Page 77 of Savored Sins
She laughs, nestling in closer to me as we walk.God, that coconut smell of hers. It’s intoxicating.
I’ve been working crazy hours since I started with Carter, and although I a) don’t hate the job like I thought I would and b) still somehow have the energy to give Autumn the mind blowing sex she deserves twice a day, it’s weird not being able to spend much time with her.
Which is why this weekend we’ve got solid plans to do nothing but bum around and chill. We’re meeting up with Will and Lydia and the rest of our crowd at the Founders’ Day fair, and I think I’ve convinced Autumn to take a spin on the ferris wheel with me. We might even smoke a little weed later and hit the lake. Naked, of course. And just me and Autumn—not the others. Obviously.
“Zeke! Autumn!”
I break out into a grin before I even spot Benji in the crowd. I’d know that voice anywhere. We’re just reaching Main Street, and I see him standing up at one of the picnic tables lining the street, hands waving over his head to get us to see him.
They shut all of Main Street down for this gig, so there’s no traffic to watch for as we cross the street and head to where Benji is sitting. The place is full of people coming and going, lingering outside of shop windows, laughing and shooting the shit. I can hear the carnival rides in the background, the sound of kids getting spun and whirled and tossed into oblivion.
“Phoebe ditched me for some kids,” Benji says, getting to his feet and pounding me on the back. He’s got an ice cream cone in one hand, which he holds way out away from his body to keep from getting it in Autumn’s hair when he hugs her. “How’s it going? You guys gotten anything to eat yet?”
“Nah, we’ve been at Autumn’s store getting things set up for next week.”
I plop down across from Benji and pull Autumn down next to me. Benji's dark eyes glow as they flit between us. I know he’s stoked for me—and relieved, probably—that I got my act together and went after Autumn. He was kicking himself for not being around to answer my call that day I fucked up the fashion show, but, like I told him, it’s not his job to babysit me.
Obviously. That’s Will’s job.
Kidding!
“Oh,right.” Benji’s nodding emphatically, his doe eyes fixed on Autumn. He’s got this way of really focusing when he talks to you, which makes you feel like you’re the star of the show. “How’s the new place, Autumn? I heard you snagged a feature in Citrine magazine—that’samazing. Seriously. Huge, huge congrats to you.”
“Thanks,” Autumn says, her freckled cheeks already turning pink. I can tell she’s still not used to her name and Citrine being said in the same sentence, but get used to it, baby girl. You’re on the way up. “It’s definitely exciting. And the new place is shaping up to look?—”
“—super dope,” I cut in.
Benji shoots me a look that says he’s unimpressed with me interrupting a woman talking about her own business, but like—I can’thelpit. I’m fuckingproud, man.
Autumn elbows me, laughing. “Yes.Helladope.”
Benji smiles and licks his ice cream cone. “You guys are cute.”
Just then, a huge hand slaps down on the picnic table. The whole thing wobbles as Will thunks himself down next to Benji and Lydia slides in after him.
“Hulk incomiiinnnggg!” I yell, reaching my fist across the table for Will to pound. He grimaces, but he returns the bump.
Lydia just laughs, lacing her fingers through Will’s other hand and tossing her hair. “Is Phoebe here? Will and I have been at the library book sale all morning, but I thought Phoebe said she was coming down, too.”
Benji nods. “Yeah, I was just telling Zeke and Autumn that she ditched me for some kids. The dad was having a hell of a time trying to wrangle them on the rides, and she went over to try and help. They’re over there at the cotton candy stand now.”
He gestures across the street with his chin. Sure enough, there’s my sister, next to the food truck. She’s got her hands full of cotton candy sticks, which she’s handing out to a small pack of rowdy-looking kids. Leave it to Phoebe to get a bunch of brats whipped into shape without even knowing them. I feel bad for the kids.
“Huh,” Will muses. “Aren’t those Ethan’s kids?”
“Oh,duh,” Autumn says. “I thought they looked familiar!”
“Well, good for Phoebe,” Lydia says, inspecting her nails. We all know she’s got her reasons for not being Ethan’s biggest fan. “I hate to say it, but Ethan needs all the help he can get.”
Although I’ve never actually met Ethan Wilde, I’ve heard all about the dude since Will’s currently working for him, redoing the huge-ass colonial he owns out at Cutter’s Landing. He’s probably the richest guy in town with all the privilege you couldeven imagine, but Autumn always says she feels bad for him. I guess his wife died or something, and now he’s alone with four rambunctious kids. But like… just hire a nanny. It’s not that hard, dude.
Suddenly, I spot two familiar faces on the other side of the street. I stand up, waving my arms. “Trey! Dustin! Over here.”
Through the crowds of people come Trey and Dustin, looking as polished and put together as ever, even on this hot-ass day in July that I’m pretty sure crawled out straight from the devil’s asshole. Trey, who’s got on shiny mirrored aviators, flashes a grin and gives us a nod, letting us know they’re headed our way. Dustin’s holding two paper plates of funnel cakes, and I hope to god he’s planning to share.
“Woohoo,” Trey cheers. “The gang’s all here!”
Lydia’s already on her feet, pushing another picnic table against ours to make room. Dustin slides the funnel cakes into the center of the two tables and gestures for everyone to dig in. The conversation soon splinters off into twos and threes. Next to me, Autumn’s discussing her magazine feature with Lydia. Will’s trying to get Benji to move here, and Trey and Dustin are making a grocery list, every once in a while backing Benji up in his arguments for staying in Boston.
