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She hadn’t even realized how lonely her evenings had become until they weren’t lonely anymore. Until there were spelling lists on the table and forgotten socks in the hallway and sleepy voices asking for one more story.
“I’ve enjoyed it enough that I’m actually thinking about maybe looking into becoming a foster parent after the holidays,” she added, the words tumbling out before she could lose her nerve. “Once Morgan is home and things settle down, of course. There are so many kids who need a safe place for a while.”
Her mother’s eyes grew even more tender, but something else flickered there too. A shadow of concern, maybe. Paula opened her mouth, then seemed to think better of whatever she’d been about to say and closed it again.
“That sounds like you,” Holly said softly. “You’ve always had a giant heart.”
She wasn’t so sure about that but to her relief, the conversation shifted, Asher asking Holly about her husband’s plans for the holidays.
“He’s still on track to take several days of leave over Christmas,” Hannah’s twin said, her whole face lighting up. “Lydia is so excited to be able to spend Christmas with her favorite person in the world.”
Hannah was invariably touched to hear the clear love in her sister’s voice when she talked about her new husband. She was genuinely happy for Holly and Ryan. And maybe, just a little, reminded of the fact that she went home at night to a quiet house that had never quite been filled the way she once imagined it would be.
“And speaking of birthdays, it was so lovely of you all to come for dinner for your dad’s birthday,” Paula said later, when the table had been cleared and the kids had been coaxed back upstairs to put on boots and coats. “I know your schedules are hectic.”
“Dinner was good, Grandma,” Lydia said solemnly, beaming up at her grandmother.
“I’m so glad you enjoyed it, honey.” Paula pressed a kiss to the top of her head, utterly charmed by this granddaughter who had captured all of their hearts the instant she’d arrived.
“Thank you for having us,” Riley said shyly, standing straighter, as if she craved this kind of grandparent attention.
“I do hope you’ll come visit me again,” Paula told the kids. “And you should come see my booth at the holiday market. I just might be able to find a cookie or two for you.”
Carter’s face lit up. “I love cookies. And I love your toy room. It’s really fun. You have a lot of LEGOs.”
“We do,” Paula agreed. “I had two boys who were LEGO maniacs.”
“Were?” Hannah teased, arching an eyebrow at her brothers.
“I still enjoy putting together a set occasionally. No shame in that game,” Asher said, unbothered.
“Is it okay if we play with your toys if we come here again?” Carter asked, turning wide eyes toward the two large, bearded men.
Asher’s expression softened in a way that always undid Hannah a little. Her brothers might look tough but under the gruffness, their hearts were absolute marshmallows.
“Totally fine,” Asher said. “Any toys in the toy room are fair game for everyone.”
Their exit took another ten minutes, with hugs all around. Lydia insisted on one more hug for Aunt Hannah and Paula promised her daughters she would send the recipe for the cake she had made.
Hannah finally shepherded Riley and Carter out to the car, buckling Carter in his booster seat with the practiced ease she’d acquired over their time together.
Maybe she would look into the foster care system. If nothing else, these few weeks with the children had demonstrated that she didn’t completely suck at this parenting thing—and that she had far more love to give than she ever expected.
Chapter 15
He had lived away from Shelter Springs for twelve years, and somehow Wes had forgotten how interconnected everything was in a small town.
A guy couldn’t even stop for milk without catching up on three people’s medical issues and one neighbor’s roof replacement. He couldn’t duck into the hardware store without running into someone who’d known him since he was in Little League. And apparently, he couldn’t put gas in his truck on a Friday afternoon without bumping into his ex-girlfriend’s twin sister.
A few minutes earlier, he had pulled up to a pump and experienced a split second of disorientation when he saw a slim figure in a beanie at the next island. His heart kicked, thinking it was Hannah.
A second glance corrected him. Hannah and Holly were technically identical, but he had always been able to tell them apart without much effort. Holly’s hair was a shade darker, and she wore it a few inches longer. Their eyes were slightly different too.
If the woman hadn’t worn sunglasses and had a blue knit hat pulled down over her ears, he would have known instantly.
Hannah’s twin had always been kind to him. She had also, understandably, taken her sister’s side after Wes had blown Hannah’s heart to pieces.
He considered circling around to another pump, pretending he hadn’t seen her. But his truck was already in Park and reversing out now would look cowardly.
