Blue Autumn in the Bayou (Gumbo Love) Read Online Free PDF Page A

this. What’s your beef with taking pictures?”
    “And can you hurry it up, Gee?” Mona plopped down into the nearest chair.
    “Hold your horses, Mona. Dang! One would think you haven’t eaten in years,” Autumn countered.
    “Like I said, the pictures are our memories.” Reggie glared at both women.
    “I can’t understand why you’re making such a big deal about all of this, anyway. You and Trae are practically married already.”
    “It’s important to us to make this as memorable as possible for both of our families, and for us. I want this wedding to be more than a celebration of our life together. I also want it to be for the special people who make us who we are.”
    “Well, it’s romantic as hell. I can’t wait to do this myself.” Erica danced in front of the mirror.
    Mona rolled her eyes. “And I’m going to starve to death before a wedding can even get here.”
    Everyone turned and glared at Mona like she’d grown another eye.
    Once Autumn and crew left the boutique , they stopped and picked up her contact lenses. They all ordered something different at the little café and continued to discuss the plans for the next couple of weeks. Mona ate like she was actually starving. Her friends just looked at her and shook their heads. “We should get going.” Reggie picked up the tab, but Autumn snatched it from her hand.
    “I don’t think so , sugah. This is mine, today.”
    “Honey, I’m just taking the opportunity to use Trae’s credit card.”
    “Trust me. You’ll have plenty of time to do that.” Mona slapped several twenties on the table to cover the bill. She trumped both by paying the check before she headed to the door.
    Reggie pulled into the park fifteen minutes before the photographer asked them to be there.
    “Wait, I have to put in my contacts.” Autumn fussed. She pulled a mirror from her purse and propped it on the dashboard. She instantly noticed that the coloring was off just a little. “I guess these will do.” She looked from Reggie to Erica, and then to Mona.
    “Why do you have to do this anyway, girl? You’re a natural beauty. And you don’t have to explain what you look like to anyone.”
    “That’s easy for you to say, Mona ,” Autumn rebutted. 
    “She’s right, but you do what makes you comfortable ,” Erica added. She always seemed to be the supportive one of the group.
    “You my girl no matter what. And you still have my future brother-in-law to deal with. It’s not as easy as you think ,” Reggie commented.
    * * * *
    Travis sat just across from Reggie and her caravan of friends. Trish and Shelly had already arrived. He waited to see if Autumn would appear before he got out of his car. If she didn’t show up, he saw no reason to stay. He tried to make out the four figures hidden behind the tinted windows of Reggie’s SUV. Travis sweated in the driver’s seat as he waited. They still hadn’t gotten out of the car.
    What are they doing in there ? What’s taking them so long?
    He looked at his watch and then looked back at the car. They still had a few minutes. He clicked the top button on his blue-tooth. “Call Wiggins.” The indicator on both the earpiece and his phone lit up. The connection broke after two rings.
    “Yo’, Travis. What’s the word, man?”
    “When are you getting to the city?”
    “The end of the week. I haven’t told Trae exactly when I’m coming, even though he keeps hounding me for an answer. Are we still on for the weekend?”
    “Sure thing. Everything is pretty much set. I was able to catch up with most of your old teammates. It’s going to blow him away to see all of you again.” Travis’s eyes remained hone d on the car as he talked to Trae’s best friend, Rykard Wiggins.
    “Well, it’ll be a good reunion. You know I’m happy for Trae. Those two have come a long way.”
    When the front passenger door opened and the long beauty stood outside of the car, Travis’s heart raced and he nearly lost his train of