Page 49 of Hearts Like Hers

“So, sheworksfor you?”

“No, no. Kate’s a firefighter. Fights actualfires with her bare hands. Was just helping out this morning.”

“Gives them a little more time together,”Steve said, leaning into the conversation and joining Autumn in her fantasticallie.

Olivia nodded slowly. “I would imagine so.”

“About the gym, though,” Autumn said. “Ithink I’m gonna pass. I have so much on my plate right now with the shop andKate and, you know, I’m getting quite a workout already…in other ways.”

“Plus, the baby,” Steve supplied.

“What baby?” Olivia asked.

Autumn sent Steve a look and he guiltilybusied himself at the counter. “Not a big deal. I’m working on gettingpregnant.”

“Whoa. A new relationship and a baby all atonce. This little visit was more than I bargained for,” Olivia said with amystified grin. She held up the to-go cup that Steve had slid her way. “Reallyhappy I stopped in here. Wow. A baby. And a firefighter.”

Autumn nodded seriously. “It was a busyspring.”

“Apparently. Take care, Autumn.”

“Yep. You too. My love to Betsy,” she calledafter her brightly.

The glass door closed behind Olivia, andAutumn and Steve turned to each other with holy-hell looks mirrored on theirfaces. Autumn couldn’t hold back the triumphant smile if it killed her.

“That was amazing,” Steve said, walking in asmall circle, both hands shading his eyes. “I wish I had it on tape. I need areplay.”

Autumn nodded. “Maybe one of the mostsatisfying moments of my adult life. I’m a no-good liar probably bound for hellfor that, but I don’t even care. Where’s my handbasket? Sign me up.”

“And what about Kate?” Steve said, pointingemphatically to the spot where she’d owned Autumn in broad daylight. “Shedidn’t miss a beat. Who knew she was that good an actress?”

“Not me,” Autumn said, inadvertently touchingher still-sensitive lips. Was it possible to hold in a kiss? To keep it withyou for a little while longer? She’d certainly like to try. And then Autumnrealized that was the second time this week that Kate had gone out of her way tosave her, to do something nice for her when she could really use it. She neededto acknowledge that, say thank you, even if it didn’t seem like much. “You knowwhat? I’ll be right back,” she told Steve, who nodded back knowingly.

Moments later, Kate was quick to answer thedoor and smiled uneasily when she saw Autumn. “Before you say anything, I get Iwas out of line. I just wasn’t okay with the way your ex was—”

“Thank you,” Autumn said, before she couldeven finish the sentence. She was beaming. That much she knew. “A millionthank-yous for what you did back there.”

“Oh.” Kate took a moment with that one.“Really? In that case, you’re welcome.”

“But you’re off the hook tonight. I’mcertainly not expecting you to—”

“What if I don’t want to be off the hook?”

Now it was her turn to say it. “Oh.”

Kate stepped outside of the apartment. “It’dbe nice to get out, if I’m telling the truth. Doesn’t have to be a bigproduction. Maybe we could take a walk on the beach?”

“We can, and I’ll even do you one better. Howabout I bring dinner?”

“Dinner on the beach? Can’t say I’ve everdone that before. That would be…great. Yeah, let’s do it.”

“Great.”

“Great.”

They’d turned into idiots. It had finallyhappened.

Autumn nodded several times, not at all surewhat they were doing but excited by it at the same damn time. “Let’s make itsix thirty, just to be safe. I’ll pick you up then.”

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