Page 78 of All Autumn
“You’re in love with her.”
“I’m not. I just want her in my life. For now, anyway.”
“You’re an idiot, Connor.”
“Thanks for understanding,” I said, letting the sarcasm drip in my voice.
“Oh, I understand all right.” He opened his door, and after he got out, he poked his head back in. “What you’re refusing to grasp is that Autumn’s afraid you’ll hurt her. Get out and let’s go find your girl.”
“So you’ve been in her mind now?” He was wrong. I didn’t mean enough to Autumn to hurt her.
He slammed the door as if he were fed up with me. I couldn’t blame him. I was fed up with myself because of a stubborn girl. The very reason I didn’t do love. Adam opened the passenger-side door, handed me my crutches, then stalked off, leaving me to struggle out of the car.
“What’s your damn problem?” I called after him. And he was full of it. No way was I in love with Autumn.
He strode back to me. “My problem is you. You’re going to screw things up with her just like I did Savannah.”
I frowned. “What are you talking about? You weren’t the one that screwed up with Savannah.”
“The point is, you’re in love with Autumn, but you’re treating her like one of your booty calls.”
“Where the hell are you coming up with this stuff? I am not in love with Autumn. Get that through your head. I like her a lot, but that’s all.”
“Maybe you’re not there yet, but you’re well on the way. And unless you want to lose her, you need to admit that so you can be what she needs. She’s running scared, Connor, and you want to know why?”
“Fine, I’ll play along. Why?” Autumn and I had an understanding. We were in it for the fun, no more, no less. Well, wewere. Apparently she was done having fun.
“Because she’s falling for you just as fast.”
“And you know all this how?”
He let out an exasperated sigh. “Because I see the way you look at each other. You’ve never looked at another woman the way you do her, and then there’s the way she looks at you. Like a woman in love. The problem is both of you have blinders on. I get both of your reasons for lying to yourselves about how you feel toward each other, but you’re still an idiot, brother.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said and then crutch-walked myself into Vincennes. There were only two seats left at the bar, and I slid onto one of them, then leaned the crutches against the back of the stool. I hated the damn things and couldn’t wait to be rid of them.
“Connor!”
I glanced toward the voice yelling from the other end of the bar. Mary’s hair was fire-engine red tonight, her eye shadow a matching red. I waved at her. I liked Mary, and usually she amused me, but right now I wanted to be left alone with my thoughts.
Mary hopped off her bar stool with amazing grace for someone her age wearing four-inch heels. She danced her way to me with her arms outstretched. Since it would be futile to resist, I leaned down for her hug.
“Connor Hunter, if you keep on saving people, we’ll have to build a monument in your honor.”
Her eyes brightened, and I groaned. The minute she got an idea in her head, there was no stopping her. “Don’t even think it, Mary. There will be no monument. Besides, you’re too busy getting Beau’s movie made. How’s that going?”
Her smile dropped. “I was sure by now that I’d be able to announce we had a deal. I don’t understand it. It would be such a wonderful movie, and you would think a producer would snap at the project. Look how popular Lassie and Rin Tin Tin were. People love dog movies.”
The diversionary tactic apparently worked as she seemed to forget about monuments. Adam slid onto the stool next to me. While he and Mary greeted each other, I scanned the room, looking for Jenn.
“I need to return to my date,” Mary said, “but I’m glad you boys came in so I can give you your assignments.”
“Assignments?” Adam said. We exchanged an alarmed glance. With Mary that could be anything from wearing sandwich-board signs promoting some event or other to cleaning the festival grounds’ toilets.
“Yes, for the June Bug Dance next month.”
Ah, that. I’d forgotten that was coming up. It was an annual dance to raise money for the high school football team’s traveling expenses. It was a worthy cause as some of the parents couldn’t afford the overnight trips.
“And our assignments are?” I said even though I probably didn’t want to know.
