Autumn's Light Read online

  Autumn’s Light

  Fifth-generation lobster-woman Mat Pero loves her traditional Portuguese family and living in the lesbian hub of Provincetown, even if they feel like two different worlds. Or two different lives. Since she has no plans for them to collide, it’s not a problem.

  Graham Connor is a romantic at heart, but she hasn’t had a date in over a year. She vows to let loose and have a little fun, and the charming and confident Mat is more than happy to help.

  But casual hookups aren’t supposed to include romantic dinners and meeting the family. Can Mat see beyond the heartbreak that led her to keep her worlds so separate, and will Graham be waiting if she does?

  What Reviewers Say About Aurora Rey’s Work

  Built to Last

  “Rey’s frothy contemporary romance brings two women together to restore an ancient farmhouse in Ithaca, N.Y. …[T]he women totally click in bed, as well as when they’re poring over paint chips, and readers will enjoy finding out whether love conquers all.”—Publishers Weekly

  “Built to Last by Aurora Rey is a contemporary lesbian romance novel and a very sweet summer read. I love, love, love the way Ms. Rey writes bedroom scenes and I’m not talking about how she describes the furniture.”—The Lesbian Review

  Lambda Literary Award Finalist Crescent City Confidential

  “This book will make you want to visit New Orleans if you have never been. I enjoy descriptive writing and Rey does a really wonderful job of creating the setting. You actually feel like you know the place.”—Amanda’s Reviews

  “Crescent City Confidential pulled me into the wonderful sights, sounds and smells of New Orleans. I was totally captivated by the city and the story of mystery writer Sam and her growing love for the place and for a certain lady. …It was slow burning but romantic and sexy too. A mystery thrown into the mix really piqued my interest.”—Kitty Kat’s Book Review Blog

  Spring’s Wake

  “Spring’s Wake has shot to number one in my age-gap romance favorites shelf.”—Les Rêveur

  “The Ptown setting was idyllic and the supporting cast of characters from the previous books made it feel welcoming and homey. The love story was slow and perfectly timed, with a fair amount of heat. I loved it and hope that this isn’t the last from this particular series.”—Kitty Kat’s Book Review Blog

  “The third standalone in Aurora Rey’s Cape End series, Spring’s Wake, features a feel-good romance that would make a perfect beach read. The Provincetown B&B setting is richly painted, feeling both indulgent and cozy.”—RT Book Reviews

  Summer’s Cove

  “As expected in a small-town romance, Summer’s Cove evokes a sunny, light-hearted atmosphere that matches its beach setting. …Emerson’s shy pursuit of Darcy is sure to endear readers to her, though some may be put off during the moments Darcy winds tightly to the point of rigidity. Darcy desires romance yet is unwilling to disrupt her son’s life to have it, and you feel for Emerson when she endeavors to show how there’s room in her heart for a family.” —RT Book Reviews

  “From the moment the characters met I was gripped and couldn’t wait for the moment that it all made sense to them both and they would finally go for it. Once again, Aurora Rey writes some of the steamiest sex scenes I have read whilst being able to keep the romance going. I really think this could be one of my favorite series and can’t wait to see what comes next. Keep ’em coming, Aurora.”—Les Rêveur

  Winter’s Harbor

  “This is the story of Lia and Alex and the beautifully romantic and sexy tale of a winter in Provincetown, a seaside holiday haven. A collection of interesting characters, well-fleshed out, as well as a gorgeous setting make for a great read.”—Inked Rainbow Reads

  “Winter’s Harbor is a charming story. It is a sweet, gentle romance with just enough angst to keep you turning the pages. …I adore Rey’s characters and the picture she paints of Provincetown was lovely.”—The Lesbian Review

  Autumn’s Light

  Brought to you by

  eBooks from Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  http://www.boldstrokesbooks.com

  eBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work.

  Please respect the rights of the author and do not file share.

  Autumn’s Light

  © 2018 By Aurora Rey. All Rights Reserved.

  ISBN 13:978-1-63555-273-7

  This Electronic Book is published by

  Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  P.O. Box 249

  Valley Falls, NY 12185

  First Edition: October 2018

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

  Credits

  Editor: Ashley Tillman

  Production Design: Susan Ramundo

  Cover Design by Jeanine Henning

  By the Author

  Cape End Romances:

  Winter’s Harbor

  Summer’s Cove

  Spring’s Wake

  Autumn’s Light

  Built to Last

  Crescent City Confidential

  Lead Counsel (Novella in The Boss of Her collection)

  Acknowledgments

  I remain so grateful to everyone at Bold Strokes. You are my people and I love you. Particular thanks to Radclyffe and Sandy Lowe, who have such a passion for the art and business of books. Also, to Ruth and Carsen for wrangling all the important details, not to mention the writers. And Ash—you make me laugh and you make me a better writer. Even more important, you make me a better person.

  Thank you to TJ and Tracy for being outstanding beta readers and to Jen for helping me reclaim the library and the lunch hour. I write more and better because of you.

  Setting four books in Provincetown has been equal parts fun and challenging. I’ve learned so much about a place I hold so dear. I owe a heap of gratitude to the people I’ve met along the way, including Captain Dave of Billingsgate Charters. If you ever want to try your hand at lobstering, he’s your guy.

  Dedication

  For Provincetown and her residents, past and present

  Chapter One

  Mat checked the GPS tracker on the small screen above her head. Just as she crossed over the desired coordinates, she shoved the freshly baited trap from the rail of the boat. The long coil of rope, along with her gray and green buoy, followed quickly behind. She picked up speed and smiled as the wind whipped her short hair. She was having an exceptionally good day.

  “I hate to burst your bubble over there, but we’re about full.”

  She turned to her cousin Dominic and frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “The barrels. They’re full. I mean, you could maybe squeeze a couple more in, but that’s it.”

  “No shit?” She glanced over. Even from the opposite side of the boat, she could make out the shells of lobsters pretty close to the water line. “How many traps have we done?”

  Dom checked the pad where he tracked both their progress and their catch. “One-thirty.”

  They hauled one hundred and fifty of their eight hundred traps each day. In the eleven years she’d captained her own lobster boat, she’d never filled two barrels pulling fewer than a hundred and fifty traps. She’d known they were in a sweet spot today, but she was surprised by how sweet. Pleasantly surprised, but surprised. “Hot damn.”

  He looked at her from across the small table that held the banding box. “Does this mean we get to knock off early?”r />
  Mat shook her head and smiled. “It means you’re going to fill some empty bait totes with water. No way are we going to chance leaving full traps on the ocean floor.” Full traps, left for too long, meant the lobsters might start going after each other—never a good thing.

  Dom laughed. “I’d complain, but my head is too full of dollar signs.”

  “That’s the spirit.” Mat steered them to their next stop. She pulled up alongside the buoy, snagging it with the gaff. She threaded the rope, started the hydraulic lift. A moment later, the trap emerged. She counted nine lobsters inside. She went about inspecting them, throwing back the females and undersized males. Still, five were keepers.

  They continued for another hour, filling three of the eight bait totes they’d brought on board. Dom made a notation in his book and smiled. “And that makes one-fifty.”

  “Aren’t you glad we kept at it?”

  “I am. I always am.”

  Mat smiled and started the journey back to shore. She loved a lot of things about working with her cousin. Near the top of that list was the fact that they were nearly identical when it came to work ethic. Dom might grouse from time to time, but they both believed in the mantra “work hard, play hard.” Hauling at the rate they did afforded them one day off each week for bad weather or whatever their hearts desired. The pace was intense, but profitable. And it left just enough time for fun. Mat might take the fun part a little more seriously than Dom, especially since his transition, but he managed to have his share.

  Once in the harbor, Mat slowed the engine and steered carefully through the traffic of boats coming and going. Dom texted their uncle and Mat pulled up to their unload spot along the main pier. With the help of the small crane mounted to the pier, they moved their barrels to the waiting Pero Specialty Seafood truck and moved two empty barrels to the boat for the next day. Emilio would deliver their catch, along with that of her uncles and cousins, to restaurants and fish markets in town and to a retailer in Boston.

  It was a family business, one that existed long before Mat decided to make her living on the water. Technically, it existed long before she was born. Mat might not see eye-to-eye with her family on all things, but she knew her livelihood was greatly improved by the close-knit nature of it. That included the lessons she got from her father, the boat she was able to purchase from a great uncle, and the well-established family distribution network.

  “What about the totes?” Dom asked.

  “Give him two. I want to deliver the last one personally.”

  Dom gave her a suspicious look. “You working a side hustle, Mattie?” The thick New England accent, paired with the family nickname, was a perfect imitation of their uncle.

  “I trust Emilio to sell our catch and give us a fair price. I think he might be a little less skilled in the relationship management arena.”

  Dom snorted. “I’ll give you that. Who are you planning to grace with your bounty?”

  His suggestive tone made Mat laugh. He knew her well. “Audrey. She’s the executive chef at Osteria 160.”

  “Ah. And are you hoping to cultivate a professional relationship or get in her pants?” Dom waved to their uncle, who pulled away to sort and weigh their catch, and Mat navigated the short distance to their slip.

  “You say it like those things are mutually exclusive.” At Dom’s judgmental look, she chuckled. “Kidding. We do a little friendly flirting, that’s all.”

  He lifted his hands. “Okay, okay. I believe you.” Dom hopped from the boat and started securing the ropes.

  “I think I might be able to convince her we’re the perfect compromise between a distributor and buying direct.”

  Dom grinned. “If anyone can, it’s you.”

  Mat smiled. She’d never give up the time on the water required to handle the distribution side of the business. That didn’t mean she couldn’t help it along every now and then. Especially if the customer in question happened to be a gorgeous local chef.

  * * *

  Graham made her way down the gangplank and onto MacMillan Pier. She’d taken the early shifts all week, which meant, even after two tours, she was done for the day before five. She’d just made it past the Dolphin Fleet sign when she heard her name.

  “Connor.”

  Graham turned in the direction of the voice. It was Charles, her boss, calling at her from the deck of the Dolphin IX. She looked up at him, shielding her eyes from the sun. “Yes?”

  “Do you want an extra shift on Monday?”

  Graham pulled up a mental picture of her calendar. Technically, Mondays were her only days completely off. But she didn’t mind the work, especially during the busy season. The more hours she spent on whale watches, the fewer she’d have to work doing something else come winter. “Sure.”

  “I’m putting you with the intern. You cool with that?”

  Graham smiled. Just two summers ago, she’d been the intern. It meant a lot that Charles trusted her to be the senior naturalist on board. “Absolutely.”

  He offered her a casual salute, which she returned, then disappeared back into the boat. She walked along the pier, studying the fishing boats and yachts tied up side by side. She’d noticed that before, but never really thought about it. It struck her as odd that they shared the same space. Was that common or something unique to Provincetown?

  Her schedule rarely coincided with the comings and goings of the fishermen. The tides must have been just right, though, because a number of boats appeared to be unloading the day’s catch. She slowed her pace to watch as bins of fish and barrels filled with lobster were hoisted via a makeshift crane from boat to pier, probably on their way to restaurants just down the street to be cooked up and served the next day.

  Her budget didn’t allow for a lot of fresh seafood, but maybe she could justify a trip to the fish market. If she sprang for a couple of lobsters, she might even convince Aunt Nora to do the steaming. Graham sighed at the thought of fresh lobster, dipped in drawn butter.

  Her gastronomic daydream was cut short by the appearance of a woman she’d not seen before, standing on the deck of one of the fishing boats. She wore a black tank top and faded gray work pants. Her jet black hair was cut short and the deep bronze of her skin looked like more than just a tan. She handed bins to a guy with similar features, who stacked them along one side of the boat.

  Graham realized her mouth was hanging open. She quickly closed it. She bit her lip and stared. Wow.

  As if sensing the attention, the woman looked her way. Graham could tell she had dark eyes, even from such a distance. The kind of eyes that felt infinite.

  Graham knew she should look away, but she found herself transfixed. The woman paused long enough to offer Graham a slow smile. Not the kind of friendly smile Graham usually exchanged with people she passed on the pier, the kind of smile that made tourists feel welcome or the kind residents and workers shared amongst themselves. No, this smile had more of a come-home-with-me energy. Or at least it felt that way to Graham.

  Just as quickly as the moment began, it ended. The woman returned to her work and Graham was left standing in the middle of the sidewalk with a goofy smile on her face. She barely resisted a face palm. With more intention than before, she strode toward Commercial Street and away from making a complete idiot of herself.

  She was just at the point where pier met dry land when she ran into Will coming the other way. They wore matching Dolphin Fleet polo shirts, although Will paired hers with cargo shorts and Graham went for more feminine capris. “Hey, Will.”

  Will flashed a smile. “Hey back. How have I not seen you in almost a week?”

  Graham shrugged playfully. “I hear you’ve been busy.”

  “Stop.” Will blushed, then frowned. “I mean it. I miss you.”

  “I was teasing. We’ve just been working opposite shifts.”

  “Right.” Will closed her eyes for a second and shook her head. “Sorry.”

  Although her friend Will and her Aunt Nora h
ad been together for over a year, Will had only officially moved into the inn with Nora a few weeks ago. Graham was pretty sure they were still in the honeymoon phase of that, a fact that made Will hilariously shy. “I was just thinking of inviting myself over for dinner.”

  “I’m sure Nora would love to see you, even more than I would. I can check her schedule and I’ll get back to you with a couple of dates.”

  “Excellent. Ask her if she’ll cook lobster if I bring it.”

  Will laughed. “If she doesn’t want to, I will.”

  “Deal.”

  Will glanced at her watch. “I have to go.”

  Graham waved a hand. “Sorry, sorry. Didn’t mean to make you late. Text me.”

  Will resumed walking down the pier. “I will.”

  Graham turned to watch Will board the boat she’d just left. Once she was out of sight, Graham allowed her gaze to drift back to the lobster boat. The boat remained but the woman was gone. Graham tried not to notice the stab of disappointment.

  Maybe she’d take a little stroll back down the pier. Even if she didn’t see the woman again, she could check out the boat, see if it was local or just passing through. Graham made a point of studying each of the boats she passed. Some were old and some were new. A few had been designed for play, but most had the scuffed paint and piles of rope and mechanical equipment that indicated a working vessel.