I smiled to myself, sipping my coffee and looking through a few of the racks at Topshop a few days later. I was most definitely a morning person, out shopping at nine a.m.
After trying on and buying a few things, I stepped out. . . into the pouring rain.
"Jesus!" I cried, quickly moving back inside. I'd taken a cab here from my apartment, but no way would I be able to get one now. I had no choice but to walk.
After approximately thirty seconds, I was drenched and freezing. Maybe I should have just waited it out.
"Avery?" A painstakingly familiar voice called.
"I would run into you today, wouldn't I?" I sighed, looking over at Austin, who was smirking at me from inside his dry, warm car.
"Don't you check the weather before you leave the house? Get in, dumbass." He shook his head, unlocking the doors.
"What are you doing today?" I asked curiously, sitting in the passenger seat.
"Just a few errands. Should be fun now that I've got my bitch to tag along." He replied.
"As if!" I cried, shivering.
He handed me his jacket from the backseat. "I can hear your bones clacking. Gain some weight."
"You're a charmer." I noted, slipping on his large denim jacket over my thin tank top and black tights. He was so tall that it went almost down to my knees.
"That's a good look." He said, eyeing me as he drove.
"Are you being sarcastic?" I asked suspiciously.
He laughed. "Not this time."
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"First we're going to my record label." Austin replied, parking his car. "We've got some things to discuss."
I followed Austin inside the very official-looking building and into the elevator. We came out and went into a room where the rest of his band was. "Hey, guys." Austin grinned, sitting down.
"Avery?" Aaron raised his eyebrows.
"She's my bitch for the day." Austin replied. "Oh, are there no more chairs? You can sit on my lap."
"In your dreams." I scoffed.
"Come on, Avery. Your feet have to be hurting. Look at your shoes." Austin said, looking pointedly at my heeled boots. I sighed, perching on his knee.
"Did I miss something?" Alan asked. "I thought you were sleeping with Jack, not Austin."
"I am not sleeping with Jack!" I rolled my eyes.
"Let's call him." Alan pulled out his iPhone and dialed Jack.
"Hello?" Jack's voice picked up.
"Hey, Barakat. What's up?" Alan asked.
"Not much, with the guys. How's the new album coming?"
"Good, good. Hey, me and Carlile were just wondering what the scoop on you and Avery was?" Alan asked, smirking at me. I flicked him off wordlessly.
Jack laughed. "Avery? That girl is a queen. Why? You want her, don't you, Ashby?"
"No, Austin does." Alan replied. Austin rolled his eyes, flicking Alan off just like I had.
"Carlile couldn't handle Avery. That girl is something else." Jack said. "Actually, the last time I saw Avery she was naked and moaning my name."
"Please continue." Alan replied.
"She's a god damn tease, isn't she? I'm not one to fuck and tell, but that was some of the best sex I've ever had." Jack said. I buried my face in my hands, blushing furiously.
"Jesus. I had no idea Avery was such a freak!" Alan said after he hung up the phone.
"I hate you. I really do." I glared at him.
"So you two are a thing now?" Tino asked, looking at me and Austin.
"No way!" We cried simultaneously.
"Sure." Phil nodded. "Totally."
The conversation was cut off by some business people entering the room. I zoned out as they started talking about their new album.
"Come on, bitch." Austin said to me when they were done.
"Won't you stop calling me that?" I sighed.
"Nah, it's pretty fun." He smirked at me.
"Tu m'emmerdes." I shook my head.
"What the fuck does that mean?" He asked.
"It means 'fuck yourself' in French." I smiled sweetly.
"You speak French? I thought you were Italian." He replied.
"I'm French. I was born in Venice but my family has lived in Lyons since the thirteenth century." I explained. "My great-great-great-great-great grandfather was the Prince of France for like, two weeks. Then he was assassinated for overtaxing the nobles."
"That's actually kind of cool." Austin smiled.
**
"Why is it so imperative that I help you do your grocery shopping?" I asked skeptically, pushing a cart at Trader Joe's.
"Girls are good at shopping. If you count as a girl, that is." Austin shrugged.
"I guess I owe you." I sighed, following him around the store like I had been all day.
"Thanks for hanging out with me today. I guess you're not all that bad." He said a few minutes later.
I reached up and felt his forehead. "Whoa. Are you sure you're feeling alright?" I asked, furrowing my brows.
He laughed. "Come on, smartass. Let's go check out."
***
"Thanks for driving me today. I guess I'll check the weather next time." I smiled sheepishly as Austin pulled up in front of my apartment.
"No problem. You can be my bitch any time you want." Austin winked. "Now get the hell out before I change my mind."
"Bye, Carlile!" I giggled, waving as I unlocked my door. He waved a final time and drove off.
Woah. Why was Austin Carlile making me blush?