Naughty

Summer opened her mouth, then closed it again.

“Is it because I can’t get anything better? I’m the dumb baker, who can’t read and write.”

“Autumn, I’ve never said that.”

“Not tonight but I know you have, or at least you’ve thought it.” She drained her glass of wine, standing up to go to the fridge. They were sisters, and with it came a great deal of give and take. Sometimes she thought Summer was a selfish bitch, after all.

“Sweetie, I don’t mean it that way.”

“Then what way did you mean it? ‘Of course he’s your type, Autumn, it’s because you’re as boring as he is, and you’ll have dull sex, and create other little drones that will do the whole conforming crap’!”

“I didn’t mean it that way.”

“No? Then how exactly did you mean it?” She spun around to see Summer standing on the opposite side of the counter. Stepping forward, she pressed her palms against the counter, and glared at her.

“I don’t know. All of your other boyfriends, you have to admit none of them were exciting.”

“All of them were pushed on me because of you. All apart from one, my prom date!” She slapped the counter, glaring. “I’m done, Summer. I’m done being your good little sister that will date the men you can’t be bothered to be nice to. I have my own life, and it doesn’t revolve around your career.”

“You’re being completely unreasonable.”

Staring at her sister, Autumn pointed to the door. “Get out. Get out now before I say something that I fucking regret.?

? Glaring at her sister, she handed her back the wine. “Take it. I don’t need this. I don’t need anything.”

“Autumn, please.”

“No. I’m done. Get out.”

She urged her sister out, slamming the door closed, then locking it. Going toward her fridge, she pulled out her half-full bottle of wine and poured herself a glass.

“Stupid!” Sitting on her sofa, she turned on the television.

Time passed. She didn’t know how much, and then she was grabbing her cell, which had survived its fall when she’d been kissing Carter.

In her cell was also his number. She stared at the number, and thought about what she was about to do.

What was the problem?

Summer had moved on, and wasn’t even thinking about Carter.

Any obligation she had was gone.

Opening up a fresh message, she took a couple of minutes to think about what she wanted to say.

Autumn: Yes. The answer is yes.

Message sent, she drained her glass of wine, and headed toward the bathroom. She needed to wash off the day’s work. She stank.

****

Denny told him he was out of his mind, but Carter didn’t care. From the moment she sent that text, he’d known that he needed to see her, needed to look into her eyes as she answered him.

“Yes. The answer is yes,” didn’t exactly tell him what she was thinking or feeling.

Running fingers through his hair, he knocked on her door.

When she didn’t answer straight away, he knocked again.