Page 15 of Once Upon a Summer Night

“It was awful, Chase, watching her waste away. But she put on a brave face every single day for Noah. I don’t think he had any idea how much pain she was in, or how difficult it was for her to have him see her like that. But she wanted him there with her, getting as much time together as they could have, and for him to know just how much his mama loved him.”

Chase’s heart went out to Noah, having to watch his mother waste away before his eyes. “Do her…parents know?”

Hannah nodded. “Yeah. Her father got transferred to a church in Georgia about a year after Noah was born. Beth’s mother reached out before they moved and begged her to let them meet their grandson. Over time, they patched things up between them. Well, as best they could. Mr. and Mrs. Simmons promised to keep in touch at the funeral, but I’m not holding my breath. Illegitimate grandsons don’t make for good sermon fodder.”

Chase shook his head. Who wouldn’t want to be involved in their grandson’s life?

“And the baby daddy? When you left, he was still denying participation. Did he ever man up and accept responsibility?”

Hannah’s features darkened. “Nope. Even though Jaxon was fully aware of their unfortunate prophylactic malfunction, he still insisted she’d gotten knocked up by someone else. Beth sent letters to his apartment with pictures of Noah after he was born, hoping it would change Jaxon’s mind, but he wanted nothing to do with them. Even refused to take a paternity test. The rejection stung, but Beth never dragged him to court; we both agreed that Noah was better off without someone like that in his life. When she stopped her chemotherapy, though, she tried reaching back out to him, hoping maybe he’d matured and would want to at least help raise his son.”

“And how did that go?”

“It didn’t. Jaxon died in an auto accident last fall.” Hannah hung her head. “I can still see the look of shock on Beth’s face and the sobs that followed. But I promised to remain with Noah, since I’d been his surrogate aunt from the beginning anyway, which brought her some peace amid the devastation. She named me as his legal guardian, and shortly after she passed, I started on the paperwork that could help me officially adopt him. Everything was going smoothly until Jaxon’s parents discovered they had an unknown grandson.”

“How did that happen?”

“They found Beth’s letters and the pictures while going through Jaxon’s things. So, they tried connecting with her. Since she was already gone, they eventually connected with me. At first, they just wanted to meet him. To start a relationship. We were headed there today, for his first overnight visit to their place.” On a soft snort, Hannah released his hand and rose to stand beside the wall facing away from Main Street, hands braced on the brick. “I was so excited to have an evening off from momming that I didn’t see it for what it was.”

He rose from his chair as well. “Which was?”

“A first step in taking him from me.” Hannah turned to face him, cheeks damp with tears. “They blocked my adoption application, Chase. I didn’t see the letter until we stopped in Plymouth today because something in Stan Wiggman’s text message seemed off. I always forget to check the damn mailbox. Anyway, the court sent a letter saying my application was on hold because the Wiggmans had also filed for custody. His grandparents thinkthey’rebetter fit to raise him than I am.” She raised her arms in frustration. “They don’t evenknowhim!”

“You have to fight this, Hannah. Noah needs you.”

“I know he does. Lord, if there’s anyone who knows how much that kid needs me right now, it’s me. I was nearly the same age when we lost Mom.”

Her voice broke, and Chase closed the distance between them. He pulled her gently into his chest, struggling to keep his temper toward the Wiggmans at bay.Seriously, people?Hadn’t Hannah and Noah already been through enough?

“All this time, I thought I was doing the right thing,” she whispered. “Doing what Beth would have wanted. Now they’re trying to take him from me, and I don’t know if I can stop them. God, I’m such an idiot.”

“No, you’re not. You’re a kind soul doing the best you can to raise your friend’s son. Not everyone would have stepped up to do that.”

“Of course, I stepped up. That little booger means everything to me, Chase.”

He hugged her tighter. “Then we’re going to do everything we can to make sure he stays with you.”

She drew back, her glassy gaze meeting his. “Do you really think I can win?”

Did he? In truth, he didn’t have a clue about how the adoption process worked. But if there was one thing he did know, it was that her family and friends would do everything they could to help. That’s what the people of Bourbon Falls did—they fought for one another.

“I think this town will do everything it can to make sure that happens, Han, myself included.”

She hugged him tightly, face burrowed into his chest. “You’re the bestest.”

More like craziest, knowing he was about to get immersed in Hannah’s world once more. But denying her help would be like trying to breathe underwater—it just wasn’t happening. He pressed a kiss to the top of her hair and held her tight. “If you say so.”

They remained like that for a long while, out of sight from their sleepy town, holding on to one another like they’d done so many times before. Chase had forgotten how perfectly her petite frame fit against him. Or how right her arms felt around his waist.

“Um, can I maybe ask for one teensy little favor before we head into battle?” she asked, interrupting his thoughts. “Though, I’m not gonna lie—this might be even messier than the custody ordeal.”

Worry washed over him as he drew back to meet her gaze. “Of course. What do you need?”

“A ride over to Warsaw tomorrow.” She grimaced. “I promised Aunt Faye that I’d go see my old man.”

*

Hannah sat withher aunt on the wooden bench that overlooked the shallow end of the old pond Saturday morning, sharing stories and reminiscing about her younger days. The more they talked, the more she realized that she hadn’t been completely forthcoming with Chase last night when he was asking why she’d stayed away so long. Yes, at first it was because her father had banished her. And it’d been harder than she’d envisioned, working through the grief of being cut off from all she’d had. But over time, she was able to hold her head high and focus on building a new life for her, Beth, and baby Noah.

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