Page 17 of Sins of Autumn

Why the hell was heartbreak this hard? I shouldn’t have had to force myself to be in this moment with them. It felt wrong, like I was trying to play a part I wasn’t ready for.

I loved these two all the more for the simple fact they weren’t pressuring me to be okay; they were just doing what they could to keep me distracted. I had a few hours yet to pull myself together and convince myself that I could survive this weekend and fucking enjoy it like I longed to do.

I was going to get drunk with my girls, eat all the food that was bad for me, sleep late, and pretend I wasn’t missing a vital piece of myself, like the absence of him hadn’t carved out something essential inside me.

CHAPTER SEVEN

The drive had been quiet for a while, the steady hum of the engine and the occasional burst of chatter from Daniella and my sister filling the car. I was zoning out with little cat naps when her phone buzzed in the cupholder.

Cherish tapped the button on the steering wheel, answering it on speaker. “What’s up?”

“Need to stop for gas,” Liza’s voice crackled through the car. “I’m running low. Let’s pull off at the next exit.”

Cherish glanced at me, raising a brow as if to ask if we were good with that. I nodded, and she responded, “Got it. We passed a sign about fifteen minutes ago. There’s a station two miles up. Meet us there.”

“I’ll just follow you, speed demon,” Liza teased before ending the call.

“I should have mentioned this way earlier, but what do we think of Liza bringing stray dicks on our trip?” Cherish asked.

After processing her stray dick comment, I shrugged, pretending to be unbothered. “I mean, if we’re stuck with them, we’re stuck with them.”

“You wanna call dibs?” Daniella asked curiously.

I turned and stared at her, deadpan. “I havezerointerest in men.”

“Same here,” Cherish added, her tone dry as she kept her eyes on the road. “Plus, none of them look like they manscape.”

“Same,” Cherish added dryly, keeping her eyes on the road. “Plus, none of them look like they manscape.”

Daniella gasped in mock horror. “Manscape?”

“Yeah. It’s like going to a fancy restaurant, getting your food, and then finding a hair in it. I’m not willingly putting myself through that,” my sister explained.

I bit my lip to stifle a laugh, my mind wandering right to Wilder.

He always kept himself together down there. Not barren or anything, but it wasn’t a jungle I had to battle when his dick was down my throat.

Daniella sighed dramatically, pulling me from my thoughts. “I’m just saying, a little road trip romance never hurt anyone.”

“Yeah, except for the fact that this is supposed to be agirls’trip. You know, bonding, relaxation—not scoping out guys or riding them.”

“I’ve said my piece,” my sister stated.

“I bet at least one of them is surprisingly well-kept. Like, diamond-in-the-rough vibes.”

Cherish laughed and hit her signal for our exit. The gas station came into view as soon as she took the next right off the ramp. It was a small, run-down place with only a couple of pumps and a convenience store that looked like it hadn’t been updated since the early 90s.

“Cue horror movie intro,” Daniella mumbled.

“Don’t jinx us,” I chastised playfully, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

I actually kinda agreed, though. The bright sun didn’t do much to ease the creeping unease that settled over me as we pulled into the lot. The place felt unnaturally quiet. It was no surprise there weren’t card readers, and you had to pay inside.

Everyone climbed out, stretching and shaking off the hours of driving. Liza rounded the Jeep, her long blonde curls catching the sunlight as she called out, “We’re grabbing snacks. Anyone need anything?”

“I’ll take a brisk tea if they have it,” I replied, clipping Moose’s lead onto his thick collar. He hopped out of the car eagerly, sniffing at the air with his stubby tail wagging. “I’m taking him around back.”

“I’ll get your tea,” Cherish said as she lifted her shades, scanning the lot briefly before heading toward the store with Daniella and Liza.

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