Surprising The Boss (True Love Series Book 4)

Chapter 2

*Flashback 10 years earlier*

Austin

“Hey Austin! Great game!” Someone yelled out to me as I walked down the hall towards my locker.

“Thanks! Happy for the support there!” I yelled back to this guy that’s in my chemistry class.

I get to my locker and my buddy Xavier is there already. Xavier is my best friend and usually my wingman in most of my antics. We just get each other, that’s why we are best friends.

“Dude, it’s like you are a super star today.” Xavier says to me.

“Yeah, well when you're hot and athletic, everyone wants you.” I laugh.

“Smart ass, you know what I mean that win Friday against Central has everyone talking.” Xavier says.

“You know, I only won that game to get Tracy’s number. Not a big deal.” I said to him.

“Really?” He asked me.

I don’t have a girlfriend, honestly, I like all the girls. Technically I am considered a player, but unlike most players, I actually care about the girl I take out.

I try my best to make sure she doesn’t get hurt. Maybe one day I will find that one girl that gets me, but until then, I am just enjoying the field of girls in my path to her.

As I shut my locker, I heard a voice behind me before I could answer Xavier.

“Xav, he is joking. Austin already has Tracy’s number. Don’t you stud.” Kelly said.

“Kells, had to spoil it didn’t you?” I laughed.

Kelly rolled her eyes at me and said, “Yep, because knowing you, you let this big lug believe it that you only win a game for an easy girl.”

Kelly is also one of my good friends. I have known her since I moved here when I was 13 years old. Kelly just gets me, but there is something about Kelly that I just don’t want to ruin. She is a girl that deserves better than me. I do feel something for her, but I don’t want to ruin the friendship we already have.

“Burn! Damn Kelly you got Austin good!” Xavier laughed.

“Tracy isn’t easy, she's just accessible.” I told her.

“Well, your accessible translates to easy in girl language. I so enjoyed this talk boys, now I must get to class. See you there Austin.” Kelly said as she shut her locker and walked away from me and Xavier.

“Damn, Kelly knows how to shut you down Austin Case.” Xavier laughed.

“Nah, that’s because it’s just Kelly, I let her shut me down.” I said to him.

I do credit Kelly in keeping me in line when it comes to me being with the girls in our class. She isn’t afraid to point out if I'm being a dog to the girls I see.

“You watch one day you're going to end up marrying that girl, mark my words.” Xavier said to me.

Yeah right, like that will happen. Kelly needs someone better than me. I think I would probably hurt her.

My family is actually extremely rich. In fact we are billionaires. But it was my mom who wanted us away from that lifestyle and the problems with living that life.

She convinced my dad to take us out of New York City and live a normal life where she grew up. My dad always said he got lucky with my mom because she never cared about his money or his standing in society.

He warned us, me and my brothers, Adam and Evan, we may not get that lucky. That he had to fight his way through the gold diggers before he found mom.

I am my dad’s exact copy. Everyone says I look just like him, even he told me I'm going to break a lot of hearts like he did. So yeah, I got the pressure that girls might only want me because of my status and money.

So that’s why I choose not to have that one special girl. I don’t want that heartache of finding out she only wants me because of who my family is.

“Marry Kelly? I don’t think so, dude she is a girl, fun to hang out with, but marry her? Nope, don't think that will ever happen.” I said.

“Fine, then do you mind if I ask her out?” Xavier asked.

This is something I am not expecting. I knew Xavier thinks Kelly is cute, but actually date her? I’m not sure how I feel about that.

But he is my friend, and so is Kelly. I can’t be in their way if they both feel the same, right?

“Why would I mind? Kelly is just a friend. Ask away.” I told him.

*End Flashback*

“So Ms Simmons, I do work long hours sometimes, is that an issue for you? “ I asked Kelly.

“No Mr Case, I live by myself, so won’t be an issue.” Kelly answered.

I heard that she and Xavier got married after we graduated from high school. I remember the day I heard that news.

*Flash back 8 years ago*

It was homecoming weekend at my old high school and my mom had asked that both me and my brother Evan come home from college for the weekend because our baby brother Adam was going to his first homecoming dance.

We agreed, plus any chance I get to tease my baby brother, I am taking it. It’s not everyday I get to see him clean up and actually look like a player like me and Evan.

I have done well for myself after graduating high school a few years ago. I’m in a fraternity in college. Of course everyone there loves me, especially the girls.

I do miss my crew of Xavier and Kelly. They ended up being a couple after Xavier asked her out. I wish I had the balls back then like he did.

I'm happy for them, but there's always something wrong in my heart, I didn't realise what the emotion was at the time.

I do admit I regret that I have this fear that maybe the only reason I’m liked is because my last name is Case. Trust me, you do find people who realise you're a Case, they suddenly want to be friends.

First stop of this homecoming weekend is of course the football game. My old field. I loved playing cornerback here. I wish I could go back to those days sometimes.

I was actually good at it, and probably could have played college football. But it would be a waste of time. My future was already determined, I was going to be the next CFO of Case Enterprises.

My future was planned out, so my football career ended the day I graduated high school. I’m ok with not playing anymore, but I do miss the game.

“Oh my god, is that Austin Case I see?” A voice called out. I turned to see who said that when I spotted my old buddy Xavier.

“Hey! Xav! Long time buddy!” I said to him when I got closer.

“Right? What, it’s been like 2 years since high school?” He said to me.

“Yeah, time flies my man, time flies. Hey where is Kelly?” I asked him.

Kelly and Xavier were still together the last I heard. Both went to a different college than me. As much as you like, you do tend to lose contact with your close high school friends.

I did with these two. It’s not from lack of trying, it’s just we all have busy lives and we hardly see each other now.

But I am happy these two are still in each other's lives, even if it means they are a couple. I envy them a little. I want what Xavier has, a girl like Kelly. Maybe I can get that lucky.

“She is at home, she not taking me leaving very well.” He told me.

“Wait, leaving? You two break up?” I asked him.

“No, nothing like that. In fact we are going to get married. No, I’m in the Marines. I ended up enlisting last year. I got called up to report, I am shipping out in a few days.” Xavier said to me.

“Wow, married? Congrats man! I would never thought you were the military type in high school.” I said to him.

“Well, people do change. In fact, if Kelly was here, I bet your smart ass would not even recognize her. She was beautiful in high school, but man she is a knock out now.” Xavier said to me.

I can only imagine, Kelly was beautiful in high school. I felt jealousy thinking how Xavier got her. I wish I would have at least tried. But that’s the past, I can’t let that bother me. I need to be happy for my two best friends.

“Hopefully I can see her this weekend. It would be fun to catch up with her and you.” I said to him.

“Maybe, Kelly hasn’t really felt up to visitors. Like I said, she is really taking me deploying hard.” Xavier said.

*End Flashback*

“I see, and please call me Austin.” I said to her.

She smiled and said, “Yes, thank you Austin.”

There was that smile. I always loved that smile on Kelly. After this interview, I have to ask her, does she remember me at all? Because right now I don’t think she does by the way she is acting.