Chirp(32)

Hanna shoved her hands into the pockets of her thrift-store cotton dress and took off to the woods. No doubt Seth could provide more for Noah than she could. And once he got used to that, would he think life with his dad was better?

Sunlight filtered through the trees like laser beams, and a pair of bluebirds skittered among the limbs of an elm. This is where Noah belonged, conquering pretend monsters, fighting evil, and saving the planet. Galloping his imaginary steed on a make-believe trail ride. Soaring through clouds into fantasy lands where finding earthworms and frogs made him laugh as much as watching cartoons.

She’d never share her son with a sorority girl more interested in getting her nails done than paying attention to him. She stopped in her tracks to gaze up at the tree house. Guilt weighed on her chest like a stone. She’d lost her virginity here. Conceived Noah here. If Seth had only loved her, things would have been different.

Regret strangled her. She hated that she’d loved him, and even more that she still did. She cleared her throat.

Noah’s sweet face appeared in the window. “Hey, Momma. Whatchoo doing?”

“It’s time for supper.”

“Come up here. I gots sumpin’ to show you.”

She couldn’t count the hours she’d spent inside those walls. For weeks after Seth left, she’d returned here and dreamed of the day he’d call, or text, or write. When three months passed, she realized she’d meant nothing more than a summer fling. A score. As she’d lain awake at night, she’d thought about how he was probably boasting to all his friends how he’d taken a simple country girl’s innocence and how eager she’d been to let him.

One time. The first time. The only time they’d had sex without protection. After that she’d made him use a condom every time, but it was already too late.

“No, baby. I don’t want to come up.”

“Please, Momma.”

She took in some air and started her climb. When she reached the top rung, she leaned in and focused on the chalkboard mounted on the wall. “That’s great, Noah. You’re a good artist.”

He pointed to each item as he spoke. “This is a pine tree. This is honeysuckle. I had to use my ’magination cause it’s not blooming yet. Blaze says to draw good you have to ’member how stuff looks cause sometimes you can’t see it.”

Hanna smiled. For a first grader, he had real talent. Didn’t know where he got it. Her specialty was stick figures. “It’s beautiful. Let me take a picture to show Me-mom and Pe-paw. She aimed her phone and clicked.

Suddenly it all became clear. She couldn’t risk Seth finding out about his son. Not now. Not until she figured out what kind of stepmother he’d have. She punched in a number on her phone, and her grandmother answered on the second ring. “Hi, Gramma . . . I know. It’s been a while. That’s why I’m calling. I thought Noah and I might come for a visit . . . When? I’m not sure yet, but soon.”





Blaze


As Blaze made her way home, she stopped to let Muttly sniff a bush. Each time she brought him to the woods, it was like an adventure. He scampered into the underbrush, licked and smelled any leafy thing he could find, and hiked his leg on every trunk.

She wondered if Rance considered the dog hers. She already loved the pet and hated to think of leaving him behind. She gave the leash a gentle tug to get the pooch back on track. He sat and scratched his ear, then took off in a trot. Probably should check him for fleas. Filing that idea away, she went back to her thoughts.

Because of Hanna’s disapproving expression, Blaze wished she hadn’t mentioned wanting to kiss Rance. But she’d thought about him all the time since the night he’d held her hand during the storm. His lips. His chest. His hands. It was silly, but she couldn’t help herself.

Not that he’d ever be interested in kissing her, because he wouldn’t. The women he liked were older, prettier, curvier, and wilder. The most she could hope for was friendship.

But the tone of Hanna’s warning said a lot. She had history with the Keller men. One of them had to be Noah’s dad, but which one?

Mr. Keller sounded like a man who wasn’t satisfied with one woman. Surely he wasn’t the one. No, couldn’t be. Hanna wouldn’t be attracted to a man his age. Unless he’d forced her. That couldn’t be right either. She would have reported that. It had to be Seth or Nick. Seth. When she’d mentioned his engagement, Hanna’s face had flushed.

As Blaze reached the house, she caught sight of Rance, shirt off, hammer in hand, nailing a board into place. Sunlight bathed his slick skin as muscles flexed and glistened. Her heart thundered. She didn’t just want to kiss him, she wanted to touch him and have him return the favor.





15


Rance


The tree house had been a surprise. Figured it would have been in shambles by now, but someone had kept it up all this time. A few floorboards had been replaced, and the ladder looked new. Rance guessed kids who lived nearby played there. Fine by him as long as they didn’t damage his property. His property. The words sounded strange. Most of the time he still considered it as belonging to Gran. Probably always would.

The last worker drove away, and Rance took a quick shower. Tomorrow he’d be the kid’s plus one. It made him sad she’d missed so much. High school held some of his best memories. Hanging out with friends on a Saturday night. Sitting in the last row at the theater. Making out in the backseat of a car.