Feels Like Home: A Southerland Family Contemporary Romance Book 1 Read Free Page A

face to his car stopped in
the middle of the road and then shook his head before turning to
go. “Be more careful,” he tossed back at her as he got in the car
and drove away.
    “ Well, alright.”It was her
turn to shake her head. “Have a nice day!” she called to the
receding tail lights.
     
    When she got to the doctor’s office, the
pretty, slightly harried nurse told her the doctor would be out for
several hours. Autumn thanked the woman both for the information
and for helping with her grandmother and told her she’d come back
later to see Dr. Southerland.
    She’d started to rethink her decision to walk
to the lawyer’s office when she finally made it to the grand old
house in the center of downtown which housed Coles, Esquire. She
climbed the steps to the porch and paused to catch her breath
before opening the front door.
    “ May I help you?” asked the
older woman behind the desk. The reception area was in what once
must have been the parlor with its long narrow windows and
beautiful molding. Whoever refurbished the home obviously
appreciated older buildings.
    “ I have an appointment to
see Mr. Coles.” She glanced at her watch. “I think I’m a little
early. Autumn Maddox.”
    “ Yes, Miss Maddox. He’s
expecting you.” The older woman’s face softened. “I’m so sorry for
your loss, dear. I’ve known your grandmother for years. I was very
fond of her. I’ll miss her.”
    Autumn blinked at the tears stinging her
eyes. The woman’s kind words held none of the judgment she’d felt
from some of the other women who had expressed their sympathy.
“Thank you, Mrs.?”
    “ Mayhew, dear.”
    “ Thank you, Mrs. Mayhew. I
appreciate hearing that. I miss her, too.” She willed away the
tears, threatening to spill. She didn’t want to cry – not
here.
    The older woman smiled sadly and patted her
arm. “I know you do, child. Marion was so proud of you.”
    Again, there was no judgment, none of the
recrimination she’d felt from so many of the others for why she
hadn’t been able to make it home before now. “I wanted to make her
proud.”
    “ You did.” Mrs. Mayhew
reached for a box of tissues on her desk and handed one to Autumn
before taking one for herself. “Now,” she said, dabbing at her
eyes. “Go on back before I turn into a puddle.” She shooed Autumn
down the hall to a closed door at the end.
    As Autumn got closer she heard male voices
coming from behind the door. Two male voices. She walked back to
the reception area.
    “ Mrs. Mayhew, I think he
has someone in with him already.”
    “ He does, dear, but it’s a
friend not business. Go ahead. Go on in. Otherwise the two of them
will forget they both have work to do.”
    The words sounded harsh, but her tone and the
twinkle in her eyes let Autumn know Mrs. Mayhew liked the two
men.
    She wrapped softly on the closed door and
heard the conversation on the other side stop.
    “ Come on in,” a rich male
voice like melted caramel called from the other side.
    Autumn pushed open the door in time to see
the attorney, Mr. Coles, rise from behind his desk. He was tall and
broad with none of the softness around the middle she’d seen on so
many of the men around town. He towered over her, but his smile was
warm and friendly.
    “ You must be Miss Maddox.”
He extended his hand, capturing hers with his strong warm fingers.
He held her hand in both of his. “It’s nice to finally meet you in
person. Although I wish it was under more pleasant
circumstances.”
    Autumn smiled up at his handsome face. That
was two very attractive men in one morning, but unlike the surly
man in the Jag, Mr. Coles was a civilized attorney. She put a
little more energy into her smile. She wasn’t interested in
starting anything with anyone – at least not until she got the rest
of her life sorted – but she’d forgotten how feminine a Southern
man could make a woman feel. The attention was a balm to her
bruised ego. “It’s nice to meet you, too, Mr.