Page 19 of Once Upon a Summer Night

“You’ve got this,” he said, and pressed a kiss to her crown.

She held on to him longer than necessary, wishing there was a way to absorb his confidence and optimism. Goodness knew, she needed extra of both right now. “Thanks.”

“Anytime. Oh, can you take these in with you?” He handed over the bag of pies. “Probably ought to throw them in the fridge until we’re ready to dig in.”

“Look at you, being all responsible,” she teased.

“A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do. And right now, that includes taking care of dessert.”

Hannah headed for the back door. Yeah, she’d missed the big oaf, all right. She and Beth had been close, but she and Chase had always been closer. He “got” her in ways Beth never could, try as she might. And though Hannah tried to understand how Beth’s mind worked, too, she often fell short as well. Even so, she did all she could to support her dear friend until the very end.

Now she was about to reconnect with the last of her childhood roommates. The one who had harped on her relentlessly for years. The one who’d caught her sneaking off and then banished her from ever coming back. But she had, and now it was time to see how he would react to her latest act of disobedience.

Hannah stepped inside and paused in the kitchen, listening to the commotion coming from the front room. It seemed Aunt Faye was directing traffic as her sisters worked to navigate their crutches-wielding father through the foyer. Hannah grinned, imagining the comical scene as amused bickering reached her ears, along with furniture screeching across the floor and her aunt’s ceramic knickknacks clattering in response. A part of her longed to run and join them, to resume the family unit they’d all been once upon a time.

The rest of her struggled not to run away a second time.

“Delaney, move that recliner back a bit. Mia, watch the lamp!”

Del’s cursing ensued, followed by laughter. Laughter she wasn’t a part of. For them, it was nothing new for her not to be involved. But for her, this was all so different. She felt like an outsider, a stranger in her former home.

Hannah hugged her midsection. Maybe she should have taken Chase up on his offer to come inside with her. Right now, he’d be holding her hand and whispering that everything was going to be okay. No one had ever been as gentle with her as he was, or as patient. Then again, no one else had ever mud wrestled with her before, either, she remembered with a grin. Or thrown her into the old pond when she’d teased him too much for falling off his motorbike.

She pictured him trying to toss her into the pond now, the grown-up Chase who was no longer thin and lanky like when they were growing up. She glanced out the window over the sink and watched as a breeze lifted his sandy, surfer-cut hair back from his tanned face. He’d definitely grown into quite the looker. Hannah found herself feeling jealous of whoever was at his place waiting for him to come home tonight.

Because surely there was someone; the Chase she’d grown up with had always wanted a family of his own.

Del’s voice broke through Hannah’s thoughts. “Let me go get you a glass of water, Pops.”

“Oh, and Chase brought over pie earlier,” Aunt Faye said. “Let me get you a slice.”

“We should all have a slice, to celebrate,” added Mia. “I’ll help you two in the kitchen.”

They scurried down the hall toward Hannah, eyes lit with mischief.

“He’s all settled in and ready, so we can give you two some time to catch up,” Aunt Faye whispered.

Hannah looked to the hall and cringed. “But what if he doesn’t want to catch up? What if he takes one look at me and—”

“He won’t.” Her aunt put an arm around her shoulders. “Trust me, he missed you dearly.”

The contact from her ever-steady aunt soothed Hannah’s frayed nerves. Yes, running away again sounded like a better idea, but she resisted for Noah’s sake. Besides, it was time to show her old man she’d survived.

No, not just survived. She’d thrived.That’swhat she wanted to show him.

On a nod, she started forward, the others silently cheering her on. The old farmhouse’s wooden floors creaked beneath her in all the places she remembered they would. On the walls were the same pictures, in the air the same subtle scent of potpourri. Nothing had changed, and yet everything had.

She paused outside the front room, just out of view to draw in one last deep breath to steady herself. Then another.Oh heck, make that three.What was the hurry?

The floor creaked behind her. Hannah turned to find Mia coming to shoo her into the room.

“What kind of pie is it, Mimi?”

Hannah froze upon hearing her father’s voice for the first time in nearly a decade. Okay, maybe she didn’t want to show him anything today.Maybe tomorrow would be better. Or the year after next—

“It’s a surprise,” Mia called, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Now close your eyes.”

He chuckled softly. “Okay, they’re closed. But don’t keep me waiting, you know how bad the food was in Warsaw.”

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