Pumpkin Spice ⭐

17 - Take Me Home

Steve just sat staring at me in shock for a few moments before he spoke. I didn't know what to think. I started grabbing other things from the table.

"You have a lay out of the farm, a file on John and Olivia...Steve what the actual fuck!" I raised my voice.

"Okay, I can explain all of this if you let me. please just give me a few minutes to explain." Steve said taking the files from my hands. I just looked at him. As he went to place his hands in my now free ones, I yanked them away and crossed my arms.

"Can you just take me home please..." I said and Steve sighed.

"Let me explain then if you want to go, I'll take you home." Steve said and he pulled out the chair beside where he had been sitting and I sat down as he took the seat, he had been in. "What I first need you to understand is I never meant for it to get this far, and you do not know." Steve started off and I sighed.

"Steve, start talking." I snapped.

"Bucky and I are private investigators. We were hired recently but Olivia's family to investigate Olivia's disappearance. Her family believes John had something to do with it and were wanting us to investigate John since they believe he is responsible for Olivia's disappearance. They never mentioned you being a part of any of this. I don't know if they wanted to leave you out so you could take care of Garrett in the end, but we didn't know about you until the day at the patch." Steve said and I just sighed.

"So, you are against John too? Everyone is against John! They found the person who attacked me! The person who is probably guilty for Olivia too! Why can't anyone see that?!" I asked upset.

"Autumn, I need you to be rational and think about this, please. The girl who attacked you, she loved Olivia. She and Olivia were friends and had an understanding. Karli wasn't stealing from the patch until Olivia was gone. Olivia was giving Karli things, she was taking care of her. Why would she be involved?" Steve asked.

"I don't know maybe Olivia told her she had to stop, and things got tense. I mean she hit me in the head with a shovel... she is capable of anything." I said. Steve shook his head.

"She didn't attack you, Autumn. When I went and talked to her she said she saw someone but didn't want to scream out in fear she would be next. She didn't do it Autumn." Steve said and I just shook my head.

"Why do you have a lay out of the farm? Of the property?" I asked pulling them from the pile.

"We were looking at the square footage. We were just wondering if there was any place -..." Steve stopped himself.

"You were wondering if there was any place for a body to be buried if she was dead..." I finished his thought and he half nodded.

"Steve this is insane! I can't believe this." I said annoyed standing up and started pacing.

"I know it's a lot." Steve said.

"A lot Steve?! This is more than a lot!" I snapped. I kept pacing and then I gasped stopping in my tracks. "Oh my god, are you with me to get information on my brother? On my family?" I asked and Steve jumped up.

"What?! No! That's not what this is! This is what I want, I want to be with you Autumn." Steve said. Steve cupped my face and quickly kissed me. I pulled away.

"I can't right now Steve. I mean, why couldn't you have just been honest with me from the start? You could have told me who you were. You and Bucky have been coming in with Nat...oh god were you just scouting out the place? Are they really getting married?!" I asked and Steve nodded.

"Yes, of course they are, and they really want to get married there but I won't lie, the first day we were there we were going to be watching John." Steve said and I shook my head.

"Wow..." I said and Steve sighed. "This is why I have a hard time believing you aren't here in this with me for us. You are using me for information on my brother. I won't turn my back on John! John is family and he loved Olivia. Her family is nothing but a bunch of assholes who loved John too until she went missing. They never treated John right and he had every right to not like them. Hell, Olivia didn't even like her family near the end. Did you ask them when the last time was, they saw Olivia before her disappearance?! Two years! They didn't even come to the memorial service. John planned that out! John may not have liked having to do that but Garrett needed closure." I ranted.

Steve didn't know what else to do he just looked at the floor.

"I didn't mean to hurt you Autumn or keep this from you." Steve said in a small voice.

"But you did! You could have told me from the start! I would have listened, I would have been more open to listen to you if you would have just told me about this to begin with." I snapped and Steve just half nodded. "Can you please just take me home?" I asked and Steve just looked at me.

"Autumn..."

"Take me home Steve." I said and he nodded. "I'll go get my stuff." I said and headed up to Steve's room. I put on a pair of shorts, leaving on Steve's shirt and walked back downstairs to slip on my tennis shoes. Steve was waiting by the door with his keys.

"Please stay." Steve said and I shook my head.

"I'm upset Steve, I would just like to go home." I said. We went out to the car, and he drove me home.

We pulled into my driveway and Steve went to get out of the car.

"I'll walk you to your door." Steve said.

"No, it's fine. Please don't." I said and he groaned.

"Autumn, please...I tried explaining it to you." Steve said.

"I know you did but please understand I need time. To know you couldn't come to me about this when you met me. You said you didn't know about me being his sister which I get but you could have mentioned all of this to me from the start. Hell, maybe I could have even filled in some blank spaces for you. Problem being you just want to do it on your own, go behind my back and yet still date me all while looking into my family. I want to be with you Steve, you were the first guy in a long time I thought wouldn't hurt me, but you did." I said.

"What are you saying Autumn? Are we still -...?" Steve asked.

"Right now, I don't know. I need time Steve. I need some space to think about all of this. I know you said you would help at the patch tomorrow but don't worry about it. I need some days apart." I said and Steve sighed but half nodded.

"Can I call you?" Steve asked.

"I'll contact you when I'm ready." I said. I leaned over, gave his cheek a kiss. I quickly got out of the car and rushed inside.

Steve just watched as Autumn went into her house. He had a white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel, he was pissed, he had done this to himself. Why did he not just stay in bed when he woke up and couldn't sleep? Why did he have to go through the files with her in the house? And most important of all, why hadn't he been open and honest with her about who he and Bucky were. Steve knew he betrayed her in some way and wasn't upset with her choice, he was upset with himself. Steve knew he had to get Autumn back and it would take a lot of work but work he was willing to put in.