Before I could respond, a small voice came from the doorway.
“Mom? Why are you wearing Jake’s hat?”
We turned to find Nora standing there in her pajamas, Scout at her heels. Her hair was tousled, her expression troubled despite being home in her own bed.
“I ah… was just trying it on for size. Bad dreams?” I asked, kneeling in front of her.
She nodded, leaning into me as I wrapped my arms around her. “About the bad men. And Grandpa.”
I exchanged a glance with Jake over her head. “Want to talk about it?”
She shook her head. “Can I just stay with you guys for a little while? Please?”
“Of course,” Jake said, joining us. “How about some hot chocolate? That always helps with bad dreams.”
Her face brightened slightly. “With marshmallows?”
“Is there any other way?” he asked solemnly, which earned him a small smile.
I set his hat on the table, then guided Nora to the couch in the living room as he moved to the stove to heat milk. I pulled a throw blanket around us both, while she settled and curled against my side, her small body warm and solid, a reminder of everything I’d almost lost.
“Mom?” she asked after a moment. “Is my dad really going to live nearby?”
I smoothed her hair back from her forehead,wondering how to answer. “He says he wants to. To get to know you better.”
“Do you want him to?” she asked, her eyes searching mine with a wisdom beyond her years.
I took a deep breath. “I want what’s best for you, sweetie. And I think having your dad in your life could be a good thing, if that’s what you want.”
She considered this, her brow furrowing in that way that always reminded me of myself. “I think I do. But I don’t really know him yet.”
“That will take time,” I assured her. “There’s no rush.”
“And Jake?” she asked, glancing toward the kitchen where he was stirring chocolate into milk. “Will he still be around, too?”
My heart swelled at the hope in her voice. “Yes,” I said firmly. “Jake isn’t going anywhere.”
She nodded, seemingly satisfied with this answer. “Good. Because I like having him here.”
“Me too,” I whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
Jake returned with three mugs of hot chocolate, each topped with a mountain of mini marshmallows. He handed them out carefully before settling on Nora’s other side, completing ourlittle circle.
“Perfect hot chocolate requires proper technique,” he informed Nora seriously. “First, you have to let the marshmallows melt just a little bit, so they get all gooey on top.”
She giggled, watching her marshmallows with studious concentration. “Like this?”
“Exactly like that,” he confirmed. “You’re a natural.”
We sat together, sipping hot chocolate and talking about inconsequential things—the horses at the MacGallan estate, the kittens in Jake’s barn, and whether Scout would like to have a feline friend.
“I already know which one I want,” she murmured.
“You do?” Jake raised his brows. “Which one?”
She nodded. “The little black and white one. She has a heart on her side, and I already named her.”
I laughed. “What name did you pick?’
