Page 18 of Once Upon a Summer Night

Chase clapped a hand on her shoulder. “See? Now you don’t have to fret the whole way there.”

“Yeah.” Hannah forced a smile. “Yay me.”

Chapter Five

As her sistersand Aunt Faye hurried off, clamoring about the need to rearrange furniture to make room for crutches, Hannah was eyeing the woods behind the barn. How fast would she have to run to make it to the ditch and out of sight before the others noticed she was gone? Because she couldn’t do this. She absolutely couldn’t.

“Don’t even think about it,” Chase said, his voice low.

She turned to find him watching her. Once upon a time, she could almost outrun him. Almost. Darn those long legs of his.

Her gaze shifted to them, then quickly away. Darn it, why had her bestie gone and gotten all delicious-looking while she was away? Yet another thing that had changed in her absence, inciting an attraction she’d have to find a way to navigate around going forward. Because this was Chase, and the last thing she wanted to do was mess anything up between them.

And why the heck am I sitting here thinking about him and his legs when I should be running for the hills?

“I’m not ready,” she whispered.

“This sugar cream pie says you are,” he whispered back.

“Seriously? You’re going to hold my pie hostage?”

He looked impressed. “Hadn’t planned to use it as a carrot, but if that will get you moving…”

“Jerk.”

He chuckled. “If that’s what it takes to get two of my favorite people talking again, then I guess it’s a role I’ll have to play.”

She was still one of his favorite people? The thought warmed her heart. Didn’t make the task ahead any less scary, though.

“Will it help if I go in there with you?” he asked softly.

“Yes. But someone needs to stay out here with Noah to make sure the ducks don’t gang up on him after all the chasing he’s been doing.”

“Look at you, being all responsible,” he teased.

“Scary, I know.” She raised a schoolteacher finger toward him. “But if you let those ducks hurt one hair on his—”

“Hannah!” Noah came speed walking up to them, a little ball full of yellow fluff held gently in his grasp. “I did it! I caught one! Isn’t he amazing! He didn’t quack or peck at me or anything.”

Hannah knelt to get a closer look at the duckling. “Aw, he’s so cute. Nice job, buddy.”

“Thanks! This place is the greatest—can we stay here ourentirevacation? Please, Hannah?”

“Well, honey, I don’t kn—”

“I’m going to name him Sunny and play with him every day.” Noah cradled the duckling, stroking a finger over the little bird’s head. “I love you, Sunny.”

“Yeah, Mom,” Chase added with a grin. “You should totally stay here your entire vacation.”

Not helping, she mouthed. To which he offered an innocent shrug.

Hannah looked to the farmhouse on a frustrated sigh. There really was no getting around this talk with her father, not with him being home now. And this was the absolute happiest she’d seen Noah in months. After all he’d been through, she didn’t have the heart to steal a few more days of happiness from the little guy.

“Fine. You guys stay out here with Sunny, and I’ll go see if your grandpa will let us stay a little longer.”

“Yay!” Noah cried.

Chase rose to offer her a hug before she headed inside.

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