—Autumn—
The day had finally come, and my family, including my brother and Kinley, were coming over for the day.
Julian had invited everyone. This was the first time I was going to see my brother since our altercation over two weeks ago.
We’d been living here for seventeen days, and the truth was—it was starting to feel like home.
Capri was loving every second of it, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t also.
I was beyond nervous of what today would bring. Fully aware of Julian’s intentions, they were pure. He wanted my family in his life. I knew he’d missed them, probably in the same way I’d missed him. Christian didn’t want to attend our gathering at first, but our mom was able to change his mind.
Julian spared no expense, having it fully catered with some of my family’s favorite food.
The liquor bar was stocked, our home was ready, and the atmosphere was perfect.
The minute my parents’ SUV pulled up, Capri hauled ass outside to greet them.
We hadn’t seen my parents in a couple of months, the same with Christian other than the day at the restaurant.
“Grampy!” Capri jumped into my dad’s arms.
“Sweet pea, look how big you’ve gotten!”
“I know! Momma says I’ve grown an inch since you last saw me. What do you think, Grammy? Do I look bigger?”
My mom hugged her tight. “You sure do. You have to stop growing, or who’s going to be my baby girl?”
“I’d love to give you another grandchild, several actually.”
I glared at Julian.
He hasn’t seen my parents in over a decade, and that’s the first thing he says to them?
“Julian,” Mom announced, looking at him with so much affection in her stare. “You always did speak your mind. It was one of the things I loved the most about you.”
He smiled, and she didn’t hesitate, opening her arms to give him a hug. They embraced, and my father hugged him too, all of them peering at each other with warmth and love.
“Look how handsome you are.” Mom beamed. “I always knew you’d accomplish big things. We can’t tell you how proud we are of you.”
“Thank you,” he replied. “You have no idea how much that means to me, and I just want to start off by saying I’m so sorry about—”
She waved him off. “It’s in the past. You’re here now, and that’s all that matters.”
“The way I left after everything you guys did for me. It’s inexcusable, and I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to make things right with the both of you.”
“We just want you to be happy. It’s all we’ve ever wanted.”
“I know.” He looked over at me. “Autumn has always been the woman to do that for me.”
I hadn’t spoken to my parents about anything pertaining to Julian since The New York Times article hit the stands.
I didn’t know what to say, and I figured it was better to discuss it in person than over the phone or through text.
The expression on Mom’s face was enough—she had questions. Lots of them.
We showed them around the estate, and I could tell my parents were enamored with the property.
It was as if no time had passed between Julian and my parents.
Despite them being hurt by his actions, I always knew they wouldn’t hold a grudge.
Now, my brother was a much different story.
Christian and Julian had been best friends, and Christian had missed Julian like I did when he’d left.
At least I got a goodbye—not a very good one but one, nonetheless.
Julian went out to the farmhouse with my dad and Capri, while my mom and I stayed behind in the kitchen.
Which was made for a queen.
Me.
“Okay, spill, Autumn. I can’t hold it in anymore. You’ve been ignoring my calls and texts.”
“I wasn’t ignoring you.”
“Then how do you explain every miscall and text?”
“I just didn’t know what to say. When I first learned about the article, I was so mad at Julian.”
“First learned? You didn’t know about it either?”
“Absolutely not! I would never want any of you to find out that way, but Julian … he’s Julian Locke, Alpha CEO, and he does what he wants.”
“He’s always done what he’s wanted, Autumn. You were too young to realize that before.”
“I’ve always known. I just ignored it back then.”
“And now?”
“He drives me absolutely insane.”
“What’s going on between you two? Is it true? Are you guys together because of the way that man looks at you, I can’t imagine this is just a publicity stunt.”
“I don’t know what we are, and that’s the honest truth.”
“Alright… And the article? What happened back then?”
I deeply sighed. “We lied to everyone.”
“So he was your first love? You were his?”
“Yeah, well, I mean he was mine, but I didn’t know I was his until the article hit the stands.”
“Oh wow.” She shook her head, dumbfounded. “How did we not see any of this?”
“We were really good at hiding.”
“I guess I don’t understand why you guys were hiding in the first place.”
“We didn’t think you guys would approve, and we knew Christian definitely didn’t.”
“Oh, honey … all we’ve ever wanted is for you to be happy.
Both of you. And if you found that with one another, who are we to say anything about it?
Your brother has always been so overprotective of you, but he would have eventually come around.
His little sister, his best friend, he couldn’t ask for a better outcome. ”
“You would think, but you should have seen him a few weeks ago when Julian told him to meet us at a restaurant.”
“I saw your brother’s busted lip. I can imagine what happened.”
“Did he tell you?”
“He told us he saw you guys, and Julian and he exchanged words. Christian is hurt, but he’ll come around.”
“I can’t believe you guys are so forgiving. I know how sad you were with the way he left.”
She lovingly smiled. “Honey, it was a long time ago. Julian has always been a very complex man, even as a child. At first, of course, his abrupt departure was painful, but I know he didn’t mean to hurt us.
Now, finding out about you guys, I understand why he thought leaving the way he did was the best idea. ”
“Really? Because I barely understand it.”
“You were raised in a loving home. Julian may have stayed at our house a lot, but he’s always been thrown away like he was nothing more than yesterday’s garbage.
Kids that are abandoned like he was and thrown into the system usually tend to mess everything up before someone they love can do it for them.
It’s sad, and I’m not making excuses for him.
I know he believed he was doing what was in everyone’s best interest.”
I nodded. “I know. I’m glad you guys are so forgiving. You mean a lot to him. He loves you, both of you.”
“And we love him. He’s always been a special boy, and we knew he’d amount to great things. I had a suspicion it would be something to do with cars. He’s always had a passion for them. How are he and Capri? From the looks of it, they’ve already taken to each other.”
“They’re two peas in a pod. I’m the odd man out these days.”
“Give it time. It will all work itself out.”
“I’m trying.”
She pulled me into a firm embrace, murmuring, “All the pieces will fall together.”
“I love you, Mom.”
“I love you more.”
The front door opened, and Christian called out, “Autumn?”
I pulled away and swallowed hard, making my way toward the front door to greet him. “Hey.”
He smiled, pulling me into a tight hug, and I was relieved. My brother was very important to me, and I didn’t want us to have any issues. Especially when it came to Julian and me.
“Hey, Kinley.” I hugged her next, whispering into her ear, “Thank you for making him come.”
“Believe it or not,” she replied. “He came willingly.”
Which surprised me more than anything.
—Julian—
“Daddy! Do you see? Look! I’m riding Buttercup all by myself!”
“I see, Capri!”
She was riding her pony with one of the ranch employees, while Autumn’s father and I were talking.
“I want to thank you for coming today.”
He put his hand on my shoulder, reminding me of all the times he did. “You look good, Julian. Happy, content, relaxed. Fatherhood suits you, son.”
I nodded, feeling his encouragement in the same way I did as a boy. With just a couple of words, he always had the ability to make me feel like I was wanted, cared for, loved…
“I don’t think I’ve ever felt this happy about anything in all my life.”
“Not even when you grossed your first million?”
“Money has never made me happy. I don’t think I’ve ever taken a moment to realize how far I’ve come.
I’m always contemplating what’s next, what happens now.
It was so hard for me to be present until Autumn came back into my life.
All I was doing was moving from one day to the next, but for the first time in over a decade, I’m actually standing still and enjoying every second of life.
I haven’t worked since I made Locke Enterprises announcement, and it’s been some of the best days of my life. ”
“Glad to hear it. You deserve it.”
I looked into his eyes. “I’ve always admired the man that you are. Always strived to be like you. I can’t tell you how relieved I am to know you don’t hold any grudges. What I did was truly fucked up.”
He chuckled. “It was very fucked up.”
I chuckled back.
“We spent a lot of years wondering if we did something wrong.”
I rubbed the back of my neck. The weight of his words was unsettling.
“My intention isn’t to make you feel bad, Julian. It’s to make you aware.”
“Either way it’s hard to hear.”
“You’ve always been like another son to us. When we read the article the other day, it all made sense, and we understood why you handled things the way you did.”
“I never meant to betray your trust with Autumn. I spent years pushing her away, but you know your daughter—she’s hard to resist.”
“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Her mother is the same. If you would have told us back then what was going on between the two of you, we would have understood. You grew up together, so it was only natural if things took a turn in your relationship.”
“I know that now, but I didn’t back then.
I was so grateful for everything you guys did for me, and I couldn’t bring myself to disappoint either of you.
I didn’t want to make problems in a home where there weren’t any.
Toward the end, Christian was getting suspicious, and I didn’t know what else to do.
I knew if I’d stayed in Texas, I wouldn’t have been able to stay away from her.
I loved her, I still do. She’s the only woman I’ve ever loved, and all I can do is make amends with everyone. ”
“We don’t have to forgive you, Julian, we already do. It’s you who has to forgive yourself.”
“You may not have to excuse my behavior and betrayal, but I know I have my work cut out for me with Christian. He’s far more stubborn than your daughter.”
“You bet your ass I am.”
Our stares shifted toward Christian, who was walking up behind us.
I nodded. “Glad to see you could make it.”
“I came to see my niece and sister.”
“Christian—”
I stepped out in front their old man, interrupting him. This wasn’t his argument to fight—it was mine.
“I fucked up.”
He got in my face. “I fucking loved you, man. How could you betray me like that?”
“Don’t you think I know that? I missed nine years of my daughter’s life because I fucked up so bad.
I’m the reason she’s spent all her life without a father.
” I pointed to myself. “Me. The man who grew up in foster care, going from piece of shit parent to piece of shit parent, and you think I wanted this for her? You don’t think I’ve been punished enough for my poor choices? ”
“I knew.” He sternly nodded. “I fucking knew you were messing around with Autumn. That’s what hurts the most! You blatantly looked me straight in the face, making me feel like I was crazy for even implying you two were hooking up behind closed doors.”
“You’re the last person I would ever want to betray, Christian, and you know that. It’s why I left the way I did.”
“You’re nothing but a coward.”
“I know, and I have to live with that. I lost everything that ever mattered to me. You were the only family I ever had. I fucking loved you too. It’s why I had to leave.
I couldn’t tell you that I was in love with your sister, but I can now.
And it’s the truth. I’ve loved her for as long as I can remember.
I can’t lose her again—I won’t. I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to be the man she deserves and the father Capri needs.
” I paused to let my words sink in. “I’ll prove to you how much I’ve always loved Autumn, but I need you to forgive me.
I’m sorry, Christian. I’ll apologize to you until I’m blue in the face.
Anytime I think about how I handled things it makes me sick to my stomach.
You’re one of the most important men in her life, and she wants your approval.
It would help me tremendously if you gave it to us. ”
“I don’t know if I can do that. At least not right now. I just… I’m here for my sister and my niece. It’s all I can offer you, Julian.” With that, he turned around and left.
And my mind was thrown into the past.