Something Unexpected Ch. 04

Chapter four in the something unexpected series. all characters involved in sexual activity are over 18.

*****

It was a slow Tuesday morning as I arrived at the office a little after nine thirty. The big project was completed and the clients were very happy with the results. We were working on some small stuff but it was nothing that I needed to be a part of. Doug could handle that on his own.

I walked into my office and flipped the lights on. I turned on my computer and looked at the stack of mail that had been placed in my inbox from the day before. It was all junk except for one that caught my eye. I peeled it open and looked at the hand written letter from Brandy. She wrote about how much she appreciated Autumn and I for taking the time out of our vacation to take pictures of her big day.

I dug into the envelope again and found a picture of Autumn and I inside. It was the one that she had taken of us on the dance floor. I couldn't help but smile at how perfect she looked holding me. I still missed her and wondered if she might be thinking the same thing. Stuck to the back of the picture was a check from Brandy for four thousand dollars.

I set both down and grabbed the envelope again to see if there was a return address. There was so I grabbed a new one and addressed it back to Brandy. I wrote a note saying I couldn't accept the money and that the memories were worth more than the money. I put the check back inside and set it in the outgoing box. Maggie would take care of the stamp and mailing it out.

I picked the picture up again and looked it over once more. I missed her. I missed laughing with her. I missed holding her and kissing her. I missed that smile and her sexy voice. I thought of us on the kayaks that day and the water war we started when she dumped me out.

My phone started chirping on my desk. It broke me out of my thoughts as I set the picture down and picked up the phone.

"Yes?" I called.

"There's an Autumn on the phone for you."

"What?" I said stunned.

"Autumn Henson is on line three for you."

"Ok," I said.

I pushed line three.

"Autumn?" I questioned.

"Yes," she replied. "I'm calling you in regards to us using you to create a layout for us in the Home and Garden magazine. We need blah, blah, blah."

It wasn't the Autumn that I was hoping for. My mind drifted back to the picture on my desk. I really missed her. I should have begged her to stay a few more days with me.

"Well?" she questioned from the other end on the phone. My mind returned back to the phone call I was supposed to be listening to.

"I'm sorry," I said quickly. I hissed into the phone to make it sound like there was some static. "I think this phone has seen better days." I hissed again into it. "I can't hear you that well."

"Sounds like static," she replied.

"Yeah," I said softly and hissed again. "Can I transfer you to Doug? He can help you until I get this sorted out."

"Yes please," she said.

"Hold on just a second. I'm sorry about this."

I put her back on hold and dialed Doug's extension.

"Yes boss?" he cheered.

"I have an Autumn on the line that wants to get some information about us doing a layout for her. Can you take care of her for me? I'm in the middle of something right now."

"Ah, yeah, sure boss," he hesitated. "I'm kind of in the middle of something too."

"Just take the call please."

"Sure thing boss," he said.

"Pick up line three for me."

"Are you ok boss?" he questioned.

"Just take the call," I ordered.

I hung the phone up and picked the picture up once again. I looked at it and thought of the last conversation her and I had before she left. There will be some kind of sign if this is meant to go somewhere. The letter from Brandy and the phone call from an Autumn had to be a sign. And they happened in the same day less than fifteen minutes apart.

I found my cell phone and found her number right at the top. I sighed then pushed send to dial the number. It rang once then went to the three tone noise before the operator came on and said the number couldn't be completed as dialed. I hung up and tried from the office phone and got the same thing.

"What the fuck?" I hissed.

I thought quickly and remembered one of my old friends from high school. He was a private investigator now and he would know what to do.

"Charlie," I cheered.

"Gracin," he cheered back. "I haven't heard from you in like six months. How the hell have you been?"

"Pretty dam good," I replied.

We shot the shit for a few minutes until I got down to business.

"Hey, the reason I called you is I need some information of someone."

"Ok," he said. "What's the reason?"

"It's complicated but I met this girl in Hawaii and I can't stop thinking about her. I need to find her."

"Ok," he laughed. "That does sound complicated. Have you tried calling her?"

"Yeah, but it says it can't be completed as dialed."

"Maybe she doesn't want you to find her," he joked.

"Maybe," I laughed a little. "But I really want to find her."

"Alright," he relented. "Give me what you know about her and I will see what I can do."

I gave him her first name since that all I had. I told him she lives in Sunnyvale and I gave him her number she left me.

"Alright Gracin," he said. "I will see what I can do for you buddy."

"Thanks Charlie," I offered.

By three that afternoon Charlie called me back.

"I have some good news and some bad news," Charlie said.

"Lay it out for me Charlie," I sighed.

"The number she left you was a pay as you go phone so I can't find an address to go with it."

"So that's the bad news?" I questioned.

"Well," he paused. "I have a list of names and addresses for you but there is like twenty five of them to sort through."

"So, I guess I have to do a door to door search for her then?" I asked.

"That's pretty much all you can do from this point if you really want to find her."

"Fax me the list," I said.

"Good luck," he offered.

I hung up the phone and looked at the picture again. I knew I had to find her. I started looking at flights to California and bought a ticket. Doug strolled into my office a short time later.

"I've got to head out of town for a few days Doug," I said.

"What are you going out of town for?" he questioned.

"I have some business I need to get straightened out."

He sighed and handed me the fax I had been waiting for. "You wouldn't be heading out of town for this would you?"

"As a matter of fact I am," I said.

"You can't be serious?" Doug groaned.

"I can't think straight," I sighed. "I have to find her and figure this out."

"Oh boy," he huffed. "How long are you going to chase this?"

"Until I find her Doug," I said annoyed. "I have to know if she felt something too."

"You're fucking crazy," he hissed.

"You wouldn't understand. I will be back in a few days."

"Just don't go off and do something stupid," he quipped.

Yeah, call me crazy but I was in Sunnyvale the next day. I had a list of every person named Autumn in the Sunnyvale area. I rented a car and started with the closest one to the airport and worked my way out from there.

I knocked on the first door and waited. The door opened and a mid-forties woman stood there looking me over.

"I'm not interested," she huffed and started to close the door.

"Wait," I begged. "I'm not trying to sell you anything."

"What do you want then?" she questioned.

"I just a minute of your time is all. Are you Autumn?"

"I am," she said.

"Ok," I said. "That answers my question then."

"What question?" she said curiously.

I took a minute to explain my story and the reason I was here.

"You're crazy," she offered after I had finished. "But that is so romantic of you to try and find her."

"I'd just go with crazy," I joked. "Sorry I bothered you. Have a nice day."

"Good luck," she said as I turned to leave.

I went to the next house and knocked. There was no answer so I marked it on the list and would return later on if I needed to. I moved on.

I knocked on the door of a modest house and waited for the answer. It was growing late in the evening and it had been a long day of no answers and disappointments. I couldn't remember how many times I had told my story. Sometimes I got the romantic thing and sometimes I got the crazy thing.

The door opened as I was looking back out at the street wondering if this was another one I would have to mark and come back later. I had seen all sorts of girls named Autumn today. Nothing was a match so far. I had also seen a lot of pissed off guys when I asked if one lived there. I had to tread lightly when I gave the description of how she looked.

"Holy shit!" a voice cried.

I turned around quickly and smiled. I knew that voice.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" she asked light heartedly

"That wasn't the reaction I was hoping for," I smiled.

"Well, I wasn't quite expecting to see you standing here."

"Sorry if I caught you off guard. I've had quite the day trying to find you."

"You could have called me you idiot," she laughed.

"Your phone is disconnected."

"Oh, yeah," she said in a low voice. "I haven't been able to pay my bill so it got turned off. I, ah, got fired when I got back from my trip. Money is really tight right now."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"How the hell did you find me?"

I chuckled. "Do you know how many people are named Autumn in this city?"

"No, but I'm sure you are going to tell me aren't you?"

"Twenty six of them to be exact. I've been to seventeen doors so far."

"Did you find the right door yet?" she teased.

"So far so good."

She smiled as we stood there in silence now. It was just a moment but it felt weird.

"Why did you come all this way?" she questioned. "Don't tell me you moved here or something."

"I'm only here for a few days. I'm staying at the Residence Inn for the time being. I came here to find you. I can't stop thinking about you and I had to know if you felt something too. Call me crazy but I felt something."

"First off, I'm the crazy one remember, so don't try and take that from me," she teased.

"I'm not after your title, crazy," I teased back. "I'm after you."

"Honestly, I felt the connection. I won't lie to you about that. There was something there. But..."

"I knew there was a but," I sighed.

"I told you a lot about my life and myself but I left out some details since I didn't think I would find you standing on my door step," she said.

"I already know about the tail Autumn," I teased. "I can get past that."

She giggled as she leaned against the door frame and smiled at me.

"Who is at the door Autumn?" a male voice cried.

She leaned back inside for a second. Oh shit I thought. That might be one of the details she left out. I took a step back just in case I needed to haul ass in a hurry.

"Just a friend daddy," she called. "Nothing to worry about."

"Well, let him in," he called.

She looked back at me as I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Come on in," she sighed.

I treaded in the door lightly and waited for her to lead the way inside. She took me to the living room and offered me a seat. I started to sit as her dad came around the corner and looked at me.

"I'm Gary," he offered holding his hand out. "I don't recall Autumn saying anything about having company over tonight."

I shook it firmly. "I'm Gracin. Sorry if I'm intruding and it's a bad time. I won't keep her long."

"No, it's no problem," he smiled. "Normally she mentions things like this."

"It's kind of a spur of the moment thing. Sorry if this is a bad time."

He glanced over at Autumn as she stood there trying to figure out what to say. She gave him a get lost nod with her head.

"I guess that's my cue to get lost. I will be in my room if you need me honey."

"Thanks daddy," she said politely.

He turned and was gone quickly. We both sat on the couch as I looked around the quaint little house before focusing on her.

"Where were we?" she smiled.

"You had some things you didn't tell me about," I reminded her.

"Yeah," she said reluctantly.

"As you can tell I still live at home and I have no job."

"I don't care about that," I sighed. "I lived at home until I was 22."

"Yeah, that's not the worst of it," she sighed.

"What could you be hiding that is so bad?" I questioned.

She sighed. "Carter, come here. Carter, where are you?"

I watched as a little blonde haired, blue eyed boy walked around the corner holding a Tonka truck firmly in his grip. He eyed me up for a second before stepping lightly and cautiously closer to her. I put two and two together quickly.

"How old is he?" I asked.

"He just turned two last month."

"Hi buddy," I said softly.

He smiled before waving his little hand at me. He climbed on the couch next to her and sat there staring at me. He smiled lightly as I smiled at him then looked at her.

"Do you give a high five?" I asked him softly.

I put my hand out and waited. He quickly knew what to do and slapped my hand before giggling.

"Good job," I cheered.

He only smiled and giggled some more before looking back up at Autumn.

"You're still sitting here so that's a start," she smiled.

"Why would I run because you have a little brother?" I joked.

We both laughed a little at my joke before she spoke again.

"I'm a single mom with not a lot going for me. Most guys hit the road when they find out about him."

"You just haven't met the right guy then."

"Tell me about it," she sighed.

"Is it too intrusive to ask where his dad is?"

"He left when he found out about him. I haven't heard from him since."

"I'm sorry to hear about that," I offered.

"It's not your fault."

"I know, but if it was me I wouldn't be like that. I couldn't abandon something so innocent. It's not his fault that he was made."

"It's good to know there are good guys out there in the world."

Carter jumped from the couch and ran away giggling as he went back to the room he had come from. Autumn and I watched him go before we refocused back on each other.

"So, why did you come all this way?" she questioned again.

"I came out here to find you. I was hoping I could get you to come back with me but I can see that is going to be harder than I had first planned."

She laughed. I'm not sure what she was laughing about. I didn't know whether it was about my coming out here to get her or the fact that my plan had been foiled. Either way I couldn't help but laugh with her.

"You barely know me," she finally said calming down.

"I know enough about you to know I felt something and I was hoping there was more than just those few crazy nights in Hawaii. I can't stop thinking about you."

"Honestly," she started. "I felt something too but I have him to worry about. I can't just run off into the sunset with some guy I just met. I don't even know if you have been honest with me about your life."

"What do I have to do to convince you that I'm honest and that you should give me a shot?"

"Ok," she said stunned I was willing to try and win her over.

"What do you really do for work? Let's start with that."

"I do work in photography but... I don't just take pictures and make the layouts. I own the company."

"Seriously?" she said more shocked than in disbelief.

"Look me up if you don't believe me," I offered. "My site is blahblahblah.com."

"No, I believe you."

"Then why the skeptical look?" I questioned.

"Because guys lie to me. Take Carter's dad, he said everything would be fine and he would take care of us. Three days later he took off and I've never seen him again. I have trust issues when it comes to men."

"There are still good guys out there," I reminded her. "You said so yourself."

"I've been burned more than once."

"And I haven't," I said with a little more venom than I had intended. "Sorry, that came out a little harsh."

"No, I understand. You came all this way to pour your heart out to me and I'm being standoffish."

"You have every right to be just that."

"What do you want to do then?"

"I was hoping you would come back with me and give this a try," I said again. "Just get to know me better. Maybe spend two weeks with me. I could get you a job taking pictures with my company and we can see where we go. If you don't like it, I will fly you home and we move on."

"And what if I do like it? What will we do about Carter? He is my life, I can't leave him here with my dad."

"I can't say I know how to be a dad but I can try. He comes with you, I get that. I'm willing to try."

She looked at me hard before she sighed again. "I don't know Gracin. I don't know if I can make that kind of commitment."

"I'm not asking you to marry me," I quipped. "I'm just here asking for a chance."

"I get that," she said. "I was so stupid in Hawaii. I should have never followed you back to your hotel room and I most certainly shouldn't have had sex with you on camera. I guess I was dumbfounded that an attractive guy came up and talked to me out of the blue."

"I wasn't there to proposition you for sex," I said annoyed. "I just wanted to meet you and talk to you. I never intended to get you naked and have sex with you. That just happened."

"I know that," she sighed. "When you invited me to dinner after I realized you weren't like that at all. The point is, we did what we did on vacation and I thought that was the end of it. I can't just follow you across country, not with all that I am responsible for here."

"I don't want to force your hand Autumn. I came here to see if there was a chance. Clearly there isn't one. At least I have an answer to my question."

"I'm sorry," she said.

"Well, I won't take up anymore of your time. I'm going to go."

"Gracin," she said. "I don't want you to be upset. I just can't."

"I know," I sighed. "I'm not going to try and make a sales pitch to you. I came here to tell you how I felt knowing that you could say no just as easily as you could say yes. I feel better knowing I tried."

I pushed myself off the couch and started for the door. Autumn followed me as I opened it and headed out.

"Gracin, I'm sorry."

"I know. It's ok. I understand. Listen, I had a great time and I will always remember the time we had. I hope everything works out for you and your family."

"Thanks," she said. Her face looked torn as she just leaned against the door frame and watched me walk down the driveway to get into the rental car. I waved as I got in and backed out.

I was more than disappointed at this point but it was a risk I took when I made this trip. It was time to head back to the hotel. Tomorrow I would head to the airport and go home. Doug would bust my balls for a few days then things would be back to normal.

"Hey boss," Doug answered.

"What's up man?" I said somberly.

"Nothing much. I take it things didn't go as planned."

"Not so much," I sighed.

"Well, you gave it a shot," he offered. "That's more than I would have done."

"Yeah, it feels good to get that off my mind."

"You are going to be fine man. I know you. You just come on home and we will go out and paint the town."

"I don't know about that," I sighed again. "I will be heading home in the morning though."

"I will see you when you get back boss."

I was lying on the bed drifting off watching TV. I was still down from the recent events but I would get over it in a few days. Maybe painting the town with Doug wasn't such a bad idea.

"Housekeeping," someone said as they knocked.

"Gosh dam," I grumbled getting off the bed. "Who the fuck wants to clean my room at fucking ten o'clock at night?"

I flung the door open. "Well holy shit," I croaked.

"That wasn't the reaction I was hoping for," Autumn said smiling.

"Are you lost?"

"No, can we talk?"