Blessed
NINE
Jake
The porch at Rhodes Ridge held six of the best men I knew. I had called Ash first, and asked if I could gather everybody at his place for a serious discussion this evening. It needed to be held away from the bunkhouse, away from town, and most of all, away from the women.
The timing worked well. Willow had taken Ro into Lewistown for shopping.
Sage and her sisters were in charge of book club night at church.
Autumn was home with Stetson for the night.
So it was Ash and Colt, Knox and Carter, Cash leaning on the rail, and Sheriff Gavin Patrick, who’d come straight off shift and still wore the badge.
“I called you all here to tell you a few things in private,” I began. “I asked Autumn to marry me.”
Colt’s boots came off the rail. Knox choked on his coffee. Carter broke into a grin so wide it needed its own fence. Even Cash—who I’d figured couldn’t be surprised given our previous conversation—straightened up off the rail.
“I told you to take a chance,” he blurted. “Tell her you were falling for her. Maybe ask her out to dinner. You kind of skipped a few steps there and jumped straight to marriage, buddy.”
“I guess I figured I’d go for it all.” I wore a smile because despite the way this marriage came about, holy fuck—I was getting married.
To Autumn. Who, a few nights back, had stood in her tiny kitchen a half-inch from my mouth before her kid saved her from me.
I’d replayed that half-inch nearly-a-kiss roughly four hundred times since—her chin tipping up, her breath catching.
The way her eyes dropped to my lips like she’d already decided.
Baby steps, we’d agreed. Fine. But a man can know exactly which step he’s waiting on.
Colt, practical as a fence post, asked the only question that mattered. “Did she say yes?”
“Yeah. She did.”
The guys all jumped to their feet, giving me back slaps, and handshakes. Carter hollered loud enough to spook any wildlife around.
“I’ll be honest, McCall, I didn’t even know you two were dating. I thought it was some kind of friendly babysitting arrangement.” Knox shook his head the whole time, his grin more visible these days, keeping his beard trimmed up since the wedding.
“So did he, until I kicked his ass into gear,” Cash chortled.
I let them have their fun. Then I set my beer on the rail, and they all quieted down, realizing there’s more to it.
“I’m glad you’re all happy. But what I say next stays on this porch between us.” I went face to face and eyed each of them. We each may have served in different uniforms, but the rest of our brotherhood we’d built here, fence line by fence line, at the Off-Duty Rescue Ranch.
When Daisy’s stalker came hunting last fall, Knox hadn’t stood alone; every man here, except Cash who had not arrived yet, had closed ranks around him and her both, and not one word of it ever left the circle.
There wasn’t a man on this porch who’d break my trust. That’s the only reason I’d called them.
“Here’s the situation. Autumn got served Friday with court papers. Her ex’s family—the Eatons, out of Sheridan—are suing for full custody of Stetson.”
Gasps went up.
Gavin spoke first, in his serious, lawman way. “So that’s who was in town asking about her. The stranger at the Copper Cup.”
“Has to be. Somebody had to confirm where she was so a process server could find her, my guess.” I worked my jaw.
“You all remember the condition she was in when Trig first brought her out to the ranch. The bruises she combed her hair over, thanks to her ex. Autumn says the Eatons are worse—money, power, influence. She’s scared to death she’ll lose her boy.
I won’t let that happen. I won’t let her face them alone. So I asked her to marry me.”
“Wait. Not for love then?” Cash cocked a brow.
“I didn’t say that. We both admit our relationship has grown beyond friendship. She wants to take things slow, but we’ll marry quickly, and fight this battle together. I’m asking if I count on you to keep this quiet and help me protect her?”
“Of course we well,” Carter confirmed on behalf of them all, with most nodding, even if Ash and Colt were silent.
“What do you need us to do?” Cash stepped forward, and there was not an ounce of the old playboy left in his face.
“The enemy has a name now. Brantley Eaton is the fa—uh, sperm donor.” Father wouldn’t come out of my mouth.
It didn’t belong to him, ever, not with Stetson calling me Dada.
“Autumn hasn’t heard one word from him since she fled Wyoming.
He’s not even named in the lawsuit; it’s his parents doing the suing.
And that’s about everything I know. I’m flying blind here, guys.
I don’t know a thing about these people beyond what they did to her and what little she’s told me.
” I looked at Cash and then over to the sheriff.
“Can you two see what you can find out?”
Cash nodded once, slowly, already working the problem behind his eyes.
“I’ll run Brantley through the database,” Gavin offered. “See if he’s got warrants, priors, anything outstanding. A man who’d put bruises on a woman usually leaves a paper trail somewhere.”
“Sheriff, could I borrow a minute of your time?” Cash tipped his head toward the yard. “Got a professional question for you.”
The two of them stepped off the porch. Cash threw one look back at me over his shoulder. I wondered if he was about to tell Gavin the real reason he was in Forest Grove after all. His call to make. A man who found lost people for a living probably needed the law on his side.
“The rest of you, please, keep your eyes and ears open. Any stranger in town, I want to know about it before he finishes his coffee.”
Nods came all around. Then I turned to the one man who hadn’t said much of anything yet, standing by the door of the house he’d built into a home for his wife and her daughter.
“Ash, would it be possible to move Autumn and Stetson into your old cabin? Better she’s here on the ranch where I can keep an eye on her—where we all can—than alone above a shop in town.”
“I never expected to be a father.” When he spoke, he surprised me.
It wasn’t the voice of the bossy ranch foreman, more like an older and wiser man of words.
“Then Willow found her way here with Ro, and I watched how much that single mother and her little girl needed a man who’d show up for them.
So I opened my life to them and I never once looked back. Best thing I ever did.”
He chewed his cheek and smacked his lips before talking again.
“I’ve been wondering how long it would take you to do the same.
You spent almost every night with her son.
You were there for her when she needed anything at all.
I figured it’d be quicker, honestly. But you always were slow on the easy missions. ” He winked and chuckled.
“I prefer to call it being thorough,” I joked back.
He nodded once. “The cabin’s yours. Move them in when you’re ready.”
The way he and all these men rallied—I had to clear my throat before I could thank him.
“So when’s the wedding?” Colt asked, practical to the last.
“As soon as we can manage. We’re only going to the justice of the peace.”
“Are you kidding me?” Colt looked genuinely pained. “The second Ivy hears of this, that plan is dead in the water. You know that, right? I sleep next to the woman. There is no JP in your future, McCall.”
“I don’t know if we want to make a big deal of it.” I rubbed my neck.
“Actually, I’d argue you should.” Carter’s voice shifted into that boardroom register he only used when money or lawyers were involved.
“Think about how it looks, Jake. The Eatons file suit, and a week later there’s a rushed courthouse marriage with two witnesses?
A judge might look sideways at that. But a real ceremony—say here on the ranch, plenty of people, cake, dancing, your mother crying in the front row—that’s a family, and on the record. A lot harder to call convenient.”
Silence overcame us while that settled over the porch. The man had a valid point.
“I’ll talk to Autumn tonight.” I pulled out my phone and looked at the list I’d started, which had been growing all day. So much to do, and all of it mattered. “First I need to see Trig, and ask for his blessing.”
“Whoa.” Knox held up a hand. “Are you sure you don’t want to marry first and ask permission later? I don’t see him being too keen on you marrying his sister.”
“Yeah. He has two years to get over it, and he can’t exactly drive out here to object mid way through the ceremony,” Colt snickered.
I wasn’t laughing. “This thing started one way. But I intend to do it right, every step from here. I’m only planning to get married once in this life, guys. I gotta do what I can to make it stick.”
Knox clapped a hand on my shoulder. “I could tell at our wedding, you know. Something in the way you two danced. I said to Daisy that night, there’s a lot more to your story.”
There was. More every day and every second I spit with Autumn and the baby.
“Next I need a ring. And I need to introduce Autumn and Stetson to my folks.” I blew out a breath.
My mother had a velvet ring box on her dresser she’d been saving for me.
A family heirloom. That was a whole mission of its own.
“Then what are you still doing on my porch?” Ash practically yanked the half-drunk beer out of my hand like an eviction notice. “Get busy, McCall. You’ve got a wedding to plan.”
“Yes, sir.” I grinned and settled my hat on and headed down the steps past Cash and Gavin, still deep in conversation. I interrupted and asked the sheriff if he knew of any good family lawyers to recommend.
“I know a couple. Call you later,” he nodded.
Carter came down from the porch and walked me to the truck. “Legal fees can add up. Let me know if you need assistance.”
“Thanks. But I’ve been saving for something special for as long as I can remember. Seems like a good time to make a withdrawal.”
“Be expecting a call from Ivy soon,” Colt shouted, his laughter ringing out as I pulled away down the drive.
Three days later, I sat at a table in the visiting room of the Montana State Prison, with two vending machine coffees in front of me. Autumn’s knee worked up and down repeatedly beside me, jiggling Stetson on her lap in his little snap-button western shirt and baby denims.
When they brought Trig to us, he had a pretty terrible shiner on the left eye. He sat down across from us, and even with one eye swollen up, he clocked how close together our chairs were.
“Damn. The kid has grown.” He waved at him.
“Oh, honey, are you okay? Your eye?” Autumn voiced concern.
“Looks worse than it is. Don’t worry, though, I got the other guy good.” That silenced us before we even came to say what we needed to. “Somebody start talking. You didn’t come all this way to gawk at me.”
I cleared my voice, keeping it even, staying brave, as I stated the words I’d practiced with Autumn in the truck. “Trig, I’ve asked your sister to marry me.”
He leaned forward, eyebrows aimed at the ceiling. “What’s that?”
“We’re getting married, Trig,” Autumn confirmed, and her hand found mine on the table, giving it a squeeze. If she was acting, she deserved an award.
“I’d like your blessing,” I finished.
“You—what?” His voice raised, and hands that had stayed flat on the table, curled a little at the first knuckle.
The guard by the door shifted his weight, ensuring we all knew he was there.
“I asked you to watch over her, McCall. Not fuck around with my—” He stopped and breathed in deep as if that’d help him remain in control.
“He didn’t. We aren’t—” Autumn was quick to defend. “Jake’s only ever been good to me.”
His voice returned to normal, but his eyes flashed on me. “She’s been through hell. You know that. And your answer is a wedding?”
“There’s more,” Autumn cut in. “The Eatons served me papers. They’re suing for full custody of Stetson.”
That took the breath out of him. He leaned back in his chair, staring at the baby gnawing on a toy of his.
“Their case is that she’s alone,” I said. “Unwed. Unsupported. So she’ll have my name, my insurance, a home on the ranch, and the whole town standing behind her when a judge looks at this case.”
The quiet stretched long enough for Stetson to fill it. “Dada,” he announced to the visiting room, reaching over and moving into my arms. A woman two tables over smiled at us.
“Seems Stetson’s given his blessing,” Autumn’s lips flatlined but twitched.
Trig’s mouth gaped wide open, observing it all. “What the hell?”
“Our marriage is actually a smart move if you think about it, Trig. The Eatons won’t see it coming,” I tried to reason.
“You know that family even better than I do. They’ll use any means necessary to get Stetson away from me. I can’t—I can’t lose my baby.” Autumn promised in the truck she wasn’t going to cry. She pulled a tissue out of her pocket anyway and dabbed her eyes.
The sight of his sister crying must have had an effect; he visibly softened.
“That’s their whole playbook. They isolate a thing, then they take it.
It’s how they do business, and it’s how Marlene runs that family.
” He leaned his elbows on the table, running his hands across his buzzed head.
“She’s the one you watch out for, not the old man and not Brantley.
Marlene never loses, and she does it all with a fake smile wrapped up in a church dress acting like an angel.
” His eyes came at me, hard and squinting. “You’ll need a lawyer. A real shark.”
“We’re getting names this week from the sheriff.”
He gazed sternly at his sister. “Does Jake make you happy?”
Autumn glanced at me, cheeks going pink. “Yeah. He does.”
He had me sweating another minute, refusing to answer. At last, he nodded, and pointed at me in warning. “Do right by her, McCall. I mean it. I’ll be here for two years. If you hurt her, there’s no ranch far enough you could run to and hide. I’ll find you.”
“Understood.” We held eyes for a minute, two warriors who decided on a code between us, both out of care and concern for one woman.
“Trig, for Heaven’s sake. Jake is a really good guy. You have nothing to worry about.” She vouched for me, with or without Trig’s blessing, that meant more.
“Then you have my blessing,” he blurted, and pointed his chin at the baby. “Now leave me alone with my sister and nephew, Jake. I only have a few minutes left. Damn, he’s gotten big.”
That went better than I figured it would. One giant hurdle crossed. It was good practice, too, because next I needed to introduce her to my parents. But I knew they’d love Autumn and Stetson and welcome them into the family with open arms.