Page 24 of Once Upon a Summer Night

“Did you have a good day, sweetheart?” she asked as he climbed under the covers.

“Yeah, Brooks Farm is the best,” he said, his eyelids droopy. “I wish Sunny could sleep in here with me.”

Hannah laughed softly. “I’m pretty sure Grandpa has a ‘no ducks in the house’ rule.”

She brushed his fluffy, freshly bathed hair back and kissed his forehead, preparing to tell him to get some good sleep. But Noah patted the bed beside him, his silent request to have her stay until he fell asleep. Her own body weary from the day, rather than object, she stretched out beside him. He snuggled closer and let out a contented sigh.

“So, you’re sure you’re okay staying here a few more days?”

“Yeah. I like it here.”

“But won’t you miss your friends at Y-camp?” She grinned at her own inside joke. The YMCA was where Noah went when Hannah was at work—they just didn’t dare call it daycare anymore. This was the first time she’d gotten the name right. “Or Swimmy?”

Noah shrugged. “I don’t know most of the kids there very well. And Swimmy is great, but goldfish aren’t nearly as fun as ducks. Besides, Amy promised she would take care of Swimmy for me while we’re gone.”

Their selfless, single neighbor, Amy, to the rescue yet again. “Fair.”

A comfortable silence fell around them, and Hannah let her own eyes close. She was on the brink of sleep when Noah spoke again.

“I don’t miss her as much here.”

“Your mom?”

At his nod, she pulled him closer. It made sense, though. He’d never been to the farm with Beth. In Kankakee, she was probably everywhere he looked. Goodness knew, it was that way for Hannah.

“But no matter where you go, she’s always with you.” She tapped the place above his heart. “Right here.”

“Mm-hmm. And I still have you. Always. Right, Hannah?”

She swallowed hard, hating to hide from him what was happening with the Wiggmans but not wanting to spoil the moment. “Right, sweetheart.”

Wide awake once more, she lay there, worrying about how to make sure that happened. When his breathing finally smoothed, she eased from the bed, made for her room, and grabbed her cell phone. What was the name of the attorney her father had mentioned before? Bradley Wade?

A few taps, a few swipes, and she was looking at Bradley Wade’s website and his consultation fees page. Holy crap—were those numbers forreal? Who on earth could afford those prices? On a groan, she climbed into bed, hoping her father could work out some sort of “friend of the family” deal with Mr. Wade. Because if not, she was going to have to do some more looking. Hannah made decent money with the fire department, but who knew how long this custody thing—and the legal fees that went along with it—might go on?

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand beside her with a new message from Chase.

All good on the farm still?

She grinned. They hadn’t sent late-night texts since high school.So far so good.

Awesome. Sweet dreams, angel.

Hannah shook her head. Angel—she hadn’t been called that in years. It was a joke, of course, a nickname he’d dubbed her with after she’d admitted some older gentleman she’d waited on at the Sweet Mash had always called her that. Because Lord knew, as the youngest in the family who lived to push her father’s buttons, she’d never been an angel.Sweet dreams to you too, dork.

He didn’t feel like a dork to her anymore, though. Nor did he look like one. Hannah set her phone down and closed her eyes, letting scenes from this weekend play out in her mind. Time and again, those scenes circled back to Chase, her childhood bestie who had gone and gotten all strong and handsome while she was away. Too bad she wasn’t sticking around—it would have been interesting to see where things went between them.

Especially after that fumbled first kiss.

She was nearly asleep when a knock sounded on her bedroom door.

“Hannah, sweetheart? Are you still up?”

She stifled a sigh and rose to open the door. Her aunt was waiting in the hall. “Yeah, what’s up?”

“Your father and I wanted to talk with you while Noah was sleeping.”

“Um, okay, sure.” Curiosity had her following her aunt back out into the kitchen, where her father sat with his usual late-night cup of decaf coffee. “What’s up?”

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