Page 56 of Falling for Autumn Again

“You didn’t ask for a straightforward answer,” Dessie says. “You asked for a simple one.”

Autumn groans—loudly. It’s easy to imagine her eyes rolling back as she stares up at the barn rafters. “Fine. Can you please give me the straightforward answer? Did you hire Ezra for this job to try and reunite us? You know, with hopes for something more?”

“Huh,” I murmur. I’d like to know that too.

“Sort of,” Dessie says, her tone nonchalant and unworried over Autumn’s wrath. That woman fears nothing. And I love her for it.

“Dessie!” Autumn wails. “That’s not straightforward. That’s just as confusing asmaybe!”

“Fine, I will clear it up for you. Don ran into Ezra’s aunt—you know, from Iowa? He was out there for that convention a few months back.”

“Marilynn?” Autumn and I say at the same time.

I lift my head, listening a little more intently than I was a second ago. Sure, I should probably show myself, but I wouldn’t mind getting these answers too.

“Yes, that’s her name,” Dessie says. “We met her all those years ago when she came out for graduation. Sweet thing. I think she always wanted Ezra to go stay with her. She loves that kid.”

She did. Aunt Marilynn had offered to let me come live with her multiple times. She knew how bad things were with Mav. But by then, I had Autumn and I didn’t want to leave.

“Well, she and Don got talking. Of course, he asked about Ezra. She told him how gifted Ez is and even showed him a few of his buildings. He thought of our project.” Dessie clears her throat—audibly. “And of our Autumn.”

“Nooo,” Autumn says, low and deep. “He didn’t.”

“Well… maybe he didn’t at first, but as soon as I brought it up, he sure did. So, see?Sort ofwas a very straightforward answer."

“Dessie Linus, you are officially no longer my best friend.”

“Oh pish posh, I’m more of a mama than a friend. Besides, I haven’t been your best friend since Meg Miller moved into town.”

“Well, Meg moved away and you were next in line for the job. But no more. You are no longer in the running!”

“That’s fine,” Dessie says. “I knew you regretted sending that boy away the minute you did.”

She did? I hoped. But shedid. Dessie says so. Dessie’s word is like the Bible. It’s law. If Dessie says Autumn felt regret, I believe her.

“I didn’t send him away,” Autumn says. “I did what I had to do. It doesn’t matter anyway. We’ve both changed. We’re different people. He’ll go back to New York.” But her voice falters on the words. She knows I have nothing to go back to. “And I’ll stay here.”

“That sounds like a terrible idea,” Dessie says.

And I couldn’t agree more.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Ezra

I havethree years of experience sneaking out the back of this barn—and I hone into that now. With only a few creaks, I find my way out the back door and around to the front. This way, Autumn has no idea I’ve heard their conversation.

I am innocent.

I push my way into the big sliding barn door and grin ear to ear. That face screams innocent, right? “Hey, ladies.”

“Ezra,” Dessie says, her voice as sugary as maple syrup. She cups a hand to my face and tugs me down to her, kissing me on the apple of my cheek before releasing me. “How’s my boy?”

“Good. I’m good.” My breath is winded from climbing over Don’s wood chipper and hauling around to the front of the barn. “How are you?” I ask Dessie, but my eyes find Autumn’s. Before Dessie can answer, I’m talking again. “How’s your foot?”

“What happened to Autumn’s foot?” Dessie asks me, as if Autumn may struggle to answer.

“Uh, she got a needle stuck in her heel before I had a chance to pick her up.”

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