Page 26 of Yours Truly, Fall

“Yes, we’re all the seasons. I’m the second oldest.”

A rapid blink breaks the eye contact, and his jaw has fallen to the deck. I lift it back into place, and ask, “Any more questions?” Please don’t let there be more… like why I’m acting absurd for no apparent reason.

“Nope. I think that does—wait, yeah, I have one more.” I was soooo close but nope. Mr. Observant won’t let this go.

Tightening my hold over my chest, I raise my chin, ready to be outed by him. “I’m an open book.” I suck in a quick breath because I’m not ready despite my display of bravado. Surely, it can’t get worse than him finding out I just got turned on by images of him dressed up as Top Gun. Right? “Ask away.”

“How is it that you know one of my closest friends and my mom, but we’ve never met?”

Welp. It just got worse.

CHAPTER 12

BRANDON

“Idon’t know if you noticed, but both of our names end with an N?” An unnatural grin wrestles Autumn’s expression, her eyes wide, troubled, and shifting like she’s been busted sneaking out. “Wild, right?” Nice distraction . . .

“That’s wild, alright. You know what else is a big coincidence? Both of our last names have six letters, and you know Tuck and my mom.”

“That is quite the coincidence,” she says, nodding like a bobblehead.

She seems to search for a diversion, her eyes hopping from the tree not ten yards away to the lounge chair, to the barbecue pit, to the top of my sweatpants. “I appreciate the attention, but you won’t find the answer you’re looking for down here.” I probably shouldn’t give her such a hard time, but seeing that pretty pink deepening on her cheeks was worth it. Like she received her marching orders, she tipped her nose into the air and headed for the back door. “Hey, c’mon. It’s not like you weren’t staring at me.”

“I wasn’t staring at anything, Lieutenant Culver.”

Fuck, that’s sexy. I’ve made a grave mistake telling my nurse she could call me that. I can only pray she’ll say it again. Wonder if she has one of those white little dress uniforms tucked somewhere in her closet?

“Are you coming, Lieutenant?”

Close to it. I covertly bite my knuckles to distract my dick from standing at attention before lowering my hand to my side and glancing back where she’s waiting for me. I’m positive scrubs aren’t supposed to look that good on someone. Fuck. I’m so screwed over this woman. “Oh, I’m coming all right.”

“I think you should rest.” She holds the door open for me as if I need it. I already know her well enough to know she’ll fight me on it if I argue, so I walk in and sit on the couch.

“You want to take my temp, too?” Dropping my mouth open, I hum, “Ahhhhhh.”

She laughs as she comes to sit on the chair closer to me. “I want to be honest with you.”

“I like honesty.” That makes her smile, which in turn elicits mine. “But I didn’t know you had been lying to me.”

Sitting on the edge of the cushion, she clasps her hands together. Her smile falters as she bounces her heel in forewarning. Not good. “I haven’t per se.”

“Per se?” What could she have been lying about? I’m her patient—“Oh shit, am I dying?”

“No,” she squeaks like a chipmunk, and then takes a breath. Sincerity shines in her eyes, putting my racing heart back at ease. “You’re going to be good as gold. I promise.” She points at me, not afraid to lay down the law. “As long as you listen to me and take it easy this week.”

“I graduated at the top of my fire academy training class. There’s a reason I’m called Mr. Reliable. I’ll give you a hint. I’m damn good with directions.” I shift my legs onto the couch and stretch out. “But to circle back, you haven’t been lying to me on purpose, but you have been lying to me per se?”

Scooting onto the back of the chair, she tucks her legs under her. “Lying is such a strong word.”

“When the shoe fits.”

Ire flashes in her eyes, a spark that could cause a wildfire. “The shoe doesn’t fit, Brandon.” I can see her anxiety rising with her chest as her breathing picks up. “I just, well, to tell you the truth . . .”

I can’t just lie here when the energy between us has changed. The humor is gone, her smile faded, and my chest feels heavy, reminding me of when I first woke up at the hospital. The same unknown weighs down her shoulders and darkens her eyes as well. I shift my feet to the floor again, needing to be upright for whatever is about to be said after I ask, “What’s the truth, Autumn?”

“I’ve known your mom my whole life, and I met Tucker when he brought people in during emergencies.”

“Your whole life? How is that?” My mind can’t wrap around that since I’ve done the same. Many times. “I’ve brought people to the hospital many times, yet we don’t know each other?”