Blue Autumn in the Bayou (Gumbo Love) (23 page)

Travis frowned. “You’re not going to lose me. Where is this coming from? I’m not going anywhere. Are you?”

Autumn moved from him and slid across the bed to the other side of the room. She walked to the French doors and stopped. She stood with the same grace and elegance she always did no matter where she was or what she was doing.

“Autumn.” She didn’t respond. “Autumn.” He called to her again, this time with more censure. She turned toward him but still said nothing.

Travis tried to not let his anger flare. He understood how these beliefs of hers had been planted into her since she was a child, essentially her whole life. And he knew the whole Savannah drama was more his fault that anything else, but Autumn wasn’t a child anymore. He moved from the bed and stood behind her without touching her. The moment he moved behind Autumn, they spoke the words only exchanged by lovers.

The energy was so
strong that Autumn could barely breathe. She closed her eyes hoping it would calm her rattled nerves. Travis affected her in ways she didn’t have words to explain. If he looked at her or stood close to her without even touching her, she couldn’t concentrate on anything.

U
nconsciously, she leaned back leaving only a sliver of space between them. The hot air from his nostrils whipped against her neck forcing a sea of goose bump down her entire body. She swayed slightly in response to his call. They didn’t need words.

“Baby, I’m trying to understand.” His sultry voice
reached deep into her spirit. She turned to meet him and saw a plea in his gaze. He willingly came down to her level to show her just how much he cared for her. The least she could do was meet him halfway.

“I love you, Travis.”

“I love you.”

“Yes, I know. I’m not going anywhere.”

Relief washed over his features. He braced his hands against the door, essentially caging her in a cocoon with his body. He leaned down and kissed her left brow. When she placed her hand flat against his chest, he trailed kisses down her face until he captured her lips lightly. “Good decision, because I would have to hunt you down.” He whispered into her ear.

Autumn couldn’t help but to smile. Travis had a way of changing the mood. He did it with cat-like ease. “My daddy is
six-foot-four and three hundred and sixty pounds.” She grinned up at him.

“Yeah, but he’s old. Look at this.” He flexed his arms and chest. “Young. A buck. Can pick you up like you’re a feather.” He snatched her up and head
ed for the bed. His soreness forgotten, he dropped her, covered her body, and kissed her like it was to last forever. He lifted his head. “Can your old daddy do that?”

Autumn giggled. “No. I guess not.” She tried to roll out of
Travis’s strong hold but couldn’t. “Bully!” she pouted.

“Yep!”

* * * *

Travis and Autumn spent Sunday alone. They decided not to join his family at the usual Sunday dinner. Autumn fixed brunch and they ate out on the patio
, overlooking the manmade lake in the back of Travis’s house.

Travis didn’t give her an opportunity to sulk about the day at the
fairgrounds. They took a walk to the far end of his property where he finally introduced her to his neighbor Scott Bourgeois. “It’s nice to meet you, darling.” He drawled. “Did Travis here tell you we might be related? The Boudreaux’s and Bourgeois are kin, you know.” The old man reached for her hand and instead of shaking it, kissed the back of it lightly. “What did you say your last name was?”

“Thibodaux.” Autumn answered.

Scott picked up where he left off. “No, I don’t think I’m related to you. Thibodaux’s are not in our family tree.” Travis observed the move closely. The last thing he needed was the old man trying to move in on his territory. When he was done, he winked at Autumn before leaving them at the path between their properties. “She’s something special.”

Travis wrapped his arms around Autumn and hugged her snugly. “I’ll especially keep her away from you
, old geezer.” He whispered into Autumn’s hair.

Autumn frowned as she looked up at Travis. “Really?”

Travis’s eyes darkened. “Really.” He kissed her after he turned her completely in his arms.

* * * *

Later that evening, Autumn checked her phone, something she hadn’t done since she called Travis the day before. She looked at her missed-call notifications before she hit the call button, and waited for her mother’s voice on the other end. “Mom.”

“Thank God
, Autumn Makela. Where in the world are you child, and why didn’t you call me back?”

“Mom, I’m sorry. It was crazy yesterday and I haven’t checked my phone since…”

“Are you okay, Autumn? We were worried sick, little girl,” her mother interrupted.

“Yes ma’am, I’m okay. I’m sorry I didn’t call.” Autumn scooted back on to the window bench and curled her legs beneath her.

She instantly changed the subject. She wasn’t ready to tell her mother what happened to Travis for fear of what she might say. She promised Travis that she would give their love a chance. She intended to. “Are you coming for my show in two weeks? I want you and Mer Drace to come.”

“Now
, you know Mer Drace is not coming to New York, Autumn.”

“Why not
? She should. I want her to. Could you please ask her again for me, Mom? Please!”

“I’ll try Autumn, but you know how she is. She hasn’t left this island since your first recital.”

Smiling, Autumn gazed out of the bay window. She’d successfully diverted her mother’s attention from the earlier question. Now that the topic had changed, she wouldn’t have to lie. The upcoming show played tribute to women. She choreographed a segment, in honor of her mother and grandmother. She hoped Maree and Mer Drace would see the opening show, but she also wanted to tell them about Travis. It was time.

“I know you don’t want to tell me what happened yesterday, little one, but I know you will in your time.” Her mother didn’t pry but knew Autumn was avoiding her
original question.

“Yes ma’am. I’ll call you later this week and we can talk about you coming if Mer Drace still decides not to accompany you.”

“Okay, sugah. I’ll talk to you later. Love you.”

“I love you
, Momma.”

* * * *

Autumn danced from side to side in the airport security area. Her momma was in New York. For the first time since she was a little girl, she couldn’t remember being so excited to see her. Maree was in her city to spend almost a whole week with her. Her week would have been tight if Travis were there as well. But he suggested she spend that time with her mother.

She squealed with delight when she saw her ageless mother walk through the waiting area. Autumn rushed toward her and hugged her tightly. “Momma. I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Oh sweetheart, I’m happy to be here with you. Your daddy and your brother send their love. And of course you know I couldn’t come here without Mer Drace’s blessings. She sent you a little something.” She hugged Autumn and planted a kiss on her cheek. She held her face in her hands and stared at her daughter. Maree sighed with relief when she saw that Autumn no longer hid her beautiful blue eyes. 

The first two days together Maree allowed Autumn to drag her from one place to the next. “Oh, honey
, that Statue of Liberty is something to see. My, it’s huge. I see what all the fuss is about.” She held her hand to her chest. “It’s a little fast pace for my taste.” She referred to New York. “But I can see how you don’t have time to call your mother more often.”

“Mom.” Autumn rolled her eyes. “I call you every week, lady.”

“Yeah, but you have yet to tell me about this boy you’re all starry eyed over. You have yet to tell me what’s going on with you, Autumn. And you better not tell me some off-the-wall crap, Autumn Makela Thibodaux.”

Autumn studied the defiant look on her mother’s face. “His name is Travis Brooks.”

Maree frowned. “Brooks? I think we know some Brooks families.”

“Yes, Brooks. They are from New Orleans. Reggie married his brother. Remember I told you about the wedding?” She watched her mother take a seat on one of the park benches. “He’s really a nice guy, Mom. He’s a good man.”

“Autumn, honey, you have to be careful.”

Autumn moved to the bench and sat next to her mother. “I am careful, Mom. He knows me. He’s been good to me.”

“And exactly what does that mean, child? Is that why you finally took those things out of your eyes? I would say it’s time but you know what—”

Autumn didn’t give her mother the opportunity to finish. “Mom, it’s superstition, old tales. Nobody believes any of that stuff anymore. Surely you can’t expect me to believe that what happened to Mer Drace has anything to do with you or with me. You and Dad chose to live your lives the way you do. There’s nothing wrong with Travis and me.”

Something happened between her mother and father. Maree and some of her craziness interfered with her marriage, but Gator didn’t scare easily. He refused to leave even though he would have been justified to do so. He vowed to never leave her or his children, so he stayed. After some time, they grew back together, and essentially, co-existed as husband and wife. Autumn couldn’t remember the last time she saw her parents embrace or kiss. “Just cause you don’t see it now, don’t mean it won’t happen.”

“Mom, please! People at home live in a world closed off to the rest of it. They repeat stuff without proof
or evidence. It’s been said for so long that people believe it’s true. Think about the people from all over the world who visit Grand Isle to get a piece of what life is like there. But when they leave, and return home, they continue on with their lives the same as before.” Autumn dropped her hand on top of her mother’s, and looked at her for understanding.

S
he told Travis everything about her family’s seemingly tarnished fate, which really had nothing to do with fate at all. She and Travis were just two people who fell in love, and needed to learn their lot in life, preferably on their own. She loved her family. After the incident with Travis, she decided not to chance losing him again.

Travis
planned a trip to New York for right after her mother left. With her mind made up, she planned to pursue him. She refused to let him be tempted by the likes of Savannah, and this trip, she intended to have her way with him. There were no reasons to hold back any longer. He would always have her heart.

“What about your career
? Your travels take you all over the world. You plan to give that up?” Maree asked.

“No
, ma’am. I don’t. I’ve not been asked to make that kind of choice. That’s what I mean, Mom. I’m getting more than I give. He hasn’t asked me to give up anything or do anything that I don’t want to.”

“Give it time. Promise me you’ll give it some more time.”

“Will you wait until you meet him before you make up your mind, please? Mer Drace is already okay with this.”

Maree still worried about Autumn, but today she saw a different side of her, a side she liked. She wanted to enjoy the rest of her visit with her daughter
, and choose to wait for another time to finish talking about Travis Brooks. “When are you coming home so you can bring him to meet your father?”

“Very soon.”
Autumn smiled and hugged her neck. “Now, are you ready to see my show?”

“Why yes, yes indeed.”

“Then let’s go get you all dolled up, shall we?” She and Maree went shopping and purchased a new dress to wear especially for the show that night.

CHAPTER 24

Travis looked at his clock and it was three in the morning. Autumn was heavy on his mind, so he called her. Her sleepy voice broke the line. “Hello?”

“Hi baby. I can’t stop thinking about you.”

“Are you okay?”

“No.”

Autumn heard something disturbing in his voice. She sat straight up. “What’s wrong?”

“I want you. Nothing else is important anymore. I can’t imagine my life with anyone else.”

“I am yours, Travis. But, baby, I think you know that.”

“Yes. I just want to make sure you know that my heart belongs to you. I never really thought I would want to settle down
, and be with one person. After the lake, it made me stop to rethink my life.”

“Well, I think we have time. When I see you in a few days we can talk about it some more.”

“How did the show go tonight? What did your mom think?”

“It was fabulous! Very touching and very fulfilling at the same time. Oh, I wish you were here.”

“I would have loved to have been there, you know this. I’m just happy your mother had a chance to come.”