“Oh, my goodness.” Her mother pressed her hands to her cheeks as she watched the firefighters rush around, adjusting equipment to drain the water from the building. “What happened?”

Nikki let go of her father’s hand and ran up to Hannah. She wrapped her arms around Hannah’s legs. “I was worried ’bout you.”

Hannah ran a hand over her niece’s straight brown hair. “There’s nothing to worry about.” Hannah painted a smile on her face for Nikki’s benefit. “It’s just a little water. Everything will be fine.”

“A little water?” Sam was normally the most laid-back man she knew, but even he looked concerned.

The last thing he needed was to worry about her. He had enough of his own problems. He’d lost his young wife only a few years after they’d married. It had all been so heartbreaking. But he’d made a go of tending to the farm he’d taken over from their grandparents.

And he was doing a mighty fine job raising his daughter as a single parent. If only he’d find love again, maybe those worry lines around his eyes would smooth, and he wouldn’t look so tired all the time.

But who was she to try to fix his problems when she had no idea how to fix her own? Still, she had to act like she was in control of the situation. “Everybody, stop worrying. It’s not as bad as it looks.”

“Who’s he?” Her mother’s voice interrupted Hannah’s thoughts.

When Hannah’s gaze followed the direction her mother was pointing in, it landed on the handsome stranger. It was only then she noticed how tall he was—six feet or more.

He wasn’t looking her way, and it gave her a chance to take in his chiseled jaw with some scruff on it. Not bad-looking. Not that she was interested.

Just then he turned his head. His brown gaze connected with hers. Her heart skipped a beat or two. Heat swirled in her chest and rushed to her cheeks. She glanced away.

Her mother was still looking at her, expecting an answer.

What was his name? Had he told her? Try as she might, she couldn’t recall. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess.

When her mother’s question garnered the man’s attention and he stepped forward, Hannah felt pressured to say something. “Mom, this is the man who helped me by shutting off the water before the fire department showed up. Without him this all would be so much worse.”

The man extended his hand. “The name’s Ethan Walker. It’s nice to meet you.”

Her mother studied his face as she shook his hand. And then her gaze lowered to Peaches. Her face lit up. “You’re Birdie’s nephew, aren’t you?”

He smiled, showing off the dimples in his cheeks. “Yes, ma’am. That’s me.”

“How’s she doing?”

“Really good considering.”

“Give her my best and if there’s anything I can do, let me know.”

And then Hannah watched as he introduced himself to her brother. The men chatted for a couple of minutes about the bakery. It was like she was introducing her boyfriend to her family for the first time. As soon as the thought came to her, she quickly dismissed it. She didn’t even know this man, nor did she have time to get to know him. She had more than she could handle at the moment.