Page 8 of Boys of Fall

CHAPTER SIX

Jerry

“I won’t be home tonight,” I said and walked through the kitchen toward the back door but paused at the stove first.

Mom tapped the spoon on the edge of the pot. “Where are you staying?”

“Camping out in the back of my truck at the bonfire,” I said and tried to stick a finger in the sauce before she slapped my hand away.

“This isn’t ready, you’ll have to make a sandwich if you want to eat before you go.”

I grabbed two apples, a couple of bananas, and the fixings out of the fridge for several sandwiches. Slapping it all together, I added some sodas to the small cooler and headed for the door.

“We’re doing Waffle House in the morning, so it’ll be later before I roll in. But I’ve got my phone.”

“Behave yourself, Jeramiah.” Mom pointed the spoon at me. “I won’t come bail you out.”

“Wrong kid, Mom,” I said with a laugh. “Speaking of jailbait, where is my delinquent sister?”

Mom pursed her lips as she opened the oven. “With her riffraff boyfriend at the movies.”

I snorted a laugh. “Don’t worry, I’ll be on my best behavior.”

“You better be,” she said over her shoulder as I opened the back door.

After loading the food into the truck, I went back into the laundry room to leave my wet towels in the sink.

Will Autumn turn me down? Nerves twisted in my stomach as I wiped the seat dry and climbed behind the wheel. She’s been single for a while, what if she’s not interested in being with anyone?

The afternoon had turned to twilight as I backed out of the driveway and turned the truck toward town. I bounced a hand on the steering wheel as I drove. This was a conversation I’d needed to have with her for years. Out of respect, I’d given her space for a long time. After seeing her this afternoon, no way can I put it off any longer. The residual boners alone might kill me.

How do I say, I adore everything about you, without sounding like a creeper?

I banged my hand harder on the steering wheel. Autumn had been in this weird long distance relationship all through high school with some guy who had moved out of state to go to college. In all the time after he left, she didn’t date anyone else. She also didn’t sit home waiting on him to come back or visit. I’d see her out with her group of friends, or during our shared classes, hear about a movie night they’d had at her house. She wouldn’t fool around with other guys, but she did flirt. God it had been the most confusing four years of my existence. So, after never getting anything that looked like an opening to ask her about the status of their relationship, I’d friend-zoned her. Firmly. With the option to revisit the situation at a later date. I’d had girlfriends, lovers, etc. None of them had ever given me the same crazy butterflies as seeing Autumn walking across the quad. Cute nose in a book and with those sexy glasses balanced on the tip. Bottle of water tucked under her arm. Face alight with the world she’d become lost in and absolutely gorgeous. I’d unconsciously memorized her routine. I realized how much I looked forward to running into her one day when she was absent. I spent all day rushing to and from our normal path-crossing spots. Only to be disappointed. Lost without that glimpse of her. When the best and worst gig in the world had fallen right into my lap.

Dr. Laundry had suffered a mini stroke and needed help around the President’s property. I needed the extra cash and bing-bang-boom. My Autumn sightings were secured indefinitely.

The one thing I never counted on though was falling not only in love with her but with her family too. Kenny is awesome. Love the hell out of that kid. And her dad is so chill and welcoming, as if I’d always been part of their family.

Please let her say yes. I said over and over in my head as I drove past the line of cars to the check in, and got my hand stamp before continuing toward the field behind the looming bonfire. Orange and gold flames danced over the huge pile of logs and shadows of people wove in and out of the light.

My tree rose dark and full of dying leaves at the back of the pasture near the fence line. I parked underneath it and scrambled to unload and set up everything. When it was just right, I locked the rest of my stuff inside the cab and walked toward the glow of the fire. Black shadows ebbed and flowed around the pyre, but I couldn’t pick out Autumn. Music blared from someone’s truck and a few people danced for one or two steps then fell laughing against each other. A couple of kegs sat in the back of a SUV where most of the crowd had snarled into a knot. Red solo cups flew into hands as the music turned faster and louder.

Black hair, glasses, black hair, glasses. The combo raced through my mind as I searched for Autumn. With each pass over the fire lit faces, my heart sank a little lower. One of the guys from the team put a cup in my hand and said something accented with a hearty slap to my shoulder. I couldn’t hear him over the scared heartbeats pounding in my ears. I drained the cup hoping for either the liquid courage necessary for when she appeared or for the balm of oblivion if she never showed.

A horn sounded out by the gate signaling that no more people would be allowed in, bonfire rules. Get in by nightfall or be left out. I turned toward the darkness, frozen with disappointment. Eyes straining to make out the identity of the last few people passing through the check point. The face I still longed for not among them. The gate closed with a clang.

She’s not here.

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