Page 39 of She Autumn Be Mine

Except those family ties weren’t just mine anymore. They were hers now, too.

TWELVE

Judged

Autumn

A loud drumbeat crashed upon my door scaring Stetson while he ate in the high chair.

He pointed. “Dada.”

“Not yet, but I think I know who it is.” I ran to the door and threw it open—at last setting my eyes on my bestie from Wyoming. “Nanette!”

She laughed, embracing me until my ribs creaked, cried over how big Stetson had gotten, and inspected my ring in the light over the kitchen sink like a pawnbroker.

“Gorgous gem. His family has good taste. It’s a start,” she conceded.

“I cannot believe you’re finally here. It’s like a part of me was missing all these months, and now it isn’t. Let me look at you.” I held her arms out. Other than the length of her blonde wavy hair, she hadn’t changed.

“No. Look at you. About to be a wife?” She shot back. “I always thought I’d be the first to marry.”

“Really? You always said you never wanted to marry.”

“I’m kidding.” She roared her head back. “You know me. I like men too much. Besides, Dad worries if I marry someone I might end up divorced and they’ll sue for my share of the bar, and we know he can’t lose his precious bar.”

“How is Roper Ripley of Ropin’ Roadhouse?” We broke into a battle of trying to say that ten times fast just like the old days.

“He hasn’t changed one bit.” When either of us had a need for fatherly wisdom, occasionally he’d be there for us. Then she spied my veil by my luggage and put it on my head, Stetson babbling away at us in the background.

“Do I look wifely?” I batted my eyes and struck a funny pose in it.

“You look—all grown up in a way I can’t even begin to describe.” Her seriousness only lasted a few seconds. “Come here. We are going to have a blast tonight. I’m so glad it’ll be just us, having a slumber party like the old days.”

“Me, too. We’ll be at a cabin on the ranch, just us and Stetson. Jake will stay here. You know, not seeing me until the wedding.”

“And where is this cowboy now? I still have about twenty-four hours to form a final opinion of him before you commit to this nonsense. Really, Autumn. Getting married?” She clicked her tongue in mock exasperation, but I knew she was my greatest supporter.

Nanette did not hand out approval easily. She’d watched me get charmed before, by a man with a powerful name, and she’d been the one to drive through the night to get me and Stetson to safety when it all went to hell. She would believe in Jake McCall when she’d seen something real, and not one minute sooner.

Another knock came at the door.

“Dada?” Stetson pointed from his high chair. Nanette raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, it’s a thing now. Jake is Dada,” I hurried and explained and answered the door.

“There you are.” Jake reached in and pulled me out into his arms and swung me around. I yelped and giggled. “We should practice the carry-over-the-threshhold part.”

He stepped in with me in his arms, and stopped upon seeing Nannette standing there, with her arms crossed. He set me down. “Hi. You must be Nanette. Jake McCall, the groom, in case you didn’t guess by now.”

“Hello. I suppose congratulations are in order,” came her somewhat icy reply.

“Thanks. I’m glad you could be here for Autumn. Hey, buddy.” He and the baby did a high-five. Now that they’d mastered that, Jake was on the hunt for the next trick he could teach him. “Are you packed and ready? We should get going. Between Ivy and my mother I don’t know which would be more upset if we were late to our own rehearsal.”

Nanette stepped between him and my suitcase.

“Not so fast. I have some questions for you.” Her arms remained folded. “What’s Autumn’s favorite color?”

“Easy. Green”