“I have for a while. That first moment I met you I knew that I was ruined for any other woman. There’s a reason I call you pumpkin.”
“Why is that?” I asked, my voice choking with emotion. He kissed me softly before answering the question.
“It’s not just a silly pun. Pumpkins are my world, Autumn. And now so are you,” he said reverently.
“I didn’t expect it to turn out this way, but you guys are my world too.” Our moment was interrupted as I smelled something burning and wrinkled my nose.
“Is something burning?” he asked before both of us gasped and he gently moved me aside to rush over and grab the pies out of the oven, letting out a relieved sigh when they came out perfectly. A piece of crust on his backup pie had broken off and fallen to the bottom, burning.
“They’re perfect,” I said with relief.
“So are you,” he agreed. We both couldn’t shake our goofy smiles as we got the pies cooling and started on the rest of our festival treats. It was the perfect start to my first Fall Festival and I hoped they only got better every year after.
Chapter28
Boone
The Fall Festival was easily one of my favorite days of the year in Holiday Hollow. Though since Autumn has been in our lives there have been a lot of favorite days. She’s brought life back into not just me, but the pack. I’d let my own anxieties take too much away from me for too long.
Then along came our omega. She was full of life and was the kindest woman I’d met. I’d been standoffish at first but was glad that I let her dance right past my defenses.
Seeing Holiday Hollow decorated for the festival with Autumn was like watching it with fresh eyes. Her excitement was rubbing off on me and the others. All of us were grinning like the Cheshire Cat, not a care in the world.
We hadn’t talked about her night with Claire when she came back yesterday, but I felt her resolve and her affection more steadfast than ever.
My omega had her arm hooked in mine, dragging me down the sidewalk toward the festival grounds like she couldn’t get there fast enough. I felt lighter than I had in years and I had a feeling she was going to personally make sure that we all experienced the festival to the fullest.
The town had gone all out this year. Orange twinkle lights lit up every business and they had fall decorations on the sidewalk. Janet had even made sure to hang up pumpkin lights from every light post. I think having Cedarwick apples back in the mix gave the whole town new life.
The scent of fried food and sweet treats hit us first, then the noise. It was a familiar nostalgic moment that had me feeling like a kid again for a moment. Even after my parents were gone Janet made sure that she treated me just like her boys, giving us money for tickets so we could ride the carnival rides until we were dizzy, then waiting at the food booths to make sure we had plenty of treats.
“This is what heaven feels like, I’m sure of it,” Autumn announced as she twirled around, looking like a fall goddess in the warm afternoon sun.
Her hair glowed with hints of red under the light and her eyes were dancing with excitement. She’d put on a cozy orange sweater and form fitting jeans that teased me with every sway of her hips. A plaid wrap rested around her shoulders and she had on knee high brown boots that made her look impossibly more incredible.
Hunter’s hand rested on her lower back as he urged her to start walking again. Even he’d changed since he’d finally given in to her. I hated to think how much he’d distanced himself so I didn’t get hurt again, and I was too in my own head to notice. I was so glad that had changed. That we’d changed and grown as a pack into something whole. Complete.
“No overthinking,” Autumn ordered me, tapping my forehead. I blinked down at her and grinned.
“I would never,” I deadpanned. “I’m coming.” She gave me a side eye but started walking again.
“I didn’t expect so many people to be here already,” she said, a hint of worry clinging to her words.
“It’s always like this. The carnival opens for the kids early, the vendors all set up around this time, we have an hour before we’re technically open for customers,” Jack reassured her. “Mom plans this thing meticulously. Don’t worry.”
“Now who is overthinking,” Hunter teased, earning a hip bump from Autumn.
The crowd was thick and it took everything in us to keep together as we pushed our way through the crush of people toward the vendor booths we’d pretty much already set up.
“At least we brought the pies in before all this,” Autumn joked. “I’d have dropped them, backups and all.”
“That’s why I said we should bring over supplies earlier,” I told her. “We think of everything.”
“Aw, my alpha in shining armor,” she cooed at me and I felt my cheeks heat.
“Be good, baby girl,” I warned her and from the heated look she shot me after, she read easily between the lines.
“When is the contest? I didn’t read mom’s itinerary,” Hunter admitted sheepishly. “All I know is the Junior Deputies are setting the festival off officially at five-thirty.”