have been planning a whole bunch of stuff behind Trevor's back. I want Ren as my manager."
Holi frowns. She does not know how this football world works but it sounds like Austin is taking a big chance. Either he will fail miserably or succeed astronomically. Based on how the stars have aligned for him so far, Holi is betting on success. Austin sits up and pulls Holi up with him, making her sit on his lap. He looks very serious now.
"Holi, Ren has been in talks with the Cowboys and it looks like they want me. I am going to drop Trevor as my manager and work with Ren. If it all works out then the Cowboys will buy me from the Chargers."
Ok, the sport has a lot of moving parts but she understands what he is doing. She is sure it will be fine, both Ren and Austin are clever men she is sure they know what they are doing. But Austin is looking at her like he is waiting for something to dawn on her. What is she not getting?
"Holi...the Cowboys are in Texas," he says. Ding, ding, ding. She suddenly gets what he is trying to say. He is planning on moving to Texas. Well, that's good - his parents are up there so...that's good. But what does this mean for her? For Mac and Bell? Is he going to leave them behind? She has a sudden urge to beg him not to, but her pride stops her. She will never beg.
"I can see your brain exploding in your head, Holiday," he says with a smile. He is an asshole. "Will you come with me? You, me, Bell, and Mac...we could live in Texas," he says. Holi lets out a deep breath, she had not even realized she had been holding her breath. She can't talk so she throws her arms around Austin's neck and pulls him in kissing him. Austin laughs into the kiss, "silly girl...as if I would ever leave you behind," he says manhandling her till they are lying down again.
"I was not thinking that," Holi tries to defend herself, but Austin huffs behind her, "sleep now," he says, his voice already heavy with sleep. Holi can feel sleep start to pull her under too so she closes her eyes.
This day was perfect, a glimpse of what her life will be like from now on. Everything is great - she will watch Austin's game tomorrow, get her kids back and then move out of LA like she had always wanted. This is perfect! It is all working out...nothing can go wrong.
Right?
A perfectly happy, normal life. She can finally see it. Warm beds, hot meals, carefree days - simple things. Just her, Bell, Mac, and Austin. That's all she needs.
Nothing can go wrong...right?