Waiting For A Star To Fall (Autumn Brody Book 2) Read Free Page A

tugging her close. "Get your own, Wells."
    "I plan to at the dance tonight." Jackson nodded towards a Vocal Studies student whose name eluded Autumn. "Wish me luck!"
    As he slipped away, Andrew rolled his eyes. "I bet he can't hardly wait to see her later."
    Catching the movie reference, Autumn groaned. "Strawberry Pop Tart kismet?"
    "He thinks so. Oh, well! Let him have his fun."
    "Autumn! Andrew!"
    The couple spun around, blinded by the flash of Sarah Brody's camera. My mother, the teacher. Autumn had mentally prepared herself for overkill from her parents, but surprise snapshots were her one oversight.
    "Mom, Jesus! Let me touch up my make-up first."
    "Hush! My daughter doesn't graduate high school, with honours , every day!" Sarah gushed, embracing her tightly. "We're so proud of you, baby! You looked beautiful on that stage."
    "In this old thing?" Autumn quipped, deftly touching up her lip gloss. "Just something I had lying around."
    Her father hugged her next, flicking the tassel on her hat playfully. "Unusual choice for a hat, but it's bold. I like it. Very fashion forward."
    "Don't you mean backwards?"
    Autumn jabbed her elbow into her boyfriend’s arm. Andrew had been complaining about the head gear all day.
    "Nope, you're both moving forward to bigger and better things.” Neil flicked Andrew’s tassel playfully. “Now, your mother insists on fifty pictures for the living room walls, so we'd better get started. Are we... waiting for anyone?"
    Andrew winced, averting his gaze. Awkward . Having been orphaned at age seventeen in a car accident, he was technically the responsibility of his wealthy and disinterested aunt, Judith Daniels. Now that he was both twenty and finished with high school, he'd been informed that contrary to his belief that his parents had left behind just enough to cover their debts, they'd actually provided for him. His tuition for three years? His aunt drawing from his trust fund, via a bank-arranged executor. As per their wills, the trust fund was his to manage and access upon graduation... which meant his aunt had even less reason to pay attention to him.
    "It's just us," Autumn told them, sparing Andrew further discomfort.
    "Just the way we like it," Sarah stated firmly, embracing Andrew. "Our happy little family."
    A barrage of photos began: Autumn alone; Andrew alone; the couple together; a begged photo with Evan before he hurried away to his car; photos with various classmates and instructors. A series with the parents, of course. Autumn hated taking pictures, but she reminded herself that she was lucky to be alive to graduate. An occasional glance at the scar on her left arm, from where they'd tended her broken bone, brought her smile back.
    Andrew's ridiculous faces behind her trigger-happy mother also helped.
    Ditching the gowns for their formal attire beneath, a full group shot was proposed. Scanning the area for a stand-in tripod, Autumn found a better solution.
    "Emma!"
    Dr. Emma Stieg, her therapist for the past two years of school. While she'd known that the work of therapy was as much on her own shoulders as Emma's, the psychologist had gone beyond the call of duty to pull her back from the brink of self-destruction. When Autumn didn’t believe in herself, much less trust reality, Emma had believed in her.
    "Autumn, you look wonderful!" Emma admired the emerald green strapless dress her former client wore. Quietly, she added, "A far cry from the day we met, huh?"
    Autumn grinned. "A million miles away. You remember my parents, Neil and Sarah Brody?"
    Handshakes were exchanged with greetings, and a camera was handed over with harried instructions. Emma obliged happily, assuring them that everyone looked their absolute best. Before she could hurry away, Autumn blocked her path.
    "Emma? Is it appropriate to hug a therapist?"
    "Our professional relationship has ended," Emma replied, a hint of pride in her voice as she opened her arms. "I wish you nothing but happiness for the