Read Online A Fire That Burns by Kirsty-Anne Still - Free Book Online Page B

like any other excited expectant mother.
    “Oh my God!” Tom exclaimed back gobsmacked. “Does Ty know?”
    Austin shook her head, “He’s been busy and every time I try, I’ve
failed. I needed to tell someone.” She saw her brother’s look of skepticism over not telling Tyler. “He’s been busy, Tom,
and I need him to not be distracted over this!”
    “True, but he needs to know before me,” Tom scolded gently trying to
make her see the reasoning in this decision.
    “He’s at the bar again,” she sighed nonchalantly and knew not to dwell
on this. “It’s not Tyler I need your help with though,” she paused and took a
deep breath. “I don’t know how to tell mom and dad,” Austin fretted horribly
and felt her eyes water. “I can’t tell them. Dad will disown me. Tom, we know
what he said, he literally drilled it into our brains since childhood. No
children before marriage.”
    “It’s not like you and Tyler are a stupid
summer fling,” Tom quickly jumped in as the voice of reason. “Mom and dad will
love this and you and Tyler are not far off getting married now. It’s all in
the making. It’s happening next month, Aus.”
    “Maybe I can wait the month out to tell them,” Austin told her brother
and tried not to be a mad clash of excitement and nerves.
    “No, let’s go and tell Tyler first and then we’ll look at telling
everyone else,” Tom retorted with a matter of fact tone. “I’ll even drag him
out of that bar if need be.”
      Austin beamed at her brother,
really excited about this baby news, “Let’s do this and then I will think about
telling mom and dad.”
    It wasn’t until she was walking down the street talking away with her brother
that she realized she had a decidedly prevalent spring in her step and she was
literally grinning so wide she could feel her muscles beginning to ache. She
and Tyler had discussed a future together and they both wanted this. Even
though they were caught in the throes of growing up and finding a career that
they loved, she knew he would be over the moon with the news.
    “How do you feel about being an uncle?” she suddenly asked her brother
and saw him grin.
    Tom smirked, “I’m going to be the best. I’m not even going to give the
others a chance to beat me.” He wanted her to be happy and he couldn’t wait to
see her grow into this new stage of life. “I honestly can’t tell you how happy
I am you’re pregnant, Aus,” he exclaimed with such elation he felt his eyes
tear up.
    “Pregnant? You’re pregnant?” Natasha’s cold voice came from behind them
and they both stopped to turn and look at her. “Well that is big news.”
    Turning on her heels, Austin looked at Natasha and knew she couldn’t
break her mood quite so easily. “Not that it’s any of your business, but yes I
am.”
    “Wow, Tyler is just going to hate the fact that you’ve now killed his
career aspects!” Natasha chided sarcastically with that same bitchy tone she
had developed since high school. She saw the expression that hit Austin’s face
and she knew the woman before her was panicking that she was really destroying
Tyler’s life. “Anyway, I’ve been wanting to see you
because I thought I should show you something,” Natasha suddenly changed the
subject.
    “What’s that?” Austin asked, curious to what this woman would strike up
next.
    Natasha smirked, “He gave me this yesterday,” she mentioned and pulled a
necklace from her pocket and hung it in the air. It was identical to one Austin
had been given by Tyler years ago and Natasha took merriment in watching
Austin’s face fall. “He told me it was special like me and that I had to wear
it at all times.”
    Clutching the identical one around her own neck, Austin lost her cool –
Something she refused to ever do as a result of Natasha Truman. “You liar!” Austin snapped as she went to grab the pendant
that Natasha was waving in front of her. Natasha immediately lashed out and
pushed Austin