AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Hiseyebrows went up at that. “Interesting.”
“Isn’tit?” she asked, a naughty gleam in her eye, andAdamhad a feeling he knew what she was up to.
“No.Beforeyou say anything more, before you ask, before you do anything, the answer is no.”Adamhad a hard and fast rule that he didn’t get involved with hotel guests.Notonly was it hugely unprofessional, but they were inevitably from out of town, so there was no hope of a future.Andcasual hookups weren’t really his thing.
Autumnfeigned shock. “Ihave no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Good.”Heswallowed, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. “Andthank you.Forhelping her get settled.”
“That’swhatI’mhere for.”Shebeamed at him and he reached across and ruffled her hair, just like he’d done when they were kids.WhileAutumnwas the baby of theShephardfamily,Adamwas the oldest, with fourteen years between them.Butthe gap didn’t make them any less close.Infact, one ofAdam’sfavorite childhood memories was when his parents had brought home that tiny bundle wrapped up in a soft pink blanket and told the boys that they finally had a sister, and that it was their job to look after her and protect her.Hecleared his throat as it thickened at the memory of his parents, especially his dad.
Therewas a sudden, sharp rap of knuckles against his window, andAdamrolled his eyes, turning to look out his driver’s side window.GossamerFalls’ chief of police stood there, still in uniform, looking every inch the part with his navy uniform and aviator sunglasses.
“Whatseems to be the problem, officer?” askedAutumnsweetly, comically batting her eyelashes at him.
“Whatare you guys talking about?” askedJackShephard,Adam’syounger brother by two years.Heleaned against the car, bracing his hand on the roof ofAdam’sSubaru. “Gotany good gossip?”
“Please, you know a lot more town gossip than we do,” saidAutumn. “Wedeal with strangers all day.”
“Wewere actually talking about you,” deadpannedAdam, who never missed a chance to give his brothers a hard time.Granted, they all gave as good as they got.
“Oh, yeah?Whatabout me?” he asked, taking off his aviators and narrowing his eyes at them.
“Thatyou should definitely grow a mustache,” saidAutumn, eyes once again twinkling.
“Oh, yeah?” he repeated, stroking a hand over his clean-shaven jaw. “Isthat what the ladies prefer?Mustaches?”
Autumn’sgrin grew, and just as she opened her mouth,Adamshook his head. “Nope.Idon’t want to hear about mustache rides or whatever filth is about to come out of your mouth.”Itwasn’t thatAdamdidn’t appreciate filth—he did—just not from his baby sister.
“Aw, he hasn’t had sex in a long time,” saidJackin mock sympathy. “What’sit been, like a decade?”
“Fuckoff,”Adammuttered, undoing his seatbelt and stepping out of the car, forcingJackto take a step back. “It’snot my fault you’ve poisoned the dating pool.Isthere a single woman over thirty within a fifty-mile radius that you haven’t hooked up with since your divorce?”
“Areyou calling me a slut?” askedJack, a smart ass smirk on his face.
“Hey, if the shoe fits,” saidAdam.Truly, he didn’t care what his brother did with other consenting adults.Itwas just fun to give him shit for it.
Jackstepped a little closer.Theywere nearly the same size, withAdamonly about an inch taller, but withJackjust as broad shouldered.Theystared each other down for a second before laughing and hugging.
Ithadn’t been a decade sinceAdamhad last had sex, but it had been a long time since he’d been with someone.Mostlybecause unlikeJack, orBeckett, who was twenty-seven and single, he didn’t do one-night stands.He’dtried the meaningless sex thing, and it wasn’t for him.Forhim, sex was emotional.Italways had been, and it always would be.Hewasn’t able to compartmentalize the wayJackdid, and sometimes he envied him for it.
Adamhad had his share of serious relationships over the years, but none of them had ever worked out in the long term because of one simple fact:AdamlovedGossamerFalls.Thiswas where he’d been born, and it was where he was going to die.Hisfamily was here.Hisbusiness was here.Hisentire life—a life he quite enjoyed, most of the time—was here.Andthe women he’d been in relationships with had always foundGossamerFallslacking.Toosmall, too far from the city, too boring.Jennyhad been ambitious, and there hadn’t been much for her to do with herMBAhere.Haleyhad found the town too boring to think about making a life here.Melissahad decided she wanted to see the world, with promises she’d come back after slaking her wanderlust.Spoileralert: she hadn’t.There’dbeen a few less serious ones that had ultimately fizzled out.Elizabeth,Christina,Laura.Afterhis last relationship had died the slow painful death all long-distance relationships do about two years ago, he’d called it quits on dating entirely.
Assappy as it sounded, he wanted what his parents had had.Whathis grandparents had had.Hewanted roots and stability and the comfort of trust and familiarity.Andif he couldn’t have that, then he’d make do on his own, and take solace in his family and the town he loved so much.
“Let’sgo inside,” saidAutumn, somewhat impatiently. “MomsaidOli’smaking hisBolognesesauce tonight andIwant some beforeBecketteats it all.”
Adamgrabbed a bag from the back that contained two bottles of red wine and a pumpkin pie from the town’s bakery, and then they headed inside.Hisstomach let out a loud rumble as they all stepped through the unlocked door, the scents of garlic and fresh baked bread wafting in the air.Softjazz—his mother’s favorite—played through the speakers in the living room.Thelarge foyer opened up onto a formal living room on the right, and a dining room that led to the kitchen was on the left.Straightahead was a set of wood stairs that led to the four bedrooms, and beyond that, a cozy den that looked out onto the backyard.Thehouse was large, but it always felt small when everyone was home.Currently, only his mother andAutumnlived in the house, but he knew his mother never thought about downsizing.Shelived for theseSundays, when everyone—well, almost everyone—came together.
“Hi,Dad!”Chloe,Jack’seleven-year-old daughter, came barreling down the stairs and straight into her father, who received her with an exaggerated “oof!” sound as he wrapped his arms around her. “Ihave something to show you!”Shepulled her newly acquired iPhone out of her pocket and practically shoved it in his face. “There’sa rumor thatCarrieClarkmight film a music video inGossamerFalls!”Shejumped up and down and then tugged him into the kitchen.
Afire crackled in the living room as they passed, moving down the hall to the kitchen, whereOliverwas chopping onions and his mother was humming along to the music while she tossed a salad.Beckettleaned against the island, nursing a beer.
“Ohgood!” she said, looking up and wiping her fingers on the tea towel she’d tossed over her shoulder. “Therest of my babies are here.”
Adamset the pie on the island, then bent to kiss his mother on the cheek.
“Hey,Mom,” he said, passing her the two bottles of wine.
