Page 52 of Against the Autumn Pines
The Raven was packed alreadyas Rowan, Theo, and I grabbed a table for everyone. Payton was meeting us here when she finished at work, and Aspen and Ivy were on their way. I was trying not to stress over the visitor Ember had gotten today. I wasn’t sure what it was even about. A fucking plane had flown over while he spoke to her, and I couldn’t understand a bit of it, but she looked shaken when she finally made it back to her Jeep.
Maybe if I laid eyes on her, I’d feel better. I knew she was okay. I watched her return from yoga and leave again. She looked okay after class, but I was still feeling uneasy about it all.
“Are we ready to get this night started?” Theo hollered overtop the growing crowd. He seemed extra perky tonight.
I found myself nodding but otherwise didn’t speak.
The Raven was a town staple. Our friend Damien owned it, and he was the definition of dedicated to the cowboy bar craft. The majority of the place had wooden planks everywhere, high top tables scattered around the edges with mismatched chairs, and beer logos hung along the walls. The bar was to the left, dance floor in the middle, and in the back corner were a couple of pool tables. We normally came once a week, but it wasn’t typically on a Wednesday.
“What is Wednesday for? I thought they just did the dance shit Thursday through Saturday?” Rowan asked once we sat down. I smirked; that twin telepathy always on point. He was right though. It was crowded for a Wednesday. Thursday was girls’ night, and Friday was the couples dancing contest—both of which drew in a crowd. Saturday was just Saturday night, but who didn’t love a Saturday out and about?
Theo smiled his troublesome shit eating grin. “Damien just started Wing Wednesday. It’s half-price beer when you buy a plate of wings.”
Rowan looked over at me and then back at Theo. “Sounds dangerous for you.”
He shrugged. “Maybe.” But he turned and walked towards the bar, no doubt to put in an order immediately. The man loved to eat.
Rowan cleared his throat. “Do we know what he’s doing?”
“Who? Theo?” I asked, and he nodded in confirmation. “He’s getting wings. The kid can eat, you know that.”
Rowan shook his head with an eye roll. “No, not that. He’s been home a long time, way longer than normal. Has he said anything to you about when he’s going back?”
I leaned back in my chair and thought about it. Theo had been in the army since the moment he graduated from high school. Oliver had been in until he met his wife and gotmarried, after losing her he thought about joining again, but he didn’t want to leave his son, Hudson. Theo though, he’d only ever cared about one person outside of the family, and when he lost her, he couldn’t wait to escape this town.
He’d enlisted and resigned every opportunity he’d gotten. Normally, we saw him a few weeks a year, if that. Whether he was stationed at a base across the country or overseas, he wasn’t home longer than two weeks. This time though, he’d been home for three months so far with no sign of leaving.
“He hasn’t said a word to me, I just…I don’t know. Hadn’t given it much thought, to be honest. I was just enjoying him being around more. Do we ask him?”
Rowan shook his head. “Nope. I’m not butting in, I’ll ask Mom first.”
I nodded, but the conversation was cut off when the girls walked into the bar and headed over to us. It wasn’t my sister-in-law or her best friend that had my attention though. Fuck no. It was the fiery little redhead walking with them that had the entirety of my gaze.
She was wearing a strappy little silver dress that stopped mid-thigh and a pair of black cowgirl boots. Her hair, which was normally braided or clipped back, was down in curls that cascaded over her shoulders and down her back. The color playing off the blue and purple lights reflecting from the dance floor. I knew that up close, her freckles would be bright and her eyes would be full of mischief.
A sudden jolt had me glancing over at Rowan to realize he’d kicked me under the table. “Wipe the drool from your mouth before she gets close enough to notice. That isnothow you win the girl.”
I rolled my eyes and glared at him. “Did you know she was coming tonight?”
His eyes went wide in mock surprise. “Clueless brother ofmine.” He rose from the table before I could say anything more. I watched as he went over to sweep Aspen into his arms, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her senseless—their normal display of love. Any other day, I thought it was cute. My brother deserved happiness, and Aspen deserved the all-encompassing love that Rowan provided her. But tonight, as I watched them, I felt a sudden pang of jealousy. There wasn’t much I wanted more than that, which was quite the switch-up from how I’d felt only months ago.
I didn’t want it with just anyone though—no. I wanted it withher.
My eyes fell back to the woman in question, and I quietly pondered if she felt the same as her eyes met mine. But I didn’t say anything. I just watched her from my chair, forcing my body to remain still as she picked a chair and sat directly across from me.
“Hey, little flame, you look stunning tonight,” I said before I could help myself. The words came tumbling from my lips like they always seemed to when it came to her.
I watched as her cheeks turned a stunning bright pink, and I knew that the color would travel down her chest if I kept pressing the matter. She tucked her hair behind her ear and nodded. “You too, Carragan.”
I couldn’t wait until she dropped the last name, and I could hear her screaming my first name from those pretty pink lips of hers. They were painted a bright red tonight, and honestly, even that worked for me. Making her mascara run and her lipstick smear sounded like a splendid way to spend my evening. I tried to casually rearrange myself in my jeans, but I knew if I had to stand up soon, it would be incredibly apparent just how much looking at this woman was affecting me.
“Wyatt?” My gaze broke, and I looked at my twin, hisbrows pulled together told me he’d clearly been talking to me.
“My bad,” I muttered as I ran my hands over my face and through my hair. The effect this woman had on me was unnatural, and I wanted more of it. I watched as she got up from the table, her hips swaying perfectly over to the bar.
Rowan shook his head and chuckled. “You’re so fucked.”
I found myself nodding as my eyes were drawn back to her again. “You’re not wrong about that.”
