Page 96 of Her Summer Hope

Despite his gruffness, his support touched her. She managed a tremulous smile.

“You gonna take them out?” she joked, blinking back tears that she knew would make him uncomfortable.

“Can if you want. Have to keep it clean though,” he mused, frowning. “They tie a motive back to you…”

“I was joking, Cal!” she said, putting a hand on her chest.

He raised an eyebrow and grunted, crossing his arms. “You get your pay?”

“Yeah, about that. I was going to call—”

“Don’t bother. Kyle already okayed it. I reckon you could consider it a Christmas bonus.

Christmas. Even the word itself tied her up in knots and reminded her of Rob.

“Thanks.”

Murdock nodded, his expression unreadable. “If you need any help, you let me know. We’ve got your back.”

As Murdock left, Madison closed the door behind him, feeling a small sense of connection to the guys at McClellan’s Hope once again.

∞∞∞

Maddy moved through the familiar motions of making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the kids. As she sliced apples to add to their lunch plates, her thoughts turned to the proposal Christian had made.

Marriage to him would provide stability and security for the children, that much was certain. Christian was nothing if not responsible—his bookshop had thrived for over twenty years.

He clearly had the means to provide for a family.

Yet the idea of marrying him made Maddy uneasy. She felt nothing when Christian looked at her with his pale blue eyes, definitely not the burning need she'd experienced with Kyle.

Christian was a friend, but hardly a lover.

Could she marry someone she didn't desire? Sleep next to him each night, allow him to touch her, all while yearning for another man?

It felt like a betrayal.

The kids' laughter broke Maddy's reverie. She finished preparing their lunch and called them to the table.

The present was what mattered right now—the chatter of little voices, the scrapes of chairs on the worn wood floor, the simple joy of eating together.

After lunch, as the late spring sun shone through the windows, Maddy tucked the little ones into their beds for naps. She stroked each sleepy head, listening to their deep breathing, knowing these quiet moments together were some of the most precious parts of her days.

Madison tidied up the kitchen as the afternoon light began to fade.

The children would wake soon, demanding snacks and playtime before dinner. But for now, the house was quiet.

She sank down onto the worn sofa, alone with her thoughts. They drifted inevitably back to the cabin, its solitude and close-knit sense of family. She missed Helen's sometimes dubious wisdom and Murdock's gruff care. But most of all, her heart ached for Kyle.

Her priority had to be providing stability for the children.

As she prepared a simple dinner, Madison resolved to start job hunting in the morning. She needed more income if she hoped to keep full custody. The thought of baby Emmie being taken from her, even part-time, made Madison's stomach knot with fear.

Late that night, as she lay in bed listening to the crickets outside, Madison's mind lingered on what could have been with Kyle if only she’d been honest from the get-go.

She had to let him go. Her little ones needed her more.

∞∞∞

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