He stepped in front of the punch bowl, a beseeching grin splitting his face. “But you hardly know me.”
“My point exactly,” Autumn said, trying to scoot around him. Suddenly, she was very thirsty and that almond tea punch was looking better and better.
Campbell Dupree headed her off by coming around to the back of the table. He stood staring over the crystal bowl at her while he ladled her some punch. Handing her the cup, he asked, “So you attend weddings, even participate in them, but you don’t enjoy being around other people at the receptions?”
“Something like that,” Autumn replied, her smile practiced and efficient. She downed the whole cup of punch, hoping he’d be gone by the time she got to the bottom.
He wasn’t.
“And just why aren’t you a social person?”
Giving him a shrug of impatience that caused her blush-colored sleeveless bridesmaid dress to shimmer, she replied, “I deal in numbers. I’m an accountant. Or at least I was.”
“In New York,” he said, admiration flickering in his eyes. “I’ve heard all about that.”
“You have?” Curious now, Autumn stopped thinking about how to get away. “How do you know all about me? Are you one of my father’s clients or business buddies, or are you a friend of Reed’s?”
Before he could answer, her father came barreling up to them. “There you are,” he said to Autumn. “I’ve been looking for you. I see you’ve met Campbell.”
“Yes,” Autumn said, wondering with renewed interest how her father knew Campbell Dupree, and wondering why her father seemed so nervous and flushed. “He was just about to tell me—”
“I was just about to tell her yet again how very lovely she looks,” Campbell said, his smoky gaze moving from her father to Autumn. “As I said earlier, you and your cousin make a lovely pair of bridesmaids.”
“Thanks,” Autumn said, thinking the man was surely repetitive and just a bit too charming. Glancing back at her perspiring father she asked, “Daddy, are you okay?”
Richard Maxwell looked as handsome as ever in his dark suit and shiny cowboy boots, but a fine sheen of moisture glowed across his forehead. “I’m fine, honey. But we need to talk. In private.”
“Is something wrong?” Autumn said, glancing around. “Is April okay?”
“April is one happy bride,” Richard replied. “And Summer is inside with little Michael. Poor little fellow—tough about him losing his mother last month. But Summer and Mack are doing a fine job of surrounding him with love. I reckon they’ll be having their own wedding soon.”
Autumn nodded. Her father was sandbagging for some reason. Apparently, he had something he really wanted to say, but he was talking about everything but that, whatever it was.
She watched as his glance bounced back and forth between Campbell Dupree and her. “What’s the matter, Daddy?”
“Let’s go inside,” Richard said, giving Campbell a warning look. “You don’t mind, do you?”
“Not at all, sir,” Campbell said, backing away. “It was nice to meet you, Autumn.”
“You, too,” Autumn said, not exactly sure if the word nice would describe this particular meeting.
She did need to talk to her father, however. Wondering how she was going to break the news that her company in New York had downsized and she’d been laid off, Autumn followed Richard into the cool interior of the house. She’d arrived home for the wedding three days ago, but she hadn’t been able to find the right time to tell her father that she might have to move back to Atlanta, Texas, and work at his financial firm for a while. Just until she could figure out what to do with the rest of her life.
Maybe this layoff had been a blessing in disguise. April was now married and back at the Big M. Summer had moved back to Athens, Texas, to work as a counselor at the Golden Vista Retirement Village, and to be with her new love, Mack Riley. That had left Autumn all alone in New York. All alone and now without a job. Maybe God was testing her.
Autumn had been forced to try and find new roommates for their loft apartment, feeling lonely and more than a tad bitter. But the more she thought about two strangers moving into the place where she and her cousins had shared so much, the more she dreaded that happening. She didn’t want new roommates.
Maybe coming home was the best option, even though she’d planned on working a few more years in New York before she wanted to consider moving back to Texas. But the city was big and gloomy without her cousins. And her father had always told her she had a place at Maxwell Financial Group any time she wanted to come home. He might even offer her a job here on the spot.
Richard marched her to the big den toward the front of the Spanish-style house. “We can talk in private in here.”
“Daddy, you’re scaring me. Why all the secrecy?”
“Nothing secret, darlin’. Just wanted some quiet time with my little girl. I haven’t had a minute with you over the last few days, and we’ve got a lot to talk about.”
Autumn sank down on a chair, watching her father pace in front of the fireplace. “And I have a lot to tell you. Daddy, I—”
Richard held up a hand. “I’m just gonna come out and tell you, honey. I’m retiring from the firm.”
“You are?” Surprised, Autumn held on to the arm of her chair. “When did you decide this?”
“Oh, right after your uncle Stuart died. I had been toying with the idea even before then, but his illness made me think. Our time here on earth is precious. And I want to spend more time with your mama and with the rest of my family, before it’s too late.”
“You’re not sick?”
“No, no. I had me a little scare a while back, but the doctors tell me I’m as healthy as a horse these days. It’s just that, well, it was time. The firm is in good shape. Very good shape.”
Autumn let that information soak in, wondering what kind of scare her daddy had experienced. Surely her mother would have told her if anything bad had happened. “I’m glad to hear that you’re okay, Daddy. And that the firm is solid. I’d love to—”
“Honey, I’d love to have you come back and work at the firm,” Richard said, interrupting her yet again, as was his lovable way.
“Oh, Daddy.” Autumn jumped up to hug him. “I was so worried. I didn’t know how I was going to tell you—”
“Tell me what?”
“That I lost my job in New York. Downsizing.” Seeing the shock on his face, she hurried to reassure him. “But I got a nice severance package and of course, I still have my stock, even though it’s down because of this layoff. Anyway, I’m fine. But I don’t want to stay in New York by myself.”
Richard stood back, a grin splitting his face. “Well, San Antonio and El Paso, too. If that don’t beat all. Good timing, huh? I’m sorry about your job, but I could sure use you at Maxwell. How ’bout you come to work for your ol’ daddy again, honey?”
“I was hoping you’d say that,” Autumn admitted, relief coursing through her. “I could find work in New York, but with everyone being back here—”
“You need to be back here, too,” Richard finished, a soft smile on his face. “You know you always have a place here, Autumn.”
“Yes, but I was just so afraid—”
Richard cleared his throat. “Listen, honey. When I decided back in the spring about retiring, well, I made some decisions I need to tell you about. There’s just one little hitch to all of this—”
There he went, looking