The Edge of Autumn

by Rachel Auld

  I wanted to take her into my arms and kiss her silly, but I was all too aware of her mother’s eyes upon us. I forced myself to breathe normally and stepped forward to take Sara’s hands in mine. “You. Look. Amazing,” I whispered.

  Her blush deepened and she gave me a quick, hard kiss, ignoring her mother and Nelson. “You clean up pretty nicely yourself, Holmes,” she replied, the look in her eyes heating my blood to a low simmer. I wasn’t sure how much of that look I could take without embarrassing myself.

  A wispy curl fell against her temple and I squeezed her hands. “Ready to roll?” I asked.

  She nodded, then surveyed Nelson’s wardrobe choices with a critical eye. “Oh, Nelly boy,” she said with a sigh.

  Nelson glared. “I told you never to call me that again, Sara Bear,” he growled, but Mrs. Matthews laughed and he couldn’t hold back a grin.

  Sara grabbed a small black sequinned purse from the side table and kissed her mother’s cheek. “Don’t stay out too late,” Mrs. Matthews said in a tone that made it clear she didn’t think we would obey. Sara had insisted she had no particular curfew as long as she let her mom know what to expect—and, of course, with the fervent promise that we would not be drinking or getting into a vehicle with anyone who had been. None of us had hesitated at all in making that particular vow, and I had privately assured Mrs. Matthews that I wasn’t that kind of guy when I’d left earlier in the week. She’d smiled and laid her hand on my cheek, replying simply with, “I know, Travis.”

  The three of us posed for a few photos on the front porch, followed by a goofy selfie once we’d piled into my car. Nelson’s long limbs took up nearly the whole back seat, but he had insisted it was only right for Sara sit up front with me when she teased him about it. “Just don’t do anything kinky while I’m in the car, ‘k?” he joked. I waggled my eyebrows at Sara and she giggled. It was hard for me to imagine that she wasn’t nervous about the evening, but if she was, it was completely hidden under her insanely beautiful, utterly composed exterior.

  The drive to the school was brief, the car filled with Sara’s musical laughter and Nelson’s quips. My heart felt light as we parked the car and strolled toward the gym, arm in arm like three mismatched Musketeers. Even the sight of Jay’s flamboyant Ferrari in the parking lot wasn’t enough to dampen my mood. It wasn’t until a hush fell over the throng of students inside that I had to fight the urge to scoop Sara into my arms and hightail it out of there.

  Nelson had entered the gym behind us and his presence at my back was reassuring, as was the tight squeeze of Sara’s small hand in mine. “We’re good,” she breathed, loud enough only for my ears. I nodded and squeezed her back. Though it felt like a lifetime, it was only a minute before the roar of chatter resumed across the gym. I could feel the vibration of the bass from the sound system rattling from the floor up into my bones and it seemed that the pounding beat matched that of my heart.

  Sara seemed rooted to the spot, her gaze fluttering across the crowd. I thought I glimpsed a few friendly faces, but the colored strobe lights and flickering shadows from the decorations we had painted made it hard to tell. It wasn’t until Nelson skirted around us and nodded his head toward the refreshment table that we were jarred into action.

  The table was laden with a variety of desserts, cider, and punch. I grabbed two cups of cider and we followed obediently behind Nelson—his own hands full of a plate piled high with treats and a cup of light pink punch—as he led us to the side of the gym furthest from the DJ. It was slightly quieter there and we found some small tables set up along the wall where we could sit. I had to force my gaze from the sight of Sara’s bare thigh as she crossed her legs, then felt my face heat when I met her eyes. I expected an admonishing look, but instead she lifted a brow and shifted ever so slightly, causing her bejeweled hemline to creep another inch along her skin.

  Nelson, seemingly oblivious to the entire exchange, had already shoveled down every bite of food on his plate. He tossed it into a nearby trash can and waved to someone across the gym. “If you two lovebirds are done eyeing each other up, let’s get this party started, huh?”

  Sara laughed, tugging her dress into place as she stood. She took a hold of my tie and pulled gently until I was standing before her, then slid her arms around my neck and kissed me, the kind of kiss I’d longed for when she stepped into view back at her house. Dimly, I heard Nelson groan, but the feel of her warm flesh beneath the slippery satin of her dress prevented me from issuing a comeback.

  Satisfied with the effect of her kiss, both on me and on Nelson, who pretended to dry heave, she stepped back and took my hand to follow him through the crowd. Apparently he hadn’t been the only onlooker, though—a dozen nearby students gaped at us and whispered to each other. It was hard to see in the strange lighting, but I thought Sara’s blush deepened. Her chin lifted in obvious challenge and even in the dark I could see her eyes flash with determination.

  We wove our way through the crowd, stopping when Nelson paused to say hello here and there. A few students offered welcoming smiles to Sara and she graciously murmured a few words of thanks. She looked regal, graceful, like a queen returning to serve her doting subjects. I almost laughed at the thought, so far from the truth that it was comical. These kids had snubbed her, ignored her, trash-talked behind her back for over two years. They’re lucky she’s willing to accept them back into her life, I thought fiercely. She must have felt the emotion running through me because she squeezed my hand tightly even as she made small talk with a brunette I didn’t recognize.

  I forced myself to take a deep breath and at least attempt to smile at the small group of well-wishers. We meandered on through the crowd until Nelson stopped so abruptly that I bumped into him. Sara’s eyes twinkled up at me for a heartbeat before she discerned a voice over the music and turned sharply toward Nelson. He was speaking to a short, dark-haired guy with a sour look on his face. Sara’s expression had gone utterly blank, but her fingers twitched against mine and I could feel the tension radiating from her. After a minute or two, Nelson turned to Sara with a smile. The dude’s expression had shifted to grudging acceptance and he mumbled a few words to her. She nodded and shook his hand, as though sealing a peace treaty.

  I couldn’t make out anything they’d said over the throb of the music, but Sara’s shoulders relaxed a bit, so I assumed it was good news for us. She rose up on tiptoe to murmur in my ear, “Tell you later.”

  I nodded and poked Nelson in the ribs. “I’m going to dance with my girlfriend,” I called loudly. He grinned and gave me a thumbs up before melting into the crowd.

  Sara laughed when I twirled her and pulled her close against me. “I trust you do actually know how to dance?” she queried.

  I dipped her, admiring the long line of her throat as she leaned back almost to the floor, then pulled her up against my chest. She gave a delighted laugh. “I’ll take that as a yes!”

  And so we danced. With Sara in my arms, I was able to pretend the rest of the students clustered about the gymnasium were just a blur as we spun and laughed and kissed until we were both breathless with it. The satin of her dress slipped beneath my fingers, whispered across the fabric of my shirt. I forgot all about gossip and lame decorations; all I could do was savor every moment of this.

  After a nineties soft rock ballad ended, Sara leaned close to say she was thirsty. I bowed, drinking in the sound of her responding giggle, and offered her my arm as we made a beeline for the refreshments table. I saw no sign of Nelson along the way but was confident that he could handle himself. Then again, should the tide swing against Sara, I had no doubt that Nelson would be the first to resort to physical altercation. He was just as tired of being haunted by the past as Sara, I knew, but his patience was running much thinner than hers these days.

  We grabbed some cider and retreated to an open table. A particularly loud song ended and the sudden quiet was almost as jarring as the music. Multicolored strobe lights danced over Sara’s slender fo
rm as she sipped her cider, caressing her in a way that made me swallow hard and look away for a minute. A tiny smiled danced across her lips when I looked back at her and I attempted a menacing growl as I lowered my face to hers. She only laughed, capturing my face between her hands. “I do adore you,” she murmured, just loud enough for me to hear.

  Briefly, I wondered what that meant—like I was adorable in a lost puppy kind of way, or like “I love you” in the French je t’adore kind of way—but her proximity was wreaking havoc on the oxygen flow to my brain, so I stopped thinking and kissed her. I felt her body sigh against mine as my hand cupped the back of her neck. I wasn’t entirely sure where she stood on the PDA spectrum but figured groping in public was probably a bad idea and kept things strictly PG. Well, close enough.

  We separated, barely an inch between her lips and mine. I opened my mouth to speak and then a shrill voice pierced through the reverie.

  “Well, look what the cat dragged in.” It was Bianca, platinum blonde and sneering like the archetypal mean girl. Jay stood at her side, his arm around her waist. I fought back the urge to roll my eyes.

  Sara’s smile turned sickly sweet, but her blue eyes looked like shards of flint in this light. “Oh, hey Bianca. Gosh, I didn’t know you two were back together. Couldn’t get anyone else to buy you cigarettes, huh?”

  If Sara had resembled a benevolent monarch before, she was now truly the Ice Princess in the flesh. I thought maybe I should step in and say something to these clowns, but when I shifted, Sara’s restraining hand touched my arm gently. She wanted to fight her own battle. I was neither surprised nor truly disappointed—this was her battle and as much as I wanted to help her take on the world, it felt like something she needed to do for herself.

  Bianca tossed her long blonde hair and gave a slow, cruel smile. “Why don’t you crawl back into your little hole? No one wants you here.” She turned her withering gaze to me. “And please, take your pathetic boyfriend with you.”

  Sara didn’t flinch, though I scowled at the insult. “It seems like quite a few people want me here, Bianca. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t actually own this town—and neither does your, ah . . . boyfriend, is it?” She smiled sweetly. “I’m sorry, I guess I just can’t keep track of how many times you’ve dumped each other for someone else. Didn’t you date Teddy once too?” she asked, tapping her chin thoughtfully. “I guess you didn’t qualify for conjugal visits and had to find someone else to keep you company, hmm?” This was news to me, but I fought to keep my expression blank. The animosity made a whole lot more sense now. I wondered if Nelson had been intentionally vague about the subject, hoping to downplay the depth of the drama.

  Maybe it was the red strobe light, but Bianca suddenly looked like steam was about to come pouring out her ears and Jay’s expression darkened into a scowl. I tensed, recalling the scene in the grocery store that day. If my hackles had been raised then, now they were on red alert. While I had the utmost faith that Sara could take care of herself in a verbal dispute, the sudden threat of this turning physical sent adrenaline rushing through my veins. Bianca hissed in his ear—I thought it looked like “Do something!”—and Jay’s gaze turned to me.

  “You poor bastard,” he said, his voice dripping with malice. “You have no idea what this bitch is capable of.”

  I was glad the attention had shifted from Sara, though not completely certain my verbal sparring was on a level with her own. I lifted a condescending brow. “Oh, I assure you, I do know,” I said, deadpan. “She’s pretty spectacular.”

  A soft ripple of laughter spread through the small crowd around us. Jay bared his teeth in a feral grin. “Joke all you want, Holmes. She ruined my brother’s life!”

  I felt a tremor go through her and slid my arm firmly around her, tucking her against my side. “I’m pretty sure you and your brother decided to take your sense of rich boy entitlement a little too far, actually, and that your brother got exactly what he deserved for breaking the law and destroying her life, buddy.” My voice sounded icy, even to my own ears.

  Sara let out a short breath and I felt her tension ease. She looked up at me and I studied her beautiful face under the dancing rainbow of lights. The tiniest of smiles touched her lips. She mouthed, “Thank you,” and I realized just how profoundly my words had affected her. Had she really believed that she was somehow at fault, even after all these years?

  “You don’t know a damned thing about it!” Jay exclaimed, his face full of fury. He took a step toward us, but before I could react, a figure stepped between us.

  “Show’s over, folks!” called a familiar voice, and I realized it was Mr. Hall. “If you know what’s good for you, Hallowell, you’ll hit the road.” Bianca sputtered indignantly while Jay sneered, but eventually they flounced off toward the door. I wrapped my arms around Sara, pressing my lips to her forehead, and Mr. Hall turned to us.

  “Well, that was fun,” he said, his tone light. I could see concern in his eyes as he looked at Sara. “No harm done, I hope?”

  She offered a small smile. “Still in one piece,” she quipped, her tone optimistic despite the fact that she was trembling ever so slightly in my arms.

  Mr. Hall clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Well done, Holmes,” he said quietly. “But do me a favor and watch your back, will you? The Hallowells were never keen on backing down from a fight and I have a feeling you’ve just stepped right into their sights.”

  I nodded, feeling Sara’s fingers twist in the fabric of my shirt. “I will, sir,” I answered.

  He smiled kindly at us both. “It’s nice to see you again, Miss Matthews.”

  “You too, Mr. Hall,” she replied softly, then pressed her face against my chest as he walked away.

  Nelson appeared suddenly beside us. He wore a guilty expression. “Damn, guys, I’m sorry. I saw the whole thing but couldn’t get past the freaking wall of gawkers!”

  I gave him a smile to show that I wasn’t upset with him, but before I could reply, Sara’s shoulders began to shake. I drew back, afraid she was crying, but saw that she was actually quaking with laughter. Nelson and I looked at each other, baffled.

  “Holy crap,” Sara gasped when she finally stopped laughing. We both stared at her. She grinned. “Well, now that that’s done with . . . what next? I feel like we could take on the world!”

  Nelson continued to look at her as though she were insane, but I couldn’t stop myself from grinning back at her. “You’re a total badass, Sara Matthews,” I said admiringly.

  “You’re not so bad yourself, Travis Holmes,” she replied, batting her eyelashes at me. Ignoring Nelson, I bent down to kiss her.

  At first I thought it was the sound of blood rushing in my ears, but I became dimly aware that a roar had gone up around us. It was by no means unanimous, I realized when I reluctantly broke the kiss to look around us. I saw plenty of eye rolling and a few hostile glares, but from a few dozen or so students surrounding us came whistles and cheers. Sara looked flushed, even under the colored lights, but she broke into a broad smile.

  Nelson, never one to miss an opportunity for dramatics, made a broad sweep of his arm as though presenting us to the crowd. Sara and I couldn’t hold back our laughter as the cheers grew louder. She gave a dainty curtsy and I bowed low, kissing her hand before I rose and winked at her. I lifted a brow. “What would you like to do now, my beautiful Ice Princess?” I asked with a grin. “We can conquer the world, if it pleases you, or continue dancing . . . ?”

  She cocked her head, tapping her chin thoughtfully. “The world sounds tempting, but I wouldn’t turn down another slow dance or two and then maybe a stop at The Ruby for some of Lacey’s chocolate cream pie?”

  I twirled her and dipped her down low, nuzzling my nose against her exposed jaw. “You certainly know the way to a man’s heart, my dear,” I murmured. I righted her again and went immediately into the proper ballroom dancing stance we’d learned once in phys ed back in Texas. The circle around us had dispersed, co
uples and groups joining the crowd once more. I winked at her and led her in a short waltz as she giggled helplessly, waiting until the music changed to a slow dance to tug her closer and shift my grip.

  Nelson signalled to me to text him later as he melted back into the crowd. I gave a brief nod and leaned down to speak softly into Sara’s ear. “I mean it, toots, that was incredible. You’re a rockstar.”

  She laughed but made no reply, her eyes twinkling up at me under the moving lights. I kissed the tip of her nose. Life couldn’t get much better than this.

  CHAPTER 19: Friday Night

  We left the dance just after ten. The crowd had just begun to thin, groups drifting out as they headed off to hit some of the after-parties. Sara had cornered Nelson and hugged him tightly before we left, patting his cheek affectionately as they separated. He grinned at her and gave me a quick salute before he lumbered off. Sara slipped her arm into mine and we headed out into the crisp autumn night.

  Despite the street lights dotting the school parking lot, the sky was brilliantly clear. With a sigh of contentment, Sara leaned her head back, smiling up at a bright crescent moon nestled among the stars.

  Her pleasure was contagious, warming me against the chill. “God, you’re beautiful,” I said reverently.

  The sapphire of her eyes had turned to onyx in the darkness, but they twinkled up at me just the same. “You’re just drunk on watery punch,” she accused, giggling when I wrapped my arms around her. The gym had been stifling hot, but I felt her shiver against my chest.

  “You’ll catch your death!” I chastised in my best grandmother voice. “My coat’s in the car, c’mon!” I took her hand and we ran awkwardly to my mom’s car, our strides even more ridiculously mismatched than usual thanks to her heels. I grabbed my coat from the back seat and wrapped it around her before opening the passenger door and shoving her gently inside.

  I slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine, cranking the heat. Sara laughed when I rubbed my hands together in front of the vent.