Nat stared at the screen door as it banged shut, Dylan’s words echoing through her mind. Their argument wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, but his words were. And they cut her like broken glass.

As her best friend, he was entitled to his opinion. He’d always given it. But today…

She watched him march down the steps of her small back porch and into her backyard.

“What do you mean I’m afraid of commitment?” she asked, pushing the door open and following him. He raked a hand through his hair and turned to
face her.

“You’re afraid of commitment. It’s as simple as that.” He put his hands
on his hips which pulled back the tan suede jacket to show off a solid
chest and flat abs. He’d made his resolution to get back in shape this
year look easy. She however still had a few dress sizes to go. But she
had better things to fret about right now.

“How do you figure that? I have a car. I bought this house. I’m getting
a cat.” She didn’t mention that she hadn’t stopped by the Humane Society
yet to pick one out.

“That’s not what I’m talking about and you know it. Tony is the latest
in the long line of boyfriend’s you’ve dumped when they started to get
too close.”

“Is this a guy thing? I’m supposed to fall at his feet because he’s
actually interested in something long term. Praise be, I’ve caught me a
good one,” she drawled in her thickest southern accent.

“No. It’s about you. Next week you’ll start dating a new guy and it’ll
happen all over again.”

“Isn’t that what dating is all about?” Good grief, Dylan was starting to
sound like a woman. And he wasn’t gay!

On the contrary, he was the straightest guy she knew. Handsome as sin
and sweet as honey. And damn if he didn’t know how to dress too.

“Look. Bottom line. I’m tired of seeing you waste your time and mine.
You date for a few weeks, play kissy kissy and then dump the poor guy
out of the blue when things look serious–”

“Tony was clingy. And a Mama’s boy.”

“Heaven forbid he should want to spend time with his girlfriend,” he
stressed the word.

“I can’t believe you’re on his side,” she said throwing up her hands.

“I’m on my side actually. You dump the guy and then I’m suddenly
supposed to step in and be your best friend again. The last ten months
have been hell for me Nat and if you hadn’t been trying this new dating
plan of yours, you would have figured that out.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, dropping into a nearby chair.

“I mean I’m done. I’m sorry. I can’t just be friends with you when it’s
convenient for you. I miss my best friend. I miss our talks and the fun
we had. I miss hanging out with you and picking out paint samples. I
even miss helping you with your laundry.”

“I– had no idea.” Hell, she was shell shocked. He sounded like he’d
lost his best friend.

Heck, he had.

He gave a frustrated sigh and paced away from her. Her heart squeezed
painfully in her chest. She couldn’t lose him. He was her best friend.
They’d been there for each other since college. Through girlfriends and
boyfriends… and this last year of casual dating on her part. He’d been
there when her mom died. And she’d seen him through a broken arm and a
nasty bought of the flu.

“Look, I’ll see you later. I’ve got some errands to run.”

“Wait–” she jumped up from her chair, but he was already out the side
gate and out of sight by the time she’d crossed the yard. Chewing on her
lower lip, she tried to decide what to do.

What could she do? Her best friend had just dumped her.

She thought back over the past few months. Ever since Ryan had broken up
with her a year ago she’d decided that she’d play the field for a while.
She was young, reasonably good looking, successful. And she didn’t take
forever to get ready. That had to count for something. Most men hated
waiting.

So she’d gone out with dozens of guys. She’d been on a lot of first
dates. A bunch of second dates. And she’d actually gone out with a few
guys for several weeks. But she hadn’t lead them on.

Had she?

Evidentially Dylan thought so.

She wanted to be mad at him. Or at least mildly irritated with his
accusation but the problem was, it was entirely true.

She kicked a pile of leaves and then climbed the steps. It wasn’t so
much a fear of commitment though. She just hadn’t found anyone she
wanted to risk her heart on. She was a betting woman. There was only so
much risk you could take before you got burned. And that whole mess with
Ryan had told her she had to play her cards just right. She’d thought
they’d been on the same page, moving forward in the relationship at the
same rate.

“Ha.” She opened the flimsy back door and stepped into the airy kitchen.
Dylan had spent a weekend with her at Lowes picking out the perfect
buttery yellow for the walls. She reached out and ran her hand over one
of the walls he’d helped her paint. That was back when she’d spent just
as much time with him as she had Ryan.

She felt like slime.

Last week she’d agreed to help Dylan work on his mom’s yard. Dylan had
shown up at her doorstep, ready to work. And she’d been half asleep from
her latest date… So then he’d muttered something about “like usual”
and she’d shot back a comment of her own and then everything had
snowballed until here she was standing in her kitchen all alone.

Frustrated with herself she headed for her bedroom and pulled out a pair
of old jeans. She changed out of her pajama pants and into the jeans in
three seconds flat. Just because Dylan was mad at her, and who was she
kidding, she was mad at herself… didn’t mean that she would stand up
Mrs. O Reilly. She put on a sports bra, then a t-shirt and a ratty old
sweatshirt. The autumn weather required layers especially since she’d be
working outside.

She grabbed her car keys and boots and stepped out onto her front porch.
The old craftsmen style house had been just what she was looking for.
And the wide porch was perfect. Each step held a pot overflowing with
mums on each side. The swing at the far end beckoned her with its
comfortable cushions. But she had a job to do so she sat down on the
bench and laced up her boots.

After locking the door she made her way down the brick walkway and a new
memory slammed into her. Dylan had helped her rip out the old walkway
and install the brick the weekend after she’d moved in. Memories of him
were everywhere. She turned around and stared up at her house. He’d
helped her move in. Hang the porch swing. She smiled at the thought.
He’d even taken it upon himself to change the bulb in the front porch
light when it’d blown.

Her smile faded as she realized that perhaps she’d taken their
friendship for granted.

Dylan was in mid swing when his mother stepped out onto her front porch.
He sat the pickax aside and smiled up at her.

“Warm apple cider.”

“Thanks.” He joined her on the porch and took a mug from the tray. After
taking a seat he waited for the inevitable question.

“Where’s Natalie?”

“Right here. Sorry I’m late. The time change is still messing with me.”

Dylan felt an all-to-familiar kick in his heart at the sound of her
voice. He took a long sip of his cider, unable to meet her eyes.

“Morning dear. Have some cider. It’ll warm you up.”

“Thanks, Mrs. O.”

“I’m so glad you’re here. I can’t wait to see all our planning put into
action.”

“Me either.” He looked at her then. From her scuffed boots, faded jeans
to the old sweatshirt that hid her curves but somehow managed to make
her look even more desirable.

There was something different about her though. He couldn’t put his
finger on it.

Her smile was timid, as if she wasn’t sure how he’d accept her.

He didn’t know how he was going to accept her either. This mornings
argument hadn’t been a joke. At least not for him. He was tired of
seeing her waist her time and energy… and her heart. He was tired of
waiting for her to figure out that those guys didn’t deserve her. He was
just tired of waiting.

Nat took a mug and sat down on the swing next to him.

“I’ve got the bulbs we ordered. And the pansies,” Nat said. His mother
beamed and looked ten years younger.

Dylan finished off his cider and stood up. “I’m going to get back to
work.” He placed his empty mug back on the bamboo tray and headed down
the steps to his pickax.

The long narrow beds on either side of the walkway to his mother’s old
colonial home were badly in need of help. Since the death of his father
three years ago, his mother had stopped all yard work. The tool sliced
through the tough dirt and he enjoyed the physical exertion. He glanced
up at the two women in his life. The one who’d raised him and fed him
cookies. And the woman next to her, who’d stolen his heart years ago.

What should happen next? It’s your call! Email me and let me know.

Permission to reprint granted so long as you notify Madison and include the author’s bio (below) and a link to this link (http://madison-chase.com/book_shelf/warm_autumn_wishes/21-about_the_story) so others can vote on the story. Links must be hyperlinked if in an electronic format.

Author Bio
Madison Chase is a bestselling, award winning contemporary and paranormal romance author. She loves spending time in her flower garden, listening to jazz, learning foreign languages and hearing from her readers. So write to her at madison@madison-chase.com or visit her online at http://www.madison-chase.com.