My mouth dries all of a sudden. Fuck, I haven’t experienced this feeling of being caught in a long time. “Um, yeah. We went to the waterfall.”

“Really? I didn’t know there’s a waterfall in Cherrywood.” His forehead crinkles as if not liking the idea that I discovered something in his town.

And because I like Jasper, I reply, “It’s not exactly in Cherrywood. It’s on the outskirts. I’d have never found it myself. My friend Gavin likes to hike and roam around in the woods. He told me about it.”

Jasper nods. “Some people have a knack for finding great things. I never did.”

“Are you saying I’m not great?” Laura wraps her arm around Jasper’s waist as she and Autumn join us.

“You are the best thing in my life, Lou.”

“And here I thought I was the best thing that happened to the both of you,” Autumn states in a mocking voice, looking at her dad with such a loaded expression that I swear she could send anyone on a guilt trip.

I chuckle, which is followed by Jasper’s laugh. “You see, Lukas? These ladies like to put me on the spot.”

“You need to move the spot.” I grab the spatula from his hand and put the burgers onto a plate.

“Yes, now that we have you in the family, I shouldn’t be the only man suffering from the charms of these ladies.”

“Dad, did you just say suffering?” Autumn squeals.

“That’s too much, even for you, Jasper.”

While the three of them continue to laugh, I feel like someone has sucker punched me right on my solar plexus.

I’m not in their family. Am I?

What the fuck, Lukas?

Have you forgotten the reasons you can’t be with Autumn and why this whole charade is a lie?

But when I look at Autumn and she smiles, I can’t help but return it. She’s happy. Tonight is a big night for her. She’ll finally get full control of the inn, until the day when she’ll pass it on to her own daughter.

My chest heaves at the image of Autumn with a little girl who looks like her—brown hair, black eyes, button nose.

“Come on now. Why have you left us two old-timers alone?” Autumn’s grandmother hollers, and we all make it back toward the table. But I can’t get rid of this empty feeling in my chest that we’ve let this drama play out for too long.

The dinner thankfully continues with no further mention of me being a part of this family. Jasper and Laura ask how I like Cherrywood and the inn. Autumn’s grandpop is now dozing off in his chair while Grandma holds on to my every word as I give them an abridged version of the days when I was serving.