“So, the binder?” he prompted with a gentle squeeze at my waist.

I shook my head slightly and brought my attention back to Colton. A thought launched in my head, one that I was probably going to regret, but I found myself asking anyway.

“We have family dinner on Saturday nights. I know you mentioned you don’t cook and I thought, maybe, if you wanted, you could. . .I don’t know-”

“Are you asking me to come to dinner tonight?”

“Yes. I mean, no. I mean. . .you could bring the binder to the house. And I know my dad would love to hear-” The man silenced me with another kiss. This one was quick but no less heated.

“Stop talking,” he commanded as he pulled back. “I would love to join your family for dinner tonight.”

I had a secret suspicion he had chosen those words carefully.

Abruptly, Colton requested to walk me to my car and he followed dutifully until we reached the spot I snagged on the street.

“Dinner is at six,” I added as I opened the driver’s side door and turned to face him.

Colton’s eyes darted around the street, probably taking in the number of people milling about. We weren’t secluded as we had been before.

Reaching out, he gently squeezed the hand that hung loosely at my hip, then gestured for me to get in the car with a small tilt of his head. “I’ll see you then.”

In the car, my hand shook as I pressed the ignition button to start the car and it took all my strength not to turn my head to watch Colton as I pulled out of the parking spot. But I snuck a few glances in my rearview mirror, wondering what kind of mistake I had just made.

From my purse I heard my phone buzz and then the Bluetooth in the car prompted to read aloud the message. Taking a deep breath, I pressed the okay button.

“From Alex. Lucy, you got some explaining to do.”

Yeah, I was definitely going to regret asking him to join us for dinner. I just wasn’t sure if that was on my behalf or his.

Quickly I darted into the parking lot for Chuck’s Grocery and dialed my mom, who picked up immediately.

“Autumn, is everything okay?”

“Yeah. . .um. . .do we need anything from the store?”

“I don’t think so. Why?”

“Well, um. . .” I began, knowing I was about to be on the receiving end of my mother’s high-pitched squeal. “I invited our new neighbor to join us for dinner.”

“Eeep!” And there it was. I had to yank the phone back from my ear until she settled down.

“Mom. Mom. Mom!” I finally shouted to get her attention. She’d started rambling on incoherently about weddings and grandchildren. “Do we need anything else from the store?”

“No, dear. We’re having steak kabobs. We have plenty. Oh, I am just so excited. Now hurry home. I can’t wait to hear everything.” Mom quickly ended the call and I debated on turning around and heading back to the ranch. Instead, I made my way into Chuck’s in search of a bottle of wine, knowing that I was going to be subjected to my mother and sisters for the next few hours.

I searched the shelves and snagged a bottle of red that I adored but quickly grabbed a second bottle as well. There was a good chance I was going to need it.

Chapter Eleven – Colton

The sun set just beyond a valley between the mountain ranges. It projected oranges and reds throughout the clouds on the darkening evening, and I couldn’t help but relish in its glory. My reasons for ending up in Ashfield were mine and mine alone. I’d left the world believing that it was a way to escape the storm that was brewing in New York related to my ex-girlfriend and retirement, but that wasn’t all. Only my agent knew of the last straw that led me to Eastern Tennessee and that alone was a fluke.

I’d considered disclosing the secret to Brett, but the surprise was still something I was trying to wrap my head around. But it was eating me up inside. I needed advice or just someone I could talk to. Someone that wouldn’t have an ulterior motive.

Glancing up at the large farmhouse as I crested the dirt path between our two properties, I thought, I need someone like Autumn.

It was obvious that the woman hated the fact that I bought the home her family had once owned. Of course, I had no way of knowing that at the time. Her father had been understanding and was happy that it was going to be lived in again, even if it wasn’t by his family. But convincing Autumn of that was something I’d have to save for another day, maybe when we were on better footing.

While I knew she didn’t want to like me, she was fighting against wanting me. When I stole the kiss from her at The Purple Goat, I was taking a chance that she wouldn’t push me away and it surprised me when her lips had parted and welcomed me in return.

There was chemistry between us. One I hoped to examine if we had the chance, but first I needed her to warm up to me. The entire town did from what I could gather.

It didn’t take long in Ashfield to learn that everyone was surprised by Autumn’s return and the reason for it. Heck, just a trip to the hardware store gave me more than I wanted to know. But no one was convinced that she was going to stay. There was a betting pool on how long before she hightailed it out of dodge.

Which left an ache in the pit of my stomach.

Autumn had warned me about small town gossip and the rumor mill, but witnessing it firsthand was something else. Now I knew why she was so hesitant to let anyone in.

The house grew larger as the distance between me and the property shrank. A few combines sat vacant in the fields while one continued to work just beyond my point of view.

Nash had mentioned that the harvest would last about a week. I secretly hoped he’d let me try one of the combines. It was an oversized tractor that made me think back to being a three-year-old obsessed with monster trucks.

My truck crossed the dirt path onto the solid gravel drive that led to the front entrance of the Easterly estate. Immediately, I noticed Autumn’s red sedan parked in front of one of the garage bays. I wondered if they parked vehicles inside or used it as storage as many of my foster parents had.

Just as I put the truck in park, the front door was flung open and the youngest daughter shouted something before stepping out onto the porch.

Slowly I approached, taking in the way the girl eyed me. Not in one of interest, but of preservation. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know that she was looking out for her family, which was interesting since she was the baby of the clan.

“Hi,” I said as I took the first step. “I didn’t get to introduce myself the other day. I’m Colton Crawford.” Warmly, I held out my hand.

She blatantly ignored my greeting as she crossed her arms against her chest. “You’re early.”

I didn’t need to glance at my wristwatch to know that she was right, but I’d planned it that way, hoping to get some alone time with Autumn before dinner.

Dropping my hand back to my side, I switched my hold of the wine bottle I’d brought over, but left the binder tucked under my arm.

“I am,” I said.

“She won’t like it.”

Shrugging, I added, “She doesn’t like me much, anyway.”

“That’s true, though I suspect otherwise.” I suspected the girl kept tabs on everyone in the family and used it to her advantage when needed.

“What makes you say that?”

Pushing off from the porch railing, she moved toward the door. “No reason.” Once she stepped over the threshold, her voice took on a volume that left me cringing. “Mom, our neighbor is here.”

“Thanks,” I murmured, standing in the same spot on the porch.