Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Autumn
My overly organized bestie putters around my house, picking up and dusting off surfaces that haven’t been wiped down in months. What’s the point? I live on a dusty, windy Christmas tree farm—every surface will just need dusting again tomorrow.
“What else can I do to help?” Meg asks, tossing the dust rag into a cleaning bucket on the round.
I sigh. “I have a shipment of saplings coming in—but I have to sign for them. You can’t.” I purse my lips. I’ve got a heaping pile of medical bill payments due, but I have to take care of those myself too. I nibble on my lip. What can Meg do? “Umm.”
“What about your mom’s meals? I could run them to her after my meeting.”
I let out a breath, my shoulders relaxing just a little. “Yeah. That would be perfect.” This interview has me on edge. I’m not in the frame of mind to chit-chat with Mom right now. So, delivering the freezer meals I made for my mother would actually be super helpful. See why I am so annoyed that my beautiful, intelligent, thoughtful, color-coding bestie has moved? It’s tragic.
“You’re clenching. ”
“I am not,” I say, though she’s right. I am.
“You need something fun, Autumn. If Kal has taught me anything, it’s that you need to do something for yourself every now and then.”
“Awesome,” I say. Because when in the world would I make time for a massage or a weekend away? Besides, this new project with the Linus’s is fun for me . Sure, it’s work—more work. But it’s also the only thing resembling my dream from all those years ago.
“I’m serious,” Meg says.
“I know. And I love you. But we’re different. This bistro is going to be my fun.”
Her eyes narrow. “Fun and a whole lot of hard labor.”
“I like work,” I say. But Meg knows I have bills to pay. She may not know everything. It’s kind of nice having a bestie who doesn’t know my whole messy past. But she does know that after five years of cancer treatment for Dad, I am not lacking in the medical bills department.
“Just a little fun. I understand you have responsibilities. But a little fun wouldn’t hurt. It might even help.”
I roll my eyes up to the ceiling. “The sapling guy should be here any minute. I need to get the shipment signed for and unloaded before my interview. I’ll be back.”
“ Autumn ,” she moans, trailing behind me.
I pull up the collar on my plaid shirt, feeling in my bones that the season has turned and it’s going to be a chilly fall day. That’s how it is in Love. One day it’s sunny, the next you’re using hand warmers and wearing wool socks.
I charge out the door of my little green house, right onto the grounds of the Linus’s Christmas tree farm. I even live where I work… okay, Meg may have a small point about my all-work and no-play life.
The sapling truck is already here, and my interviewee will be soon after. So, it's a good thing my commute is so darn short—as in walking distance.
I pull in a nice crisp breath of air and start toward the truck hauling my saplings.
“Hey…” I wave to the driver.
“It’s Kip,” the new guy replies. He’s been here once or twice before, but I’m grateful for the reminder.
“Kip,” I say and offer him a smile. I’ll call him whatever he wants as long as he’s delivered my bare roots whole and well.
“He’s cute,” Meg says, her stupidly long legs making it easy to catch up to me and stride right beside me.
"Who?" I spare her a glance, then round to the back of the truck.
“Twenty-two boxes,” Kip says. He smiles, peering over at me. Has Kip ever smiled at me before? Does he always look like that? Or is Meg putting ridiculous thoughts into my head?
“Perfect. Do you mind loading them into my truck?” I ask, ignoring that gawky grin. It’s blaring at me now. I point to my green 1970s Ford—Dad’s old truck. He loved it. And now, I do. I don’t care how loud or old the thing is.
Kip shrugs and smiles... again with the really loud smiling. “Whatever you want, Autumn.”
I nod my thanks and go to turn away—but Kip clears his throat. I hear it. It's a sound that asks me to turn back. I do because maybe he just needs to know if I've paid up or when I want the next shipment. Or—something else completely logical and sapling-related. That's the only logical answer. Right?
Meg elbows me. For a reason that I haven’t figured out yet.
“So, Autumn—” Kip’s eyes trail from me to Meg like he’s unsure he should be discussing work things in front of her.
“Oh. Um. Kip , this is Meg. Meg, this is Kip. Meg’s my best friend. And Kip is the new truck driver for our roots guy.” My jaw aches as I grind my teeth together. Why are we having this conversation again? Is this introduction necessary? I have an interview to prepare for while figuring out exactly which plaid shirt to wear.
“Well, I was the best friend until I got married and moved away.” Meg laughs—it’s not a normal laugh for my bestie. It’s a nervous laugh. Why are we nervous?
Kip laughs too.
Meg sends me one quick glance, then holds a hand out toward Kip. “It’s so nice to meet you. Autumn has told me all about you.”
Lie .
Never have I ever mentioned what’s-his-name, the sapling truck driver guy.
I elbow her back.
“Really?” Kip’s stupid grin is back.
“Yes, and I was just saying,” Meg starts and while that woman may be five inches taller than me, I slap my arm around her—lightning-fast—stretch onto my toes, and clap my hand over her mouth.
“She says a lot of things,” I say with a small, delirious laugh. “You might be here all day if Meg decided to tell you what she was just saying and you don’t have time for that.” I send my own obnoxious smile his way and start to move. “Okay, thank you. Bye. Bye.”
I charge toward the office, dropping my hold on Meg’s mouth but looping my arm through hers—making sure the girl comes with me rather than staying to chat it up with Kip.
But Kip decides to follow.
Why Kip? Why? We are all finished up here, buddy.
“Um, Autumn, wait,” he says—apparently not finished. “I was actually… I was hoping to talk.”
I glance back at him, but I do not stop my trek to the office. The safe, small, secluded office.
“Talk? Uh, I’m busy this morning, but—”
“No, I just mean… Well, I was hoping you’d go out with me, sometime… Maybe . ”
All at once, I am jerked to a halt. Meg and all of her kindergarten strength yank me to a stop. “Autumn,” Meg whispers. “You’re being rude.”
I grind my teeth into a grin… and peer first at Meg and then over to Kip.
"Um." I squeeze Meg's arm in mine, doing my best to cause her a little pain. She needs it to bring her back to reality. Look what she's got me into! This is all her fault. I'm not sure how—but it is. One second she's talking to me about having fun, and the next, Kip the bare root driver is asking me out. "Gosh, that's really—that's just so…"
“She’d love to,” Meg says.
I may or may not pinch Meg’s skinny little side.
“Eep!” Meg yelps for only a second before nodding at Kip. “Yep. She would love to go on a date with you!” Somehow my nip has only made the girl grow stronger in her conviction.
Kip’s awkward smile suddenly turns sweet and way too bright. “Yeah?” He looks at me.
But it’s Meg who says, “Yes. She accepts. When?”
“Next Friday okay?” Kip glances from me to Meg—as if she’s allowed to answer for me.
"Friday is perfect," Meg tells him. Huh. Apparently, she is allowed.
Still, I pinch her again.