Page 33 of Fall I Want
Julie
Think about every man you’ve ever had a crush on and fell madly in love with. What do they have in common?
Autumn
They were all tall with dark hair. Muscles.
Julie
No. The relationship has ALWAYS started with pumpkin bread and has since we were teenagers! It’s a dead giveaway, almost like an omen. Or maybe it’s one of your cycles. Fuck, for all I know you’ve been putting a love potion inside of it.
I stand and pace the small space, replaying it all. Shit.Shit!
“Autumn!” I hear someone yell from the street, and I move to the window.
When I see Blaire, I let out a relieved sigh. She’s carrying several reusable grocery bags and they’re packed full. The leaves of a celery stalk stick out of the top of the one that’s swung over her shoulder.
Seeing her in passing is normal since she lives a few blocks away above the antique shop at the corner. She has a better view of the town square from her place than I do, and it’s much bigger. After the breakup, she convinced me to move close to Main Street and I don’t regret it.
“What are you doing?” she asks with concern in her tone.
“Melting down,” I admit.
“I can see that.” She nervously chuckles. “Or you’re trying to get more steps after your six-mile run? It’s one or the other, and based on the look on your face, I’d be willing to bet it’s a meltdown.”
I groan and plop back down in my seat, leaning my head against the wall with my eyes closed.
“Do you want me to come up? I have some time to chat.”
I focus on her. “Just tell me this one thing: When you think about me and pumpkin bread, what comes to mind?”
“Easy. Love.” She laughs.
My eyes widen and I place my face in my hands.
“Holy shit. You made him a love loaf!” She’s giddy and hops around in a circle as tourists walk past her. “Yay!”
“Oh, my God!You have a nickname for it? I cannot do this. This is how it starts. This is how it always starts. He just needs a friend. That’s it!”
“Hey, don’t worry about it.” She keeps her tone soft as she sets down her bags, giving her arm a rest. “You’re cursed, remember? Or maybe he’s the man who will help you break it?”
“This cannot be happening.”
She lifts her grocery sacks to her shoulders. “I’m coming up.”
“No, no. I’ll be fine. But can you keep this to yourself? Please?”
“Sure. Now, get out of your head. What’s the worst that could happen? You’ve got this!” She smiles and waltzes into the crowd. “I’m so jealous,” she yells back toward me.
I let out a calm breath, wishing I knew pumpkin bread was a tell. I just wanted to cheer him up, but even now, I don’t know if I did. He could’ve trashed my love loaf.
After another minute of being lost in my head, I pick up my phone and click on his contact again. Counting down from three to one, I type the first thing that comes to mind and press send.
Autumn
Hey, this is my number!
Thirty minutes pass and I don’t receive a text back. I watch the sun fade on the horizon, and when the streetlights cast warm rays on the ground, I close the window and bring down the blinds.
