The morning air was cool but not cold, the mountains pale gold in the early light. Grace immediately calmed, her attention caught by something in the distance. A bird, maybe.
Naomi watched her and tried not to think about Micah.
She failed.
Something had shifted between them last night. She wasn’t sure when exactly—sometime between Gio leaving and Micah walking out the door.
Earlier in the day, he’d been warming up to her, letting down his walls. The kiss they’d shared had been incredible, one she’d never forget.
Then something had closed behind his eyes. His last words had been so clipped and careful that she’d felt the distance like a sudden drop in temperature.
That’s what I do.
She’d replayed the conversation three times since waking up, and his words still landed the same way. They’d been flat and professional, like he was recalibrating back to a role that felt safer than whatever had been happening before.
She understood his distance, but she didn’t have to like it.
She had other things to think about. Real, concrete, pressing things that had nothing to do with Micah Sutherland and his carefully maintained walls.
Their new resident was arriving in two days. A woman named Paula, referred through a contact in Roanoke. She was a single mother with two young kids and a beagle. Naomi’s mom had already prepared the room on the second floor.
But there were still practical things to sort out—supplies, schedule adjustments, making sure the kids would have what they needed when they arrived.
Naomi ran through the list in her head as she carried Grace back inside and got her settled in her bassinet. She was halfway through mentally reorganizing the supply closet when someone buzzed her at the gate.
She opened the app and saw . . . Deputy Knox there.
She let him through and met him outside.
Naomi saw the envelope in his hand as he walked toward her. Her stomach dropped.
“Naomi.” He looked uncomfortable, maybe even apologetic. “I’m sorry. I have to serve you with this.”
She took the envelope. “What is it?”
“There’s an emergency custody hearing. Dale Harding’s attorney filed it this morning.” He shifted his weight. “Micah doesn’t know yet. I just got the order twenty minutes ago.”
She opened it with numb fingers.
“Tomorrow?” she read aloud. “Nine a.m.?”
“Tomorrow?” she read aloud. “Nine a.m.?”
“You should call your attorney. And—” He hesitated. “You should probably tell Micah.”
Naomi stood without moving for a long moment after Knox had left.
Then she found Micah’s number and typed a quick text with shaking hands.
Served with emergency custody hearing. Tomorrow 9 a.m. Dale Harding’s attorney filed it. Paternity results aren’t even back yet. Can they do this?
His reply came faster than she expected.
They’re being aggressive. It’s procedurally premature, but you still have to show. Find a lawyer, and don’t panic.
Easy for him to say.
Then she hurried back inside to pick up Grace.
