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They walked to where they’d parked their cars yesterday. Was it only yesterday? It felt like a month ago. She put her sleeping son into his booster seat and then shut his door. Ford was still standing there when she turned.
His hand touched her chin, holding her eyes with his. “I’ll come and see you tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
He kissed her softly, and she fought the urge again to lean in to all that strength, have him help her make sense of what had turned her world on its head.
“I’m sorry I hurt you, Autumn.”
“I know, and I do understand why, Ford.
“No. There’s no excuse for how I behaved.”
He kissed her again. Soft and so sweet.
“You’re tired, sweetheart, and after what you’ve been through today, I get that. But I also need you to know I’m here for you if you need me.”
“I just think we both need time. There is so much going on inside my head I need to work through.”
“I know that. I care about you. Today, watching you go through this stuff, has made me realize how important you are to me.”
“I-I feel the same.” She wouldn’t lie about that.
“Tomorrow then.”
Autumn nodded, and this time it was her rising to her toes and to kiss him. He held her close briefly and then released her.
“Bye, Ford.”
“See you tomorrow,” he said, walking with her to the driver’s side and opening the door for her.
Autumn climbed in and then drove away. It felt like coming home pulling up outside her little house minutes later. Felt like somewhere she needed to be right now. Inside, she could sit and think. Inside, she would find some peace from the turmoil.
She woke Ritchie, then ushered him into the shower. After an easy meal, she put him to bed.
“Night, buddy.” She bent to kiss him. “Did you have fun?”
His smile was sleepy. “So much fun. I like them, Mom.”
“Them?” Autumn smoothed the hair back from his forehead.
“All of them. The Trainers, the Howards. Ford and Nash. Luna and Quinn. Mr. Goldhirsh and Aunt Jess. I like it here, Mom.”
“I like them too.”
“I want to stay.”
“Me too.” And she did. No matter what happened with Ford, she did want to stay here. “You liked Sheriff Dans too, right?”
He nodded, and she decided now was as good a time as any to tell him.
“We had a talk while I was there, and you know how you asked who my daddy was?”
He nodded again, eyes wider.
“I knew before we went to Lyntacky that that was where my father came from, but I didn’t know who it was. Today we realized that it’s Sheriff Dans.”
“Wow.”
