A Beautiful Fall by Chris Coppernoll

Author:Chris Coppernoll
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance, Small Town, Southern, Attorney, Renewal
Publisher: David C. Cook
Published: 2013-11-22T16:00:00+00:00

~ Fifteen ~

You’re climbing mountains, I’m on the hill

You’re always running, I’m standing still.

—VINCE GILL

“If You Ever Have Forever in Mind”

It was late Sunday afternoon when the ladies’ tea finally ended. Sam insisted Emma take the fruits and veggies for her dad—grapes, orange wedges, cherry tomatoes, and some avocado—wrapping them up in ziplock bags.

“When are you leaving to go back to Boston?” Janette asked Emma while she slipped into a bright red wool coat with black faux-fur lapels.

“Wednesday morning,” Emma said, taking hold one shoulder of the coat and helping Janette into it.

“If you have time, dear, come see me before you leave, okay? I’d like to talk with you.” Emma wasn’t sure she’d have time, but something about Janette’s invitation conveyed it was more important than just a social call. She’d almost gotten the words “I’ll try” out of her mouth, when the storm door closed and Janette was already out of earshot.

“Samantha, I’m just amazed by this day,” Christina said. “Thanks for getting everybody together. It couldn’t have been any nicer.”

“I’m so glad you enjoyed it.” Samantha hugged Christina and Emma at the front door. “A week ago I would have never believed we’d be here having tea today. There’s a part of me that’s been unsettled, and now I feel so much better.”

“I think I’ve been feeling that way too,” said Emma, stuffing the last snack bag into her purse.

“What are you all going to do for the rest of the night?” Christina said.

“Bo and I have a movie date at home. It’s part of our new Sunday-night strategy to hang out more. What about you, Emma?”

“I don’t know,” Emma said, thinking out loud. “I’ve thought about calling Michael.”

Samantha smiled. “To talk about the renovation I suppose,” she ribbed. “Emma, are you even considering the possibility that Michael means more than you’ve come to terms with?”

“I’ll think about it,” she said, just before Jim and Noel opened the front door from the outside and Emma slipped through it.

The sun had dropped behind the tree line, lowering the temperature by ten degrees. A gust of wind wound inside her coat, and she hurried to the shelter of the truck. Emma pushed the key in the ignition, the green Sinclair dinosaur key chain bouncing back and forth like a hypnotist’s watch. She switched on the heat, pushing the level all the way into the red zone before heading toward town. The wind had picked up, blowing leaves through the beams of her headlights as the bleak October sky closed out light and color. One thought tumbled round and round inside Emma’s mind, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to admit it: She wanted to see Michael again, and soon—that night.

She got out her phone and dialed his work number, but there was no answer. She opted not to leave a message, unsure of what she’d say.

“Wouldn’t you know it.”

Emma tossed the cell phone back on the seat, and it bounced end over end into shadows. She returned her attention to the drive back out to the farm.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.