Paul’s alarm went off at seven, dragging him out of a deep sleep. He’d gotten four hours of sleep after sneaking back into the house at three. His lips were sore from kissing Hope until they were both crazy from the need for more. Later, he told himself. They’d have the time and the privacy to take the next step.

The thought of that next step had him hard and needy in a matter of seconds. “Christ,” he muttered as he ran his hands through his hair and then got up to face the first half of the day, which promised to be challenging. His mother hated leaving the house, let alone the island, and he expected her to be contentious when she realized what was happening.

He took a cold shower that woke him up and cooled what was left of his ardor. There’d be time for that later. But first they faced the monumental task of getting his mother to the hospital on the mainland.

Paul dressed in shorts and a polo shirt and then packed a bag for two nights away. From his bedside table, he withdrew the box of condoms he’d bought earlier in the week and tossed them into his duffle bag. Just in case. Ha, he thought. Who am I kidding?

After that make-out session last night, there was no just in case about it. He wanted her. She wanted him. They were going to be alone in a hotel room for at least one night and maybe two. He planned to make the most of the time they had alone together. He zipped the bag closed and brought it with him to the kitchen, where Hope was once again overseeing breakfast for Ethan and Marion.

If she ever got tired of the endless sameness of each day, she never let on, and she never showed a moment of frustration with either of her charges. She was all about patience and serenity, which was just another thing to admire about her.

Ethan was cranky this morning, fussing at Hope about the crust on his toast, the fact that she was leaving and why he couldn’t come.

Paul glanced at her, offered a smile and tipped his head toward Ethan, asking her permission to intervene.

She nodded tentatively, as if she wasn’t sure she should let him help her out. He wanted her to be able to count on him, even when it came to Ethan.

“Hey, pal,” Paul said, “Alex told me they’re going to start harvesting some of the pumpkins while we’re gone. I thought you might be able to help out after school if you’re up for that.”

Ethan’s big eyes got even bigger. “Really? Like I could actually get the pumpkins out of the pumpkin patch?”

“Yep, but only if you want to.”

“I want to! Can I, Mom?”