The Rancher’s Home (Silver Creek Ranch #5)

Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Autumn followed Roth’s gaze to the window and her stomach dropped to her feet. This couldn’t possibly be happening. It was bad enough she was caught trying to slip into the house like a child who missed curfew. Now, her parents and her brother were about to see her still wearing the dress she had on last night. It wouldn’t take skilled calculations to determine why she wasn’t at least in her pajamas, if not something appropriate for church.

The comfort she’d drawn from Roth’s warm hand covering hers began to evaporate. Hearing Grandma Hattie say she’d called around when Autumn didn’t come home, simultaneously filled her with guilt and dread. She hadn’t fully wrapped her own mind around what the night she’d spent with Roth meant. And now, she’d be forced to confront it in front of her very invasive family.

Considering everything she was going through at work, which had driven her into taking a sabbatical in the first place, the last thing she expected when she returned home was additional drama. The little appetite she had vanished, as she waited for the rest of her family to enter the kitchen. Instead of using the side entrance as she and Roth had done, they went to the front door.

Family rarely, if ever, knocked. So, footfalls were the warning signal before Nick appeared framed in the doorway. If Autumn was wondering what he thought, the scowl he directed toward Roth gave her all the answers she needed. Releasing the napkin she’d been twisting into a knot, she flipped her fingers, tangling them with Roth’s in her lap. The reassuring squeeze from his strong hand offered her some comfort.

“Good morning, Mother Daley!”

Autumn’s mother practically floated into the room, brushing Nick aside. Stopping next to her mother-in-law, she leaned in placing a kiss on the older woman’s upturned cheek.

“Autumn. Roth. Good morning to you both as well.”

Autumn wasn’t sure how to process the saccharine sweet smile on her mother’s face. But she wasn’t given time to wonder as her mother flitted across the kitchen toward the powder room.

“Y’all started breakfast without us. Let me go wash up, and I’ll join you.”

Autumn noted that her brother didn’t step farther inside until her dad stopped next to him and tapped his shoulder. He stopped to give his mother a kiss, just as his wife had done, before following the same path. When Autumn’s mother returned, Roth stood to help her with her chair while Nick remained hovering by the doorway—just staring.

“Nicholas Joseph Daley, I suggest you go wash up and come sit instead of standing in my kitchen like you don’t have manners.”

With their grandma pulling out his full name, Nick finally moved more than a step into the room. His stoic demeanor did nothing to make Autumn feel better about the pending conversation which was bound to occur once her parents were back. Nick used the kitchen sink to wash his hands instead of following their parents. By the time he was done, they were rounding the corner.

The seconds ticked by turning into minutes as her father dished food onto a plate for her mother before serving himself. Although Nick had an empty plate in front of him, he didn’t bother to put food on it. He also declined the coffee their mother offered him when she poured her own. When her parents said nothing, Autumn wasn’t certain what was happening. After they commenced eating their breakfast, as if this were any other Sunday morning, she was thoroughly confused.

She was considering excusing herself to at least go change clothes when her mother broke the silence. Once she opened her mouth, Autumn would wish a thousand-fold she’d remained quiet.

“So, where are you two thinking of going on your date?”

“You mean Roth didn’t get his money’s worth last night?”

Her brother’s words had barely pierced the air before Roth shot to his feet. Nick popped up from his seat as well, the swift movement nearly toppling his chair over.

“Nicholas Daley!” Their mother’s horrified screech mingled with their father’s thundering admonishment.

Tears sprang to Autumn’s eyes. So shocked by Nick’s callous words, she was surprised she had the presence of mind to grab onto Roth’s arm. Beneath her fingers, his tightly coiled muscles felt like granite.

“You wanna be mad? Be mad. But don’t you dare speak about your sister that way.”

The deadly calm of Roth’s voice belied the tension in his stance and the fire in his gaze as he stared at Nick.

“Oh. So, now you remember that she’s my sister?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Roth’s body tilted forward with his question, prompting Autumn to jump to her feet, maintaining her hold on his arm.

“What do you think it means? You two snuck away last night. She still has on the same dress. And, from what Grandma Hattie says, she didn’t come home.”

“Don’t go throwing my name around like I’m going to stand behind you showing your ass, Nicholas.”

Their grandmother’s remark was quickly followed by their father intervening.

“Son, that’s enough. Sit down.”

For a moment Autumn thought Nick wouldn’t obey their dad’s instruction. Her brother continued to glare at Roth, who returned the expression with equal heat.

“I said, sit your ass down. Both of you.”

The steel in their father’s voice finally seemed to break the standoff. Nick straightened his chair before sitting. Roth didn’t sit until he’d helped Autumn return to her seat.

“Sorry for cussing, Mama.” Her father’s voice was gruff, but contrite when he apologized to his mother.

Grandma Hattie waved a dismissive hand before giving Nick her full attention.

“I agree with Child. You can be mad all you want, but I better not ever hear you disrespecting your sister like that again. Not to mention the rest of us.”

“Nana—”

“Don’t Nana me. You were wrong, and you know it. I’ve already said my piece to Autumn and whatever your parents have to say, I’m sure they will. But, what isn’t going to happen is you implying that your sister sold herself, and your friend of almost thirty years paid for the privilege of being with her. It’s not who we are, and I won’t stand for it. Do you understand me?”

Although it was easy to detect Nick fuming beneath the surface, Autumn noted he reined himself in. Dipping his head in acknowledgement wasn’t enough for their grandmother.

“You were man enough to be insulting aloud. Let everything else be just as loud.”

Clearing his throat, with obvious difficulty, Nick responded. “Yes, ma’am. I understand.”

With a stiff nod, Grandma Hattie picked up her fork and stabbed the homestyle potatoes on her plate. Her return to eating meant the discussion was closed. She wouldn’t make him apologize. Their family didn’t believe in apologies unless you meant it. So, Nick would have to come to it in his own time.

Autumn still had no interest in food, but she didn’t move from the table. With one hand clasped around hers, Roth picked up his fork and finished off the last of what was on his plate.

From the way he forked it into his mouth, it appeared he did it out of obligation, not actual enjoyment. Stealing a glance at her mother, Autumn encountered her stare. Her soft expression eased a portion of Autumn’s anxiety. She was thankful the expected interrogation didn’t occur, because she had no set answers. No discussion surrounding a future, be it near or far, had been held.

While she was hopeful what occurred between her and Roth would extend beyond one night or a limited time, there were a lot of moving pieces. The major one, beyond the dust up with Nick, was they resided in two separate states with more than a thousand miles between them.

Autumn doubted very seriously he had any interest in giving up his ranch to relocate to the Las Vegas area. And, despite her current situation with her job, she wasn’t certain if she was ready to say that phase of her life was over. She needed time to figure it out.

The only conversation at the table was between her mother and grandmother. Autumn’s mama was filling Grandma Hattie in on what she missed by not attending the charity auction. Thankfully, she didn’t dwell on Roth’s show-stopping gesture when he bid on a date with Autumn. Although, she couldn’t seem to stop herself from mentioning it was the largest donation of the night.

“That was very generous of you, Child.”

Roth only nodded in acknowledgement of her grandma’s praise. When he abruptly released her hand, Autumn was startled by how bereft she felt as a result of his warm fingers no longer being wrapped around hers. The reason for the release was quickly evident when he gathered the remainder of her untouched food, stacking her plate on top of his before rising with both in his hands.

“You don’t have to do that, Roth.” Autumn moved to take the dishes from him.

“Don’t worry about it, Sugar. I’ve got it.”

Nick’s audible huff following the endearment earned him a glare from more than just Autumn. The flutter in her stomach wasn’t the same as the one she experienced when he first made the shift to calling her Sugar . This was more anxious, because his use of it in front of her family spoke volumes. In all the years they’d known one another, the only nickname he’d ever used for her was Tummy. Him dropping the use of her family nickname in front of them... It made her realize their conversation needed to happen sooner rather than later.

However, her plans were waylaid when her father stood from the table performing tasks similar to what Roth had done for Autumn. Tilting his head toward Nick, he motioned for her brother to take their grandmother’s plate as the men cleared the table.

“Why don’t you ladies go on into the living room? We’ve got this covered.”

Her dad’s suggestion wasn’t actually a suggestion. Autumn’s nervous glance toward Roth was met with a resolute expression and a similar head tilt. His eyes projected exactly what he expected from her. So, she reluctantly followed her mother and grandma from the kitchen.

Part of her wanted to hang back to hear the conversation between the men. Autumn wasn’t under the illusion her dad sending them from the room wasn’t a cover for him wanting to speak to Roth without them around.

The moment they stepped into the hallway, she quickly excused herself, bolting up the stairs. She didn’t pause to consider the oddity of neither woman objecting. Since she’d showered at Roth’s place, her wardrobe change was quick. When she came back down the stairs, she paused at the bottom, after hearing the low rumble of male voices.

It was quite likely she would’ve stayed there trying to eavesdrop if her mama hadn’t poked her head out of the living room, giving Autumn a pointed look. Not nearly as embarrassed as she should’ve been at being discovered, she left the stairs to join the other women.

Entering the space, she was struck by how silent they were. Her steps slowed as her gaze pinged between them. Her mother was seated on the sofa next to her grandma, but neither was speaking. What in the world was going on? Was this when they interrogated her? While her dad and Nick had Roth isolated in the kitchen?

Before she could form the right questions to get ahead of what she thought was coming, her mother waved her over with one hand while she pressed the finger of the other to her lips. It didn’t take long for Autumn to realize why her mama wanted her to stay quiet.

The voices, which were a low rumble when she was on the stairs, were much clearer. Autumn’s eyes widened as understanding dawned on her. This was why they hadn’t complained when her dad sent them to the other room. And, why they didn’t say a word about her sprinting away to change clothes. They’d been eavesdropping this entire time.