Page 7 of All Autumn
I made a good living as an interior designer, and although I could probably get some kind of settlement from Brian, I didn’t want his money, even though he had plenty to spare. It would feel too much like I’d owe him if I took anything from him. But I did want the house.
Every corner had been decorated by me. I’d put my heart and soul into making our first home beautiful. As far as I was concerned, that gave me the right to keep it. Well, that and his cheating ways. He didn’t get to poke his stick in another woman and expect nothing would change.
He’d put the deposit down, and too bad for him if he thought it wasn’t fair that he didn’t get at least half the house. Maybe I’d keep it, or maybe I’d sell it. I wasn’t going to make that decision until I was thinking clearly again.
One thing I would do was go back to my maiden name. I’d be damned if I’d keep Stratton. Autumn Archer and the house. That was it. Brian was getting off easy.
“Autumn?”
“Yeah?” It sounded like Connor was in the hallway. I quickly pushed up before he could walk in and catch me wallowing on the floor.
“Lunch is ready.”
“Be right there.” It was kind of nice having Connor here, taking care of me.
4
~ Connor ~
Autumn walkedinto the kitchen wearing a pair of sweatpants, socks, a long-sleeve T-shirt with our high school logo, and her blonde hair up in a ponytail. I’d lied. I hadn’t once thought of Autumn as anything but a friend until today. Now all I could think about was how sexy she was, even covered from neck to feet in her comfy clothes.
I was a bad man.
She slid onto a stool at the kitchen island. I’d been in her house before and had always liked it. Not as much as my log home, but she’d done a great job of decorating the place. She liked colors that matched her name, and there was a warmth and coziness about her home that made you want to settle in and stay awhile. I particularly liked her dark green leather sofa with the chaise on one end. It would be perfect for stretching out to watch a football game. Or nap. I should hire her to decorate my log house.
When I put a plate in front of her, she kept her eyes down, avoiding my gaze. I didn’t like that I’d hurt her feelings, but she’d caught me off guard with her question. I’d wanted to say,Hell yes! What I saw today was so sexy hot my eyeballs are still burning.Maybe I could tone that down, give her what she seemed to need to hear.
I pulled a stool to the other side so I could face her. “Autumn.” I waited for her to look at me. “I do think you’re sexy.”
“You don’t have to say that.” Her gaze went right back to her plate.
“You’re right, I don’t.” I reached across the space between us, putting my hand over hers. “We’ve been friends for a long time. You know I don’t say things I don’t mean, not even if it was just to make you feel better. You are a very sexy woman. I’ve always known you were beautiful, but…” I hesitated, trying to think how to explain. “We’re friends. Men try not to think of their female friends as sexy.”
That got her attention. “Why?”
“Because then all we can think about is having sex with that sexy friend.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh.”
“Yeah, oh.” And now that was going to be all I would think about. I really was a bad, bad man. We needed a change of subject, something to get my mind off the incredibly hot woman sitting across from me. When I got home where I could think straight, I’d figure out how to put that genie back in the bottle.
“Oh, almost forgot. Dylan called while you were changing. Brian told him it was no big deal what he’d done. Just a stupid mistake he’d made at a weak moment that didn’t mean anything.”
Her fork clattered when it hit her plate. “No big deal? No freaking big deal?” She drew air into her lungs.
“Yeah, the asshole. He was also not happy about the car. Dylan’s with him now. They’ve called a tow truck out to pull it back up.” I’d debated telling her what Brian had said but had decided she should hear it. If I thought the jerk really had made a stupid mistake as he claimed, and that he was genuinely sorry, I might have suggested she take her time to think about what she wanted. If saving her marriage was the answer, then I would have supported her fully. But I suspected she was right and this wasn’t her husband’s first so-called mistake.
Nor did I like him trying to blow it off as no big deal. That right there told me the only thing he was sorry about was getting caught. Men like Brian rarely learned their lesson. His next weak moment wouldn’t be long in coming. I didn’t want my friend married to the douchebag, so I hoped she meant it when she said she was done with him.
“There’s one other thing. He told Dylan he wants to talk to you, that he can straighten everything out.”
Her blue eyes turned glacier cold. “Like hell he can. He can talk to me through my lawyer.”
“Dylan told him not to come here tonight, but he said don’t be surprised if Brian shows up after they deal with the car.”
She pushed away from the counter, taking off down the hall. Afraid I’d upset her again, I followed her. At first I didn’t see her, but then a large suitcase on wheels rolled out of the closet, closely followed by another one. It was like some kind of freaky suitcase cartoon come to life.
“Are you moving out?” I asked when Autumn finally appeared.
