Page 8 of Autumn Leaves and Pumpkins Please

She heads towards her car but stops just as I’m about to swing my leg over my motorcycle. “Whoever she is. I already like her.” Whitney winks before she gets into her car. I wait until her taillights disappear. “I like her, too,” I whisper. Almost like I’m breaking all kinds of rules by saying it, but Whitney is right. I need to let it all go.

My mind is made up as I head back into town, stopping by Bee’s Batter again. I grab drinks and breakfast for Capri, and I then head back home. I’m shocked to see her blinds are still closed as I come around my house. Anticipation making my feet move a little quicker. After knocking, I hear her moving around inside. When she finally makes it to the door some part of me, I haven’t seen in a long time resurfaces. I think I’m actually flirting with her and right now, at this moment, it feels good.

SEVEN

Jayse

Carrying Capri to my truck wasn’t my plan but she’s so damn stubborn that I didn’t have much choice either. However, as I carry her the cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove scent clings to her skin and invades my senses. She smells like all the best scents of autumn and Bee’s Batter. I can tell Capri thinks I’m overreacting and maybe I am. There’s some part of me that has this undeniable sense of protection where she stands. I barely know her, but I feel this sense of duty towards her and surprisingly I don’t mind it. It’s been a long time since I felt like I had some sense of purpose. Stepping away from being a firefighter changed my life. I feel like I lost more of myself in one night than I ever knew possible.

Somehow trying to help Capri last night kicked something into perspective for me. However, the nightmare from last night is still haunting me but it feels like a distant memory in her presence. Being around her makes everything else seem to fade away. I forget about a lot of things. Sometimes it’s nice to forget. “Here we are,” I announce, as we round my house and I see my truck sitting in the driveway.

“Are you going to buckle me up, too?” Her tone is laced with sarcasm. She’s adorable when she’s sarcastic, but I bite back the laughter I feel building in my chest. Somehow, I don’t think laughing at her right now would do me much good.

“Would you like assistance with that?”

Capri huffs and rolls her eyes. “You’re being absolutely ridiculous.”

“So, you keep saying. Also, it can’t be healthy to roll your eyes that much,” I tease her. Leaning forward, I open the passenger side door and sit her on her feet. For a moment, she stares at me as if I’ve grown extra heads before shaking her head and climbing inside.

I round the truck and climb inside with her. The cab of my truck smells like wood and mint mixed with all things Capri. It catches me off guard at first, but after a few deep breaths it grows on me. The smells mix well actually. She looks over at me. “You should really warn people.”

My eyebrows knit together in confusion. “Warn people about what?”

She nods her head and I’m captivated by the way the sunlight is framing her face right now. It’s impossible to turn away from. “That you actually have three sides.”

“Oh, I do, do I?” I rub my hands together in anticipation. “Please, tell me what the third side is, because I thought I only had two.”

Capri rests her head on the seat and rolls it to look at me. “Caveman.”

I don’t even attempt to fight back the laughter that bursts out of me. It eats up the silence that was in the truck moments before. Capri’s face flushes and her eyes dance in amusement, but she never cracks a smile. I have to give her credit for that. “Is it the hair? Is that what gave you cavemen vibes?”

“Oh no, not the hair. Just the fact that you scooped me up and carried me to your truck. It’s such a caveman thing to do and you admitted that if it wasn’t for the concussion, you would have thrown me over your shoulder. You do realize we’re in the twenty-first century and acting like a caveman is no longer necessary?”

I nod my head. “I do indeed, but whoever said it wasn’t necessary has never met the likes of you, Capri Owens. You’re so stubborn it takes a caveman to try and get through that overly thick head of yours.”

Silence falls between us, and we stare at each other. It almost feels as if we’re having a staring contest. Neither blinks nor looks away, at least until she dies laughing and the sound of it hits me square in the gut. It’s an unexpected reaction as my insides curl in on themselves. I haven’t felt this feeling in years. “Okay, you might be right about that.”

“Considering how the last twenty-four hours have gone I’d say there is no might in that verdict.” Capri reaches over and nudges my shoulder.

“Would you mind if I roll down my window?” Her question is so quietly asked, that I barely hear the words she speaks. It’s almost as if she’s scared to ask.

I hit the automatic button on the passenger side window. “You never have to ask. You can adjust it how you’d like from your side.”

She looks over at me, those seafoam green eyes full of curiosity. “Thank you.” As we roll up to a stop sign, I watch as she takes a deep breath. “I just love this time of year, don’t you?”

There’s a loaded question. She doesn’t even know what she’s asked but my heart sinks. Lost in the pit of fiery flames, the very ones that have consumed my entire damn life. “Yeah, I used to,” I admit quietly. I feel her intriguing eyes on me, but I keep my own straight ahead on the road. We reach Chop Chop shortly after. Capri never asks what I meant by my comment. I’m thankful for that, but I know she’s smart and she knows there’s a story behind it. I can feel the curiosity coursing through her veins. The only reason I think she won’t ask is because she has a story, too, and I don’t think she wants to share it yet. “Here we are,” I announce, as I pull into a parking spot a few feet down from the salon.

“Thank you. If you want to leave me here, I can walk down and get a ride from Warbee later.”

Quickly, I climb out of the truck and rush to the passenger side. The passenger side door opens just as I reach it. “I brought you and I intend to take you back.”

Capri’s eyes narrow as she studies me. Finally, she sighs. “This will probably take a while.”

I lean forward like I’m about to let her in on a secret. “I’m a patient man. I can wait.”

When I pull back, I see a thousand questions rolling through her eyes. Eventually, she nods and climbs out of the truck. “I'll see you in a bit then.”

She heads for the salon, and I watch as she leaves. My eyes can’t seem to leave her. Something about her has pulled me in and I can’t escape, but I’m not sure I want to since this is the first time, I’ve felt like I’m breathing since that night. I close the door and climb back into the truck. The hardware store is only a few blocks, within walking distance for sure, but I’m not sure how much I’ll end up buying and dragging it down the street might not be the best way.

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