All Autumn

by Sandra Owens

  The door opened, and Savannah slipped in. She rushed to us, then pulled us into a hug. “You look so beautiful, Jenn. Please be happy.”

  “I am and I will be.” Jenn glanced toward the door. “Where’s Jackson?”

  “Mary cornered him, so I was able to sneak away. She’s asking a thousand questions about what it takes to be a model.”

  Jenn and I laughed, and then my amusement faded. “You shouldn’t have to sneak away to see your friends, especially on one of their wedding days.”

  Savannah turned pleading eyes on me. “You don’t understand. Please, don’t hate me.”

  “We could never hate you,” Jenn said. “We’re just so worried about you, and you won’t explain anything to us.”

  “There’s nothing to explain. But I couldn’t let today go by without telling you both that I love you and miss you so much. I have to go before he comes looking for me.” Then she glanced at me. “I’ll meet you at the door to the church.”

  “Nothing to explain, my ass.” I said after she was gone. At my wedding she’d at least dressed with us, but apparently even that wasn’t allowed now.

  “She’s starting to scare me.”

  I glanced at Jenn. “Me, too. But today is your happy day. Don’t let her take that away from you, okay?”

  “You’re right. No sad pandas allowed at weddings, especially when the bride is marrying the most amazing man in the world.”

  “He is that.” He really was, and I was a little envious. I’d thought the same thing on my wedding day. The difference was that Dylan was the real deal. He’d even followed Jenn to Greece just to tell her he loved her. That had been the most romantic thing ever.

  “I don’t care if you are on your honeymoon. I want to see pictures in my e-mail of Italy and the villa y’all rented as soon as you get there.”

  She smirked. “You might have to wait a day or two. I’m guessing I’ll be a little too”—she made air quotes—“busy to take pictures right away.”

  “Well, since it is your honeymoon . . .” I waggled my eyebrows, causing her to giggle.

  A knock sounded on the door, and I went to see who would show up next. It was her parents. Her mom and dad were the coolest people in the world, and I’d often envied her, wishing they were mine. Growing up I spent more time at Jenn’s house than my own. Her parents treated us like the kids we were, never putting us in the middle of their problems. Not once had they expected Jenn to choose between them, and I envied her for that.

  “Dylan asked me to give this to you,” her mom said, handing Jenn a small, square box. I’d intended to leave, allowing Jenn and her parents a private moment, but giving in to curiosity as to what Dylan’s wedding gift was, I stayed.

  Jenn opened the box, and her smile was as beautiful as everything else about her was on this day. With love shining in her eyes she held up heart-shaped dangling earrings that matched the emerald heart necklace he’d given her when he’d tracked her down in Greece.

  “You’re one lucky dog, Jenn,” I said to her with a smile, and then I slipped out of the room.

  She’d hit a billion-dollar lottery in Dylan Conrad. As I walked out of the hotel, heading to the wedding chapel to wait to walk down the aisle ahead of her as her maid of honor, I tried not to envy her.

  My jumbled thoughts were on my own wedding and how my dreams had been crushed by my cheating husband. I no longer missed Brian, but I did miss Connor.

  Savannah leaned against me when I stopped next to her, but she didn’t say anything. Even here where we gathered to walk down the aisle ahead of Jenn, she wasn’t free of Jackson. He stood not more than four feet away, his attention on her. Was he worried she’d say or do something he wouldn’t like? I slipped my hand down and squeezed hers, getting a squeeze back. She was breaking my heart, but I didn’t know how to help her.

  I glanced down the aisle. Dylan stood, hands clasped in front of him, his gaze intent on the entrance where I stood. He smiled, and then his eyes moved past me, waiting for his first sight of his bride.

  Connor and Adam stood next to him, and I tried not to admire how handsome they were in their black tuxes. But my eyes insisted on seeing nothing but Connor. Since that night we’d kissed a month ago, he’d made himself scarce, and I wished I knew why.

  Was our kiss so terrible that he couldn’t bear to be around me anymore?

  She was so beautiful that I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Autumn, not the bride. Although Jenn was beautiful, too. But it was Autumn I couldn’t stop looking at. She wore a strapless pale blue, knee-length dress that was a perfect match to her eyes. Her blonde hair was swept up in a fancy do, with tendrils curling around her face and down the back of her neck. My mouth watered just looking at her.

  My head was so full of Autumn that I barely heard the words of the minister as he performed the ceremony. Her gaze hadn’t once strayed to me. I hadn’t even gotten a brief smile as a longtime friend. I wanted to take her by the hand, drag her out of here, and explain why I’d been avoiding her. Would she understand that she was too much of a temptation? That if I got anywhere near her, I’d end up doing more than kissing her?

  Until her divorce was final, though, she was strictly hands off. Until Brian was completely out of the picture, I’d stay away. I didn’t sleep with married women, even ones separated from their husbands.

  I tore my gaze away from her, shifting my attention to Savannah. She was different from the Savannah I’d known in high school, more confident and polished. No surprise since she was now a famous model. She wore a dress identical to Autumn’s except it was a darker blue. Her hair was swept up in a style similar to Autumn’s.

  With her raven-black hair, unusual but beautiful gray eyes, and creamy skin, she was striking. It wasn’t a surprise that she graced the covers of magazines. But I’d noticed a few things at the rehearsal dinner. She’d been unusually quiet and distant—not like the Savannah who once easily laughed—and she had an aura of sadness about her.

  I looked at Adam to gauge his reaction to seeing the woman he’d once loved, maybe still did. His gaze was downcast, as if the floor was the most fascinating thing he’d ever seen.

  As for Savannah, I’d caught her darting glances at him and thought I’d seen longing in her eyes. Or maybe it was only regret for hurting him when she’d broken up with him that I was seeing. Whichever it was, I would never forgive her for almost destroying him.

  “I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

  At the minister’s words, I tuned back in to the ceremony. Dylan put his hands on Jenn’s cheeks, stared down at her and said, “I love you, Jenny Girl.” Then he kissed her.

  Reminded of kissing Autumn, I glanced at her to find her looking at me. As soon as our gazes collided, she turned away, shifting her attention to the bride and groom. Had that been hurt I’d seen in her eyes? I almost rolled mine. This wedding was messing with my brain. I was attributing all kinds of emotions to people’s eyes.

  I’d briefly considered explaining to Autumn why I was keeping my distance but, in the end, had decided it wouldn’t be a good idea. Getting her divorce finalized was more than enough for her to deal with right now. It wouldn’t be cool to add to her problems with a confession that I lusted after her. It could possibly ruin our friendship. So I’d keep my mouth shut and bide my time until she was Autumn Archer again.

  Later, at the reception, I managed to stay on the opposite side of the room from Autumn, figuring that if I was in her general vicinity, I’d end up dancing with her, and then I’d forget I was supposed to be keeping my distance. In fact, I’d been here long enough to pay my respects, so I decided to slip away.

  As I walked down the hallway of the country club, headed for the exit, I passed a door that had been left ajar, and hearing my brother’s voice. I peeked in, surprised to see Adam and Savannah standing close together, having a quiet conversation. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, and Adam’s back was to me. When he put his hand on her arm, she fl
inched.

  I gritted my teeth. Why was he even talking to the woman who’d broken his heart? Footsteps sounded, and I glanced down the hall to see Savannah’s boyfriend walking toward me. Before he could discover Adam and Savannah together, I headed his way.

  “Jackson, you look lost.” There was something about the man I didn’t like. For one thing he never let Savannah out of his sight. I’d come to the conclusion that he was a controlling bastard.

  “I’m looking for Savannah. You see her around?”

  “Ah, yeah, not five minutes ago. She was out on the patio. Said she wanted a little fresh air. Come on. I’ll show you where the patio is.”

  Back in the main room, I pointed to the French doors on the other side of the dance floor. “She was out there.”

  As soon as he walked away, I took out my phone and texted Adam.

  Jackson’s looking for S

  He didn’t answer, but a few minutes later Savannah appeared. “I told him you were out on the patio,” I said as I walked past her, not waiting for a response as I went in search of my brother.

  I caught up with him in the parking lot. “Leaving?”

  “Yeah.” He clicked the remote on his car.

  “You okay?”

  “I’m fine.”

  He wasn’t. I could read him like a book. “I’m out of here, too. Want to go get a beer?”

  He paused with his hand on the door handle. “Not tonight.”

  I stood in the parking lot of the country club and watched his car as he drove away. From the day we’d popped out of our mother’s womb, Adam and I had shared our thoughts, our dreams, our problems. Until Savannah. He’d refused to tell me what she said when she broke up with him, and he wasn’t sharing what was going on in his head now. As far as I was concerned, she couldn’t return to New York soon enough.

  We were a pair, Adam and I, apparently both wanting women we couldn’t have.

  14

  ~ Connor ~

  One year and fifty-two days after the kiss. It had felt like a lifetime. Since the night we’d kissed, I’d avoided Autumn as much as a man can avoid a woman in a small town. It hadn’t been easy to stay away from her. I still saw her during that time, but never alone.

  As for vowing to protect Autumn, I’d done that from afar. No one knew I’d paid a little visit to Brian a few days after I’d kissed her. My warning that I was keeping an eye on him and that he’d better leave her alone seemed to have worked.

  It was something of a surprise that a year had passed, and my desire for her hadn’t cooled off. I’d even gone to Asheville, to a few clubs on occasion, thinking I’d hook up and would get her out of my system. But my heart hadn’t been in it, and I’d done nothing more than buy drinks for a few girls and dance a little.

  Then I’d come home alone.

  But Autumn’s divorce had been final yesterday, so game on. As that day neared, I’d given a lot of thought to what I wanted from her. Answer? I didn’t know. All I did know was that she was the only woman I wanted in my bed.

  Adam was the one who’d wanted to be in love, and look what that had gotten him. A broken heart. Watching how Savannah had almost destroyed him had taught me one thing. Never allow a woman to have that kind of power over you.

  Autumn had said men were good for one thing, that as far as she was concerned, they existed for her personal enjoyment. “End of story,” she’d said.

  I hadn’t heard any doubt in her voice that she meant that, and as far as I was concerned, she could enjoy me to her heart’s content. It was the perfect setup. Because of Brian, she was as soured on love as I was. We were friends, liked each other, understood each other, and most importantly we had chemistry. At least I hoped all these things were still true. Maybe she thought I wasn’t such a good friend after avoiding her all this time.

  The chemistry was there, for sure. Throughout the past year, whenever we were in the same room, something was there between us, something sizzling on the back burner.

  She was having a divorce party at her house tonight, and my time avoiding her was over.

  The party had been going on for two hours, and I’d stayed back, prowling through Autumn’s house like a hungry wolf with his eyes on the prize. The prize Gary Smith, the country club’s property manager, was trying to steal from me. The man had been following her around all night like a lovesick puppy.

  She’d finished the remodel on the country club, and the results were spectacular. The mayor’s wife had been so impressed that she hired Autumn to redo their house. As soon as Adam had finished Dylan and Jenn’s log home, they’d asked Autumn to decorate it. She’d reached a point where she now had a waiting list and not just folks from Blue Ridge Valley. People in surrounding towns had heard about her and were hiring her or trying to.

  It was a chilly late spring night on her back deck where she had a fire pit burning. Some of her guests were roasting marshmallows for s’mores, while others were drinking mulled wine or beer. Everyone was loose and happy. Well, everyone but me. Gary leaned his mouth close to Autumn’s ear and whispered something that made her laugh.

  “They’d make pretty babies,” Mary said, sidling up next to me, interrupting the plan I was developing in my mind on how to get away with killing Gary Smith.

  I grunted.

  She smirked up at me. “Thought that was how the wind blew. You need to get your head out of your butt, Connor Hunter, and claim that girl before some other dude does.”

  “Dude?”

  “Exactly. Like that one hovering over her right now. Never trust a man with beady eyes.” She tottered off on glittery purple heels.

  I shook my head, smiling at her retreating back. Tonight her hair was rainbow colored: blue, purple, green, and pink. A gay couple had recently moved into the valley, which had stirred some talk. Mary was rainbow themed—from her head to her feet—to support our LGBT community, all two of them.

  I studied Gary Smith’s eyes. Yep, they were beady all right and, at the moment, staring down Autumn’s tank top. When he slung an arm around her shoulder, I decided it was time to separate my girl from the invading weasel. As I took a step toward her, Brian staggered around the corner of the house.

  “Get your hands off my wife,” he yelled, his words slurred.

  Gary raised his arms, backing away from Autumn. “Hands are off.” Still holding them up, he waved his fingers. “See.”

  What a douchebag. I stepped next to Autumn. “You need to leave, Brian,” I said, keeping my voice low, trying not to attract more attention than Autumn and Brian were already getting. Autumn had a large crowd here tonight, and by the pink traveling up her neck and on her cheeks, she was embarrassed.

  Brian sneered. “You gonna make me?”

  “No, but I am,” Dylan said, moving in front of Autumn.

  “I just want to talk to my wife.” He swayed, doing a shuffle to keep from falling on his ass.

  “Well I don’t want to talk to you.” Autumn scowled. “And as of yesterday I’m not your wife.”

  “You’re as drunk as a skunk that got into Hamburger’s stash,” Dylan said. “Tell me you didn’t drive here.”

  Adam appeared next to me. “His car’s out front, Chief. How about you drive him home? I’ll follow and bring you back.”

  “Better yet, how about he spends a night in a jail cell contemplating the reasons why he shouldn’t be driving a car in his condition,” Dylan said.

  As efficiently as a team of SEALs on a mission, Adam and Dylan flanked Brian and had him out of here before most of Autumn’s guests knew he’d crashed her party. Enough had seen and heard, though, and the story would spread. But no one would blame Autumn for Brian’s idiocy. Honestly I got why he’d shown up in that condition. He was now officially divorced from an amazing woman. Losing Autumn would definitely have a man thinking it was a good idea to drown his sorrows in drink.

  “You okay?” I asked her.

  She scoffed. “Other than embarrassed, yeah, I’m fine. I just want him t
o leave me alone. Is that too much to ask?”

  “Nope.” This was the closest I’d been to her since the night we’d kissed, the first time I’d caught her cinnamon-and-apples scent in a little over a year. I’d missed everything about her, from her scent to the way her blue eyes lit up when she was happy. I wanted to be the one to put that light back in her eyes.

  “Wow, what a jerk,” Jenn said, coming up to Autumn and giving her a hug. “You okay, hon?”

  “Yeah, but I’m ready for everyone to go home.”

  “I’ll take care of it. Why don’t you go inside?” Jenn glanced at me.

  Getting the message, I nodded. “I’ll stay with her.” I picked up her hand and slipped her arm around mine.

  I leaned over, breathing her in. She smelled tongue-licking delicious. What was it about her that had me even dreaming about her? I’d never dreamed about a woman before. It was disturbing.

  “Hey, babe. Not cool of your ex showing up like that,” Gary said, blocking our path to the French doors. He held up a beer. “Brought you a brew.”

  Autumn shook her head. “No thanks.”

  “Come on, party’s just getting started.”

  I pushed his bottle-holding hand away from her face. “She said no.” Jackass. “Party’s over. Go home.”

  “But—”

  I bumped him out of the way with my shoulder. We entered her house, and I pulled her to a stop. “Tell me you don’t have the hots for him.”

  15

  ~ Autumn ~

  “So what if I do?” Connor hadn’t come within twenty feet of me since the night he’d kissed me. Even a year later I could still feel his lips on mine if I closed my eyes. It made me angry that I’d done that a lot since then, mostly late at night when I couldn’t sleep.

  Brian had been a total pain the first month, and then he’d miraculously disappeared. Strange that. I did suspect that the late-night breathing-in-my-ears phone calls were from him, so I blocked his number. The only reason he’d finally agreed to sign the divorce papers was because I’d threatened to have my attorney subpoena the women he’d slept with after we’d gotten engaged and after we’d married.