Chapter 12 Autumn
CHAPTER TWELVE
AUTUMN
Ihad difficulty concentrating the next day. Thoughts from last night kept invading my head. The intense passion between Sully and me. The feverish sex in the dining room.
His spoken words.
He had held my face and whispered the word loved. Then as if to make sure I understood him, he held my gaze. “I love you, Autumn. I know it’s fast and I know it’s unexpected, but it’s real.”
I gripped his hands, staring back at him. There was no doubting the sincerity of his words. The truth blazed in his eyes. He had already shown me in so many ways, but now, he said the words.
I swallowed.
“I love you too.”
He wrapped me in his arms and held me close.
“Thank you,” he breathed out. “Make a life with me here, and I promise I will ensure you never regret it.”
All I could do was hold him. He knew he was asking a lot of me, but I knew he was what I wanted. He would be there for me.
“Yes,” I replied.
His kiss said everything.
Then this morning, he had leaned down to kiss me before he left, his gaze serious.
“Stay.”
“What?”
“Don’t go back to the hotel. Stay here with me.”
“Sully—”
He cut me off. “We only have a few weeks left. Less now. I want you here. I don’t want to be figuring out what nights you’re at the hotel and which ones you’re here. Just stay.”
“The office pays for the hotel.”
“Then you’ll save them money. Bring your things here.”
“And tell them what?”
“That you have a friend. That you hate the hotel. That your lover wants you with him. Whatever you want.”
I bit my lip, thinking.
“I have to work late sometimes.”
“I already told you I don’t want to control you. I have to work late at times too. But you have a key. Keep it. When I get home, you’ll be here. If you’re late, I’ll be waiting.”
Everything in me wanted to say yes. He grinned, knowing what I was thinking. “You worry about us not knowing each other. Living together would solve that fast.”
“And what if I hate it?”
He bent and nuzzled my neck. “You won’t.”
“What if you hate it?”
“Not going to happen. We’re gonna be great. Then when you go back to Canada, you’ll be all the more anxious to return to me.”
I hummed as his lips traveled up my neck to my mouth, softly kissing his way, his voice beseeching. “Please.”
“I’ll think about it.”
He stood, brushing my cheek. “I’ll collect your bags later, once you pack them.”
“So sure of yourself.”
“So sure of us.”
And he left.
All day, I had been thinking. I groaned as I dropped my head into my hands.
I always did that. Thought things through to death.
Overanalyzed. Talked myself out of something I wanted.
Auntie Lynn always scolded me about it. She had been a free spirit her whole life and encouraged me to stop overthinking everything.
“Go with your gut,” she’d tell me.
“And if it doesn’t work?” I asked once.
“Then the story isn’t over. You keep moving forward.”
I thought about my first reaction to coming here. I was worried, then decided to go for it.
And because of that, I met Sully. I knew she’d tell me to keep going forward with it.
Feeling homesick, I picked up the phone and called her.
It was earlier there, and I knew she’d be watching a game show, shouting at the TV and calling the contestants idiots.
Evenings were her favorite, though. She loved the crime shows the best and often cackled as she watched.
She subscribed to a channel of true crime and loved to pass an evening filled with murder and mayhem.
“Amateurs,” she’d mutter. “You never wear jewelry when you’re going to kill someone. Blood splatter,” she informed me with a knowing look, as if she made a habit of offing people. “They can find it in the smallest little crevices.”
Her voice was cheerful when she answered. “Autumn, dear girl. I was just talking about you. How is Scotland? Been lifting any kilts lately?”
I laughed. “Sorry, Auntie Lynn, no.”
“Damn. How is work?”
“Going well.” I swallowed. “I’ll be home soon.”
“Well, as much as I will love to see your face, that’s a damn shame. You should extend it. Hike around Europe. Visit Ireland. Seize the moment.”
“Well, ah, I might be coming back.”
“Excellent! Work?”
“That is part of it.”
“Oh,” she breathed out. “Have you met a bloke?”
I gripped my phone. “Yes.”
“Dark, mysterious, and a fabulous lover?”
I began to laugh. She had no idea she had described Sully to a tee.
“You’ll have to tell me all about him.”
“I will.” I took a bracing inhale and said it. “He wants me to come back.”
“Then do it.”
“What about—”
She cut me off. “If you say you are worried about me, I will hang up this phone, young lady. I have lived my life. I have a head full of memories and lots of stories to share. I am comfortable here, and I do not want you using me as an excuse. You need memories. Laughter. Love. Now tell me, do you like him?”
“Very much.”
“Is the sex good?”
“Fabulous.”
“Lust or love?”
I paused. “Love.”
“Then grab him and hold on tight.”
“And you’d just wave me off?” I asked, slightly hurt.
“I will miss you terribly. But even I know about technology. Live calls or whatever they’re called. The application things on your phone. You can teach me before you go. And there are airplanes. You can visit.”
“Well, nothing is set in stone.”
“Don’t let life pass you by, Autumn. Not for me. I have no regrets. I don’t want to be one of yours.”
Then she huffed a breath. “Now the idiot is about to bet wrong. I must go. I’ll see you soon, and we’ll talk it all through. Send me a picture of this Scottish man.”
“He’s Irish.”
“Even better. They, at least, are romantics.” She gasped. “Oh, I just saw the commercial for tonight’s show. It’s a good one. Serial killers. Gotta go.”
She hung up, leaving me smiling. After her stroke, they hadn’t been sure she’d recover.
But she did. She could speak clearly again.
Use her arm. Then she broke her knee falling down the stairs and was unable to live on her own.
The assisted living place we found was perfect.
She was still independent but no longer had to do housework or cook if she didn’t want to.
There was a large group of people her age, and she was often busy—too busy to talk to me at times.
I was pleased she’d adapted so well to her new living arrangements and was happy there.
She had the occasional worry or moments when her memory wasn’t as sharp as it used to be, and at times, she was easily distracted.
But she was still full of fire and light.
And love.
I stared out the window. I would miss her terribly if I moved.
But the truth was, I would miss Sully more.
Later, we sat in a small café, sharing a platter of various finger foods. My suitcases were at his place, ready to be unpacked. He had shaken his head as he’d looked around.
“Two small cases, lass? That’s it?”
“I brought five business outfits and some casual clothes. I bought a few more things, which filled my knapsack. I do laundry and mix and match.” I shrugged. “I’m not here for fashion week or to impress anyone, Sully. Just to do my job.”
He cupped my face and kissed my nose affectionately. “You impressed me.”
I laughed and wrinkled my nose. “Thanks.”
We dropped the cases off at his place, then walked to this little café he liked. “Great Middle Eastern food. The sharing platter is awesome.”
“Who do you usually share it with?” I asked, feeling slightly possessive.
He chuckled and leaned close, dropping his voice. “I do takeaway and eat the whole thing.”
I giggled around a mouthful of warm pita and shawarma.
“Or sometimes I eat in with Bonnie, just to let them think I don’t eat the whole thing.”
I scooped some baba ghanoush onto more pita. “This is so delicious. So smoky.”
“I know. They do it all out back.”
He reached across to spear a pickled turnip. I slapped his hand. “Hey. Sharing platter. You’ve eaten them all!”
He glowered at me. “You ate the pickles.”
“There weren’t as many, and they were so good.”
We glared at each other, trying not to laugh. He huffed an impatient sigh. “Is this how it’s going to be from now on?”
“Me defending the turnip distribution? Yep.”
He withdrew his fork. “Fine.”
With a grin, I speared the pink treat and held it out to him. “But I’ll share.”
He leaned forward and took a big bite with a wink. “That’s my girl.”
We were quiet for a few moments, eating. Then he spoke. “You have plans this weekend?”
“Um, no.”
“I was going to book us a flight to Dublin Saturday. Return on Sunday.” He paused, looking almost nervous. “For you to meet Roisin.”
“Oh,” I said, setting down the juicy olive I was about to eat. I wiped my fingers. “Are you sure, Sully?”
He regarded me steadily. “Totally.”
“I know how much she means to you—” I started to ramble.
He covered my hand that was moving restlessly on the tabletop. “As do you.”
“No one has ever asked me to meet their family,” I admitted.
“I have never taken anyone to meet my family,” he countered.
He studied me. “Am I pushing too hard, mo fhiadh beag?” He frowned.
“I want to show you off. Spend as much time with you as possible. But I made you move in. I commandeer your evenings. I keep pushing myself into every inch of your time here, don’t I?
” He shook his head. “We can wait until you return.”
“No, I would love to meet her. You didn’t force me to move in. You asked, and I said yes. I want you in every inch of my life, Sully.”
He smiled widely. “Yeah?”
I reached out and gripped his hand. “Yeah.”
“Good.” He grabbed his phone. “I’ll book the flights.”
I was nervous as we drove to Roisin’s house. Despite Sully’s assurances, I was worried about what she must think of a woman he’d only met a short time ago being introduced to her as…what exactly?
“Sully?”
“Hmm?” he replied, concentrating on the road.
“What does Roisin think I am?”
“Human, I believe.”
I slapped his arm, and he laughed. “My girlfriend. My lover. My soon-to-be fiancée. Then Mrs. Black.” He paused and squeezed my thigh. “My new world.”
I sat back. “Well, no pressure, then.”
“She is gonna love you.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because I love you and, more importantly, you love me and make me happy. That is all she will care about.”
“And you’ve never brought anyone to meet her?”
“Once,” he said seriously. “My first love.”
“Oh?” I asked calmly, even though I hated to hear about him loving someone else.
“Rosey Connoll. Bright red hair, freckles everywhere, and the best tree-climber I ever knew.”
“The best what?”
He flashed me a grin. “I was six, and she lived across the street. Dirty little urchin—her mum used to chase her around to clean her up for school. Always in the mud, climbing trees, walking along roofs. Constantly in trouble. Ah, me heart was hers. I told Aunt Roisin I would marry her, I did,” he finished in a thick Irish singsong voice.
“Then she broke my wee heart and kissed Robert Baker from down the block.” He shook his head. “I never recovered.”
I crossed my arms. “You are such an arse.”
He laughed merrily. “You are the first and only woman I have ever talked about to Roisin. Ever thought about bringing to meet her. Ever considered anything but a fling with. You, Autumn Briggs, one day soon-to-be Autumn Black, are my unicorn.”
We pulled up to a small house. He turned in his seat and met my gaze. “She will love you. And if she doesn’t, I would still love you.”
“I want her to like me.”
He glanced over my shoulder. “Well, here she comes. No time like the present to find out.” He opened his door. “And I already know she will.”
I took a deep breath. I hoped so.
Roisin Black was a whirlwind with an apron. She hugged Sully, talking a mile a minute, then turned to me with a wide smile. She was robust and tall. Her dark hair was streaked with gray, and her green eyes were warm and friendly.
“Och, Sully, ye didn’t do her justice! What a beauty!”
The next thing I knew, I was being hugged ferociously, then she held me at arm’s length.
“Look at that hair! And she’s a wee doll next to you, you lumbering eejit.
Come, lassie, inside. I have tea and barmbrack waiting.
Sully, get the bags. Your wee girl needs refreshments.
And I need to get to know her! Oh, so pretty! ”
And she pulled me along, leaving Sully behind us, smiling and looking pleased. I glanced over my shoulder, and he threw me a wink as if to say, “Told you.”
I had no choice but to go where she pulled me. I had a feeling it was only the start.