Page 33 of Beau & Autumn

They’ve all recently retired, my parents only a few months ago. Dad and Uncle Jack took over the legacy from my grandfather and his brother decades ago. My great-grandfather set the wheels in motion with the distillery back in the day, and my dad and uncle learned from the ground up, just like we all have.

Aunt Patti is the only one who is regularly helping out at the distillery whenever she’s needed or when we’re short staffed. They all still keep a hand in any major decisions being made, like Brooklyn’s new Moonshine blend he’s just perfected and launched. He had an idea last year to introduce new flavored blends of bourbon with coffee, caramel and vanilla hues. He’s been secretly experimenting and now they’re the talk of the town.

The family all had to vote on whether the new collection would go ahead, and after Gray and Brooklyn came up with a marketing plan, it’s safe to say this will pay off nicely.

Mom and Dad have been planning a big European vacation as well, but they keep putting it off. It makes me wonder if they think the place will fall apart without them. I think they’re waiting now until fall. Once the new wedding venue is underway and they know it’s all running well, I think they’ll breathe a little easier.

Dad has definitely been enjoying his retirement so far, and loves being out on the golf course and tinkering around the farm. He was happy to hand over the reins to Gabe.

It still makes me laugh all those months ago last year when Gray and Gabe were at each other’s throats about who would be the next CEO. Gray had just moved back from Nashville to Stoney Creek during his bitter divorce.

He’d run his own music advertising company for years, and came back and forth to the distillery when he could. Whereas Gabe has never left the place. He’s always been here, noon and night every day of his life, really throwing himself into work when his ex-wife left him with Trinity nearly six years ago.

It was always assumed Gabe would take the helm, but Gray toyed with him just that little bit extra because he’s the eldest brother and all, making Gabe believe he wanted to be CEO when really he was just trying to get a rise out of him. They made up after their feud recently, and Gabe finally realized all Gray really cared about is building his two-story house on his beloved Coyote Run. He nicknamed the parcel of land our parents gifted him many years ago, and has almost finished building his dream house.

The feuding was all before Hartley came along of course, and now she’s the center of his world. Gray was unhappy for so long, it’s good to see him smile again. And Hartley adapted really well since she moved from Boston to take over her dad’s law firm in town.

“Could you be a sweetie and help Georgia set the table?” Mom says right before yelling, “Georgia! Come and help your brother, please!” She gives me a swift kiss on the cheek and dumps a stack of plates into my arms.

“Sure, Mom. Now, are you expecting an army? Or just the Bassett’s and their friends?”

“You know how she is,” Dad hollers, lining up his shot and pocketing his ball.

It’s fierce competition over there so I start walking around the table, with no sign of Georgia-Blue coming out of her wing, and set the plates out. Georgia takes so long to get ready to go anywhere, even a family dinner in her own home. She’s a southern princess through and through.

I still secretly think she has a thing for Hudson. They both act like they can’t stand each other, and annoy one another endlessly with jokes and jibes, but I’m sure she has a soft spot for him. Call it twin-telepathy, but they seem to put an awful lot of effort into pretending to dislike one another.

“I guess there’s a few of us tonight.” Aunt Patti walks over with Mom’s special cutlery box that they gifted to her and Dad on their wedding day.

I eye it suspiciously. It doesn’t come out all that often, certainly not just for your average Sunday roast. “Is there something going on that I don’t know about?”

Mom taps her nose and I know right then that she’s holding a secret. And it’s gotta be something big. Especially when the real crystal wine glasses come out from the top shelf.

Aunt Patti is humming a tune as she places the water glasses out and starts putting the cutlery on each place setting.

“Are you gonna tell me, Aunt Patti?”

“My lips are sealed.” She gives me a wink, but it’s clearly something she’s happy about. She’s practically bouncing off the ceiling, just like Mom.

“I guess I’ll know soon enough. I’m not a betting man, but this smells a lot like one of my brothers knocked up their girlfriend.”

“Beau Clarence Bassett!” Mom gives me a stern look. My mom is a tiny woman with dark hair and fair skin like Georgia. She’s an angel through and through; we couldn’t have asked for better parents growing up. But she also has a little feisty side here and there, especially when we cuss.

Hmm. It can’t be that then, Mom would be bouncing off the rooftops if one of her kids were producing anymore grandchildren anytime soon. I don’t think she’d be able to keep it in check.

“Fine. I’ll wait for dinner.” I give Aunt Patti a wink. Looking at how happy she is, I think I am almost on the right train of thought. Something is in the air and it sure as hell just ain’t the special roast…

10

Autumn

When I arrive at the Bassett farm, things are in full swing. Beau wasn’t kidding about the whole family being here; all the Bassett kids, plus Trinity and Blake, Hartley, Skye and Eden, Jack and Patti, Callan and Celeste, Trudy and Hudson. There’s even Sunny, Eden’s dog Noodle, and Gabe and Skye’s dog, Daisy, making themselves at home.

The atmosphere is filled with laughter as the late afternoon sunshine filters through the back window and Beau’s mom and Patti both run around making sure everyone has a drink in their hand. I bought a couple of bottles of wine along. I didn’t know what would be appropriate for a Sunday dinner, but I didn’t want to turn up empty handed.

“Autumn, hi!” Gayle spots me as I place the two bottles on the counter. Everyone turns to look and I cast a quick wave over to the family. I can see Beau is playing a game of pool with his dad, Jack and Brooklyn. “You look lovely, honey.”

“Hi Mrs. Bassett. Thank you, so do you. Thanks for inviting me along.”

---