The Thorne at My Side

CHAPTER 35

Run It By Me

MAGGIE

By the time Austin shows up in the morning for our run I've already logged two thousand steps from pacing my studio apartment. The nervous energy is coursing through my veins.

Should I bring up the podcast?

Should I pretend I haven't heard it if he brings it up?

What would I even say if we started talking about it?

I yelp when the soft knock comes at the door.

"Nervous MC?" Austin asks as he pushes off the doorframe and steps into my apartment.

"No." Yes.

"You shouldn't be, you're the one who runs all the time, I just rock climb and do yoga."

"Well, then, I should challenge you to a race." I joke as I grab my phone and keys. I slip the gift card for Sunrise into my leggings pocket, maybe I can treat him to breakfast, on him, after our run.

He holds the door on our way out and when we reach the corner he turns to me and says, "so do we just start?"

"Yes!" I grin and take off at a sprint. I hear him grunt behind me and I start to laugh. I'm so nervous that even atfull stride I can feel the jitters coursing through me.

"Hold up!" He yells and I slow my pace a bit to let him catch up. When he reaches me we fall in step next to each other and run quietly for a few blocks. I listen to the way our breaths match each other's. It is a true struggle to keep my thoughts focused on the run or even in a category appropriate for a public location.

When we stop at a light he props his hands on his hips and turns to me.

"Good thing I didn't want to talk to you today," he huffs out between breaths.

"We do fine when we're not talking," I tell him and I start off again when the light changes leaving him standing on the corner. I didn’t wait to see if he understood my meaning. I’m not sure I did. I did not plan to spend this morning flirting with Austin Thorne but now that I’ve started, I don’t want to stop.

He catches up and our feet pound into the pavement in sync. His legs are longer than mine so he's adjusting his pace to match me but I think it's a challenge for him anyways.

"Was that an offer to add benefits to our friendship?" He asks as we turn a corner.

"Honestly, I don't know."

"Are you seeing someone?"

"No, but I'm still talking to that SMS Connect guy."

"That's right, Foxy Boy."

I laugh, "DCFox."

"Same thing," he shrugs. "Have you met him?"

"Not yet,” I pause. Do I tell Austin? Would it make him jealous? Do I want him to feel jealous? I think I might. Maybe I’ll figure out how I feel if I can figure out how he feels. “He messaged me to say he's going to be somewhere tonight and I could meet him if I wanted to. "

"So he's putting the ball in your court. That's a bold move."

"Confident," I amend.

"Cocky. But hey, maybe you're into that kind of thing." He’s quiet for a few paces and then asks, "What have you two been talking about lately?"

"I dunno, mostly surface level stuff. We still don’t talk about details in our lives. There was something I wanted to discuss with him, get his perspective on.”

“Yeah? What is it?”

“I umm, I got an offer to do a book, actually from TCM."

"My former employer."

"Former? Since when?"

“January.” I knew AI Media was shut down but I didn’t realize he doesn’t work there anymore. “I’m investing in something new that's a little different from what I've done in the past."

"Care to elaborate?" I ask as we turn another corner.

"Not right now," He tosses a quick grin in my direction. "What was your offer from TCM?"

"To write a book about the campaign. I think they want the scorned former staffer angle and that's just not who I am. I know things didn't end up the way I wanted but I still believe in President Quinn and want her to do well."

"That’s admirable, Maggie." He says and he looks at me for a few paces. I turn to him and smile quickly before focusing back on the path ahead. "It sounds like you've already decided not to write it."

"I think I have."

"But?"

"Well, I kind of wanted his opinion on it." We come to a stop at a light and I cover my face with my hands. "Is that crazy? I mean he's a stranger, I don't know him, but I value his opinion. I feel like he'd know me well enough to help me decide what to do. It’s hard to pass up, it's a good paycheck."

"A good paycheck for bad work is a backwards way to live if you can help it." He says, and I look over at him. He's looking across the street at the signal but his eyes are off even further in the distance.

There is so much about Austin that I don't know. I dismissed him initially because he was my nemesis. Then because I didn't think he was capable of substantial conversations like the one we're having right now. Since coming back into my life a month ago he's proven himself to be a good friend. Reliable, insightful, generous with his time and, I think back on the Prada bag sitting on my coffee table, his resources.

I watch the side of his face and am desperate to know what he’s thinking. Am I the girl he was talking about on the podcast or not?

I'm about to ask him why he left TCM, which feels like a safer topic than if he likes me, check yes or no, but he starts running away. It takes me a beat to realize that the light has changed and it is our turn to cross. I hustle up to him and match my pace to his.

"What's on your mind, MC?" He asks.

"Why did you leave TCM?"

"It's a little early for those questions don't you think," he tries to deflect. I can see vulnerability flash through his eyes.

"No, you made me talk about DCFox and the book deal. Tit for tat."

"Tits are on the table?"

I playfully shove him sideways, he laughs as he smoothly recovers his stride.

"Alright, no tits. But, for the record I'd be game if you were." He says like it’s a question. I shoot him a sideways glare because as much as my body wants that I want his answer more. "Fine, fine. I left TCM and AIM because I didn't believe in the work I was doing."

"Really? I'm surprised. You were such a big fan last fall."

"Well, I saw how easily humanity could get lost in the shuffle of it all. My next project is about slowing down."

"What's your next project?" I ask because part of me thinks I want to be a part of it.

“I’m going to publish romance novels."

I bark out a laugh. "You're going to write romance?"

"What? You don't think I'm romantic? I charmed the pants off of you, literally."

"That's not how I remember it," I chuckle and shake my head.

"Well, I remember you not being able to keep your hands off of me."

"Because I wanted to strangle you."

"Hey, whatever you're into is good with me," he winks when we pull up to a stop. "How much longer are we running?"

I check my fitness watch and tell him, "It's only been 20 minutes, usually I run for at least 45."

"So we're about to turn around?" He asks hopefully, having done the halfway there math.

"Sure, we can turn around," I placate. We pivot and start heading back the way we came. "Okay, enough evasion Austin, are you seriously going to write romance novels?"

"No," he laughs and I feel the sound warm me from my belly out to my limbs. “My sister Elle will be the CEO of our publishing house, I'll be the CFO. We're going to find independent romance authors and sign them. The industry is growing at an exponential rate and we want to be a part of it. "

"It isn't the worst idea."

"Thank you for your vote of confidence," he deadpans. "Elle is excited about it, and it's our own thing so we answer to ourselves."

"Is that a nod to why you left TMC?"

"My dad just doesn't see things the way I do. I thought for a while he was grooming me to take over but I don’t think we have the same priorities and I get the feeling he wants to run the company until he dies."

"He doesn't have much of a life outside of work?"

He barks out a laugh, "No. None at all. He rules that company with an iron fist and somehow makes not adapting to change work for his bottom line."

We let that idea sit between us as we snake our way back to my apartment. I don't think to ask if he wants to run all the way back with me, he just does.

As we pull up outside of Sunrise I turn to him, "Can I interest you in breakfast you've already paid for?" I ask him lightheartedly while flashing the gift card his way.

"Always," he says with a smile and we jog up the steps together.

After we order our coffee and pastries we take a seat by the window. I hold my chin in my palm and watch Austin as he settles in.

"What?" He asks.

"I'm realizing I don't know much about you."

"Oh, yeah? What is it you want to know?"

I think about the repertoire of “first date” questions that normally don’t interest me at all but with Austin, I suddenly want to know everything.

"Where do you want to travel that you've never been before?"

"Antarctica." He says before a sip of coffee.

"Bullshit."

"You're right, but I haven't had a chance to visit the southern tip of South America and once you're down there you're basically at the South Pole so it makes sense to just tack on a day trip."

I laugh, "I don't think Antarctica is a day trip sort of destination."

"No? That's too bad. I bet they could do a lot more in tourism revenue if it was."

My giggle escapes before I can catch it and he grins. The smile he gives me is warm and friendly, open and sexy, and triggers all the things my nervous system is supposed to do when I am on the receiving end of smiles from cute boys.

I clear my throat and busy myself with the corner of the napkin. As the weight of this crush and impossible situation weighs down on my shoulders.

"Same question to you," he says after I'm able to regulate my breathing. The pastries get set down between us and I rip off a corner of my croissant before answering.

"I studied in Florence in college and I love everything about Italy. I got to see a lot of western Europe during that time. It might be fun to go back not on a college kid's budget but I've never been to Japan and I think it would be amazing."

"Japan is amazing. I'll take you sometime, friend. Unless Foxy has a problem with you traveling halfway around the world with a handsome billionaire."

"He's humble too." I laugh and Austin points a finger at me to indicate a good point.

"What else are you up to today?" he asks.

"Probably some chores, laundry, then figuring out if I'm going to meet him and what to wear when I do."

"Well, if you go you should wear your hair down. You're always pretty but when you have your hair down…" He mimes a chef's kiss. "Perfection."

I blush and mutter a thank you.

"What about you?"

"I'm not seeing anyone." He says quickly and pins me with eye contact that I feel in my bones.

"No, I, umm, meant what else are you doing today?"

"I think I'm going to take a long shower because this run was brutal. I'll probably have lunch with Felix. Then I'll head out for the evening. It's a Saturday night after all."

"So, it is."

"Maggie, can I ask you something?" He asks as he looks out the window.

The way his voice softened makes me nervous. "Sure," I whisper back.

"Well, do you think,” he turns to face me and I feel the weight of his question before he even asks it, “if we had just met and never been pitted against each other or done the stress relief arrangement; do you think we could have been more than friends?"

"Austin," I interject but he holds his hand up to stop me.

"No, wait, I don't want to hear if you're going to let me down gently. I've been with women in the past who only wanted me for my last name and my tabloid potential. You've been the first woman to know the real me. And even if you hated me at first, I think we've gotten somewhere good. So, if you go and meet this guy tonight and fall in love, just, I don’t know, think of me from time to time."

He offers me a closed lip smile and glances out the window again. His words are what I want to hear but I feel like I owe it to myself to meet DCFox. Things with Austin feel wonderfully easy but he also caused me a lot of grief. DCFox did too but I’m finding it easier to forgive him.

"That's Greg.” Austin nods to the car that just pulled up to the curb. “Take care, Maggie Collins," he stands. I watch as he steps next to me, plants a gentle kiss to my temple, and then walks out without looking back.

I watch him climb into the backseat of the car. Watch the car pull away. Follow it to the end of the block and then watch it disappear around the corner.

The spot where he kissed me tingles and I touch it gingerly. I remember seeing Kyle kiss Liz on the head like that. It is such a gentle show of affection. It’s a tenderness I’ve now come to expect from Austin.

One that I crave.

One that I’m not sure I’ll find anywhere else.