Page 23 of Autumn Skies & Pumpkin Pies

I take a step closer to her and lean down so I’m right next to her ear. “Always you darlin’. Some things never change.” I press my lips to the skin right behind her ear. I can feel her pulse racing and hear the small intake of shocked breath she takes.

“You know, the hayride was always my favorite, but I haven’t been on one since the last one I took with you.”

That catches me off guard. The world falls away as I stare into her hazel eyes. All the people, all the sounds, the children’s laughter, the people talking, the animals, it all goes silent in this moment and it’s just Warbee and I. I only have one question. “Why?”

Her smile is slightly sad. “Because I wanted that memory to last forever. I wanted my hayrides to always be with you and I knew they couldn’t be. I actually never thought they would be again.”

I step forward and pull her into me. My hands wrap around the back of her neck and I kiss her like she is the only oxygen on this earth. I don’t care who sees us. All I care about is this girl, in my arms,my girl. When I pull away, I tell her, “It was always you darlin’.”

She doesn’t get to reply before we are ushered onto the wagon. As we take our seats the couple across from us catches my eye. Beth gives me a fake sweet smile that turns my stomach. “Well, well, if it isn’t Warbee Carter and Rocker Gordon.”

Warbee looks over and freezes. Her entire body stiffens. “Hey, Warbee,” the man sitting beside Beth says.

“Kaden,” she finally replies.

Beth rolls her eyes. “Well, it looks like you got my sloppy seconds in high school and I guess I got yours now.”

“Beth, baby,” the guy named Kaden, says to her.

Warbee turns to look at me and shakes her head. “I don’t want to go on the hayride anymore.” She turns around, climbs off the wagon and walks away. By the time I get off the wagon, she’s almost to the truck. I have to run to catch up.

“Hey, what was that?”

Warbee shrugs. “Just my ex.”

Her words shock me. I mean, it’s not like I thought she never dated after I left, but I didn’t think she had someone she cared so much about that she ran away from him when she saw him now. “Just an ex?” She nods her head. “Yeah, kind of seems like a whole lot more than that.”

“Excuse me?”

“You literally saw him, froze and then ran away, so it seems like to me that you’re still into him,” I tell her.

Warbee shakes her head, moisture builds in her eyes and I really want to just pull her into my arms and kiss away the tears forming there, but I also really want, no need, some damn answers. “You don’t know a damn thing,” she spits out at me.

“You’re right. I don’t. So, change that. Tell me,” I plead with her.

I can see a war of emotions form in her eyes. I’m not sure which way she’ll go, but I know Warbee hates being backed into a corner. I know the moment she decides. Her spine straightens and her shoulder square. My strong-willed girl is locking me out. “This was a mistake. We should have known we can’t pick up where we left off. We’re both being silly. It’s been eleven years and a hell of a lot has happened. Sometimes things are better left broken,” she says. She turns around and starts to walk away.

My gut feels like she just punched right through it, up to my heart and squeezed the life out of it. Why do I care so much for the girl who is always walking away from me? I watch as she disappears into the pumpkin patch. I climb into the truck to see if she comes back but I notice Keefer pulling up. Warbee emerges from the pumpkin patch moments later and climbs into his car and just like that, she’s gone once again.

Twenty-Two

Warbee

Keefer picks me up and he never says a word until we are halfway to my house. The tears have been silently slipping down my face since the moment I got into his car. I noticed that Rocker hadn’t left yet. He was waiting for me, I’m sure. He’d never leave me stranded like that. He’s the thoughtful one and he deserves more than I can ever give him. Seeing Kaden reminded me of that tonight. As hard as it is and as bad as it hurts, I have to let Rocker go, again.

We pull to a stop at the red light by the bakery. Keefer leans forward and turns the radio down. “Did he do something to you? Because you know I will kick his ass if he did.” Keefer’s piercing blue eyes watch me.

I shake my head. “It’s not him. It’s me. He deserves more than I can give him.”

“Why do you say that?” he asks. The confused look on his face would normally make me laugh, but not right now. I sigh and meet his eyes. My look conveys my meaning. Keefer looks away. “That was almost six years ago Bee.”

“Maybe, but it’s something I have to live with the consequences of for the rest of my life Keefer. I can’t drag him down with me like that. We talked about that when we were together in high school. I know what he wants out of life. I can’t give that to him.” The tears burn my eyes and blur my vision.

We start to move forward once again. “So, why the revelation tonight?”

I grab a tissue from my purse. “Kaden.” It’s the only explanation he needs. Keefer may not have lived in Blue Ridge when everything happened, but he made sure to be a rock for me during that year. He drove down all the time, gave me a place to stay when I was in Atlanta and it was the only time since they had broken up that I saw him and Teaganne be in the same room together without it being awkward.

“That douchebag. That’s what caused this?”

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