It’d be major if Kit and Aric stayed at the Hermitage, and then Regan could have a little brother.

Papá and the uncles made a team. She and Aric could be their own team and protect each other like Papá and his brothers.

Realizing the tiny noises from Hawk walking had stopped, Regan froze for a second.

Nothing.

Silently, she moved forward, checking each place her foot would land and avoiding branches that might rustle.

When the fog swirled, she spotted Aric’s light hair to her left.

And in front, there was Hawk.

Foot raised, she stilled.

What was he doing? Leaning against a tree, he was staring at…

Bunnies!

Uncle Gabe said the rabbits here were called snowshoe hares, and they turned brown in the summer.

Another one hopped out, and Regan almost squealed. Three little gray-brown bunnies. So cute!

After a minute, she blinked. Oh, oops. Bad Regan. Uncle Gabe would be frowning and ordering, “Focus.”

She totally hadn’t.

And Aric? He’d probably lose it worse than her and run toward the bunnies.

No, he was crouched and waiting. He sure acted older than a preschooler. Papá said it was because the pissers had been mean to him. She wanted to kick them all.

Focus, stupidhead. Hawk wasn’t moving. This is our chance.

Aric turned his head to look at her.

She was team leader, so she pointed to him and made a curving motion. Go around Hawk. Aric was even quieter than she was, so he’d be better at sneaking around Hawk

Then she pointed to him again and pretended to snap a stick in half. He knew that signal cuz Papá showed them how to make little noises for diversions—even if Aric couldn’t say the word.

He signaled okay and headed off.

Taking her time, she crept closer to Hawk.

A stick cracked across the clearing.

Hawk looked that way.

Regan dashed across the small space, slapped his leg, and dove to the ground. Win!

Sitting up, she blinked as she heard a really rare sound.

Uncle Hawk was laughing.

Monday evening, as Kit got out of her car in Soldotna, she realized she’d been thinking about Hawk most of the day.

Last night, she’d cried all over the guy. He’d simply held her without talking, making a soothing, growly sound.

After she’d stopped bawling like a baby, she’d rested her head on him and listened to his heart beating, felt how his chest rose and fell. His iron-hard arms were gentle, but…unyielding. He hadn’t released her; her crying hadn’t upset him.

Being near him was like being enclosed in a bubble of peace. She hadn’t felt so sheltered since…

She frowned. There’d been no safety with her aunt or, really, any of the guys she’d been with. Maybe not since her parents died.