Page 34 of She Autumn Be Mine

I burst out laughing at the exchange. “We might as well give up. Can’t argue with baby logic.”

My laughter died somewhere in my throat. His gaze heated on me. It lingered in his crinkled eyes, warm and inviting. Far too intimate for two people getting married just because my life had gone to hell. Definitely too close for people who were supposed to take things slow.

“Should we let him call me Dada then? I’d be fine with it. You and Stetson are… Hell, you must know how I feel about you, Autumn.”

I turned toward the passenger window before he could see the effect he had on my watering eyes.

Thankfully I didn’t have to think up a response because he immediately turned onto a narrow gravel lane. A huge wooden sign arched over the drive with pretty vines growing on it, and announced “The Double M” in large script letters. A split-rail fence followed it toward a white farmhouse nestled between towering cottonwoods.

A large wrap around porch featured several rocking chairs with homey quilts and pillows. Flower beds spilled over with early fall blooms everywhere. A red barn sat farther back, and a few horses grazed near the fence.

Beyond that, in the distance, were a few more barns, too. Dotted all around the front pasture were goats. Lots and lots of goats of all colors, shapes, and sizes.

Jake gestured wide with his hand out the window. “Welcome to McCall’s Meadows, Montana’s largest goat farm. Oh, and Jamie runs her honey business here, too.”

“It’s all lovely. Quite different from the Off-Duty Rescue Ranch.”

“Well, we do have goats instead of horses.”

“No. I meant more like this one has a woman’s touch involved.”

“Yeah. My mother’s.”

“McCall’s Meadows,” I tried out the words as a round woman appeared on the porch, waving at us.

“Ready?” He arched his brow.

“I’m still mad at you. But we can argue about it later.”

He laughed and got out. He met who I could only assume was his mother with a big old bear hug, lifting her feet off the ground. She yelped and laughed. With her feet back on dirt, she held her hands up to his cheeks.

Whatever he said to her next, her hand went to her forehead, shielding her eyes at me. Her entire face changed. She ran to the truck so fast, the SEAL had to hurry to keep up.

“Well don’t leave her in the hot truck,” I heard her say.

Jake pulled my door open and helped me out with a hand. “Mom, this is Autumn Triggs. Autumn, my mom, Diane, but everyone calls her Dot.”

“It’s so nice to meet you, Dot.”

“Likewise.” She dabbed her fingertips along her eyes. “Oh, you’ll have to excuse me. Jake hasn’t brought a woman home in—ever.”

Stetson protested from the back seat, being left out.

Dot gasped, clasping both hands to her chest. “What’s this? Better yet, who?”

“This is my son, Stetson.” I got him out of the seat.

“Oh, my word. Are you seeing this, Mr. McCall?” She must have sensed a tall and thin older man making an appearance behind her, wearing a dusty straw hat and overalls. His quietly bemused expression reminded me of Jake’s.

She wiggled her fingers, and Stetson giggled. That was it. Dot McCall was a goner.

“What a handsome boy. He’s precious. Can I hold him?”

“Careful. Mom might never put him down,” Jake warned.

“Must run in the family,” I winked at Jake and handed him over.

Dot had Stetson on her hip, already narrating the farm to him like a tour guide, when the ground started to rumble.