Chapter 8

Autumn

My heart stopped as Emmett walked into the room, looking more handsome than I’d ever seen him. When he left, he’d looked so much different. Where he once had a baby face, now he was all strong angles and muscle. He looked so much different, but then the same, and as he walked up to me, he smelled fresh and clean.

“Autumn?” His voice broke on my name, and I smiled as tears formed in my eyes. It had indeed been too long.

“Yeah, of course, it’s me. I saw your picture in the paper.”

“Are you kidding me? In the paper?”

“Yes, it was your military picture. It was really nice. It said you’ve been in a coma.” I wasn’t sure if I had read all of that right because I’d been too busy staring at his image and thinking of all the ways I was angry with him and all the reasons it wouldn’t change the fact that he was always someone special to me.

“For two weeks, actually.”

“I just had to come and see you. I know it’s been a long time, and you’ve probably gotten married and all of that, and while I mean no imposition, I just—”

He shook his head and held out his hand for a hug. “I’m not married.”

I gave him a quick hug, and he walked over to sit on the edge of his bed, where he offered me the chair near the window. “Good, I didn’t want your wife to chase me out or something. I didn’t know if it would be awkward.”

“I don’t see any way it wouldn’t be awkward. It’s been ten years, but no. No wife. No family. Paul did stop by.” I had nearly forgotten about Paul. He was always so much younger, and he hadn’t hung around too much, though there was a time when I had been much younger that I babysat the little rug rat.

“How’s he doing? I heard he got into some trouble.” I had heard way more than that, but it had been years, and I supposed that was why I wrote him off. That, and because seeing him would have only reminded me of Emmett.

“He’s fine as far as I can tell. Dad’s not. He’s in the nursing home across town. Not much hope there. I suppose it’s not much of a loss, either. What’s up with Jason? He couldn’t come?”

I realized he hadn’t heard about me and Jason and our divorce, and if he didn’t know that, he might not even know about Penelope.

“We’re not together anymore, Emmett. I know he was your friend and all, so I won’t badmouth him, but things have changed since the last time I saw you on our wedding day.”

“I’m sorry, Autumn. I really hoped that things would have gone well for you.”

“Well, they didn’t turn out so bad. I did get a beautiful, wonderfully smart and talented daughter from him.”

“You had a kid? She looks beautiful on you.”

“Thank you.” It was so good to hear him say my name again, but in my heart, I was afraid it was all formality, and he hadn’t really wanted to see me.

“I’m sorry for just popping in like this; I’m sure you needed your rest and all that.”

“No, I’m glad you came.” He held out his hand as if he didn’t mean to offend me even though he hadn’t said a word.

“Good. I’ve missed you.”

“Me too. I can’t believe you’re here.”

“I can’t believe I hadn’t realized how much things have changed since I last saw you. So many things.” I didn’t want to keep stressing how long it had been, but I was at a loss for what to say. He just looked so good, and I wanted to walk over and hug and kiss him and tell him that I shouldn’t have been so weak and just told him how much I loved him all of those years. It had taken me a long time to realize the reason I never had was that I feared losing him as my friend if things got too complicated.

“I’m sorry about not coming home for your mother’s funeral. I heard about it when I called home, but it was weeks after the funeral by the time I learned of it.” He hung his head. “You know, she was a lot like a mother to me, too. Especially after my mom passed away. She was the first person I saw after it happened. She knew we’d be lost without Mom, so she came over that night to help my dad get us boys settled, and she tucked Paul into bed, then kissed us both goodnight.”

“She was amazing, wasn’t she? But you were serving your country, and she would have understood. She was so proud of you. She bragged on you and showed me your picture when it was first published in the paper.”

“Yeah, if she had only known how much I wanted to run after her that night and beg her to take me home with her. I was a mess.”

“Of course, you were. I was too when Mama died.” I didn’t want to think about that, and I still had so many problems dealing with my emotions about it. It was tough to be strong for your children when you still felt like a child in regard to your own mother.

“I don’t know what I’ll do with myself, being back in the civilian world. I’m going to have to find a job and a place to live, but I think I’m going to ask Paul to come and stay with me for a while. I’d like to see if I can reconnect, and maybe now that I’m more disciplined, I can help him out.”

“I saw him in the papers for his criminal activity. Mom was so worried about him for so long. When your dad lost the house, she lost contact.” She had called me, worried, but I told her there wasn’t much we could have done. Paul was going to have to learn for himself, and if he had Emmett there pulling for him, he’d be okay.

“I can’t believe that you’re divorced. I didn’t think Jason would ever let you go.”

“Well, Jason did have a problem letting most women go, so that’s why I didn’t give him much of a chance.” I gave a little laugh, but Emmett didn’t seem to find it amusing.

“He’s a fool, Autumn. You’re a good woman, and it’s his loss.”

I didn’t need his reassurance, but it sure felt nice. “Thank you. I hope you’re going to stick around Raleigh.”

“At least until this hole in my chest is fully healed.”

“Yeah, that’s a vicious looking wound.” I couldn’t see the actual wound, just the bandage that was covering it and the otherwise perfection of his ripped abs and strong physique.

“It’s doing really good. I don’t remember much, and to tell you the truth, before you showed up, I was in a pretty shitty mood.” He gave me a big grin, and it warmed my heart that I had earned such a gorgeous smile from my oldest friend who was still one of my favorite people in the world.

“Don’t get discouraged, Emmett. You’re just feeling this way because you’re cooped up, and you can’t do what you want. You used to get grumpy every time you were sick and couldn’t get out of bed, which thankfully wasn’t that often.”

He shook his head and pointed at me. “Oh, no. Remember that time in eighth grade when we got sick with that stomach flu? It was horrible.”

I remember being so upset that I hadn’t gotten to see him during the duration.

“Yeah, and you called me pouting because you were contagious and couldn’t go anywhere, and so you asked me to go sit on the back porch where we could see each other, and we played with our laser pointers.”

He belted a laugh and held his bandage. “Right. It was great growing up with you.” I looked up, and he was staring at me with such sincerity that it made my heart ache for him.

“We were a pair, for sure. In sickness and in health.” I hadn’t realized what I said until the words were out of my mouth.

“Right.” He looked down at his hand, which still rested over his heart, and for some reason, it was as if he were upset about something else entirely. “Will you come back?”

“Yes, but only if you get better.” I had hoped that the words would encourage him.

He raked his hand through his dirty-blonde hair and chuckled. “For you? It’s a deal.”

I looked at my phone, and sure enough, it was time to go get my daughter from school. “I have to go pick up my daughter Penelope.”

“Oh, don’t let me keep you. And thanks again for coming, Autumn. You don’t know how happy it makes me to see you.”

I gave him a loose hug, knowing that his chest must be sore. Then I stepped away and walked to the door, not wanting to go and knowing I’d be back as soon as I could. “I hope it helps your healing. I want you to get better for me.”

He moved to the other end of his bed and propped himself against the pillows. “Well, since you put it that way. Anything for you.”

I stepped out into the hallway and slumped against the wall. God, he was so painfully beautiful. I held my heart a moment, and then a nurse at the nearby station cleared her throat. I looked up to see her smile and give me a wink as if she totally understood where I was coming from.

I regained my composure and continued down the hall.