Page 60 of All Autumn
One of them snorted. “I stand corrected. I shoulda said hick town instead.”
His friend seemed embarrassed by the insult, so I gave him a nod, then, not looking for a fight, turned my attention back to Hamburger as he began to play. His feet, encased in well-worn black lace-up boots, began their shuffling dance. Within minutes the crowd was clapping in time to his music, some couples breaking out in dance.
“Hot damn! Look at that old man go.”
I recognized the voice of the one who’d insulted my town and grinned. No one could entertain a crowd like Hamburger Harry. He was somewhere in his eighties, which made the energy he had onstage even more impressive. I put my arms around Autumn’s chest and swayed to the music with her. She tilted her face up and smiled. My heart did a funny bounce. What was up with that?
“You’ll have to meet him at his truck to get your jar of moonshine,” Dylan said, coming up next to us.
Jenn peeked around from his other side. “Yeah, our meanie chief of police wouldn’t let Hamburger bring his tote inside the festival grounds.”
I scowled at Dylan. “We need to find a new chief. Clearly this one’s not gonna work.”
Dylan laughed. “The rules are the same for him as anyone else. No liquor brought inside.”
“All I got to say is no one had a problem with it before you came to town, copper.”
“And he’s not telling you that Hamburger said there’s a mason jar of moonshine with cherries in it for him,” Jenn said, then smirked at her husband.
He crossed his arms over his chest. “I take the fifth.”
“Whoa. Back up. Any moonshine with cherries in it belongs to me,” I said, glaring at Dylan. “I have prior claim.”
Dylan slapped me on the back. “Then you better hope there are two jars, my friend.”
“Two jars of what?” Adam asked, joining us.
“Nothing,” I said. Adam had the same taste buds as me, and he was always stealing mine if he found any of Hamburger’s moonshine in my fridge.
“Connor and Dylan are fighting over a jar of moonshine,” Autumn said helpfully, then smirked at me.
I spanked her butt. “Hush, woman. He’s the evil twin. Don’t be talking to him.”
“With cherries in it?” Adam asked.
Autumn shrugged. “Apparently I’m not to talk to you, so I can’t tell you yes.”
“Just whose side are you on, beautiful?” Without thinking, I kissed her, a quick smack on the lips. When I glanced up, Dylan was looking at us with amusement, Jenn had about a thousand questions in her eyes, and Adam was frowning.
“So, what’s everyone doing for the rest of the afternoon?” I said.
33
~ Autumn ~
Jenn glancedover at me while holding her hands under the dryer. “Is this thing between you and Connor getting serious?
I adamantly shook my head. “No. I swear. We’re just having some fun.”
We were in the restroom at Fusions. Connor, Dylan, and Adam were waiting for us in the lounge. Connor and I had met them here after dropping off Beau and our two jars of moonshine at home. As soon as we’d walked in, Jenn had herded me off to the ladies’ room to give me the third degree.
“I just don’t want to see you get hurt again. You know I adore Connor, but he’s not long-term material.”
“You think I don’t know that?” I sighed, knowing that she was concerned for me, but it bothered me that Connor’s friends saw him as a player. But then so did I, which made my irritation unreasonable. “I do know, and that makes him the perfect man for a post-divorce fling. When I said I was done with husbands and forevers, I meant it. Besides, weren’t you the one who told me to go for it?”
“I only meant that you should have some fun, not give him your heart.”
“Why would you even think I would?”
