Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Alexander

I wake up without an alarm and sit up to see the sun rising through the windows that stretch across the wall of the main bedroom. A balcony large enough for entertaining runs the length of the room and wraps around one side of the house. Since I arrived, I have not once drawn the curtains. Every day I’m here, I plan to enjoy the view.

Instead of staying in bed, I get up and open the glass door then step outside to watch the sun rise over the mountains. A chill rushes over me and I shiver, but take it in. Bright bursts of pink, orange, and yellow whip across the sky. My phone buzzes on my nightstand and I ignore it. Who the fuck is calling me this early, anyway?

Then I remember the time difference and know it’s later in New York. However, I won’t be pulled away from this view.

I sit on one of the Adirondack chairs and place my feet on the railing. It’s cold, but it makes me feel alive as I watch the fog drift over the peaks. With a logical mind, I’m ready to tackle my day of nothing. My agenda is blank and the schedule is cleared until January.

After nearly three weeks of being here, it’s sinking in that I’m free to do whatever the fuck I want. It’s empowering and has me reconsidering everything in my life. Especially the future.

Once the sun has fully risen, I go inside and grab my phone. It's a missed call from my father. Not today. Instead, I get dressed and go downstairs.

Golden rays fill the space and I glance around, replaying old memories of sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace and the snow falling outside. Mom loved the Christmas tree in the room's corner, but it was ridiculously tall. We had to take turns climbing up and down a twelve-foot ladder to decorate it.

This house is like a time capsule, preserved how my mother kept it, and being here makes me feel closer to her. Harper was right.

The mantel is filled with silver photo frames that contain pictures taken during the five months we were here all those years ago. I’m drawn to them, my eyes scanning over the precious moments she didn’t want us to ever forget. It’s not lost on me that she was close to my age now. She never saw forty.

I set the coffee beans on the counter, knowing I could make a cup, but opt for fresh air. Before I can talk myself out of it, I snatch the keys off the countertop and leave, wanting to see Autumn.

The early morning quietness will never get old and it’s something I crave.

With the top down, I slide a pair of sunglasses on and take the road that leads down the mountainside. Fifteen minutes later, I’m cruising down Main Street noticing how the crowd has continuously doubled in size thanks to the festivities this weekend. The town will stay packed through Valentine’s Day.

I find a spot four blocks away and snag it. As I head toward Cozy Coffee, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out, see it's my father again, and decline the call, turning it off. Eventually, I move to the end of the line and wait patiently, but it goes fast.

The three women work efficiently and I’m amazed they can handle this crowd on their own. Ethics and skill allows it. The kiosk in the ski resort is full of fucking amateurs.

When I enter, my eyes meet Autumn’s and she grins wide before focusing back on steaming milk. A few stolen glances later and I step up to the counter to order.

Blaire laughs. “Becoming a regular while you’re in town?”

“I’m thinking about it,” I tell her. “How many days in a row until I’ve earned my title?”

“By my standards, if I see you more than once a week, you’re already there,” she says. “So the usual or do you want to spice it up this morning?”

“The usual,” I playfully say. “If you remember.”

“Barista preference?” She smirks.

I lick my lips. “No, but if it’s Autumn, please tell her not to fuck it up this time.”

She types something into the computer.

“Noted.” Blaire lifts a brow. “Pumpkin bread?”

I meet her eyes. “I think you know I don’t need any today.”

Blaire laughs, and it’s confirmed. “$3.75.”

“Is it possible for me to pay for everyone who’s behind me?”

She meets my eyes then glances at the line that’s still wrapped around the building. Cozy Coffee is the only gourmet establishment in town, so it doesn’t surprise me.

“Seriously?” she asks and I can see her doing the calculation of it in her head. “That’s a lot.”

“Yeah,” I grab my wallet from my back pocket and pull out five hundred dollars. “Use this until it’s gone. My treat for your regulars.”

“Are you sure?” she asks.

“Absolutely,” I tell her and she grabs the crisp bills from my hand. Her mouth falls open as she looks down at it, then I slip more into their tip jar. Julie and Autumn keep glancing in our direction.

“I want to put some magic into the world and make someone’s day better.”

She shakes her head. “Clever. I knew you weren’t an asshole.”

“Oh, I am. But I can be nice too.”

Blaire grins. “Okay, I think you might’ve just become my new favorite regular.”

“A title I’ll happily take,” I say.

Blaire submits my order and seconds later, the printer that’s located three feet away spits out a sticker. Autumn rips it off and reads it as Julie stands behind her chuckling. When I pass in front of the espresso machines, I steal a glance at Autumn.

That’s when I notice her long dark hair is pulled back into a thick braid. Loose strands fall around her face as she looks up at me. I don’t stop to chat even though I’m tempted.

I really just want to be friends. That’s it.

I stand beside the condiment station where the extra milk and napkins are kept and patiently wait. Every table in the building is taken with people actually talking to one another as they drink their coffee. It’s almost shocking to see. Back in New York, most would be buried in their laptops or phones, unaware that there is an entire world around them.

My thoughts travel back to my father, knowing he’s called me twice today. I don’t know what he could want, other than to make sure I’ll be at his wedding. If it were leaked that I didn’t show, it would be a scandal.

Autumn moves to the end, carrying my drink. Her tongue darts out and she licks her plump mauve lips.

“Ristretto for Alex,” she says, sweetly, meeting my eyes.

I take three steps forward, noticing her earrings—they’re black cats with dangly legs and paws.

“Cute,” I tell her, sliding my gaze from her eyes to her mouth. She hands the cup to me and our fingers brush together, just as they did the first time I ordered. My heart pounds a little harder.

“Blaire made them,” she says.

“I wasn’t talking about the earrings,” I say, low enough for only her to hear, and her cheeks heat.

“Please taste your ristretto and let me know if it’s up to your standards.” Her brow is popped and it’s flirty.

“Hm.” I read the side. The sticker says: He’s all yours, Autie. Ristretto.

No mention of her not fucking it up.

“I’m all yours?”

“Blaire is facetious. Do you know what that word means?”

“Of course I do.”

She quickly recovers. “They’re playing matchmaker because of you.”

“Me?” I question. “I’ve done nothing.”

“You exist,” she whispers. “That’s all it takes.”

Maybe she seems familiar because I see shards of myself in her.

I place the rim to my lips and sip the hot liquid caffeine, tasting the thick crema. “It’s perfect. Very good .”

Her heart rate ticks rapidly in her neck. I think Autumn likes to be praised. My jaw clenches and I breathe in deeply, noticing her friends glancing between us.

“You should text me,” I say.

“My screen is cracked,” she reminds me.

“Oh, that’s right.”

“You should call me,” she snaps back. If I push, she pulls, and we dance this dance, but I can tell she doesn’t chase anyone. A woman like her doesn’t have to.

“Should I call you Autie?” I say her nickname out loud. It’s adorable.

“Actually, you should call her Pumpkin,” Julie says, nudging Autumn in the side.

She turns to me. “No. No, do not call me that.”

I chuckle, gripping the warm cup. Her cheeks are bright red.

“Have a good day, Pumpkin.” It comes out in a deep gruff and she chews on the corner of her lip.

“You too,” she whispers as I turn and walk toward the door.

“What the fuck was that?” I hear Julie mutter and I laugh. As I leave and pass in front of the windows, I steal a glance at her, but she was already watching me.

I swirl the shot of coffee, hoping it will cool down faster, and shoot it down, throwing the cup away. At the end of the block, I wait behind a crowd of people, lost in my thoughts. As I pass the windows of a store, I realize it's full of electronics. I back up and enter.

“Hi. Do you sell phones?” I ask the woman who greets me.

She walks me over to a counter in the corner of the open space.

“All these are smart. What kind are you searching for?”

“The latest and greatest.”

She pulls the new iPhone box from a locked cabinet and sets it on the counter. “Can get a discount on it if you sign up for a new plan.”

“No thanks. It’s unlocked, right?”

“Yes, it is,” she says. “When you turn it on, it will ask you to activate it. Want any accessories?”

“Do you have any cases and maybe a screen protector so it won’t shatter?”

I’m led to a wall covered from floor to ceiling in every accessory a person could ever dream of. When my eyes land on the one with a pumpkin on it, I grab it.

“Add whatever else you think I might need,” I offer.

She grabs a few extra things, but not much. Once I finish paying, I return to the coffee shop with the plastic sack swinging in one hand. When I enter, Autumn tilts her head at me, surprised. I skirt past the line and move toward her espresso machine.

“Everything okay?” She stops what she's doing and seems genuinely concerned.

I hand her the bag. “This is for you.”

She glances inside. “Alex. I can’t accept this.”

“You need a new one so you can text instead of talking. Seems you don't like it much.”

She narrows her eyes. “You noticed?”

“I’ll text you,” I say, tapping the counter, willingly attempting to learn more about her. It starts with me, right here, right now. “It's a gift.”

“Okay,” she whispers. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

This time, when I leave the coffee shop, I don’t look back, but know her eyes are locked on me.