Page 16 of Enduring Magic

She giggled, and the sound was echoed by Olivia, who watched them with rapt attention.

“Squir-bits!” Ollie shouted, banging on her tray. “Squir-bits! Squir-bits!”

“Christ, not that again,” Coop muttered as he rubbed the spot between his brows. In an instant, his head shot up, and he stared at Summer in horror. “You don’t think that’s it, do you? Did he get that rabbit pregnant?”

“Coop, listen to yourself.” She couldn’t prevent another laugh. “Squirrels and rabbits can’t breed.”

“Tellhimthat!”

“I have!” She bit the inside of her cheek to contain her amusement. When she was able to talk again with a straight face, she said, “He told me he could love her from afar.”

“Ohdeargawd!”

“Give him another month, and he’ll have fallen for someone else.”

“Or something,” Coop muttered in disgust. He hugged her from behind and kissed her neck. “So you don’t think something’s up with him?”

“Probably nothing serious.”

“Fine. But if shit hits the fan, it’s on you.”

“Deal. Now go pry the potatoes from your little princess’s fingers. She’s getting ready to decorate the wall.”

Quick to react, Coop swept Olivia up in his arms and peppered her face with kisses, much to their daughter’s squealed delight. Love filled Summer’s heart to overflowing as she watched father and child play. Placing her hand on her abdomen, she sighed her contentment. Soon, he’d have another one to spoil. Who knew the tough-as-nails, retired sheriff of Leiper’s Fork would be such an adoring dad?

“I love you,” Summer blurted out.

Surprise lit his face as he turned from blowing raspberries on Olivia’s exposed belly, and when his gaze locked with Summer’s, his expression softened. “I love you, too, sweetheart.”

“And I’ll keep an eye on Saul. We don’t want him to mess anything up between now and our wedding.”

“Thanks.” Coop grinned, and she felt it to her toes.

* * *

Coop had been right.

Saul was up to something.

Summer could feel the disturbance in the force. As her familiar, Saul shared an almost spiritual-like link with her, and right now, his energy was sketchy as fuck.

“What’s going on, Saul?” she asked when she’d cornered him in the large-animal barn.

“Whaddya mean?”

He was the poster child for guilty expressions everywhere.

“Saul.” Her tone warned him she wasn’t messing around and answers were required.

Still, he backpedaled. “Yeah, I don’t know why da fuck you’re singling me out. Like I’ve got anything to hide. This is a setup from that mudderfuc—”

“Saul! If you continue to call Coop names, I swear you’re going to be out on your furry butt.”

Hurt flashed in his eyes, and Summer felt it in her soul. Poor Saul was hard on the outside, but inside, he was a marshmallow, especially when it counted. Or at least he was regarding her and Olivia. He still hadn’t warmed to Coop.

Summer scooped Saul up and rubbed her cheek against the top of his fluffy head. “You know I adore you, right? But you have to make nice with Coop. I love him, and he’s not going anywhere. He’s my forever love and the father of my children.” She met his wide topaz eyes. “Please, Saul. Make nice.”

“Fine.” Though his tone was gruff and his expression surly, Saul’s loving vibe trumped them.

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