"She's the cutest baby I have ever seen in my life" Max said as he held Ava and bounced her in his arms.
I beamed looking at our sweet girl. "Thanks Max. I can't believe it took so long for you guys to meet her!" I looked around at Smitty and Adam who were crowded around Max holding the baby.
We were finally back home from Utah when Austin got a call that his two closest friends from tour were flying to New York to visit him. They were only visiting for a few days and Austin was getting ready to go out with them to a local bar for guys night, along with Max who lived not too far from us.
"She's beautiful Amy. And it's so great to see you again. It's been almost a year right? Since the Europe tour?" Adam turned to me as he took Ava from Max.
My heart quickly backflipped.
Has it really been that long since me and Austin broke up?
"Amy?" Adam waved, bringing me back to reality.
"Yeah I think so. It's crazy to think it's been a year. It's so good to see you guys again."
"Yeah Amy she's adorable. I can't believe Austin is a whole dad. That's just insane." Smitty chuckled to himself. "Speaking of that fucker, when is he gonna be done getting ready?"
"If you're not out in 2 minutes, we're leaving without you!" He shouted.
Within seconds Austin emerged from the bathroom fully dressed and looking as attractive as ever.
"I'm ready asshole. Geez. You think I wake up this handsome?" He joked, as I rolled my eyes and smiled at his friendship with Smitty.
"You still look like shit. Come on let's go." Smitty snapped back with a smile. "Do you wanna come with us Amy? You guys have a nanny or something?" He turned to me.
"No she usually stays at my parents when we're both busy. But it's okay you guys go, I'm exhausted. Have a good time." I smiled up at him as he gave me my shoulder a small squeeze.
Austin reached over to take Ava from Adam.
"I'll see you later darling. Sweet dreams I love you." He cooed to her as she squealed, excited that he was holding her. He gave her nearly a million kisses as the guys said their goodbyes to me and waited by the front door.
Austin placed our daughter in my arms and looked down at me.
"You sure you don't wanna come? We can drop her off with your mom? She said would take Ava anytime we needed a break."
"I'm so tired from the flight. It's okay, I'll see you when you get home. Don't drink to much." I teased, knowing damn well he was going to anyway.
"No promises Amelia." He chuckled before pressing a kiss to my forehead.
"By the way, Matt's gonna be staying with you until I get back. He's gonna be here soon." Austin said quietly.
"What? Austin! I can handle myself and our daughter." I groaned.
"Amelia I don't wanna hear it. I'm not taking any chances after what happened in Utah. I told you I was going to keep you guys safe so just let me. Please."
I sighed. I knew he was right and he was just trying his best to protect us, just like he promised.
"Okay. I'll see you later." I pouted.
"You don't have to wait up. Oh wait, you can't sleep without me so never mind." He winked.
"Shut up." I rolled my eyes once again at him but couldn't help but smile at his adorable face.
"Bye guys." I waved at Max, Adam and Smitty as they piled out of the apartment door.
"Don't miss me too much." Austin said looking back, only loud enough for me to hear.
"I'll try my best. Bye Austin." I chuckled before closing the door in his face.
I sighed as I took Ava to her nursery to change her into her pajama onesie.
"Looks like it's just me and you kid." I said as I held her, just before I heard a loud knock at the door.
Oh shit that's right. Matt.
I walked back out of the room and towards the front door. I opened it to reveal none other than Matt towering over me.
"Hey Amy!" He said warmly with a smile.
"Hey Matt come in. How are you?" I replied bouncing Ava up and down on my hip.
"Good not too bad. I get a little bit of a break working here tonight instead of at the bar with Austin." He chuckled as he came in and I showed him to the couch.
"I'm sorry if you're gonna be bored here with me and Ava. I tried tell Austin that I would be okay by myself." I huffed as I went to the kitchen to make a bottle for her.
"Amy it's okay I dont mind. He uh- told me about the whole thing with Beth in Utah. He's just trying to keep you guys safe."
"Yeah I know. He's really doing his best. It's just a tough adjustment for me. All the security and everything. It's such a huge change from what I'm used to. I'm just a normal person, I dont know shit about the celebrity life." I laughed as I took a seat next him on the couch and fed Ava.
"You'll get used to it. I mean you and Austin are going to be in each others lives forever. It will feel normal in time." He stated.
His words reminded me that Austin wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, which comforted me.
"Can I?" He raised his brows, offering to feed Ava for me.
"Sure if you don't mind. Do you have kids?" I asked curiously.
"My wife is pregnant with our first child so I could use the practice." He chuckled.
"Oh my god that's wonderful congratulations! Austin didn't mention anything." I replied.
"I haven't gotten a chance to tell him yet, we just found out. She's 2 months along."
"That's amazing Matt. How long have you been married?"
"4 years this September. Her name is Karlie." He answered, pulling his phone out of his pocket and showing me his lockscreen, which was a picture of the two of them. "She's my best friend in the whole world, I can't believe we're gonna be parents together. It makes me love her even more."
I smiled at him. "I know the feeling." I accidentally said out loud.
Fuck Amy seriously.
Matt shoved his phone back into his pocket and continued to feed Ava. However the expression on his face wasn't a surprised one in the least.
"Does he know how you feel about him?" Matt questioned.
I rolled my eyes at myself and let out a heavy sigh. "Nope. Is it that obvious?" I replied, picking at my nails as he nodded to me.
"Yes." He laughed looking up from Ava.
I groaned loudly and covered my face with my hands. "Then why doesn't he notice anything?!"
"He does Amy. I'm sure he does. But you gotta give him a break. He was heartbroken when you left. I've never seen him like that. He's probably just worried that if you get back together, he runs the risk of losing you again."
"I'm such a jerk for ever leaving him. I just want to be with him again. That's if he'll even take me back."
"Amy you honestly think after everything's that's happened between you two, that he wouldn't feel the same way? I can tell just by the way he looks at you. Stop wasting time and get back together. He cares about you so much." Matt smiled.
I weakly smiled back at him. "You're probably right. I just get scared every time I think about bringing it up. But I need to tell him."
"Just don't do it tonight cause he's probably gonna be wasted when he gets home." Matt joked.
I let out a laugh. "I absolutely agree Matt."
*****
After I put Ava to bed, me and Matt were up watching a movie on Netflix when we heard the door loudly being shoved open.
"Matt! Hey bud!" Austin exclaimed as he partially stumbled through the apartment.
"Woah take it easy Austin. Come sit down." Matt sprung up and made his way towards Austin.
"Thanks for watching out for my girls I appreciate it." Austin attempted to whisper.
"Of course. Its no problem man." Matt replied as he guided him to the couch.
"Hi Amelia." Austin said shyly to me with a tiny smile on his face as Matt plopped him onto the couch next to me.
"Hi Austin." I smiled back, desperately stifling my laughs at his drunken state.
Matt brought Austin a glass of water from the kitchen which he quickly gulped down in thirst.
"Matt I got him from here. Thank you so much for everything! Thank you for looking out for me and Ava." I said looking up at him.
"Oh you're welcome Amy. Take care of him." He chuckled, pointing at Austin before I nodded, walked him to the front door and closed it behind him.
I walked back over to the couch to see Austin sitting quietly staring up at me.
"How are you feeling rockstar?" I asked as I sat next to him and ran my fingers through his curls.
"Drunk. Very drunk." He slurred with a silly smile on his face.
"You know what I was just thinking of?"
"What?" I questioned as I looked at his blue eyes that sparkled even in the dim light of the dark living room.
"Remember that one time we went to that expensive French restaurant in Greenwich Village that was way too fancy for us? And you accidentally lit your menu on fire because it was too close to the candle." Austin bursted out in a fit of laughter.
"Oh my God of course, how could I forget! And then I poured both of our glasses of water all over the table to put the fire out." I exclaimed. "We had just started dating and I was so embarrassed." I said as I sank down into the couch covering my face with my hands.
"It was hilarious. Then they kicked us out for being a fire hazard. And we ended up walking five blocks in the pouring rain to eat spicy chicken sandwiches at Chic-Fil-A for dinner!"
"We probably looked absolutely ridiculous with you wearing a suit and me wearing a fancy dress, soaking wet, sitting in the middle of a fast food restaurant." I said as I looked over at him with tears filling my eyes.
We were both laughing so hard until we couldn't breathe. I almost didn't realize that he had placed his hand gently on the exposed skin of my inner thigh.
"Holy shit that was probably the funniest thing I'd ever seen." Austin chuckled as he shook his head.
"I'm glad my clumsiness is so entertaining to you." I rolled my eyes at him as I smiled. "Will you ever forget about that?" I chuckled, trying my best to act normal while I was actually becoming hot and bothered from his touch.
"Never." He smiled at me.
I felt myself drowning in his strong gaze as the smile faded from his face.
He let go of my thigh and wrapped his arms around my waist and attempted to pull me to him, however any ounce of his strength was completely diminished.
"I want you closer." He pouted with a saddened look.
"Come on let's get you ready for bed first and then we'll lay down." I said as I reached to take his jacket off, while he nodded at me in agreement.
I pulled off his shoes and then his shirt. I caught his gaze just before I reached for his belt.
I slowly unbuckled it and zipped down his jeans. He shifted in his seat, allowing me to pull them off, leaving him in just his boxers. I went to toss his clothes onto the floor beneath us.
"Wait." He said as he reached out and grabbed my wrist. He pulled his shirt from the pile of clothes in my hands.
"I know you like sleeping in my shirts."
My cheeks burned only slightly as I dropped the remaining clothes in my hands and took the shirt from him.
"I'll be right back okay I'm gonna change." I said to him, which instantly made him frown.
"No don't go. Please. Just change here."
I blinked at him for a second before I hesitantly lifted my tank top up and brought it over my head. Austin's eyes dropped down to my cleavage and then slowly back up to my face. I pulled on his shirt and then tugged down my shorts, his eyes not leaving me for a second.
As soon as I threw my clothes on the ground next to Austin's, he lightly pushed me down on the couch and climbed on top of me, laying his head onto my chest.
"Babe you are so beautiful." He murmured as he held onto me tightly. I wrapped my arms around him, still adjusting to his calling me sweet pet names again.
"Thank you Austin." I whispered, playing with the curls at the nape of his neck.
"I wish you were still mine Amelia." He whispered as he started to doze off, his face buried into the shirt I was wearing.
I froze underneath him, silently freaking out to myself.
Did he actually just say that? I mean he was pretty wasted.
Well drunk words are sober thoughts Ams.
My heart dropped, knowing that I couldn't have this discussion with him while he was in this state, even I wanted to so badly.
But somehow, his drunken words were more than enough reassurance that he felt the same way.
"Me too baby." I softly whispered as I pulled the blanket over us.