“Have you been drinking?” It was a stupid question to ask because after the few times Autumn and I had gone out, I knew she rarely drank more than one or two drinks. And it was very clear she was on the other side of tipsy.
“Maybe…Well, I was at the bar helping Alex and when I messaged you this afternoon, I was not drinking. And now I am because it’s karaoke night.”
“This afternoon? I just got your message like fifteen minutes ago.”
“Really? Well, damn. I swear I sent it when the inspector left your house.”
Curiosity got the best of me as I laid back on the bed. “What were you doing at the house, Princess?”
“Um. . .missing you?”
“Uh huh.”
Off in the distance, I could hear a group of people calling Autumn’s name and it warmed something deep inside me. Autumn claimed to not have any friends besides her sisters, but there were definitely more than three voices shouting at her to return to the fun.
“Hey, I’ll let you get back,” I said. “I should be home soon.”
“Really?” she asked, her voice perking up.
“Really.”
Her voice quieted as she asked, “For real this time?” and I felt like an ass.
“Yeah, baby. For real.”
“Oh good. Because I have a surprise for you.”
“Is it your pussy?”
“Colton!” she exclaimed and I caught myself laughing and feeling more carefree than I had in a long time.
“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.”
“It’s more than. . .that. Though she missed you, too.”
“I’m going to fuck you until you can’t walk when I see you again.”
“Promises, promises. The book club is calling me,” she paused before adding, “Don’t be a stranger, Colton.”
Before I could say more, she ended the call and I was left feeling better than I had in a long time.
For the first time, it seemed like my life was going down a path that I could follow and embrace.
As I got ready for bed, thankful for the toothbrush and toothpaste Sadie had left for me in the bathroom across the hall, I wondered if the woman that once owned this place was smiling down, knowing that her children had finally come together. Not that I knew her very well, but I suspected that our mom would have loved Autumn. She was strong, smart, and kind.
And I loved her.
Chapter Nineteen – Autumn
Sawdust swirled around me like a tornado as I sanded the dresser in the attic of Colton’s house. He had no idea I was tackling this project. Heck, I had surprised myself and the contractor when I said I wanted to turn it into his master suite.
With the last leg complete, I crawled off the floor and stared at the soon-to-be masterpiece. With the white paint on the newly drywalled walls and the light oak floors that had been freshly stained, the room seemed open and spacious even with the peaked ceilings. I suspected it was the last-minute skylights Colton requested to be installed.
So far, the upstairs was coming together as Colton had wished. Other than the few ventilation changes that needed to be made, the house was pretty much ready to live in. In thirty days, no less. I didn’t know how much Colton spent to have the house remodeled so quickly, nor did I want to know, but his money sure made things happen faster than I’d ever seen.
When I chose to revamp the attic for Colton, I hadn’t been completely selfless. I wanted the chance to scour through the walls to find any more goodies. Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything of sentimental value besides some more newspaper articles. But I was devoted to renovating the space and a bit stubborn.
Instead of leaving the space completely open, I had the contractor set up a narrow hallway at the top of the stairs and divide the other half of the attic into three smaller bedrooms and a full-sized bathroom. Colton could use them for whatever he wanted, like an office or gym, but if he ended up deciding to rent out the rooms or the entire house, it would be great. Especially if I could get him to partner with me and the venue. If Colton didn’t like the new layout, he could easily take the walls down.
