by Lori Foster
Going glum, Sadie stared down at her feet while tapping her toes together. “We might have to go home soon.” She quickly amended that complaint. “I love my room, I just wish it was here.” She peeked at Autumn, hopeful.
Tash was curious what Autumn would say, too, but he didn’t want to put her on the spot, so instead he gave a small reminder. “Autumn likes ice cream.”
Her gaze shot to his.
He wanted to ask “Or do you really prefer me over it?” but that wouldn’t be fair. At the very least, he had to allow Autumn time to get back on her feet, so he smiled at Sadie and said, “Maybe once you’re done with your bath, Autumn will share with you before you brush your teeth.”
Face flushed, Autumn nodded. “I have three different kinds right now. You can choose one, or a scoop of each.”
Not quite content with that answer, but anxious for the treat, Sadie slid back to her feet. “Okay. I’ll get my bath at Ember’s since my stuff is there.” She hesitated. “You won’t go back to bed, will you?”
“Not yet,” Autumn promised. “For once, I want to be the one to tuck you in.”
Her tone sly, his innocent little girl said, “I’d like it if you did that every night.” Lacking even a hint of subtlety, Sadie smiled at her. “Would you like that, too?”
Autumn’s entire posture wilted and she gathered Sadie close. Against her tangled red hair, Autumn said, “Oh, honey, I’d like that very much.”
Sadie smiled at Tash...and said with heavy meaning, “I’ll go get my bath now.”
For a seven-year-old, his daughter showed incredible insight.
“Won’t you need help?” Autumn asked, starting to rise.
“I’m not a baby.” Sadie gave Pavlov a hug and straightened. “Besides, Ember checks on me a lot. We talk through the door.”
“Oh?” Smiling, Autumn asked, “What do you talk about?”
Shrugging, Sadie said, “Fashion, hair, nails...and sometimes life.”
Boggled, it took Autumn a second to find her voice. “Sometimes...life?”
“Ember is really smart.” Sadie started out of the room. “I know because she said you were the best.” With that cheeky comment, she opened the door and immediately Pavlov leaped down to follow her.
When it closed again, leaving him alone with Autumn, emotions and sensations bombarded Tash. He casually came to sit by her. “I’ve heard all about their talks before. Your sister has turned my tomboy daughter fashion-crazy. They’ve already bought four different shades of nail polish, and Ember even painted flowers on Sadie’s toes.”
“I can’t wait to see.” She avoided his gaze. “Ember is much better at the girly stuff than I am.”
“It’s fun to Sadie.” He took Autumn’s hand, stroking his thumb over her knuckles. “This has been such a great experience for her. Well-rounded. She loves learning about the animals from you, and enjoys doing dirty work with Mike and me. She’s shown a real knack for creating art with your mother, and has a blast picking out meals for your father, and riding on his lap in his wheelchair. Ember enjoys brushing her hair and trading girl talk. She’s outside more than she’s in, gets to burn off a lot of energy in the fresh air and she’s happier than I’ve ever seen her. She’s in her element here.”
With her free hand, Autumn touched his mouth. “What about you, Tash?” Her fingertips trailed to his cheekbone, tracing lightly under his eye. “You look tired.”
Exhausted, really, since he’d been keeping up with his work schedule and fulfilling Autumn’s share of work at the farm. But he had no reason to complain. He’d accept the same schedule every day for the rest of his life if it meant staying with Autumn. “I’m fine.”
“Mom says you’ve worked around the clock.”
“Tracy would be wrong, because I’ve spent at least six hours sleeping with you each night.”
“Only six?” she asked with a worried frown.
It was an easy thing to lift Autumn into his lap, to hug her to his heart, much as she’d hugged Sadie. “I’ve enjoyed my time here as much as my daughter has.”
“You’re not used to farm work.”
Against the crown of her head, he smiled. “Before I became solely responsible for Sadie, I used to jog every day. It was my time to think, a way to separate from everything else, to lose tension and breathe in fresh air.” He’d taken it for granted, that freedom to do whatever he pleased, whenever he pleased. “Being here, indulging in a little physical exertion, did the same as jogging.”
“Relieved tension?”
“And helped give clear thought to things I wasn’t certain about.” Things like commitment, a future, life changes. Love.
She tipped her head back to see him. Her hair, now dry, hung in heavy tresses around her face. Color had returned to her cheeks and her beautiful eyes were bright again.
She bit her lip, released it and firmed her mouth. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”
“Okay.” He’d let her talk, and then he’d do some talking, too. He wouldn’t pressure her, never that. But he would state his case. Would tell her how he felt. How Sadie felt. She deserved to know that they loved her...and then she could let him know how she felt about taking things to the next level. He had to believe that eventually—hopefully sooner rather than later—she’d want a commitment. Marriage. A life together.
For several seconds, Autumn just searched his face.
It wasn’t easy, but Tash waited.
With a rueful smile, she settled back into his arms and tucked her face close to his neck. “I love you.”
His heart thumped hard and his arms automatically tightened. Had he misheard her? Given the path his thoughts had taken, it seemed possible.
She let out a small breath. “I know you haven’t said how you feel—”
Squeezing her until she squeaked, Tash whispered, “Say it again.”
He felt her small nod. “I love you.”
“You love me?” Damn, he had trouble getting it to sink in.
Autumn pressed back. “I love Sadie, too.”
She looked so earnest... “I know.” Of that much, he’d been sure.
“I know it hasn’t been easy being here and pitching in on everything while still keeping up with your own business—”
“I wouldn’t change a single second.”
“Still,” she insisted, “it’s a lot.”
She’d just claimed to love him, and now she wanted to boot him out the door? “You’ve just recovered. I doubt you’re ready to dive back in full speed. I’m happy to—”
“Do you love me?”
Her blurted question hung between them. Tash couldn’t look away from her eyes...until she bit her lip.
“Yes.” He’d been so floored with her declaration, he hadn’t thought to reassure her. But, hell, how could she not know? He cupped her face, kissed her softly and nodded. “God, yes, Autumn. I love you.”
And there was that beautiful smile again, tempered only by concern for their situation. “I’m sure it can’t be convenient—”
“Loving you is one of the easiest things I’ve ever done.”
That made her laugh. “Thank you, but I meant it can’t be convenient being here.”
Not convenient, no, but it was where he wanted to be. “A few more days, at least. Okay?”
Her smile softened. “Actually, I was thinking...maybe a lifetime?”
A lifetime? His heart nearly burst from his chest.
She rushed on before he could dredge up a single word. “You have a beautiful home, and I’m so happy with how things turned out.”
“Sadie loves her room and the pirate-ship play area.”
Autumn nodded fast, then offered, “I could replicate it here.”
“You could?” Was she suggesting they move in?
Again she rushed on. “I’m sorry, but it does
n’t make sense for me to live anywhere else.”
“Agreed.” On that, she’d get no arguments. The farm was a part of Autumn, and she put a piece of herself into everything she did here. Even if he tried, he couldn’t imagine her living anywhere else.
“So...” She swallowed heavily. “Will you marry me?”
Dear God, if she kept zinging surprises out there, he’d keel over. “You—”
“Want to marry you. I mean, I’d be happy to just be together a little longer, to give you more time to adjust, but there’s Sadie and she’s only seven and I wouldn’t feel right about living with you and not being married.”
Finally, finally, she ran out of steam and gave him a chance to speak. “I love you, Autumn. So damn much.”
She bit her lip again. “But?”
“Ah, babe, there are no buts. I love you. Every inch of you. Everything about you. This farm and your family and your amazing talent for making a girl’s bedroom a dream come true.”
“Oh.” She covered her mouth, her eyes going glassy.
“You’re sexy as hell, the sweetest person I’ve ever met...and the most caring. Stronger than you look and wiser than you should be.” Tash curved a hand around her cheek. “I love you for loving Sadie, but most importantly, I love you for me. I love you for being you.”
The tears spilled over and she threw herself against him.
Tash could feel her shaking, but he knew it was emotion, not upset. On the inside, he shook, too. “I love you, and I’d love to marry you. Sadie and I both would be thrilled to live here.”
She sat back to smile at him, her lashes spiked from her tears. “Ember was right.” With a little laugh, she swiped at her damp cheeks. “That was easier than I expected.”
“Ah. So your sister put you up to the proposal?” That sounded like Ember, and he’d have to remember to thank her for it.
“Ember, Mom and Dad—all three. They’re crazy about you, and Mom flat-out told me she wanted to keep Sadie. Oh, but don’t think I asked just for them!”
He hadn’t, but he liked the way she rushed to reassure him.
“I wanted everything with you long before they started in on me. Almost from the beginning, Sadie stole my heart. And you... Oh, Tash, you are so much better than ice cream. So much better than sleeping alone or coming home to an empty house. You’re...everything.”
That had to be the nicest thing anyone had ever said to him. The fact that it came from Autumn also made it the most special.
He smoothed back her hair, kissed her forehead and said, “We have a lot of plans to make, but for now, I see my daughter peeking through the door.”
Eyes widening, Autumn turned in time to see Sadie, trying to act like she hadn’t been sneaking, slip into the room. Ember and Mike were right behind her, followed by Pavlov.
“We’ve all come for ice cream,” Ember said, arms out and smile huge. “After all, I think we have something to celebrate?”
Sadie couldn’t suppress her own grin. “You love her, Dad?”
“Of course I do.”
“Me, too.” She eyed Autumn. “And you love him, right?”
She replied, “Of course I do.”
Sadie grinned even more. “And everyone loves me.”
Together Tash and Autumn, Ember and Mike, all laughed.
“Yes,” Autumn said. “Everyone loves you.”
“Yay!” Sadie ran around giving hugs to everyone. When she got to Autumn, she held on extra long.
Finally, she came to Tash, her face flushed and her grin wide. “We get to stay!”
“Yes,” Tash confirmed. He reached out to snag Autumn, pulling her in so that he embraced them both. “There’s a lot to do, but we’ll definitely stay.”
“Forever,” Sadie said.
Together, Tash and Autumn agreed. “Forever.”
* * *
Autumn watched the kittens, now crawling about and curious about everything. Sadie had named them all, but it was difficult to tell them apart. In typical Sadie fashion, she’d thrown up her hands and said it didn’t matter since they wouldn’t listen, anyway.
True to Tash’s promise, they hadn’t moved out. He’d been with her every day since she’d been ill two weeks ago, though little by little he’d brought over their things from his house.
Mike and Tash had helped Ember make fast work of changing the house into a single home again. Mostly, anyway.
The second kitchen was closed off for now, with only an outside entrance so Ember and Mike could access when they wanted an easier way to make a bigger meal, though mostly they grilled out.
The connecting door was removed to put in a wide, open entry to the other side of the house. Ember’s living room was turned into Sadie’s play area, and her bathroom was decorated for a little girl instead of an eclectic woman.
Autumn moved her office and most of her books into the bedroom Ember had used, and after a fresh coat of paint on the walls, they’d transitioned Sadie’s new bedroom into Autumn’s house.
Eventually they’d build another house on the property for Mike and Ember—big enough for three. But, for now, Ember decided she was in no hurry to have a baby. Not when she had so much fun with Sadie. And she did truly love Mike’s loft.
The only downside to the move was that Sadie’s amazing pirate-ship play area stayed in Tash’s yard, because it wouldn’t draw neighborhood kids when the farm was so far removed from neighbors.
The upside was that a young family wanted the house right away, in part because of that play area. After all, they had four kids between the ages of four and eight. Two of the kids were girls and they loved the bedroom Autumn had created with Ember. They wanted the same only with seahorses.
They were mostly settled now, and good thing, since school would start in two weeks.
“You’re hiding,” Ember said, coming up to stand beside her.
Autumn shook her head. “No, just thinking.”
“About why you haven’t yet set a wedding date? Because that’s what Mom and I are thinking about.”
Hiding her wince, Autumn looked over her shoulder and found her mother bearing down on them.
Leaning close, Ember whispered, “Sorry, that’s all the warning I could give.”
“Autumn Somerset,” her mother called. “Ember and I want to know why you haven’t yet started wedding plans.”
She sighed. Yeah, she and Tash had discussed it several times, but she hadn’t yet set the date because she wasn’t quite sure how to proceed.
Giving her mother the benefit of the doubt, and knowing Ember would play referee if it became necessary, Autumn settled on total honesty. She faced both women. They were so different, not just from each other, but especially from her. Still, she’d learned that they had incredible insight and bone-deep loyalty, so why not share her worries?
“I’m not sure what to do.”
Halting, her mother gasped. “Don’t you dare tell me you’re changing your mind!”
“Mom,” Ember soothed. “She’s definitely not saying that. Right, Autumn?”
She nodded. “I love Tash. We’re getting married.” She had no doubts about that. “I’m just not sure...how.”
“What in the world does that mean?” Her mother flapped a hand. “You’ve already done it once so you certainly know the process.”
A look of dawning awareness passed over Ember’s face. “Ah. Yes, she has done it once...and it was a massive fail that involved the whole town.”
“That wasn’t Autumn’s fault!”
“No, Mom, it wasn’t.” Ember crossed her arms. “But I’m guessing that’s the issue.”
Autumn blanched under their close scrutiny. She hadn’t expected them both to look annoyed. “I’m thinking a simple ceremony, maybe at the courthouse, would be nice.”
Her mother snorted. “You wa
nt a traditional wedding.”
“With another beautiful dress, flowers, cake—the whole shebang.”
Shocking how Ember aligned with their mom. Autumn opened her mouth twice before she got a word out. Yes, she’d love a traditional wedding, but she would it bring up all the old gossip again?
Trying to explain, without admitting her worries, she said, “Things are different with Tash.”
“Hell yes, they are. Tash would never burn you.”
Fed up with Ember’s antagonism, Autumn took a hard step toward her. “Maybe Tash doesn’t want a big wedding.”
Again, her mother brushed that away. “He wants whatever you want. He told me so. Oh, and just picture Sadie as the flower girl. She’ll be darling.”
Sure she would, but that was hardly reason enough to go all out again. Rubbing at her temples, Autumn said, “I don’t know if I’m up for organizing all that.”
“Tell you what, sis. Let Mom and me handle it.”
Autumn’s head snapped up. “What? No.”
“Yes,” her mother enthused. “We can bring it all together in no time.”
“I still have the dress I was going to wear,” Ember said. “You?”
Her mom nodded enthusiastically. “Flynn and I are both ready to go. We can take Sadie shopping and get her ready in a single day. Then we only need to find a new dress for Autumn, talk to the florist and the baker—”
Autumn’s heart started to gallop in mingled excitement and worry. Did she dare go all out on another wedding? First things first—she had to rein in her family. Holding up a hand, she said, “Whoa.”
Her mother and Ember both fell silent.
Autumn stared at her sister. “I thought you’d be busy planning your own wedding.”
Rolling one shoulder, Ember said, “I want you to go first.”
“Why?”
“So no one is holding their breath during my ceremony, waiting to see what you’ll do.”
“Oh.” Yeah, Autumn could imagine the whole town waiting with bated breath since they all knew Tash and Sadie had moved in. “I see what you mean.”
“Good, then you know you have to step to it. Mike and I are going to marry near the lake, preferably in October, when the leaves are just starting to change. I already know the dress I want, but I haven’t bought it yet.”