Page 30 of Autumn Skies & Pumpkin Pies
“You’re kidding, right?”
She shakes her head. “No, I’m serious. I think this could be great for you and you deserve it.”
I grab her hand and pull her towards me. “I’m not losing you again.”
“You’re not. We can do long distance. The football season is only a few months out of the year, and I can come visit you. Capri is great with the bakery, so I know I can take time away.” She gives me a small smile. I start to decline her offer, but she stops me. “I think you should at last hear him out. Go have dinner and talk to him. That’s all I’m saying.” Warbee slides back down into the bed and gets comfortable. Apparently, this discussion is over, but now my mind is starting to wonder about this opportunity. I lie in bed, sleep never finding me and try to weigh the pros and cons of this possibility.
Twenty-Nine
Warbee
It’s been a couple of days since Mr. Sprouse showed up and offered Rocker a job. Teaganne has let me know just how crazy she believes I am for pushing him to talk to Mr. Sprouse about the job. Rocker deserves this chance, and I don’t want to be the thing that holds him back. Somehow, even after this crazy week, the team managed to win their game last night. Rocker’s face was so full of pride and it was then that I knew I had made the right decision. He deserves to coach wherever he wants to. We can figure it out.
So, tonight he went to have dinner with Mr. Sprouse and discuss the job. Most of the town is well again and tonight is the big fall dance. Bushels of Fun is winding down since Thanksgiving is next week, so it’s time for the fall dance. It’s something that is fun for all ages. It’s held in a big red barn that’s on the property where the festival is held.
Teaganne and I along with her kids pull into the crowded lot, but even from here you can see the barn. Along the walls of the barn are bales of hay that are covered in white and orange tablecloths where you can sit if you’re not wanting to dance. White and orange Christmas lights are strung up all over the barn to light it up. The stage at the front of the barn has the band providing the music and the wagon used for the hayrides is filled with apple cider, pumpkin spice coffee choices, my apple pumpkin tea, candy, and caramel apples and other sweet treats from my bakery. There’s a line of people waiting for sweet treats or something to drink. The rest are on the dance floor when Teaganne and I arrive.
Silas and Seraphina are both excited for their first fall dance. Silas looks so cute in his little cowboy boots. I notice Keefer talking to some girl. One glance at Teaganne and I know she’s already noticed it as well. There’s a frown on her face now. I wish I knew what really happened between them, but I’ve only ever gotten bits and pieces from either of them throughout the years. They had always seemed so happy together and now they both seem a little lost. “I’ll be right back,” I tell Teaganne, as I pass Seraphina to her.
Keefer notices I’m heading his direction, so he meets me halfway. “Don’t you look pretty,” he tells me
I blush but I have to admit I feel pretty. Teaganne showed up at my house shortly after Rocker left for his dinner with an adorable butterscotch brown baby doll dress made out of swiss dot fabric for me. It’s a v-neck with short sleeves and hits right above my knee. I paired it with my rust brown knee-high boots and traded my glasses for contacts. Teaganne also curled my hair while adding a braid headband and light makeup. “Thanks. So, I think you should talk Teaganne.”
Keefer laughs. “What?”
“You heard me Keefer. Go talk to her. I don’t really know what happened between the two of you, but it’s been years and she’s going through a lot of crap right now and to be honest you don’t seem the happiest either. Plus, with her moving here it would be nice if my two best friends could hang out together with me, you know at the same time.”
Keefer’s eyes have gone wide. “She’s moving here?” I nod my head. “What about her husband?”
I look around. This isn’t my business to tell him, but I did make it my business when I marched over her and told him to talk to her. “It’s a long story, but he’s not moving. Just promise me you’ll consider it.”
“I will. Where’s Rocker?”
“He’s meeting with Mr. Sprouse about that job. Once he’s done there he’ll swing by,” I explain. As much as I’ve put on my brave face, I’m also really worried that we can’t make our relationship work if he does take this job.
Throughout the night I’ve danced with Silas and Seraphina, Keefer and my dad. I’m exhausted as the night drags on. My hopes have dwindled down to nothing on Rocker making it to the dance. The last song of the night is announced and it’s our song, You Save Me by Kenny Chesney. I sigh and wish he could be here right now. Seraphina is asleep in my arms where I’m sitting, but when the people on the dancefloor begin to sway to the music, I see him. Rocker is standing up by the stage with a bashful smile on his face and his hands behind his back. My mom reaches over and takes Seraphina from me. I make my way to him. Once I reach him, he pulls one large sunflower from behind his back. “May I have this dance?”
I take the flower and kiss him. “Of course.” As we sway to the music, I can’t help but wonder if we’ll have another moment like this. Considering he’ll be somewhere else during this time of the year, I doubt it. My insides are shaking as I ask, “How was there dinner?”
Rocker shrugs. “It was good. The job is great. A dream come true in a lot of ways for a lot of people.” I nod and look away. I’m afraid my eyes will show him my fear that we won’t make it through this. He leans into my ear. The warmth of his breaths sends chills over my skin. “A lot of people would consider it a dream come true...but not me. I’m holding my dream and it’s all I need.”
My heart slams rapidly in my chest. “Are you sure?”
“I lived my big NFL football dream. It’s time for the next chapter and the only dream I have in that chapter is you. It’s always you darlin’.”
I lean up and kiss him as if my life depends on it in the barn of our hometown, under the autumn sky that we shared our first kiss and what I thought would be our last. There’s a lot of things that change in autumn. People are like autumn in so many ways, but the one thing that has never truly changed for me is the love I have for Rocker and his love for me. We fell in love under the autumn sky and we found our way back to one another under it, too. Autumn in Blue Ridge will always be my favorite time of year and Rocker will always be who I want to spend it with.