CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

To get to Kitty’s house required a long walk through a boggy field of scrub brush—almost a mile—and walking sockless in waders made it seem even longer. My feet hurt and my eyes were filled with angry tears, so I could hardly see where I was going, but that didn’t matter. I knew the way. By the time I arrived in Kitty’s backyard, emerging out of the brush like some sort of swamp monster, I was covered in mud and my eyes were sore and bloodshot.

Granny V was out back, hanging laundry on a clothesline so it could air dry, but she took one look at me and dropped her laundry basket.

“Jane! Good gracious! Is everything okay?”

“No.” I hiccupped. “Is Kitty home?”

“Of course. Come inside.”

Granny V hugged me, then ushered me in and called for Kitty, who came down a few minutes later, accompanied by three unwelcome faces: Matthew, Devon, and Caroline. I’d forgotten they’d be there.

Caroline’s eyes widened as she took in my appearance.

“Oh my god. Look at her,” she whispered to Devon, just loud enough for me to hear. “Are those galoshes? And she’s got mud up to her knees.”

“Jane!” Kitty squealed. “What happened to you?”

Devon took a step forward, studying my red, puffy eyes. “Are you okay?” His expression was softer than I’d ever seen it before, and he bit his lower lip as he waited for my response.

“Fine,” I managed. “I’ll be fine.” I turned to Kitty. “Could I talk to you alone?”

She nodded. “Outside. At the swing.”

We headed out to her yard and each took one side of the tire swing. Kitty waited for me to talk.

“Mom is filing for custody.” The minute the words were out of my mouth, I burst into tears. Kitty made a horrified squeal.

“No! She can’t! She’s barely seen you all these years, and now she thinks she can—”

“Take me away. That’s exactly what she thinks.” I wiped my nose on my sleeve. “She doesn’t even want me. Erik is the one who wants a kid. Mom is just trying to make him happy.”

Kitty shook her head. “That’s awful, Jane. We have to stop this.”

“I know, but I don’t see how. There’s two of them and only one of Dad. Mom’s going to tell everyone how I got lost during the hurricane and fell off the boat. She used to be an actress, so she’ll lay it on thick with the judge and make it sound like Dad doesn’t take care of me.”

I burst into a new flood of tears.

“No. We can’t let this happen,” Kitty said. “We need to set your father up with Elle right away. Then at least they’ll be even. Plus, maybe Elle would pitch in for an expensive lawyer.”

I rested my face against the scratchy rope and felt the tiny fibers scraping my cheek. “I don’t know, Kitty. I don’t think judges care who someone is dating.”

“Well, your mom and Erik aren’t married either. Have they even set a date for the wedding?”

“Not as far as I’ve heard, although I’d probably be the last one to know. But Dad will never ask anyone out. That kind of thing just doesn’t occur to him.”

Now Kitty burst into tears.

“Maybe you could change Erik’s mind about having a kid,” she sobbed. “If you’re a total brat, he’ll decide he doesn’t want you to live with them.”

I thought that over, but Erik seemed like the kind of guy who wouldn’t let anything stand in the way of what he wanted. He’d jumped off the boat to save me without any hesitation, and even though he hadn’t actually needed to do it, that still seemed pretty committed to me.

“You could at least talk to your father about dating someone,” Kitty said when I didn’t respond. “If you lay out the facts for him, maybe he’ll be willing to change. I know he doesn’t want to lose you, Jane.”

“I’ll talk to him,” I said, “but he’ll just say we don’t need to resort to desperate measures. Dad never thinks it’s time for desperate measures.”

“You can’t give up hope,” Kitty pleaded. “Not until we’ve tried everything.” She flung her arms around me and we hugged until Granny V called us inside.

“I phoned your house, Jane,” Granny V said. “I spoke to your mother. She’s all in a flutter.” She sighed. “I spoke to your father as well. He’s on his way home, and he said that Ana will pick you up shortly.”

I nodded. A hug from Ana was exactly what I needed right now.

We went in and sat at the dining room table. Matthew and Caroline were huddled over Kitty’s laptop, but Devon hadn’t joined them. He stood nearby, staring at me and Kitty. Glowering, really. I couldn’t say why, but something in my gut told me he’d been eavesdropping.

I held back the flood of tears that wanted to burst out again. I wouldn’t cry while Devon was watching. Instead, I lifted my chin and waited for Ana to arrive. Outside, the sunset had colored the horizon in deep shades of red, and the autumn leaves stood out in sharp relief. When I heard the rattle of Ana’s truck in the driveway, I stood up and hugged Kitty goodbye.

I hugged Granny V too, and she told me what she always said whenever I was upset: “Remember Jane, you must let your courage rise with every attempt to intimidate it.” That was her favorite Jane Austen quote.

“Thanks,” I murmured. I walked outside and was just about to step into Ana’s truck, when Devon ran out of Kitty’s house.

“Wait!” he hollered, waving an envelope in the air. “I almost forgot to give this to you. It’s for your father. From my mom.”

I stared at the envelope, wondering what could be inside. “What is it?”

Devon shrugged. “How should I know?”

I didn’t have it in me to argue. Not tonight. I took the envelope and got in Ana’s truck, shutting the door behind me and watching in the rearview mirror as she pulled away from Kitty’s house and Devon’s figure faded from view.