Total pages in book: 21
Estimated words: 20048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 100(@200wpm)___ 80(@250wpm)___ 67(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 100(@200wpm)___ 80(@250wpm)___ 67(@300wpm)
This is a short-sweet, fast-paced novella.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
Chapter One
Autumn
I’m fully dressed and standing in my sister’s room, annoyed as hell. “Girl, we have to hurry up. The parade starts in twenty minutes.”
My sister throws the blanket off her head and hisses at me before looking at the clock on her nightstand. “No, it starts in an hour and twenty minutes, but you want to get a killer spot, as always. You know I hate waking up early. It’s bad enough that Dad made us work the apple stand every year. I thought I was getting out of it this year since he retired six months ago, but no…you want to go there anyway like we need to be subjected to the torture,” she grumbles and then covers her head again.
“Come on. Don’t make me drag you.”
She whips the covers down. “You wouldn’t.”
I cross my arms, standing at the edge of her bed with a smirk and a tilt of my head. She has no idea how far I’ll go. Although she should already know I’m nuts. “Okay, your crazy ass would.” She tosses the covers completely off, and I let out a huge belly laugh. My sister is fully dressed for the day already. Hell, I think she’s still wearing the same clothes as yesterday.
“Damn, late night?” I teased.
“Yeah, I went to the bar because I heard the new owner of the orchard was going to be there, but if he was, I didn’t see him.”
“That’s a weird idea. I heard he’s a loner.”
“Well, Mary Grace said he’s a hot bastard and that he’s super wealthy, so I thought maybe I’d catch me a man.” She winks and crawls out of bed.
“All you’re going to catch is some disease. You know these men in this town have felt everything up in this town.”
“Girl, I think you’re bitter since you gave it up to your ex.” She rolls her eyes, knowing damn well that I’m a virgin.
“Noelle, stop telling lies because you want to be lazy,” I bite out, earning me a dirty look. She hated her name. Being born on Christmas, my parents gave her that name, or rather my mom did. Our mother is a free spirit. I was born during the fall, so naturally, my name is Autumn. When it comes to my name, I go with the flow, but she doesn’t like hers.
“Well, that’s what the latest talk of the town is.” I thought I was pissed before, but now I’m livid. My fists clenched at my sides. Sometimes I truly hated living in this small town. People loved to gossip and lately our family has had its fair share.
“He fucking wishes. I’m so glad I didn’t sleep with him. God, I can’t believe someone would spread that stupid rumor. He and I broke up when I found out about him and Caroline.”
“I bet it was that bitch Caroline Gray who started the rumors. She’s always been jealous of you,” she says as she heads to her bathroom. I’m not sure why Caroline would have it out for me because she has had everything handed to her.
“This is exactly why I need you with me. I have to hold my head up high. We have to represent our family. This is the first major event since I found out that Carter cheated on me with Caroline, and I left his ass. It’s been a shitty summer.” I plop down on the edge of her bed, thinking about how I’d been two years into college at U of I, but I came home when my father had a heart attack six months ago. That’s when I learned that my boyfriend had been having an affair the entire time I was gone.
“Are you sure you’re not still hung up on him?” She asks from her bathroom.
“I never was. I was hurt that he cheated on me and made me look like a fool. Do you have any idea how hard it is to have the entire town talk about you behind your back? They all knew he was diddling that bitch, and they were laughing at me.”
She comes out and gives me a hug. “I’m sorry, Autumn. I wish I was in town more, but I was so focused on helping dad with the orchard I didn’t notice and then dad had his heart attack.”
“It’s okay. I just hate these people.”
“Then why do you want to go?”
“To hold my head up high and prove that I’m strong enough to show them I’m not a weak, dumb woman.” Truth be told, most of the town is wonderful. However, there were a few that would love to knock us down a peg or two. Not that my family ever believed we were so wonderful or anything, but the Sager Orchard had been the largest one around.
“Fine. Well, I’m ready. I hope it’s not too cold. I can’t believe it’s always done so late.”