Page 57 of All Autumn
“My loss then.”
We both continued waving as we talked. “How about a consolation prize? I’ll vote for you in the next election.” Actually I’d voted for him the last time around, but I didn’t want to feed his ego. Not that he had one that I could see.
“I’ll accept that prize even though it’s not the one I would have wished for.”
Lucas was a charmer all right, and although it made me feel good to have the attentions of such a hot-looking, powerful man, I couldn’t help wondering why. Surely he could have just about any woman he wanted—beautiful, sophisticated ones—so what was his interest in me, a small-town girl who had no clue how to play in the political world?
“There’s something else I want to talk to you about,” he said. “A business proposal that would be right up your alley as an interior designer.”
That got my interest. “What’s that?”
He glanced ahead. “It looks like we’re at the end of the line. I have a few loose ends to tie up first regarding what I want to discuss with you. As soon as that’s done, I’ll be able to lay it all out for you. I’ll call you, set up a meeting at your convenience.”
“Sure, that works for me.” I stifled my curiosity, but the excitement refused to be crushed. Was he buying a house in Blue Ridge Valley he wanted my interior design talents for? Decorating a senator’s house would be a huge feather in my cap.
“I’ll need your phone number.”
“Oh, right.” He pulled out his phone and entered my number in his contacts as I gave it to him.
“One other thing, Autumn. This is confidential for now. I need your word that you won’t tell anyone you might be working for me. It would cause too much speculation.”
“You have my word.” That was easy. I knew how to keep secrets.
“Thank you. And by the way, that includes Mr. Hunter.”
“I understand.” Brian had never been interested in my career—I guess decorating homes was boring—so I was used to not discussing my work. My own parents never even asked how I was doing, but then they were too wrapped up in their own messy lives to care. A little flicker of unease flittered through me that I couldn’t tell Connor, but we weren’t a couple, not really. All we wanted from each other was sex, and sharing our day-to-day lives wasn’t on our agendas.
Our car came to a stop behind the band. Lucas hopped over the door, then opened it. He lifted his hand to help me out. “I’ll be in touch.” He gave Beau an ear scratch, sending my dog’s eyes rolling back in his head. “You’re a good dog, Beau,” he said. Then he turned to greet the people rushing up to him, eager to meet their senator.
I smiled at seeing several young and single women I knew pushing their way to the front, hoping to get noticed. I’d probably be one of them if not for Connor.
“So, what did you two talk about?”
Speak of the devil. I wrapped my arm around Connor’s. “He asked me out. I said yes.” I don’t know what made me say that, other than I’d been suddenly possessed by the devil. Connor made a noise that sounded like a growl, and Beau, hearing him, joined in with his own growl.
“You both are too funny.” I pulled Connor away from the admirers surrounding Lucas. “We just talked about the parade and the crowds, stuff like that. Honest.”
Was he jealous? I shouldn’t hope that he was. Not when we had no claim on each other. Yet the way he was looking at me with a possessive gleam in his eyes made my knees weak. That wasn’t what I wanted, was it? I had to wonder exactly what we really were about.
“What?” I said when he didn’t say anything, only kept staring at me.
His gaze shifted over to Lucas, then back to me. “He’s interested in you.”
I shrugged. “So? Do you see me standing over there with him?” I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re not jealous, are you?”
He huffed out a breath. “I don’t know. That wasn’t the deal, was it?” His gaze shifted to something over my shoulder. “Incoming.”
“Autumn, didn’t you see us? We waved to you.”
At hearing my mother’s voice behind me, I squeezed my eyes shut. She’d saidusand that could only mean my father was with her, and they were back together. I loved my parents, both of them. I just didn’t love them together, because it wouldn’t last, and I’d be left to pick up the pieces when my dad walked out on her again.
Connor put his hands on my arms after I turned around. “Should I toss you over my shoulder and run away with you right now?” he murmured into my ear.
“You have no idea how tempting that is,” I whispered back and then pasted on a smile. “Mom, Dad, didn’t know you would be here.” Much less together.
“Oh, honey, we wouldn’t have missed your parade for the world, would we, darling?” my mother gushed, darting a glance at my father, needing approval that she’d said the right thing.
I wanted to shake her until she agreed to stop being his doormat. She had on a pretty sundress, her lips were red stained—my father’s favorite color of lipstick—and her hair was shiny clean. Her pity clothes would be tucked away in a drawer until she needed them again. But her smile was brittle, because she was always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Again.
