Autumn’s cheeks burn. She licks her lips, that cute pink tongue of hers reminding me just how innocent my girl is. “Not really. I wanted to be, but Russet …”
“What did you to her?” Grayson asks, getting protective, just like he should. I wouldn’t think I’d see anything less. He is a good man, loyal and knows what matters. Family.
“I was a fool,” I say. “And I left scared. Autumn was ready to marry me … but I was a stupid kid without any understanding of what really matters in life. Autumn believed in me before I believed in myself and … well that is why I came back. To try and find out if there was a sliver in her heart that might still hold space for me.”
“There’s more than a sliver, Russet,” she says, reaching across the table for my hand. “You can have the whole thing.”
“Oh you two,” Lindy says, covering her mouth. “I just had no idea, all this time …”
“I didn’t want to deceive you, Mom,” Autumn says. “Or you, Grayson. But when Russet left I was so embarrassed … that he didn’t want me.”
Pain seizes my heart, my regret damn deep. “I wish I hadn’t needed to leave to know I wanted to stay.”
Autumn’s eyes reach the torn up places in my heart. “You had wild oats to sow,” she says. “That doesn’t matter. What matters is that you came back.”
“I love you, Autumn, so damn much. I know we’re here, in front of your family, that we haven’t spoken in four years, that we’re sitting at a table with a turkey and mashed potatoes and plenty of gravy — but I have to say it. I have to say it now.”
“Say what?” she asks, but I know she knows.
She knows me.
“I want to make a life with you, give you a family, make a home. I love you, Autumn.” I reach into my pocket, and pull out a diamond ring. It glitters and shines, reflecting all the love I have to her. “Marry me, be my wife. I’m a better man for knowing you, I can’t imagine what I might be if I had you by my side, for better or for worse.”
“Till death do us part,” she whispers, tears filling her eyes.
“Is that a yes?”
She nods and then looks at her brother and mother for affirmation. They’re dumbstruck and smiling, and I know we have their blessing.
“It’s a yes, Russet. It’s all my dreams come true.”
I take her hand, and over the gravy boat and the green bean casserole, I slip the gold band on her finger.
“I love you, Autumn,” I say, standing and walking around the table, pulling my fiancée in my arms. She is all I’ve wanted since the day I left. And now, she is mine.
Grayson clears his throat. “Well, hell.” He leaves for the kitchen and grabs drinks. He hands me a beer and then pours his mom and Autumn glasses of white wine.
Then he raises his bottle. “Mom said grace, I’d like to make a toast. That’s a Thanksgiving thing, isn’t it?”
“It can be,” Lindy says, pulling her little girl into a tenderhearted hug.
Grayson nods. “You were always like family. And now, I suppose you really are. You take care of my sister, you hear? But hell, I don’t think I could wish my little sis to have a better man.”
His words mean more than he knows. I’ve never had family that stood up for me, stood by me.
But as he clinks his bottle to mine, I think maybe that isn’t true. Maybe he does know how much this means to me.
“Okay, kids, you need to eat,” Lindy says, wiping her eyes with a napkin. “I spent all day on this food.”
I give Lindy a hug. “Thank you,” I say. “Not just for dinner, but for giving me a second chance at a family. At love.”
“You’re going to make her cry,” Autumn says, beaming up at me.
“Too late,” Lindy says, dapping her eyes. “Now I mean it, this dinner isn’t going to eat itself.” Then looking at the table, she exclaims. “Oh, I forgot salt and pepper.”
Grayson follows her into the kitchen claiming he needs to find the carving knife, even though the turkey is already sliced. I think they just wanted to give us a moment alone.
I’ll take it. I pull Autumn close so I can whisper in her ear. “I’m saving most of my appetite for dessert.” I pinch her ass, and she bites her lip.
“I know,” she says with a smile. “But I’ve saved myself all this time so you could be my first course.”
I growl in her ear, so ready to have my way with her.AutumnAfter we clean up from dinner, Grayson falls asleep on the couch in a food coma, and Mom says she’d like to close her eyes for a few minutes before dessert.