Page 72 of Ms Perfectly Fine
“Sounds like a plan. You pick some girly movie. If I’m not mistaken, I have some cookie-dough ice cream in the freezer with our name on it, and we can forget about the men in our lives.”
Nina fell asleep on the couch first. Despite what had happened with Elijah, Autumn was glad to spend some time with her. She hadn’t even realised how much she’d missed her friend. Between work, relationships, and getting through every day, it was becoming clear to her how often she neglected fun. They only saw each other at work or on their pre-rehearsal coffee dates. Before Elijah, Autumn couldn’t remember the last time she’d done anything off-schedule. She certainly wouldn’t have gone swimming, got a dog, or attended the charity dinner.
But even if she enjoyed those things, her routine was her safety net. As she drifted to sleep, she considered what might happen if that safety net no longer existed. Even if losing it would benefit her, it terrified her to change what had kept her going, surviving, since her accident.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Elijah
“WHAT ABOUT GETTING home? Does she need a lift back later?” Elijah asked Nina, pretty sure he heard Autumn groan on the other end of the phone. He much preferred being the reason for her moans. He tried to contain his smile as he remembered her head resting on his shoulder as the pleasure of his touch took over her body. But the smile vanished quickly as the truth of it punched him in the gut. She’d run away from him.
He paced in the street in front of the museum, trying to work out some of his pent-up energy.
“Don’t worry, I have it covered. She’s going to spend the night with me,” Nina said.
Elijah shook his head. He knew Autumn wanted space from him, and it hurt far more than he’d thought it would. “Tell her I’ll see her tomorrow,” he said, because what else could he say? ‘I miss you, come home, let’s talk?’
Talking isn’t our strong point, but God, do our bodies know how to communicate,he thought, and gritted his teeth as Nina hung up.If he knew her address, he’d go after Autumn and insist they talk things out.
He hadn’t meant to get carried away. When he’d realised she’d left, his stomach had dropped. If he hadn’t been talking to Tim, he would have noticed her leaving the bathroom, but he hadn’t wanted to be rude and he didn’t want his father to think about what was going on between them. Not yet, anyway—though he was quietly determined to make Autumn his. He wanted to be her partner, for her to trust him with her secrets the same way he already trusted her with his. Over time, he hoped to show her he could be a part of her life and that she wouldn’t have to lose the independence she clung to so tightly.
Instead, I blurted out my feelings at the worst possible moment and drove her away.He rolled his neck, trying to ease the tension.
“What are you doing out here, son?” Tim asked, joining him on the steps outside the museum. Elijah put his phone back in his jacket pocket.
“Nothing. Getting some air,” he said, trying to sound casual.
“Where’s Autumn?” Tim asked, looking up and down the street. “Did you fight?”
“No, nothing like that.” If they had, it would have been much easier to sort out. “She wasn’t feeling well, so I put her in a taxi.”
“If she wasn’t well, you should have gone home with her.”
Elijah sighed. That was exactly what he had wanted to do, but getting Autumn to do anything he wanted was damn near impossible. Tonight, something had changed, a crack in her facade had exposed itself, and he’d stupidly torn it wide open.
“She insisted I stay,” he lied.
“She was probably overwhelmed. She doesn’t like being recognised since to know of Autumn Adler is to know of her tragedy. I think it’s why she loves that small theatre so much—lower expectations to be met,” Tim said, putting his hands in his pockets.
“At the rate she practises, I don’t think the expectations are any less,” Elijah scoffed. “Not their expectations of her.”
“Her expectations of herself. She doesn’t think she deserves the attention.”
“I don’t think you know her at all. She doesn’t enjoy the attention,” Elijah snapped, not liking Tim making assumptions about her. Only he saw how damn hard Autumn tried, even if it was a lot of effort for what Tim considered a ‘lesser’ theatre.
“Forget I said anything. As long as she’s playing, I’m happy,” Tim said, trying to make peace.
“Why do you care so much?” Elijah asked. He was grateful for all the care and support his father had shown Autumn, but it still hurt that Tim seemed to care so much more about the daughter of his friend than he’d ever seemed to for his son.
Tim opened his mouth and then shut it. He clearly didn’t know how to answer, and Elijah no longer wished to discuss Autumn with him. The last thing they needed to do was fight when he was so close to being free of his father.
“Let’s head back inside,” he said. “I’m sure there’s someone you want to introduce me to.”
His father perked up, clapping him on the back. “There is. Also, you have to settle your bill for the auction.”
He had to resist every part of him that wanted to call Nina back and demand she tell him her address.She can’t avoid me forever; she has to come home at some point,he thought, writing a cheque at the auction table.
Once he’d settled his ridiculous bill and been introduced to what felt like fifty of Tim’s friends, he decided he’d had enough socialising for one night. He cursed himself for attending in the first place, wishing he had just stayed on the couch with Autumn. He hailed a taxi, gripping the back of his neck as he thought of going back to an empty house.I didn’t mean to scare her off. But what did I expect by confessing my feelings in such a way?
