after the novelist

Austen Parker. 26. Cali born and raised.

[austen-emily]

 ♔ Austen Parker ♔

➺ Intro

Full Name: Austen Emily Parker Age & Birthday: 26, December 19th, 1995 Pronouns: Cis Woman, She/Her Sexuality: Demisexual Occupation: L&D Nurse Neighborhood: Downtown Time in BSCO: 18 months

➺ Bio

Austen Emily Parker was born whimpering instead of crying, red-faced and with a full head of hair. Her parents adopted her and were present at her birth. Her birthmother was from San Diego, but she was raised by Scott and and Leah Parker of Calabasas. They were both forty and after struggling to conceive, decided to adopt. Austen was the luckiest girl in the whole world, and she knew it. She grew up without a care, wanting for absolutely nothing. Even from a young age, Austen had a lust for life. She was a champion equestrian and spent most of her childhood at the stables or showing her horse, Magpie. As she grew up, she began to realize that she was different. Obviously she was well aware that she had been adopted, but when school was dismissed and her friends hopped into their moms cars, Austen would be picked up by her nanny. On the weekends, her mom would flit off to play tennis and have lunch with her friends, and Austen would remain at home. Sure she had every toy, every piece of technology any girl would wish for, but she was bored. Complacent.

At 17, Austen underwent an emergency appendectomy. She spent almost a month in the hospital and became enthralled with the nurses who tended to her. Due to the surgery, she took an indefinite break from riding. After graduating high school, Austen enrolled at USC to study Nursing and finally felt like she was doing something meaningful. During her last clinical, Austen witnessed the emergency birth of triplets and right then she knew that labor and delivery is where she belonged.

When she left USC, she worked for a year at the university’s hospital, catching babies left and right. It was everything she had ever dreamt. Until her father died of a sudden heart attack. Her mother’s true colors showed when she pretty much disappeared following Scott’s funeral, which was no surprise to Austen. The woman who had claimed to want her so much but couldn’t commit to a damn dance recital had fled with her life insurance money.

For the first time in her life, Austen was forced to actually rely on herself. Even though she now had a healthy inheritance to live off of, she was determined to make her own way in the world. So she applied for the first job she saw and moved to Bradford Springs.

Presently she lives in a townhouse in Downtown BSCO with her two corgis. She is a labor and delivery nurse and spends her weekends with her new horse, Delilah. Despite living in BSCO for eighteen months, Austen has yet to make friends other than the local bartenders and waitresses in town. With a little more experience under her belt, she is excited to try something she’s never done: dating.

[austen-emily]

who: @esmeraykj where: The Shining Ball

The line to the ladies’ room had been surprisingly long for the early hour, but Austen couldn’t give up her spot, even if she had only needed to check her makeup. As she turned the corner into the ballroom, out of the corner of her eye, the young woman spotted a beautiful brunette standing idly near the bar. Right away she knew who the woman was, and eagerly approached her. Trying not to scare her, Austen tapped on her shoulder gently. “You don’t happen to be friends with Caroline from UCLA, do you?”

[austen-emily]

Maia:

Maia wasn’t pushy but she did have a way with people and had a knack for getting quieter people to open up. Austen was one of those and Maia really enjoyed her company. She nodded at the idea, “bi-weekly seems doable,” she agreed. “Also, I like the name Philodendrons, I can call it Phil.”

xoxoxo

Austen smiled wistfully and nodded. “I named mine Denny.” She paused as a gust of wind passed through and cocked her head to the side, gazing at the friendly doctor who was kind enough to invite her shopping, “This doesn’t make us crazy plant moms, does it?”

[austen-emily]

The Shining Ball // Austen Parker as a Bond Girl a.k.a, Daphne D’Monaco.

She is attending alone, hoping to make new friends and connections in BSCO.

[austen-emily]

charliemcgreggor​:

The last thing Austen remembered was the smug look on Charlie’s face before he reached between her legs. After that, she felt rocked to her core with bliss. Work and life had been so crazy for weeks that she barely had energy to brush her teeth before collapsing into bed - self pleasure not needed. The woman responded with a silent cry, her face scrunched in ecstasy. Her hands rested on his shoulders and she clung to him. As Charlie’s ministrations continued , a bead of sweat appeared on Austen’s brow, her hips bucked and she felt his length graze her stomach and was brought back to reality, dark eyes locking on Charlie’s. “I need more.” She rasped out, nodding to his groin.

[harperthomas]

Who: @austen-emily​ Where: Bloom and Grow Nursery

Maia was great at keeping people alive, in fact it was basically the main part of her job description but she was terrible at keeping plants alive. The problem was thought that she really liked house plants and how they made her feel. She decided to give it another go and she’d dragged Austen along to help her pick out ones that she was less likely to kill. “Okay, so we need something robust, and something that shows that it’s thirsty or whatever, not one of those ones that looks all healthy until suddenly it’s dead.”

[austen-emily]

When she first started at Rocky Mtn. Med, Austen had mostly kept to herself and avoided any work gatherings but Maia had been persistent and was the first real friend she’d made in Bradford Springs. The doctor was easy to click with and they got along well and would often take outings together to shop, much like today. Austen raised her eyebrows and flicked the leaf of potted pothos plant. At Maia’s inquiry she turned swiftly and shrugged. “My old boss used to suggest Philodendrons. I like peace lilies if I’m in the mood for something chic. Both only need bi-weekly watering.”

[austen-emily]

Celeste:

Celeste was slightly stressed, and feeling a bit guilty. She really didn’t want to seem like she was mooching off the good fortune of this delightful woman, but god, she wanted to move so badly. 

“If you’re like really super sure you’re okay with living with a struggling fashion designer,” she replied with a small shrug, “then I am absolutely down for this.” She gasped and clapped her hands. “Oh my god! I wanted to have a dog so bad when I was a kid! I’m totally excited about that! I just would need to make sure any clothes and materials for making things in a closed space so they don’t get dog hair on them.” 

xoxoxo

By the look on Celeste’s face, Austen could see the woman was still on the fence. Honestly, she understood. The younger of the two was not raised the way she had been - never truly knowing what it meant to struggle financially or independently. Austen had been perfectly comfortable in both departments for basically her whole life. However, she was no stranger to feeling inadequate, though her prospective roommate was certainly not that. 

The nurse nodded eagerly, lips forming a wide grin. “I am sure! Really.” The idea of having a roommate with any kind of style greatly appealed to Austen. She had worn a school uniform from the time she could dress herself and then fairly quickly transitioned to scrubs almost daily after that, so she had quite a bit to catch up on when it came to fashion, and was thrilled that she might have found herself a guru. “Oh, they’re totally trained.” She said, referring to Fred and George. “I have them in doggy daycare right now since I work such long shifts, but it will be so helpful to have someone with them when I work overnights.”

[austen-emily]

There was a split second, as Charlie began to unbutton his own shirt and Austen saw the patch of dark, but graying hair on his chest, that the younger woman felt her conscience finally catch up to her. Here she was, nearly twenty-seven and finally, finally doing something for herself that made her feel alive. Sure watching literal babies take their first breaths was exhilarating, but there was something in her that was giving into pure, intense attraction. It almost comforted her, knowing she wasn’t going to wake up tomorrow morning and be full of regret, or even disappointment.

Her random introspection was instantly finished as soon as Austen felt his fingertips graze the edge of her cleavage. He pulled her flush against him and her heart began to race. Giggling, Austen took both his hands from her waist and pressed them to her breast. She let out another deep groan. “Touch me. Please.” was all she managed to gasp out before spinning around so her back was once again to the desk. “c’mon, Charlie.”

[austen-emily]

Celeste​:

“Oh wonderful! I hope it worked out! They have some nice dresses in there for sure.” Celeste grinned at Austen, vaguely remembering the occasion. Business had been slower more recently at the boutique, so it was becoming easier to remember who came in. 

“Oh wow, I’m so sorry to hear that about your dad…” She said sincerely. “That’s amazing though.” She tucked a stray hair behind her ear. “I don’t want to seem like I’m taking advantage of that- I’m sure I can make the rent you’re asking for work. I have been considering another job or possibly selling some of my pieces online. I’m just not sure if there’s a market for a small designer… Maybe on Etsy…” She thought out loud. 

xoxoxo

“It’s amazing that I was able to sell it before my mom could dispute the will.” mumbled Austen as she tapped her nails on the open binder. She cocked her head to the side. “I got lucky though, because she had already been living abroad and snatched up what she wanted of their savings as soon as she hung up the phone with the lawyers.” The memory of that day was as painful as it was shocking. Her father had only been sixty-four. And while he wasn’t active, he hadn’t had any real health concerns. At least none they knew of. His housekeeper found him on the floor of the closet after the heart attack, and that was that.

“Oh please! It would be just as much your space as it is mine.” As soon as the words left her mouth, a thought popped into her head. Smirking, she continued. “That said, I should warn you that I do have to dogs who would require lots of cuddles and attention while I’m working, so you would be doing me a huge favor by being around.”

[bidoctor]

[austen-emily]

Charlie​:

xoxoxo

Another groan of deep satisfaction escaped Austen’s lips as she let him hook her leg around his waist. Her breath hitched at the feeling of his warm hands tracing along her torso, happy that she had opted for a thin black jersey bra, instead of the padded workout one she usually wore on duty. She felt a sudden hesitation in his kiss and smirked against his lips. Something in that made Austen wonder if he was having reservations, and she was now determined to ease him however she could. He had glanced at the door, and Austen had ignored an urge to do the same when they first started kissing, but now decided it wouldn’t do them any good to keep it open. The woman pulled back, her lips making a puckered pop. She shot Charlie a quick glance, indicating to ‘hold on’ and pranced to the the door.

Once confirming the door was secure, Austen slowly turned on her heel and locked her eyes on the bartender’s. Mustering her courage back up, she smiled and slowly rid herself of her t-shirt, her perky breasts bouncing slightly with the movement. She took a deep breath as she tossed her shirt on the chair and approached Charlie again. “Whatever happens, I need you to know that I trust you, and I want this just as badly as I know you do.”

[austen-emily]

Charlie​:

It didn’t take long for Austen to appear at the office door, breezing past Charlie as he tapped his pretend watch. He let himself be led into the room, using his free hand to shut the door behind him. Inside the office it was a bit dark, no lights turned on except for the old desk lamp in the corner that cast a dim glow over the furniture and papers spread about. The ambiance of the lowlight only added to the feeling of secrecy, and he watched Austen carefully as she took her place behind the desk. 

“Well,” he echoed, tone hushed. A few more steps brought him to the other side of the desk, now only a narrow space between them. He lifted one hand to cup the curve of her jaw while the other met her waist and he pulled her in, connecting in a kiss. He took it slow but kept her close, the hand at her waist moving to the small of her back in an easy movement. Maybe he didn’t know where the night would end, but he knew a thing or two about how it was going to start.

xoxoxo

Austen watched through hooded eyes as Charlie rounded the desk towards her. As he cupped her face, her eyes widened and waited as his lips descended onto her own. His kiss was tender yet determined, and Austen found herself kissing him back with just as much fervor. She let him part her lips and explore, reveling in the taste of whiskey on his breath.

Even though the idea of a hookup had been the furthest thing from her mind when Austen left the hospital earlier, she had initially been anxious to join Charlie in his office. After all, she had not so much as hugged a man since she’d lived here. Luckily her anxiety floated away as soon as their lips had touched, and her inner wanton jumped out almost immediately. As their kissing continued, Austen found herself with her back to his desk. Expertly, and without breaking the kiss, she maneuvered herself to sit atop, legs spread. She moaned when his teeth grazed her jaw and her hands drifted from Charlie’s shoulders down to his waist.

[austen-emily]

Charlie​:

Charlie was finding himself in a tricky situation. On one hand, Austen was beautiful, knew what she wanted(at least in the moment), and was single as far as he knew. On the other hand, she was young and technically a customer, which is where the line blurred. Truthfully, it wouldn’t be the first time he’d acted somewhat ungentlemanly with a patron, but he was usually careful about making sure it was at least appropriate. Still, though, she was right in front of him, dark eyes meeting his with a look that was hard to resist.

“Well, then, I’d be crazy to say no,” he mused, taking a step back. At a somewhat leisurely pace, he put his bottles and glasses away and emerged from behind the bar. He gave Austen a quick glance before making his way towards the back, not wanting to attract any prying eyes that might question him disappearing with her, and then leaned against the wall near his office, waiting to see if she was as serious as she sounded.

xoxoxo

When Charlie replied in that smoldering whisper, Austen’s entire body was set aflame. Her fingertips ached in anticipation. Her eyes followed him as he began to reorganize behind the bar, not daring to look away for fear she might miss something. The look he gave her, propped up against the wall by his office door was unmistakable. Part of Austen wondered if this was a test, if he was suddenly going to burst out laughing as if he had been messing with her the whole time. Well, there was only one way to find out.

After taking one last look around the room, Austen hopped down from the talk bar stool. The warmth of the whiskey coursed through her veins and she snuck past Charlie, into his office, taking his hand and pulling him along inside. Once they were alone, Austen rounded the desk, laying her palms flat against the top. “Well?” She mused.

[austen-emily]

Charlie​:

Charlie finished off his bourbon with a quick tilt of his head. It certainly seemed like Austen knew what she wanted, but he was somewhat skeptical. He had been expecting her to turn down his offer to walk her home, but instead she raised the stakes even higher with her bold suggestion. After all, it wasn’t unusual for people to flirt with him on the job, though they were usually a few drinks deeper and a little less serious.

Scratching his beard thoughtfully, he looked in the direction of the office and then back at her. “Are you sure you want me to take you anywhere in the first place?” he asked as he leaned his palms on the bar to get a little closer. “It’s not the alcohol talkin’, hmm?”

xoxoxo

The look of sudden confusion on Charlie’s face made Austen’s heart sink. He was clearly contemplating something. She took another swig of bourbon and nervously licked the spicy beverage from her lips, trying to keep a straight face to hide her racing thoughts. She’d blown it, of course; she always does. It’s why she hasn’t had a successful hookup since living in LA.

When Charlie turned back, Austen felt hopeful. She sighed in relief and shook her head. “I mean, the vodka certainly helped, and I didn’t quite come here with any specific intention…” but the way your arms look with those sleeves rolled up….she thought privately. And no, it wasn’t the alcohol. The nurse had managed to snag a few slices of pizza from the break room between patients. Austen bit her lip. “But, I can confidently say… yes, I do.”

[austen-emily]

Charlie​:

Charlie could only watch as Austen tied the cherry stem into a knot, a trick that he had seen plenty before but enjoyed every time. This side of Austen was new to him– usually she was just nice, polite, and even though their conversations had been maybe a bit flirty before, she’d never been so forward. For once, he was grateful that the bar was empty.

“I don’t know what I thought, but I can imagine a couple things,” he said, attention lingering on the stem before traveling back up to meet her eyes. Normally he didn’t like to drink on the job, but decided to make an exception and grabbed a bottle of bourbon, pouring a glass for each of them. “I’d love to hear more about it, but this is my place of business…” His voice trailed off teasingly and he took a sip. “Maybe I should walk you home.”

xoxoxo

The anxiety that had started to drip down her spine evaporated when Charlie flashed a smoldering half smile and filled a small tumbler with the amber liquid. Her confidence was boosted further at the fact that he was sharing his favorite brand of bourbon, one he had mentioned a time or two before. 

Austen tipped the whiskey up sipped slowly. She licked her lips and cocked her head to the side. Was this really happening? Were her calculated flirtations really paying off? She told herself to keep it casual. Looking around, she noticed that the only patrons left in the bar were the regulars; men who were waiting for their wives to come pick them up. After another long sip, she sighed and lifted a brow. “I know you’ve got a perfectly good office back there, are you sure you’d rather take me all the way home?”

[austen-emily]

James​:

“It’s alright, no harm done. I guess we’re both so taken in by the art, huh?” James flashed her a smile. He could see it on her face… the slow realisation. She hadn’t gotten to it yet, or it was just outside of her full comprehension, like when you try to remember a particular, perfect word but it eluded just enough that it bugged you. 

“James Westwood. Carpenter, painter, decorator.” James offered his hand for her to shake with a smile. “And you might be…?”

xoxoxo

No, he definitely wasn’t a local. He couldn’t have been. HIs face was way too familiar, but distantly so. Either way the guy had introduced himself, and clearly wasn’t about to give into her doubt, so Austen smiled politely. She nodded, taking his hand. “I’m..sorry, again,” she laughed. “You just look like someone I know, but I suppose I’m wrong. it’s nice to meet you, James.” Austen took his hand and shook it lightly. She looked to the art piece in front of them and then back to him. “You seem creative. Do you paint on canvas or on houses?”

[austen-emily]

Celeste

“I am?” Celeste blinked for a moment. “I mean, I’ve been around… Well, actually I’ve never left Bradford Springs…” She shrugged softly. “Just never happened I guess.” She dismissed the thought to try and focus at the task in hand - getting out of that grungy house that her dad was living in. “Why thank you! I love yours as well!” 

Excitedly, she took a look at the pictures and her jaw dropped. It was honestly everything that she could have ever dreamed of. “Oh my god…  this is gorgeous.” Her eyes widened as she looked back at Austen. “You own this? Oh my god. That must have cost… a lot.” She gulped. “I, uh… Currently I’m working at the Willow Boutique. I also am trying to get a career in fashion underway. I have a few feelers out with tailoring things for people. I have some savings since I’ve been living with my dad. I can get another job though!” 

xoxoxo

“Yeah, you’ve definitely fitted me for a dress at the Willow.” Austen admitted, trying to remember if she had even gotten a chance to wear said dress. “I don’t get out much, so when I do, I tend to remember things well.”

There was an awkward pang in her chest when showing the prospective roommate the actual house. It was definitely more space than she needed, or deserved, but it was the first one she found when house hunting she fell in love with it. It was also a bonus that she was able to customize it to her liking, as it was newly built. “My dad left me his business when he passed and it sold for….more money than I imagined it would, so I had a lot to work with.” Austen hoped this didn’t come of snooty. That was the last thing she wanted Celeste to think. “If you’re not comfortable with the rent, I don’t mind going lower.”