They both had their father’s coloring, with dark hair and blue eyes, but Ember had also inherited their mother’s fun-loving ways.
Autumn had her mother’s plump build.
She knew this because for most of her life, her mother had pointed it out.
Give Ember a break. She’s a free spirit, like me. But, oh, Autumn, you poor dear, you got my big bones.
Yay. Lucky her.
Maybe she could add that info to all her social media.
Favorite movie: A Perfect Getaway.
Favorite music: anything by Kid Rock.
Outstanding feature: big bones.
As she walked away, she thought, Biggest flaw: lets my family boss me around.
Right there, in the hallway leading to the bathroom, she stalled. No, she did not have to let them do that. For a while now, she’d been working on being more assertive. Largely without success, but hey, that didn’t mean she should give up.
So was it a bad thing to meet an old classmate who needed design work? No. Not if she didn’t make it weird.
Would she do it under Ember’s terms? Absolutely not.
She would get herself ready. She’d be professional but comfortable. By God, she had nothing to prove to her sister or to Tash.
And if Ember didn’t like it, too bad.
Autumn wouldn’t let it bother her.
With that decision made, she got moving again. She wanted that long-awaited shower, a comfy spot in the bed, and then she’d read.
Pavlov followed her, staying in the bathroom with her while she showered, and then he lumbered into the bed beside her as she began reading the newest title from Karen Rose. She did love a scary romantic-suspense storyline, with an evil madman and smart characters. In fact, she got so engrossed in the lives of the characters, she forgot all about her sister and hunky guys from the past and her stupid big bones.
Not until midnight rolled around did she call it quits and close the book. Not an easy thing to do, but the alarm would go off early and she had a full day—a day that would now run extra late thanks to her sister.
Tash Ducker. Her heart beat a little faster. Would he remember her? Would he see all the ways she’d changed?
Would he like those changes?
Autumn groaned. Maybe she’d let her sister give her just a few pointers, after all.
* * *
“You’re already messing up your hair.”
Putting away her dishes after a fast bowl of soup, Autumn said, “That’s why I usually put it in a ponytail. Any type of hairdo just falls apart.”
Tucking, smoothing and rearranging, Ember said, “If you’d let me use some hair spray...”
Shouldering away her sister’s busy fingers, Autumn explained, “Hair spray gets all gummy when I sweat.”
“Maybe you could try not sweating?”
Incredulous, she closed the dishwasher with a little more force than necessary and spun to face Ember. “Yeah, why don’t you invent a way for me to do that? We’ll sell it and make enough to save all the animals.”
“Don’t be sarcastic.”
Why not? Her sarcasm was almost as top-notch as her compassion. When Ember pulled a tube of something from her pocket, Autumn scowled. “Now what?”
“It’s just lip gloss. It won’t kill you.”
“I don’t like it. It tastes bad.”
“It does not.”
“Does if you lick it...and I can’t seem to keep from doing that.”
Rolling her eyes, Ember gave up and put away the shiny pink gloss. “Fine. Maybe you can make the ‘naked mouth look’ work for you.”
A rap at the screen door drew their attention and Mike, their handyman, farmhand, do-everything guy-in-residence grinned. His shaggy blond hair should have been cut weeks ago, and working in the sun had left him a little too tanned...in a most appealing way.
All in all, he looked scrumptious—but better than his stellar appearance? He did great work with the animals, never complained, accepted living in the loft apartment over the barn and was always around when they needed him.
He winked at Autumn. “A naked mouth works for most men. Don’t let Ember tell you otherwise. And for the record, I think that stuff tastes bad, too.”
Ember’s eyes flared, then narrowed dangerously.
Uh-oh. Autumn hurried to the door and opened it. “Mike. What’s up?”
“I was going to ask you that.”
“Oh.” She gestured lamely. “I just have this appointment in a bit and Ember wanted to practice sprucing me up and—”
Hands in his pockets, he smiled and entered. “I meant with our new members, the pigs. When did they arrive? You left too early this morning for me to ask you about them.”
Mentally slapping her own head, Autumn laughed. “Right. Matilda and Olivia.”
He went right past their names. “You do look great, though—but then, you always do.”
Resisting the urge to stick out her tongue at Ember, Autumn said smugly, “Why, thank you.”
“Her scalp sweats.”
Horrified, she gasped at Ember’s bald statement.
“Everyone sweats.” Indifferent, Mike shrugged, then took a jab. “Unless it’s different for princesses?”
Eyes narrowed at her sister, Autumn said, “I certainly wouldn’t know.”
“Most of us wouldn’t.” Ignoring Ember now, Mike asked, “Anything special you want done with the pigs? I saw that you fed them this morning before leaving, and I fed them the usual in the afternoon and evening. I’ve already visited with them plenty, too, and let them play under the sprinkler for a while during the hottest part of the afternoon. Is there anything else?”
God love the man, he’d silenced Ember so easily, she could almost kiss him. Well, except that he might misunderstand the gesture of gratitude. She adored Mike, but there wasn’t a speck of chemistry between them.
He and Ember, however... Different story.
Autumn went over the special diet she’d come up with for the pigs, and the area of the farm where she wanted them to get a little more freedom. “I have everything written down for you.” She snatched up the paper on the counter. “Most important, though, is that I want them to feel loved in their new surroundings.”
“Gave ’em lots of love,” he assured her. “They’re already settling in.”
“Thank you. Seriously. You always go above and beyond.”