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Why does my pulse quicken when he calls me “ma’am?”

My siblings all go quiet, and I can practically feel their eyes on Noble and me. My brain scrambles to come up with something—anything—to say so they don’t embarrass me.

But Rowe pipes up with, “Maybe I should think about upgrading my farm stand. I could take a trailer into town, park it, and sell at the farmers’ market. I’ve been selling out every weekend.”

When the conversation turns into brainstorming ways to sell this new idea to our parents, I catch Rowena’s gaze and send her a silent “thank you.”

She winks back a silent “I got you,” and I settle back and take it in.

So maybe I don’t have hobbies. Maybe I’m not the best at relaxing. But nights like this, sitting around a campfire, bringing my siblings in on my big dreams, listening as they share theirs . . . this is what fills me up.

As the fire fades and we start to pack up for the night, Noble says, “Anyone up for a hike tomorrow? Two Mirror Lake? We could go early?”

“How early?” West says.

Noble looks at me. “After kayaking?”

“Uh, sure,” I say. “Meet at seven?” I look at my brothers, all of whom seem to be watching me and Noble for the second time tonight.

Boone straightens, hands on his hips, then points from Noble to me and back again. “You two are sleeping in separate bedrooms, right?”

“Oh my gosh! Boone!” The words burst out, and I feel like an embarrassed teenager all over again.

“I’m just saying, I’m catching a vibe,” Boone says.

“Yep, I am too,” West says. “Same question.”

“There is no vibe,” I say, a little louder than I mean to.

“It’s really none of your business,” Rowe says. “Hattie and Noble are both adults.”

“Thank you, Rowena,” I say with a pointed look at West and Boone.

“Now you’ve got Baby Rowe lying for you? Hattie, that’s low.” Boone crosses his arms as if he’s a teacher scolding a kindergartner . . . and Hudson and West step up and stand next to him, striking the exact same pose.

“Call me that one more time, I swear,” Rowena says.

“Adopted from the monkey house. All of you.” I roll my eyes and try to regain some semblance of normalcy. “Are we hiking tomorrow or what?”

West and Hudson both straighten as Boone says, “Hattie, you go on back to the lodge. We’re gonna talk to Noble.”

“Nope,” I say. “No. You aren’t. No more stupid pacts. No more ridiculous promises. Noble and I are friends, and none of you gets a say in that.” I glare at them. “So y’all can go now.”

None of them move until finally, Rowe starts pushing them toward the four-wheelers.

As they walk away, they settle hiking plans, but I’m barely listening because I’m too flustered.

The crush is back, and I’m obviously doing a bad job of hiding it. And my brothers are not going to keep their noses out of it.

Once everyone’s gone, I help Noble clean up the site and store the chairs back inside the trailer.

“I’m sorry about my brothers,” I say.

His laugh is soft, more to himself. “You kidding? I live for this stuff.”

“They might not live for much longer, if they keep it up,” I grouse.

“It’s fine. They’re just watching out for you.”