New Beginnings {ACM}

Chapter 3

Song of the chapter: Don't Stop The Party by Pitbull

Emily's POV

I was feeding Lucy when Austin strolled into the kitchen, in swimming trunks.

"Um, why are you in swimming trunks?" I asked him slowly.

He grinned. "Because we, my dearest best friend, are going to the-"

"No."

"You didn't even know what I was going to say!"

"Yes, I did. You were going to say the beach," I replied.

"Okay, fine, I was going to say that. But why not? It's a nice day!" Austin told me. "And it'll be good for Lucy to get out."

It was in fact nice out, since it was the first week of May, but that didn't do anything to help Austin's situation.

"Not at the beach, it won't. The beach-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know you hate beaches; you have bad experiences with them, a crab got tangled in your hair last time, blah blah blah. But Lucy's never been there." He sat down beside me at the table. "She wants to go. Right, Luce?"

She swallowed the last of her food before clapping her hands.

"There, it's settled. We're going."

"Austin," I whined.

"Now what?"

"The beach is for rebels," I told him as I went to put the dirty dishes in the sink. I grabbed an orange and leaned against the counter.

"For rebels?" Austin said as he played with Lucy's feet. "How is it for rebels, Emily? Just answer that."

Damn, now I had to think of something. "Well, uh... All the teenagers hang out there and stir up trouble."

Austin started laughing and pulled Lucy out of her high chair. "You and I were teenagers once, and look at the trouble we caused."

"Yeah, you and Justin still cause trouble," I said with a raised eyebrow.

He walked over to me. "Please, Emily? I haven't had a lot of free time to spend with my two favorite girls lately." He gave me a pained look.

It was true. It seemed like he was always at a concert or a CD signing lately, and when he wasn't busy with work, I was either helping Quinn with renovating her room or running around to appointments with the Make It Right foundation on the other side of Miami with Lucy for the video campaign.

I looked at him for a moment before I sighed. "Oh Fine, we'll try it."

"Yes!" Austin beamed before kissing me quickly, and then kissing Lucy's head. "She'll have fun, I promise."

"If anything happens, or I even think something is going to happen, or if she gets cranky, or-"

"We're coming straight back," Austin finished with a roll of his eyes. "Relax and loosen up, babe."

"Don't tell me what to do," I glared. "Come on, Luce, let's go get ready."

I took her from Austin and headed upstairs with her. She gurgled until I set her down on her changing table. She stared at me after that.

"What?" I asked.

Lucy clapped and then stared at me again, sucking on her fist.

"Alright, you goof," I smiled before opening her top drawer. I grabbed her pink one piece that had a tutu attached and flowers on it, and her pink sunhat. I put her in a Pull Up before changing her into her swimming stuff.

After covering her in sunscreen, I filled a tote bag with my things and hers before picking her up and hurrying back through the connecting door to mine and Austin's room.

"Okay, here's your monkey, Luce. Play with him nicely until I'm ready." I lied her down on the bed and handed her the monkey before running to the closet and grabbing my red bikini and white crocheted cover up that went to my mid stomach.

I changed and French braided my brown hair down my back, slipped on flip flops, and once again scooped Lucy up before heading downstairs to find Austin.

He was already in the car when I walked out. "Let's go, let's go, let's go, let's go!"

"I'm going as fast as I can!" I exclaimed.

"What? No, I'm singing to the music," he told me. "But now that you mention it, let's go!"

I rolled my eyes and strapped Lucy in before jumping in the front with Austin. He practically floored it out of the driveway.

"Jeez, what's the rush?" I asked.

"I just want to get to the beach."

"We'll get there in plenty of time."

He glanced in the rear view mirror. "Lucy's sleeping."

"Are you kidding me?" I said as I turned around in my seat. Sure enough, she was fast asleep sucking on her thumb.

"Great," I groaned. "Now what are we supposed to do? We can't bring a sleeping baby to the beach."

"We have the umbrella; she can sleep under that so the sun doesn't get to her."

I sighed. "Worst timing ever."