Page 61 of Her Summer Hope

Jace.

“It gets to the best of us,” Kyle joked. “What are you doing?”

“Debating on whether or not I want to go outside.”

“Murdock’s out on the deck. He’d probably jump at the chance to show you the trails.”

Jace raised his eyebrows. “At night?”

“Murdock practically lives in the woods. He needs it. You should go for a while. It’ll help you sleep maybe,” Kyle suggested.

“Maybe,” Jace said, taking out a pack of cigarettes and going downstairs.

Kyle watched as he reappeared a moment later outside. He lit up and sat in a chair with his back to the wall. He kept the ember of his cigarette hidden in his hand as he smoked.

Eventually, Murdock turned, his mouth moving. When Jace nodded, Kyle retreated to his own room, feeling optimistic about both Jace and Aiden.

He was also anticipating seeing Madison again tomorrow, and he found that waiting for it was almost like trying to wait for Christmas to show up when he was a kid.

Chapter Fifteen

Madison

Madison rustled the papers and stuck them back into her purse.

Tomorrow, she was going to have to consult a lawyer. Helen had given her the name of one that would give her a free consultation. She didn’t have any idea how much it would cost after that, but she didn’t feel comfortable filing court papers by herself.

She had absolutely no idea what any of it meant, and the Lanes had a huge advantage over her in that regard. They had money at their disposal and they had lawyer friends at the country club.

She wouldn’t even be surprised if they knew a judge or two.

She tried to push away the feeling of doom that lingered over her head while she got the kids ready to go to Helen’s. At least she was making more money now. Even if she wouldn’t be able to buy a car right away, Helen would happily let her use hers. She had already saved up a good amount to put toward the taxes on the property too.

She would get through this.

“Aww, why can’t we go?! I want to eat snakes too,” Jackson complained as she shoved him into a polo shirt.

“Me too. I bet I could eat more than you could,” James said, giggling maniacally. “I’d eat all the poisonous ones.”

“Uh-uh. I’m older and bigger. You could probably only eat half of one, and besides…you’d probably get captured by the bad guys right away.”

She grimaced and immediately regretted telling the kids about her talk with the guys. They had been fascinated by the soldiers and wanted to know everything.

“Boys, chill out. There won’t be any snake eating today. I’m just going over there to work like I always do,” she explained, wrestling Jack’s hair into submission while Ellie tied James’s shoelaces.

“Yeah, but you’re taking the baby. She can’t even chew food and she won’t be able to talk to the soldiers. What are they going to do with her?” Jack asked indignantly. “She just lays there and poops.”

“Does not!” James shouted, defending his baby sister’s honor. “She smiles sometimes and she holds my hand. She plays with toys, too. I bet they’ll like her, right, Mommy?”

“I hope so, Jamie-bear,” she said, secretly loving the fact that he actually talked to her without a scowl on his face.

He grinned and stuck his tongue out at his brother. “See.”

Jackson rolled his eyes and stood with his hands on his hips. “Children.” He clicked his tongue in mock exasperation and pulled the diaper bag strap over his shoulder.

The thing weighed almost as much as he did, but he carried it manfully while James stood near Em’s car seat.

She pushed down the nervous jitters that made her want to call Kyle and back out. She couldn’t leave them in the lurch, but the thought of taking Emmie over there was freaking her out.

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