Page 24 of She Autumn Be Mine

The Eatons were suing for custody of my son. Not Brantley, no word of him in the suit. But his parents.

After that, the night was a little fuzzy between work and Smitty’s disappointed face when I proved useless and dropped a tray of glasses. Instead of going home, I needed a drink. Just one, with good intentions to calm my greatest fear of losing my child to the Eatons. Only one didn’t make all the hurt and ache go away.

How I ended up here, though…? Oh no. Cutting through all the blur, I could see Jake entering the Saloon. Then maybe his ass, as he carried me over his shoulder to bed? After that, I didn’t know, but my clothes were still on, everything but my boots.

I groaned and suffered, sitting upright. I took the pills and drank the entire glass because my body demanded it.

My eyes lighted on the manila envelope, sitting opened. Had Jake peeked inside? Did he know?

I slowly made my way to the kitchen, following the smell of butter and cheese, not sure whether I was hungry for it or going to hurl again.

“Hi, Jake.” My voice cracked on his name. I leaned against the doorway, covered in this morning’s shame.

“How are you feeling?” Jake glanced at me without a smile from the stove, flipping the sandwich in a hot pan. My son sat in his high chair negotiating a pile of diced peaches between his finger and thumb.

“Foolish. I shouldn’t have had so much to drink last night.”

“You’ve been dealing with so much. That’s all. A person has a right to let off some steam.” He handed me coffee in a lidded mug, his eyes touring my face. I made no effort to conceal whatever he saw—likely my swollen and tired eyes, hair all a mess. What was the point when I could lose the one person I was living for?

“How did you even know?”

“Smitty called. Seems like you had a rough day. I got you home safely. Next time, give me some warning. I’ll be there the entire night, let you drink, and get you home in one piece.”

“Mama,” he cooed, and held his hands out for me.

“You’re just fine, right there, buddy,” Jake said and distracted him with a sippy cup of milk.

“I’m so sorry.” I shed a tear and sucked in a shaky breath.

“Come here. Sit down.” Jake pulled me over to the table and chairs.

“Don’t be so nice to me right now.”

“Why not?” He chuckled. He moved everything to the table, two plates of sandwiches, Stetson in his high chair, and more water. “Talk to me, Autumn. What’s going on?”

No use keeping it from him, and I didn’t have the energy to fight it. The whole thing came pouring out of me about the man handing me the envelope. The custody petition from the Eatons of Sheridan, Wyoming—Brantley’s parents, big deals in cattle, and money so old it probably had its own room to hold it all at the Bank of Wyoming.

“They want full custody of Stetson. Twenty-some pages of legal garbage saying… Oh, God. Saying I’m unwed, unstable, uninsured, and unfit to be his mother.”

I broke down, and grabbed Stetson from his chair, holding him to my chest, regardless of his peach-sticky hands. I sauntered over to the window, crying and swaying with him.

“Mama,” he said.

“My baby.” I kissed his head and inhaled his scent.

“You can fight this.” Jake came up behind us. “Everyone in town knows you’re a perfectly fit mother.”

“But I fled the state.”

“Trying to flee that bastard who abused you.”

“I work nights in a bar, and live in a tiny place above a coffee shop. His parents have money and status and power. They’ll win.”

“They can’t have him. Whatever it takes, we’ll fight⁠—”

“It’s Marlene Eaton. She’s a force. You don’t know these people like I do. Everyone in the three counties reveres them. They have their own wing at the hospital and a pew at church with their name on it.” Stetson fussed, wanting out of my arms.

“There has to be a way.” Jake took the baby and set him up on the floor with some soft, padded balls to play with. “You’re not doing this alone. I’m here for you. I’ll ask around. Find a lawyer. Harper and Gavin will know people. He’s the sheriff and probably knows every attorney and judge.”