Billionaire Bachelors 7 ; The Billionaire's Final Stand(91)

 

 

"Okay then. Here's the key to her place. If you hurt her, I'll have your brothers tie you down on top of an ant hill while I pour honey on you," she threatened.

He gave her a sufficiently horrified face. He had no doubt she was dead serious.

"Thanks for being such a great friend to her."

"She's the best. Now you can go get her," Cassie told him before she reached up on her toes and kissed his cheek.

"Okay, that's enough kissing between the two of you," Max growled as he swung Cassie into his arms and kissed in a far from chaste possession.

Austin turned to leave again, but his path was blocked by his father this time.

What the heck? Was it a conspiracy?

"Not so quick, Austin," George said.

"I'll be back for the wedding. I promise," Austin said, his eyes glancing to the door.

"Love can't wait. You take your time with Kinsey," George told him.

"Then why are you blocking me?"

George's eyes filled with tears, and Austin felt immediate remorse for the way he'd spoken to his father. If the last few months proved anything, it was that time was limited, and he needed to appreciate every moment he had with him.

"I'm sorry, Dad."

George held up his hand to stop him. He cleared his throat, then lifted his head up, both pain and joy in his expression.

"I loved your mother. Oh, the joy she brought me each and every day I had with her. The sound of her voice when I walked in the door was music to my years. I thank God for the time I was blessed to be with her. I understand why he wanted to bring her home early. She was just that special," George whispered in a broken voice.

Everyone was silent as George spoke. Was he having second thoughts on marrying Esther? They were frozen as they waited.

"I never wanted to find love again, but the funny thing about love, is that you don't choose it, it chooses you. I loved your mother, and I always will. But, I've been blessed in this life to have a second beginning. Esther makes me laugh. She makes my heart pound, and my knee's week. I've fallen a bit more in love with her each new day, and I'm proud to make her my wife. It's okay to give our hearts away, just as long as the person we give them to is worthy," George continued, his eyes bright.

Austin hoped he and Kinsey would share that strong of a love. One so strong that not even the finality of death could break it.

George opened his hand, palm side up and looked down. As he did, a single tear fell, landing right in the middle of the circle of platinum.

"Your mother wore this ring for thirty years. Our last night together, when she knew it was time to go home, we were lying together, speaking about our family. She made me promise to take her ring and pass it to one of you. She said whoever wore it was guaranteed an eternity of happiness with their true love. She said I'd know when the moment was right because she'd be by my side, whispering in my ear, watching over our children," George stopped as he coughed, emotions clogging his throat. 

Austin looked over to find every woman in the room had tears cascading down their cheeks, sympathy in their eyes. Heck, even the men were clearing their throats, trying like crazy to keep it together.

He turned back to his father, who smiled, with both joy and sorrow in his face.

"It's you, Austin. Take your mother's ring. You treat your future wife like the queen she is, hold her, comfort her, and tell her every single day that she's the light of your world. You cherish her always."

George placed the ring in Austin's palm, then gently pushed his fingers shut around it. He placed his own hand over his son's, patted it once, then let go. He smiled at Austin and his other children, then looked in the corner of the room, his gaze clouding over for a moment before his eyes shut briefly. Then, without saying another word, he walked from the room.

Austin opened his fingers to gaze at the antique diamond set in a stunning platinum band, and his heart flooded with warmth. He shut his eyes, and for one moment, one glorious moment, his mom was right there with her arms wrapped around him.

When he opened his eyes, he looked at his family and slowly his mouth turned up at the corners as he smiled.

"This is a wedding day. A beautiful, sunny, amazing day, so all of you quit weeping. I'm going to beg for forgiveness now, and hopefully win the girl," he said before finally managing to make it out the door, all sorrow gone as he raced toward his future.

Austin made it to Kinsey's house in one piece  –  barely. He must have broken every speed limit in the Seattle area, urgency pushing him on.

His heart raced as he climbed the outside stairs to her apartment, then listened at her door. He couldn't hear a sound on the other side, so he slowly inserted the key into the lock and turned the knob.