Page 40 of All Autumn
“I don’t know. For one thing, I don’t want to lose him as a friend, and that could happen.”
“That’s a legitimate concern, but I don’t think that’s what’s holding you back.” Jenn brushed long strands of auburn hair away from her face. I’d always envied her hair. Dylan liked to call her Red, and I loved his nickname for her.
The only thing that would make our girl lunch better was if Savannah were here. But Savannah was back in New York. Other than her attendance at our weddings, the only way we got to see her was her face plastered all over the place. It was kind of strange to stand in line at the grocery store and see one of your best friends on the cover of a magazine.
“Well?”
“What if he falls in love with me?” Hearing me say that aloud sounded conceited, as if any man couldn’t help falling for me, but it could happen, and that would be a disaster.
“What if you fall in love with him?”
I blinked at that. “You know that’s not in the cards.”
“Why? Because both your father and Brian are douchebags? That excuse doesn’t grant you immunity from falling in love with Connor.” She shrugged. “That could happen whether you want it to or not.”
I sputtered a laugh. “Wrong. Because of my dad and ex-husband I have full immunity from ever falling in love again.”
“Keep telling yourself that, but the heart is a contrary organ and seldom listens to its host’s wishes. Anyway, so what if Connor falls in love with you? That’s his problem, not yours. If you want him, I say go for it. If you don’t think you can handle the fallout that might or might not happen, then don’t.”
“You make it sound so easy.”
She reached across the table, putting her hand over mind. “Autumn, you know I love you like a sister. I just want to see you happy, and if Connor makes you happy, then awesome. He’s a good man, one of the best. No matter what you decide, he’ll respect that. I think the bottom line is, do you want him?”
All I could do was nod.
“Then get out of your own way and go for it.”
And that was why I loved Jenny Conrad. She knew me better than myself, pointing me right where I wanted to go. And Connor was definitely where I wanted to go.
“You’re right, but I’m saying it here. I’m not going to fall in love with him.”
A smile appeared on her face, and then she laughed. “We’ll recall this conversation at your wedding.”
“Stop it. So not going to be a wedding.”
“Uh-huh,” she said and then grabbed the check before I could.
There. Was. Not. Ever. Going to be another wedding in my life. And no, those were absolutely not famous last words.
22
~ Connor ~
“You hurt her, and I’ll never forgive you.”
I stared at my twin. “Whose side are you on, anyway? What if she hurts me?”
“Then I’ll have to kill her.”
That settled me down a little. I grinned at my brother. What good was a twin if he wouldn’t kill for you?
“She’s not going to let me hurt her,” I said, leaning forward and dangling my hands between my legs. “Between her father and Brian, she’s developed a real distrust in men. Swears the only thing we’re good for is to scratch her itch.”
Adam choked on the beer he’d just tried to swallow. I’d stopped by his house—a beautiful log cabin, much the same as mine—to watch a game with him after Autumn had called, begging off tonight. Seemed her mother was in the middle of another meltdown or something, and Autumn’s presence was required. What else was new? I’d wanted to tell her to stop letting the woman yank her chain but had managed to resist.
It was Autumn’s decision as to when enough was enough. I just hoped that happened soon. It bugged the hell out of me to stand by and watch Melinda Archer treat her daughter like a bouncing ball, pushing her away one minute, and in the next pulling her into all the drama that was Melinda and Ray’s lives. Although Ray pretty much ignored the existence of his daughter, which also pissed me off, at least he was consistent. Autumn knew where she stood with him.
Melinda on the other hand was a parasite, doing her best to suck the life out of Autumn. I had a theory about that. If Melinda wasn’t happy, no one else in the world should be happy, especially her daughter.
