“Wait for your father,” she advised her, heading toward the cabin. “He needs to put our things down and then I’m sure he’d love to go fishing with you.”

“I’ll go find the skinning cabin, then—”

“No,” Becca said, using her firmest mom voice. “Stay where your father or I can see you. Stick to the trail. Remember your uncle Jack said he saw a bear out here a few months ago.”

“Okay,” Libby said, and then skipped back down the trail again, Alaska eagerly bounding behind.

She just shook her head at the girl. Libby was all skinny legs and blond curls now, and her love of pink and princessy things had turned right back around to fishing and horses and tomboy things. Hank was delighted, and Becca missed being able to give Libby “princess” hair, but that was all right. Her daughter was happy and she had her hands full with Henry most of the time anyhow. Libby’s grades in school were excellent, though, and she loved reading. Just last night at the hotel, Libby had insisted on reading a Marguerite Henry book to the baby for his bedtime story. He was far too young to appreciate the stories about ponies, but he’d sucked his thumb and listened to his sister as she turned pages, and Becca’s heart had felt so, so full.

Was it possible to be this happy? And tired? She chuckled to herself. Because she was both.

Her family was growing, and Hank was still working at the Swinging C, which meant he put in long days. Her own business was as steady as could be, as Painted Barrel had grown over the last year or two and more people seemed to drift through town for haircuts thanks to good word of mouth. She’d hired one of the local girls who’d just gotten out of beauty school, and while Henry was little, she was working half days and on the weekends. She used a few local babysitters, and Hannah at the hotel was always thrilled to watch Henry, but sometimes she was just tired from constantly being on the go.

That was why this family vacation was so worth it. They’d spend a few weeks in Alaska at the cabin, roughing it and connecting with nature, and then school would start for Libby. Once school started, there was cheerleading, soccer, PTA meetings, and an endless stream of “mom” duties in addition to her regular schedule, but she wouldn’t change a bit of it.

She loved being a busy mom and having a busy schedule.

Hank appeared as she meandered down the path, his brows furrowed as he approached. “Is he getting too heavy for you, baby?” He’d gotten rid of the bags he’d been laden down with and came to her side to take Henry from her.