Chapter One
“Shit, sorry, Autumn. I keep forgetting you pirates with one leg can fall over,” Simon said with a smirk as he spun her around. She almost lost her balance as her feet touched the ground.
“I hate you too, Simon. If it was anyone else who’d said that, I’d be giving them a good punch.”
He blew her a fake kiss. “I know you’ll never believe in violence, no matter how annoying I can be.”
“It’s sad but true. But being a doctor, I might put a laxative in your coffee, though. Now introduce me to your lovely lady.”
“This is Bridget, her son, Brendan, and the twins are at Mum and Dad’s.”
“I’m so glad to meet you at last,” Autumn said as she hugged the gorgeous blonde with the lovely smile who had brought happiness to Simon’s life.
“I have heard lots of wonderful things about you, Autumn.”
“Likewise. I’ll just grab my purse from the bedroom.”
Autumn took one last look in the full-length mirror. It was amazing how quickly you could get used to sourcing clothes that hid a disability. This pantsuit did the job perfectly. It was a dark red color that showed off her wavy black hair as it hung around her shoulders.
The pants were long and wide but curved over her hips. She might not have two feet but she had a good butt and her ex, Jonathan, could cry about what he had lost. Now they needed to head off or they would be late.
The venue for the reunion was one of London’s smart hotels. Her hands went clammy as she followed Simon and Bridget into the ballroom. She glanced around, steeling herself for the evening.
Bridget touched her arm. “You okay? You look like a mouse waiting for a cat to pounce.”
“I’m sorry. It’s just, I haven’t seen Jonathan since the divorce court, and I have a way of choosing incredibly good-looking men who cheat on me. It’s a knack.”
“Okay, let me stop you right there. You do realize that you’re an amazing-looking woman? He didn’t appreciate what he had.” Bridget wagged a finger at her.
“I just need to toughen up,” Autumn said as they sat.
“I’m not being kind. It’s the truth. Ask Simon. I say what I mean.”
“Is that true, Simon? She gives you what-for?”
“Bridget and the girls have me wrapped around their fingers. That being said, from the minute we met, that great butt of my darling woman won me over.”
“There’s definitely a story here that I need to get out of you two,” Autumn said.
“I want all the gossip about what Simon was like at medical school when you were training as well.”
“Don’t tell her anything, Autumn. What happens at medical school stays at medical school.”
“Autumn.”
She did not need to turn around to know that deep voice. Jonathan had tempted her from the first day they had met all those years ago. Now, that voice had no effect on her at all.
No, that was not true. You never forgot someone who meant something to you. Sometimes you just had to protect yourself from them.
Autumn put on her best smile as she faced him. He had a beautiful redhead holding onto his arm.
“Jonathan. Hello.”
He leaned in and kissed her cheek.
She remembered his smell. Damn him.
“Autumn, you look great. Let me introduce my fiancée, Geraldine.”
Jonathan rambled on about his promotion and how he was now living on a country estate that Geraldine’s first husband had left her after he died. Geraldine seemed lovely and Jonathan was a good doctor, even if he was a shit husband. She wanted to hate him but she couldn’t.
It was not in her nature to detest people. Even Kevin, who had stalked her. She considered him to be mentally ill, not evil, and could not bring herself hate him. That aside, she was glad to be going abroad soon.
As they drove home later she wanted to have a quiet moment to talk.
“How are you going?” Simon asked.
As always, her friend could see through her smiles. Darn him.
“I’m good. I’m glad you made me go. It was fun catching up with people, and I think I needed to see Jonathan so I could move on.” She took a deep breath before speaking again, “I wanted to tell you earlier . . . I’ve taken a job in Australia.”
“That’s amazing. When do you leave?” Bridget asked.
“Two weeks. And for the first time in ages, I feel really excited. I would never have contemplated doing something like this if not for you, Simon. Seeing what you’ve done gave me strength. By the way, I really hope you’ll visit.”
“We will,” Bridget said and squeezed her hand.
“I think I’m a bit mad. Do you know they have twenty-one of the world’s top twenty-five most venomous snakes in Australia? Let’s hope if one ever goes for me it will bite my fake foot.”
“I’m sure I saw a conference on in Sydney that I’d like to attend. I’ll let you know when I’ve checked it out,” Simon said.
“That would mean a lot to me if you did come.”
“It’s the least we can do. I always felt bad I couldn’t come back when you had the accident and then that stalker business.”
“You had your hands full with your own family. I’m a big girl and can look after myself.”
“Of that I have no doubt.”
Simon pulled up at her flat and they all hugged each other goodbye.
Autumn was ready to move on.
Australia here I come.
Chapter Two
Okay, it was time. Brett had been playing the field for long enough without a checkup. He hated going to the doctor for anything. He was an Aussie, and tough. Okay, that was cocky bullshit. He might have shed an odd tear over some sad movie, but he would usually claim he had dust in his eyes, like any bloke would. Who wanted to hire a carpenter who cried if he hit his thumb with a hammer? The idea of a sick dick, though? That was something he did not want to contemplate. Sometimes you just had to bite the bullet.
Brett did not feel that tough at the moment. He felt nauseous as his stomach churned. It was a simple well-known fact that men did not like it when people messed about with their junk. That was not completely true. He was quite happy a lot of the time if some lovely lady was willing to play with his privates. Going to the doctor was another thing altogether.
At least he had known Doctor Wilson for the four years he had been living in the Blue Mountains. He was a rusty old codger. Brett even had the old prostate test a while back. If he could cope with a digit up the butt, he could cope with this.
Brett sat in his pickup out the front of the doctor’s surgery. His appointment was in three minutes and he would need to ring now if he was going to back out. But he had never backed out of anything. Not even when his mate Chance had dared him to run naked across the footy oval when they were sixteen. The pair of them were on cleanup duty for ages after that. They had both lost their virginity that month as well. So some of the girls must have liked what they saw?
Brett could not see any perks coming from today’s events. Well, at least he would be able to tell the ladies he had a clean bill of health and they could get down and dirty.
He could not deny his younger days had been pretty wild. Chance even went on to make money as an underwear model. Brett considered he should do some weights and get his own butt in better shape.