Blue Autumn in the Bayou (Gumbo Love)

by Clay, Ann

  “I would hope not,” Autumn said.

  “Rest assured, they don’t; and there’s more where that came from.”

  “Really? You just might have to show me.” She lifted her hand to erase the lipstick from his lips. He in turn kissed her fingers.

  “With pleasure, of course.” He stepped back. “Just so you know, we’re still on duty. So you better get to work, lady.”

  Autumn raised an eyebrow as she watched Travis back away and head to his position next to the groom. She followed suit and stood next to Reggie, taking the bouquet from her hand so that she could greet her guest with both hands free.

  * * * *

  From the crowd, Savannah watched Travis with his arms wrapped around one of the women in the bridal party. A saucy grin tilted upward. She definitely wasn’t family. That is, unless the Brooks had more in their closet than what met the eye. “No worries,” she mumbled. Instead of surprising him, it looked like she got a surprise. Travis wasn’t one to keep women. She knew this. So when he saw her at the reception, they’ll be good to go. She’d signed the guest book as friend of the groom. Well, she’ll just have to keep with that story. She removed the single car key from her small bag and head out of the church.

  CHAPTER 16

  When the bridal party was announced, everyone stood and applauded them. The first thing the couple did when they entered the reception hall was the first dance, and then they cut the cake for professional pictures. Everyone watched the video of the couple’s moments while their guests ate their meal. Right when dessert was being served, Autumn went to the mic to announce Reggie’s big surprise. “Family and friends, if I can have your attention for a moment; Reggie and Trae have planned this very special day to share with all of us. Reggie has one celebration surprise for which she would like to pay special tribute to her friend, Valerie, and Trae’s Uncle Clem.”

  A crew of young ladies took to the dance floor, and music began to play. The song was “Heart of Mine,” by Will Downing. For five minutes and four seconds the young women besieged them. The lyrics soothed every ear listening to the song. “You hold a special place in this heart of mine, heart of mine. Ooh you hold a special place, a special place. You hold a special place, I call love divine.”

  The young women leaped, twirled, and extended taffy-like limbs into half circles and long angles. Before rising-on-point, they used their bodies to form powerful jumps, and moments later, used their elegant limbs to slow or stretch into forms, only physically attainable by a trained dancer. Some of the little girls held up posters of Val and Clem, as a part of their routine. They spun and bowed, every eight or so counts.

  Family and friends’ eyes all filled with tears as they watched. Even though Reggie choreographed the routine, it brought her to tears as well. By the time the song finished there wasn’t a dry eye in the place. The young ladies took a final bow and everyone gave them a standing ovation.

  Travis moved to the mic. “I suppose this is as good of a time as any.” The guests gave him their undivided attention. “If I may call up Reggie’s beautiful maid of honor; Autumn; will you join me at the mic?” He held out his hand, and she took it. “You go first.” He stepped aside.

  Autumn moved close to the mic. “I would like to propose a toast to this amazing couple, who found this crazy love, love so crazy that not even tragedy could keep them apart. Love like theirs isn’t easy to find. I just pray that when it’s my turn, my love comes close to what they’ve found in each other. I salute you, wish you the best life ever, and pray you have plenty of babies. Love you both!”

  “Here, here!” Everyone raised their glasses and joined the salute.

  Travis stood at the mic next. “Now everyone knows that Traekin here is the baby boy, and that he has trumped me and Mike, by jumping ahead of the line.” Everyone busted into laughter. “And for a while, I wasn’t okay with that. But I’ve gotta say, man, marriage looks good on you. You know we love that little girl who is now your wife. She’s been like family from the beginning. She took her taunting from us like a true Brooks.” Everyone laughed again.

  “And for that, I’m thankful—that you brought home someone that fits perfectly into our family. Family is what it’s all about, man. I see my mother and father, and the rest of my aunts and uncles who are happy in their marriages. That’s what I wish for you and Reggie. So bring it home, Trae. We love you both.” He raised his glass.

  Again everyone chimed in. “Here, here!”

  Travis leaned down and kissed Autumn. “Thanks.”

  She looked up at him. “What for?”

  “For changing me.” The music began from the bandstand but neither seemed aware. They lost themselves in an interlude that made them wish that they’d been somewhere alone.

  “Come dance with me, Travis.” Trish pulled on her brother’s hand. “Do you mind, Autumn?”

  “No, not at all. He’s all yours.” She smiled up at him.

  He regarded her before he allowed Trish to drag him to the dance floor. Autumn stopped near Trae and Reggie, and gave them both hugs. “They’re playing your song. You two better get out there.” And they did.

  Savannah stood and took everything in stride. She calculated the exact time to make her great reveal. That time had come. She moved towards the dance floor. When the song changed, she walked up to Travis and the young woman who looked just like him. “Excuse me, sweetie, do you mind if I cut in?”

  Travis frowned. “Savannah, what are you doing here?”

  “You look surprised to see me, darling. I told you I was coming to help you celebrate your brother’s wedding.” She walked up to him and threw her arms around him. She pursed her lips and attempted to kiss him on the mouth, but Travis pulled away. He unwrapped her hands from around his neck.

  “What the hell are you doing, Savannah? I told you not to come here. This isn’t like you.” Travis caught people watching them from his peripheral view. They garnered plenty of attention on the dance floor. She was still pressed up against him. Anger spiked through Travis’s entire body and he scowled as he pulled her by her arm off the dance floor. Her high-spiked heels stomped, as she willingly allowed him to drag her away. His dark eyes saw two things, the questioning expression on Autumn’s face, when he turned to see her watching them, and the exit sign twenty feet away. He marched toward it without a second thought.

  Travis didn’t stop until he was completely outside of the country club, and in the circular drive away from prying ears. “Again, what the hell are you doing here?” He turned cold angry eyes at Savannah.

  Savannah stood her ground and looked Travis right in the face. She wasn’t afraid of the anger she saw in his eyes or his stance. She had nothing to lose. She glared back at him. “I’ve already answered your question, Travis.” She seemed to have a measured amount of control over the situation.

  “And I told you not to come here. You weren’t invited.” His glare bore straight through her.

  “You’ve ignored me for the last three weeks, Travis. What did you expect me to do? I wanted to see you. I came all the way from Savannah to be with you, and you totally ditched me. What’s with that?”

  Travis turned away from her and drew his hands down his face. If he had to bet money on anything, it would have been that Savannah, of all people, wouldn’t have been tripping like this. He didn’t know what had gotten into her, or why she suddenly changed her position. He turned back to her. “Listen, Savannah. We had an agreement. No strings, no ties, no commitments. That has always been my position. You know this. You also know that I don’t tolerate crazy shit like this.” He glared at her.

  When she didn’t respond. He shook his head. “This is over, Savannah. Please don’t call me or come near me again. Understood?”

  “Travis.”

  “What don’t you understand, Savannah? Please tell me.” He watched the tears gather in the corner of her eyes. He looked away and shook his head. “Where’s this coming from?”

  “I care about you.�
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  “What about the other two men you see when you come here?” He watched the surprised look on her face. “Yes, I know, but I don’t care. I never cared, Savannah. We had a good time, that’s all.” He turned and walked away.

  Autumn’s eyes drew immediately to Travis when he reentered the banquet room. He walked directly to the head table, and stood right in front of her. She could tell his mood had changed. A shadow of indifference danced in his eyes. He took a long breath before he leaned forward and whispered to her. “Can we take a walk?”

  She studied him for a minute, stood, and followed him out of the ballroom. “We’re on duty.” She looked up at his taut face.

  “I know. We won’t be long, I promise.” He took her hand, and walked to the back of the country club. He pushed opened a door at the rear of the building that led to a trellis walkway, lit by soft white lights. When they reached the edge of the walkway, they stopped. Autumn didn’t say anything. She waited.

  “Savannah Price is the woman who you saw me with on the dance floor earlier.” Autumn didn’t utter a word. She just stood there. “I promised that I would be straight up with you, to tell you the truth. And I have to tell you that she is someone I’ve dealt with in the past. We are through, Autumn. I want to clear the air about that so there’s no misunderstanding about where my head is.”

  Autumn moved closer to him. She would never admit to him that she felt betrayed. “I’m headed back to New York tomorrow, Travis. You had a life here before I got here. And when I leave, I assume that your life here will resume.”

  Her words cut deep, down to the core of his soul. He frowned. If she was trying to cut him loose, she was doing a damn good job at it. “So you’re telling that we can’t have a relationship after tonight, Autumn?”

  “No, I’m not saying that at all. What I’m saying is that you don’t know anything about me other than what you’ve seen here in the last couple of weeks. There’s so much more to me than what you see.”

  “Then, tell me, Autumn. Show me. I don’t want to go back.”

  “I don’t think you want to know.”

  “How can you be sure if you don’t let me decide for myself?”

  “Here and now is not the time or place, Travis.”

  “Then, when? Where? You name it, I’m there.”

  “Okay. Once we get Reggie and Trae snuggly behind bridal suite doors, we can talk this out.”

  He kissed her brow. “Then let’s do this.” He led her back into the reception. Reggie threw the bridal boutique, and Mona of all people caught it. Corey caught the sky-blue garter. Travis started the money dance with the bride and groom. He danced with both Reggie and Trae. He held up his twenty dollars for a dance with his brother and everyone thought for sure he wouldn’t go for it, but Trae did.

  “You just remember that I’ll always be the oldest,” Travis told him.

  He took a sighing breath when the bride and groom called it quits and the guests began to leave. He made arrangements for the limo and the hotel staff to take care of Trae and Reggie once they left the country club. He loaded all the gifts into the back of a van, and sent them to Trae’s house. Autumn took care of all of Reggie’s things, and sent the top cake tier home with his mother. Travis found her sitting in a chair with her shoe straps draped through the fingers of one hand and her bag clutched in the other.

  He looked down at her tired face. “Come.” She stood and Travis picked her up, holding her close to his chest. He went straight to his car and waited as she climbed in. When Travis got in on the driver’s side, he drew her seatbelt over her, and snapped it into place. By the time they got to his house, neither had uttered a single word. He got out, walked around, and opened her door.

  CHAPTER 17

  Autumn stepped out of the car, and once again, Travis picked her up; and she let him. He walked through the kitchen, and headed straight to his bedroom without turning on a single light. He placed Autumn in his bed fully clothed on top of the comforter, and got in next to her. He took the shoes from her finger and the bag from her hand and dropped them both on the floor. He pulled off his shoes and jacket, dropped them with the other stuff, eased next to Autumn, and draped his arm across her middle. They both fell asleep within minutes.

  Autumn moved beneath Travis’s large arm, draped over her like a blanket. She vaguely remembered him carrying her into the house, but couldn’t recall him putting her to bed. She blinked her eyes several times willing them to moisten. Her contacts now grazed against her lids. Dang! She should have taken them out before she fell asleep. She remembered that her eye drops were in her bag, wherever it was. After the crazy and very long day, she couldn’t remember if she actually had it.

  Sighing, she looked across the bed, and could just barely read the digital clock on the nightstand. 2:00 a.m. She assumed it was the correct time. People started leaving the country club a little before eight o’clock, and Autumn and Travis had left shortly after that. She tried to extract her body from beneath Travis’s trap, but instead of escaping, he pulled her closer to him. His body heat instantly enveloped her. “Where are you going?”

  “I have to go the bathroom.”

  He loosened his grip and moved back until he was off the bed. “Shield your eyes sweetheart; I’m going to turn on some light.

  Autumn complied. Travis helped her from the bed. Her gown hugged her legs until she stood up erect. She glanced around the huge room. The bed set smack in the middle of it. The chocolate and olive tones definitely created a masculine flair.

  “Through there.” He pointed toward a set of French doors to the right of the room. “Towels are in the closet if you need them, and there are shirts and bottoms in one of those drawers if you want to change.

  “I have a change of clothing in my bag.” She looked around to see if maybe she’d placed her bag on the bed.

  “This bag?” He fished it from beneath his discarded jacket.

  “Yes. Thank you.” She took the bag from his hand.

  Travis tilted forward and placed a kiss on her hair. “I’ll go down the hall.”

  “No, please. I can go to the other room. I don’t want to put you out of your own bedroom.”

  “You’re not putting me out. Let me know if you need anything.” He left her watching him.

  * * * *

  Autumn padded to the kitchen. The smell of bacon summoned her in that direction. After a quick shower, she felt refreshed. She bathed her eyes with solution, and they no longer ached. When she entered the kitchen, Smokey Robinson’s “I Don’t Know Why” hummed from speakers, positioned on a bar near the breakfast nook. “Smells good in here.” She walked up to Travis. He’d just dumped pre-measured flour into a bowl.

  He turned and kissed her again. “Are you hungry?”

  His hair still glistened with moisture. The shadow on his face and his dark smoky gaze all made him irresistibly handsome. “Yes. Can I help?”

  “Only if you like.”

  “I would. What do you want me to do?”

  “This.” He turned completely and feasted on her mouth. He didn’t linger. After he released her, he turned back to his biscuit mix.

  Autumn didn’t believe she’d ever get use to Travis’s kisses. His soft lips left her panting and wanting more. Like now, he could have lingered at her mouth just a bit longer. She moved around him and fell right in place. Before long, they’d whipped up a hearty breakfast. Travis and Autumn sat across from one another as they ate the tasty meal.

  “Do you make it a habit eating so late, or should I say so early in the morning?” Autumn bit into the fat, tender biscuit. She was amazed at how well he cooked. He made the biscuits from scratch. The homemade raspberry preserve, he said came from his mother’s makeshift cannery in her basement. “I would be as big as a house if I ate like this all the time.” She licked her fingers.

  Travis took a long sip from his mug before setting it down and he leaned back in his chair. He got joy in watching her eat. He loved when people enjoye
d his cooking, but with Autumn it meant something special. Hell, being with her was an experience he enjoyed these days. He soared when they were together, and the last couple of weeks were different from anything he’d felt before. In a couple of hours, she would board a plane back to New York. The thought of her leaving didn’t set right with him.

  Autumn, with a mouth full of food, saw him push back from his plate, and so she put down her fork. She forced the food in her mouth down, and took a sip of her juice. She’d already consumed a small omelet, three strips of bacon, and two fat biscuits. Tilting her head to one side, she watched him watching her.

  “Please don’t stop. I’m enjoying this.” He smiled.

  “Making a pig of myself, you mean.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with a healthy appetite. Besides, you hardly touched your food last night at the reception.”

  “I ate a little bit.”

  “Very little.”

  “Okay. I was a little nervous. Is that alright?”

  “Perfectly. It was our first time doing something like that, right?”

  She sighed heavily. “Right.”

  “So tell me, are you nervous about us?”

  “There’s an us?”

  He looked at her for a long moment. “Yes. I believe so.”

  Autumn fidgeted with the napkin in her lap. She could just lie to him, but he would know it. She wanted to tell him she loved him, but didn’t know how without feeling so vulnerable. Mer Drace had told her that it would happen, if she opened her heart to it, and she did. Now what? She had a life in New York with no plans to give that up, at least not yet. Mer Drace didn’t tell her how this dream of hers would end. “You’ll figure it all out, little one” was all she said.

  “I need to tell you something about me, Travis.” Autumn balled up the napkin in her lap. She twisted the end around several of her fingers. The advice from Mer Drace, Reggie, and Erica rang in her head. She wasn’t ashamed of her life or her grandmother’s life, either. She rustled with that demon years ago, which is why she left Grand Isle in the first place.