Free Only Through Love: A Cane River Romance Novella by Mary Jane Hathaway

game but
Austin could never decide whether the allegations were true. Her guild accused
her of writing a virus that rigged the final levels, and using some sort of
program that stole information from the other players. Of course cheaters
should be barred. It wasn’t because he’d been a cheater that he reserved
judgment. It just never made sense to him. Especially since they couldn’t ever
track down her real identity. He’d heard it was a woman named Mary Charlene
from New York City, or from Boston, even Natchitoches. But every person they
accused denied she was the woman they were searching for. To this day, no one
was quite sure where UltimateStarCrossed had gone. All they knew was that she
had disappeared after years of playing. Austin still felt unease when he
remembered the swift and irrevocable judgement that was passed on that player.
                “Right.
That one. She’s been plum crazy about it since high school. Even played the
dragon princess at Paul’s opening. Alice went as Elizabeth Barrett Browning but
that’s another story.”
                “Aalyea,
the dragon queen,” Austin supplied, fighting back a laugh and making a note to
ask Alice about that particular choice in cosplay characters.
                “Uh
huh, Aalyea, with the long blond hair. She used to dye it then. Way down her
back. Always had some crazy style, Charlie did.” Bix was smiling at the memory,
but a sadness passed over his face. “Alice is real worried about her. She
hasn’t been the same this summer. I don’t mean her hair. Or those funny gaming
shirts she used to wear.” He chewed his lip for a moment, thinking. “She’s lost
her sparkle. Girls like Charlie light up the room when they walk in, they make
everybody sit up and take notice. They make friends everywhere, as natural as
can be.”
                Austin
pointed out a planter in front of an antiques shop and they stepped around it. He’d
known a girl like that. Everywhere she went, people turned to smile at her.
He’d been so proud to be near her, even if she insisted on keeping their
relationship a secret. He thought of the first time he’d met Charlie and the
way she’d given him a dark look, then turned her back. Certainly not lighting
up the room and most definitely not interested in making friends.
                “I
wish you could find out what the trouble is. In my gut, I feel like something
real bad happened to her but she won’t talk to any of us.” Bix looked up at
him, perfect confidence behind those thick glasses. “You’re good at that.
Drawing people out. Helping ‘em come to peace with it. Solving their problems.”
                Austin
swallowed hard. He didn’t know why everyone had gotten the idea he was such a
miracle worker. Probably because he’d never denied it. His stomach twisted. It
was past time he was honest. But that would include going back, way back to the
beginning and if he did that, he would lose everything he had. His job, his new
place, even his degree.
                “We’re
here,” Bix said, surprise coloring his words as Austin almost steered him past
the turn of the century, two story wooden house with the wrap around porch.
                “Sorry,”
he murmured and helped Bix up the wide steps.
                “I
can smell it already,” Bix said, sniffing the air. “Mmmm. Nothin’ like my
Ruby’s cooking. I woulda married her for that, even if she didn’t make me feel
like a whole new man. After my first wife died, God rest her soul, I thought
I’d never feel that passion again. I resolved myself to livin’ life like an old
priest. But she made my blood warm in a way―”
                “Oh,
look, Gideon and Henry are already here,” Austin said hurriedly. Even his
parents didn’t talk about their love life. Good grief. If he hadn’t sworn off
women already, Bix’s speech might just do