تسجيل الدخولAutumn I go into the bakery the next morning.Elijah kept saying that I shouldn’t, that I should make Rhiannon wait until after the holidays if she wants my building so bad, but the thought of dragging it out just makes my stomach hurt.All three of the guys were hovering around me over breakfast and while I got ready, and I know they were just trying to be protective because they’re worried about me. It’s the same way I felt when Luke got hurt, and it’s wild to think that it was just two days ago when that happened.It feels like it happened to someone else, honestly.When I didn’t relent on going in, they started insisting they should come with me, but I shot that down too. I told them I was just going to get the things I needed immediately, and that I would start moving more stuff out later.When I get there, I’m glad they didn’t come because the sign on the door saying the bakery is closed makes my stomach twist and tears spring to my eyes.I’ve cried in front of them enough.
Elijah It looks wrong on Autumn’s beautiful face, and my heart clenches painfully in my chest. I have to do something to help distract her from the pain she’s feeling.So I get up and force a smile, going over to where there’s a Santa hat on the mantle. It feels like forever ago that we were decorating her place for Christmas, and it’s time to get some of that cheer back.I plop the hat on my head and put one hand on my hip. “Enough of this,” I say. “We’re going to do something fun.”“Like what?” Autumn asks, looking up at me. She still looks worn down, but there’s a ghost of a smile on her lips. That’s a start.“Christmas movie marathon. We’ll watch some of the classics and some of those awful ones where the girl gives up the job of her dreams to move in with a guy who sells Christmas trees for a living or something.”Autumn’s smile grows. “They’re kind of romantic, in a way.”“What would be romantic is if the Christmas tree seller guy moved to the big city with the girl and got a r
Elijah We breathe together like that for at least five minutes, and finally, some of the shaking has subsided in her.“Here,” I say, picking up the glass of water. “Sip this slowly for me.”Autumn takes it with trembling hands, and Benedict reaches over to help steady the glass. She sips at it a bit, and some of the horrible paleness recedes from her face, letting her natural color back in.Once she seems over the worst of it, she sits back against the couch, closing her eyes again. This time, I let her.“How are you feeling?” Luke asks.“A little better,” she says, her voice still shaky around the edges.“I can’t believe that little prick didn’t even try to make sure she was okay,” Benedict grumbles. “Are we sure he’s not adopted?”“I’ll have a word with him later,” I say, already imagining what I’m going to say to my youngest brother about his behavior. But right now, I’m more concerned about what happened to make Autumn panic so badly. “What happened?” I ask her. “What did your si
Autumn Rhiannon just nods. “I mean, if you think about it, it’s kind of perfect, right? I’m getting married, and it’s the perfect time to start my own business. Maybe I’ll even ask you for some tips.” She laughs, like it’s an absurd thing to say.She keeps chattering on about it, talking about all the different things she could do, but her voice has faded into a background hum. All I can really hear is my blood rushing in my ears as my heart pounds.My breathing comes faster and faster, but it feels like I’m not getting any air at all.Everything I’ve worked for. Everything I’ve built on my own, with no help from my family, about to be ripped away from me because of a technicality. If my grandmother were still alive, she could fix this, but she’s gone. The only member of my family that I could trust is dead, and my dreams are about to be buried right alongside her.I desperately gulp for air, staggering away from Rhiannon.“Please, stop!” I gasp. “Oh my god.”“Autumn?” I hear one of
Autumn When I wake up again, it’s morning.Luke stirs next to me, and I hear him make a grunt of what I can only assume is pain.“Are you okay?” I ask.“Fine. Fucking forgot about the wrist for a second and hit myself in the head with the splint.”I cover my mouth to hide my giggle.“I feel better though. My head is clearer. I didn’t like being all woozy yesterday.”“That’s good then. And your arm?”“Still hurts, but I can manage.”We take our time getting up, and by the time we make it out to the living room, Benedict and Elijah are already awake. Elijah is in the kitchen making breakfast, and Benedict has coffee ready in my fancy coffee machine.“Take your pills, Luke,” Elijah says, once we’ve eaten.Luke makes an irritated noise. “They’re going to make me drowsy.”“You don’t have anything to do but rest today. And if you don’t take them, you’re just going to get grouchy from the pain.”“I don’t get grouchy.”“Sure you don’t,” Elijah and Benedict say at the same time.Benedict smir
Autumn Luke is discharged from the hospital a couple of hours later, and we bundle him back up and get him in the jeep to go home. His wrist is splinted, and he’s under strict instructions to try not to move it for the next month.When we got those instructions, Benedict snorted and rolled his eyes, giving me a look that said he was already dreading trying to keep Luke from making his injury worse.For the moment at least, Luke isn’t fighting any of it. He lets us drive back to my house and get him set up on the couch. The drugs gradually start wearing off, and the clarity returns to his eyes.He’s obviously fine, getting back to his old self, but it’s still so hard to get the image of him getting hit by that car out of my head.It makes me want to be doubly sure he’s fine, and I spend the rest of day doting on him, making tea and fixing him a plate when we order dinner.Elijah and Benedict tease me about it, but I can tell they understand why I’m doing it.I can’t help but realize







