Chapter Twenty
Zach
I feel like a twelve-year-old boy who’s about to talk to the girl he has a crush on. Not that I have a crush on Autumn Wickerton.
You fucking liar. You’ve been having wet dreams of her and feeling guilty because she has replaced the nightmares.
Okay, I must confess that I like her more than enough. She’s a gorgeous woman. She looks super sexy, punching numbers on the register and sucking her lower lip. Under different circumstances, I would be asking for her number.
Not sure what those circumstances are, plus I have her in my contacts. I still remember her last message. You’re fun to be around too. Call me if you want to hang out again.
I don’t know if that was a friendly opening or a flirty text. It’s been so long since the last time I dated or texted someone intending to flirt or score a date.
Seth was right. She deserves better.
Anyone deserves better than me.
When we approach the counter, Burke talks immediately. “What do women drink the most? Would you say wine because it’s sexy?”
He leans closer, throwing the signature smirk that makes me want to punch him. “You’re sexy. Do you drink wine?”
Is he for fucking real? Autumn glances at him and yawns. I should interrupt this charade, but instead, I cross my arms and watch him make a fool of himself. If I’m lucky, she might hand him his ass, and I have a front-row seat to the show.
Autumn glares at him. “Aren’t you a little too old to be pranking people, Zach?”
Wait, didn’t she spew some shit about knowing the difference between us because of our eye color? We don’t have the same voice. He’s slightly taller than I am. Also, she has seen me in the past six months.
“I’m Zach,” I protest.
She reaches for a rag and wipes the counter. “Are you sure? Because if I recall, the one who initiated the pranks was Zach, not Burke.”
“You know us?” My brother takes a step back.
I wink at Autumn. “Maybe you need to keep track of the women you sleep with, brother.”
She touches the base of her neck and gasps. “Wow, I wasn’t memorable enough. You even proposed to me. Not that it matters, you never called me back.”
“O-of course, I remember you. You wouldn’t think I forgot, would you?”
Autumn scoffs. “Then what happened? I’ve been waiting”—she pauses, leaning closer—“for years.”
She’s a good actress, and just when I think it’s over, she pushes a little further. “Wow. I still haven’t told my brother about us and how you…took my virginity,” she whispers the last three words. “How can his best friend do that to him? He’s not going to be happy when he learns that you don’t even remember me.”
“I…I…”
My brother is speechless. I don’t think I’ve laughed like this in such a long time. My chest loosens up from the tension it’s been holding for years.
My brother snaps from his little trance, and says, “Wait a second, Maddox doesn’t have a sister. Who are you?”
“Maddox Curtis is your best friend? You need to learn how to choose your friends.” Autumn scrunches her nose.
I agree with her. Maddox is sketchy at best. We’ve known him since elementary school, and he’s glued to my brother’s side like a parasite.
“He’s not my best friend, but one of my closest. He’d be the only one who I’d consider close other than Seth or my brothers, and…it doesn’t matter. Who are you again?”
“Aiden Wickerton’s sister,” she answers.
“Autumn, he’s Burke. Burke, this is Aiden’s little sister. Autumn. She used to hang out with Piper and Archer sometimes.”
Burke nods absently. There will be a time when we can say our brother’s name without losing our speech. One day, I hope.
“What can I serve you?” Autumn asks, moving the conversation along.
Instead of answering that, Burke says, “Are you sure you’re Autumn Wick?”
“Wickerton,” she corrects him. “My last name is Wickerton, not Wick.”
“Damn, girl, you grew up to—” I punch him on the arm before he says anything stupid.
“Ouch, what’s your problem?”
“This is Autumn, not some bimbo you met at the bar.”
“We’re at a bar.”
She rolls her eyes. “You two are a couple of immature playboys.”
Ouch.
“Listen, I’m working, and I can’t afford to piss off my boss because you two think this is some kind of high school reunion or a game.”
We know the owners of Silvermoon. I don’t see either of them scolding her for talking to us, but if they witness this, they might kick us out because it’s us. We’re lucky to have known them since we were kids and unlucky because they still treat us as if we were their children.
“It’s not a game. I bought a vineyard, and since you’re a bartender, I think you can answer a few questions.”
She crosses her arms and arches an eyebrow.
“Would you say women prefer wine?”
“That’s a sexist question.”
“I didn’t mean it that way. Maybe I should’ve asked when women order drinks, do most of them order wine?”
“I don’t keep track of what people order. I’m here to pour and mix drinks.”
“You’ll excuse my brother, but he’s buying all the vineyards in the world so he can please women who apparently only drink wine.”
She laughs. I love that she’s enjoying herself even when it’s at our expense.
A few lines appear on her forehead, and her eyes fill with worry. “Wait, what’s going to happen to RCC?”
He frowns. “Nothing.”
“You’re selling it, aren’t you?”
Before she starts an inquisition, I say, “This just shows you that I’m not the only one who believes you’re losing your shit and probably thinking about selling RCC and becoming a farmer.”
“It’s a vineyard, not a farm.” His attention goes back to Autumn. “Not that you need to know about my company, but I wouldn’t sell it.”
She sighs with relief.
“Well, if your only motive is so women can fall at your feet, I think it’s dumb. You’re a St. James. Women drop at your feet because you’re hot and important. Now, make yourself scarce. I have work to do.”
I don’t want to move. I’m not ready to let her go because after today, I might not see her for months. “Pour me two fingers of Macallan, please.”
“Same for me, please,” Burke requests.
He leans closer to me. “I can’t believe that’s Aiden’s little sister. She’s—”
“Shut the fuck up!”
He smirks. “Interesting. I’m pushing some buttons here. Are we interested in little Autumn Wick? If not, I can make a move.”
“No, she has too much happening to entertain an asshole like you.”
“You used to be an asshole like me. Actually, you majored in assholiness up until”—he looks around and tilts his head before moving closer to me—“Listen, maybe it’s time for you to start looking for some fun and leave the celibacy for someone else.”