Falling For You - Love in Autumn Book One

Chapter Eight

**This has not been edited or proofread.**

I jerked awake to the bed moving, my heart thumping rapidly in my chest. Chase soothed his hand over my side, pressing a kiss to my temple until I relaxed again. "Easy. I have to go home and change for work," he said softly.

I sat up and rubbed my eyes before looking up at him. He was still standing next to my bed, and despite how tired I knew he must have been, he still seemed bright-eyed and alert.

Me? I felt like I'd been run through a cheese grinder or something. I was exhausted. My entire body ached. And my temples were pulsing with the beginnings of a migraine.

"I need to get up as well," I mumbled, yawning.

Chase frowned at me. "You need more sleep, sweetheart."

I shook my head and slid from the bed. "I don't want to sleep. The flashbacks—"

Understanding settled in his gentle, blue eyes. He grabbed the back of my neck and pressed a kiss to my forehead. "Okay," he said softly. "I'm only a phone call away if you need me, you hear? I'll be by for coffee in a little bit."

I smiled up at him, glad that his routine wasn't changing despite the mess going on around us. He aimed a crooked grin down at me in return. "Have a good day, yeah?"

I nodded. "I'll do my best," I assured him.

He pressed another kiss to my forehead before he yanked his shoes on and left my apartment. I went about my daily routine – start the coffee pot, take a shower, make a cup of coffee, get dressed, drink said coffee with my multivitamin, dry my hair, and brush my teeth. My routine never changed; it was always the same.

It gave me structure.

The only thing that was different was how early I was getting up.

Max followed me downstairs, and since I was already up and awake way before it was time to open my store, I went about rearranging shelves and putting new stock up. I also changed my window displays and set up my new center of the store display with sweet romance indie author books, making sure I had the author Taylor Jade up front and center since she seemed to have been popular with Emily. I was hoping I could make her popular with some of the other girls and women, too.

By the time I did all of that, it was eight o'clock, and it was time to open the store. It was nice and cool outside, so taking advantage of the temperature, I propped the door open, allowing the fresh, Autumn air to come inside and mix with the smell of books and coffee.

It was the perfect mixture, actually.

A bit more cheerful now with Fall in the air, I set about making myself a cup of coffee. I called out a hello to Mrs. Eldana as she walked inside. She instantly set about knitting her blanket. She'd come so far with it, and it was beginning to look absolutely gorgeous.

I brought her a cup of hot chocolate just like I did every morning. She smiled warmly up at me and gently squeezed my hand in thanks before going back to what she was doing.

I was wiping down one of the coffee machines when Chase strolled in. He was in his uniform, the shirt pulled taut over his muscular body. His sleeves were rolled down today, most likely against the cooler weather. He flashed me a warm smile as I walked towards him, warming my insides. He cupped my face in his hands and pressed a soft kiss to my lips.

"Good morning, sweetheart," he greeted.

"Good morning." I couldn't help but smile at him. "Your regular coffee?" I asked him.

He nodded, following me into the small coffee area, leaning his hip against the counter as I set to work. "Can you throw in a bagel with cream cheese and chives?" he asked me. "Didn't really get to eat dinner last night," I frowned because that was my fault, "and my stomach is rumbling."

I looked up at him. "I'm sorry," I said quietly.

He shook his head at me. "Don't be sorry, sweetheart. I'm here for you – always."

"Thank you," I told him, meaning it from the bottom of my heart and with every fiber of my being.

He smiled at me. "Don't thank me, sweetheart."

I handed him his coffee and set about making his bagel. Once I was done doing that, he pressed a kiss to the top of my head before leaving, waving at Mrs. Eldana as he walked out.

"That boy is absolutely smitten with you, Meredith."

I blushed. "The feeling is mutual, I assure you," I told her. "He's great, and he's extremely sweet."

She smiled at me. "You'll do that boy a lot of good. And he's doing you a lot of good, too. You're not so standoffish anymore, Meredith. He's bringing out a beautiful side to you."

"Oh, Mrs. Eldana," I said softly. I pressed a kiss to her cheek. "You are the sweetest soul to grace this Earth, I swear."

She patted my cheek. "I believe that title goes to you, my dear. Despite this being a small town and all of us knowing each other, you're the only sweet soul to offer me a job and let me enjoy doing what I like to do at the same time."

I laughed. "You got lucky by having a peculiar woman like me hire you," I teased her.

She laughed as well. "Your mother would be very proud of you, hun."

My throat closed up with tears. "You think so?" I croaked. Max pushed against my legs, his head nudging my fingers.

She nodded. "I may not have known the woman, Meredith, but judging by how sweet and lovely you are, she raised you right, and wherever she is right now, my dear, she's smiling down at you, and she's extremely proud to have you as her daughter."

~*~*~

Jaime waved at me as she took Mrs. Eldana's spot. I gave Mrs. Eldana a hot chocolate to take home with her before waving her goodbye. Jaime set to work on her homework, and knowing she could man the ship for a little while so I could take a small food break, I grabbed my mail and began heading up the stairs to my small apartment.

I paused, staring down at the unmarked envelope. Fear crawled through me like cobwebs, settling deep in my bones. With shaking fingers, I tore open the envelope.

You're going to pay.

My vision tunneled. I gasped for breath, my legs giving out beneath me. I faintly heard Max barking, trying to get someone to come help me.

I slumped backward, and the last thing I felt was my body rolling back down the stairs.