More Than Just Friends : A Sweet, Small-Town Romance (Aston Falls Book 2) by Sara Jane Woodley

Author:Sara Jane Woodley [Woodley, Sara Jane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Eleventh Avenue Publishing
Published: 2021-07-19T04:00:00+00:00

22

Ella

Austin took a sip of his beer as he gazed over the room, and I tried not to notice the way his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. The way he bit his bottom lip after the sip. I’d never, ever been attracted to the way someone swallowed their drink before, but here we were.

It didn’t help that Austin had, once again, brought his A-game to this rehearsal dinner. Though he wore casual slacks and a navy polo shirt, whenever his biceps flexed, I nearly swooned. Next to him, I felt like a slouchy, messy muppet. A muppet that was currently the envy of every woman here.

I had to keep reminding myself that this wouldn’t last forever. In fact, it would only last until tomorrow—Carly’s wedding.

What was my plan after that? It was a great question. I could hardly believe that a month had passed, it felt like I’d just arrived in Aston Falls. Time always went way too quickly when I was surrounded by the people I loved. When I spent time with Austin.

The prospect of my grand return had been like a hazy cloud in the far distance. I knew I’d have to worry about it eventually, but not now. Never now.

And yet, the angry cloud was upon me.

To my surprise, no one had asked me about my plans to return to the city. My parents were usually all over me about it, but they hadn’t said a word. Even Grace and JJ had kept their mouths shut. And Austin… he surprised me most of all. He was the most obsessive planner I knew. If he suspected that I didn’t have my flight booked, he would undoubtedly be freaking out.

But, as I’d discovered numerous times since being home, the guy was full of surprises. Despite being my best friend—and the person I talked to almost every day—there was something different about this visit.

Austin folded up his speech and tucked the papers in his back pocket. A wave of gratitude flowed through me as I looked at him. He’d been so amazing this month—truly the perfect boyfriend. We had my family convinced, and it was probably the longest my mom and aunts ever gone without trying to set me up.

I didn’t deserve him… a friend like him. I wanted to do more to help him in return. Sure, we’d written the speech, but I knew that the presentation was the part Austin was most nervous about. There had to be something I could do.

All at once, an idea began to form. It might’ve been the rush of the wedding, or the joy in the air, or the feeling of possibility whenever I was with Austin, but I knew what to do. A guaranteed way to get him out of his comfort zone and trying something different.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I turned to him. “Do you trust me?”

Austin cocked an eyebrow. “Mostly?”

“I have an idea to practice your presentation skills.”

He narrowed his eyes, perhaps rightfully so. “And that is?”

I smiled at him, slightly manically, and shot to a stand.

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