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  The two little boys seemed to think about that for a moment before returning their attention to their food.

  Across the table Ethan picked up his wine. Over the rim of the glass he studied the woman who was laughing and chatting so easily with his sons. Her good humor was contagious.

  He decided to relax and simply enjoy the moment. There’d been too few of them in recent memory.

  Chapter 5

  “More wine?” Ethan reached toward the bottle in the ice bucket.

  Hannah shook her head. “No, thanks. I’ve had enough.”

  She eyed the frozen confection-on-a-stick being enjoyed by Danny and T.J. “But I’ll have one of those if you have more.”

  Ethan arched a brow even while his mouth curved into a grin. “What flavor?”

  She considered a moment before saying, “Cherry if you have it. Otherwise I’ll take anything.”

  “I’ll see what’s left.” He went inside and returned minutes later with two cherry Popsicles. When he saw her look of surprise he shrugged. “I didn’t want to be the only holdout.” He motioned toward the steps. “Let’s walk around the yard and see what you and your crew accomplished today.”

  With the boys skipping along ahead of them, Hannah and Ethan trailed more slowly.

  She pointed to a shady area. “I know I didn’t pencil anything in for this spot, but I think in time you should consider building a playscape there.”

  “Why?” He liked the sound of her voice. It was, he decided, a happy, friendly voice. Even on the phone, without ever seeing her face, he would know he was talking to someone with a boundless enthusiasm for life.

  “That area gets no sunlight. I could plant ground cover, but the smarter thing to do would be to cover the ground with mulch to soften any falls and build some activities for the boys. For now, while they’re little, some swings and a slide. As they get older, maybe a climbing wall or tower.”

  “Why didn’t you draw that into the plans?”

  “Honestly?” She glanced over with a sly grin. “I didn’t want to overwhelm you with too many projects. Not to mention the added expense.”

  She could see that he was considering the idea so she decided to push ahead. “Another reason for the playscape is to deter Danny and T.J. from wandering too close to the water.”

  He nodded. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

  She polished off the last of her flavored ice and licked at a drop of cherry juice that trickled down her chin. At once she became aware of the fact that Ethan was staring at her in that quiet, intense way she’d noticed.

  Because she needed to fill the silence, she asked, “Can they swim?”

  Ethan shook his head, momentarily distracted. “Don’t you think they’re a bit young for that?”

  “When you live this close to the water, there’s no such thing as too young to swim. You should realize that there’s just something about water that attracts kids. They need to know how to save their own lives if they should ever find themselves in over their heads.”

  “Yeah. I’d forgotten that. I grew up on the water, and the temptation to jump in over my head got me in more than a few scrapes.” He gave her an admiring look. “I’m glad we had this talk. I think I’d better phone the YMCA tomorrow and ask about lessons.”

  Hannah nodded as the boys came racing toward them. “That’s what I’d do.” As an afterthought she added, “Years ago, when I was in high school, I taught a swimming class at the Y. They have some really good instructors.”

  “You’re a good swimmer?”

  She shrugged. “Not bad. Growing up in Devil’s Cove, we were all water babies. Devil’s Cove High School has an awesome swim team.”

  “Can we go swimming, Daddy?”

  At Danny’s excited question, Ethan nodded. “One day soon. What do you think about taking swimming lessons?”

  “Oh, boy.” The minute Danny began to dance around, his little brother got caught up in the excitement and did the same.

  Ethan winked. “That was easy.” He paused beside a wild growth of iris and tall grass that more nearly resembled a jungle than a garden. “This wasn’t in your plan, either. What do you propose we do with this?”

  “I thought you might want to save it. I see it as the perfect spot for a rock garden, after we get the rest of the yard in shape. The rocks are already there. They’ve just been buried beneath all those old plants. Look at them.” Her tone became almost reverent. “Coneflower. Heliopsis. Sage. Autumn Joy. As for this mass of iris plants, I’ll dig them up and separate the rhizomes so they can grow new stalks. I think it’s nice to have some older gardens to soften the look of a new yard. With a little work, this could be really he.”

  Danny, who had crouched down to peer through the jungle, looked up at Hannah with wide eyes. “Do you know the names of all of these?”

  “Just about all.”

  “Are you a plant doctor, too?”

  She laughed. “I guess I am. I haven’t yet met a sick old plant that I can’t turn into a thing of beauty.”

  “Is that ’cause you love them?”

  She knelt down beside him and reached toward a giant bearded iris bent nearly double from the weight of the blossom. “How could I help but love something this beautiful?”

  He studied the golden bloom with a slightly darker honey-colored center, before his smile widened. “It’s almost the same color as your eyes.”

  “Is it?” She looked at the flower, then back at him. “Maybe that’s why I like it so much. Did you know that when I was just your age, I was already working in the gardens with Poppie.”

  “Who’s Poppie?” the little boy asked.

  Hannah settled down on a low stone wall that was badly in need of repair. “Poppie is my grandfather. We call my grandmother Bert, because her real name is Alberta. My family lived with my grandparents in their big house just down the way. You can see the roof from here.” She pointed, and both Danny and T.J. turned to follow her direction, where the last rays of sunlight glanced off the highest peaks shingled in dull gray.

  “Did you ever play here?”

  At Danny’s question she nodded. “When I was little, this was a cherry orchard. My sisters and I used to slip over here when the cherries were ripe and eat all we could pick. Then we’d go home and complain about the way our tummies ached, and Poppie would say, ‘You’ve been sneaking into Mr. Wardlow’s orchard again.’”

  “Was he mad at you?”

  “Not really. Poppie understood the lure of ripe cherries. I wouldn’t be surprised if he helped himself to a few in his day.”

  “Did he take you to the doctor?”

  Hannah shook her head. “My father was the town doctor. His clinic was in the back of the house.”

  Danny looked at her in horror. “Did you have to get lots of shots?”

  “No more than you, I bet. But it was really nice to know that we never had to make an appointment to see the doctor. We could see him any time we wanted.”

  “Was your Poppie a doctor, too?”

  “He was a judge. He’s retired now and still working in his gardens. But he believes his true calling is as an inventor.”

  Danny and T.J. settled themselves on either side of her. Though T.J. still allowed his older brother to do all the talking, he was quickly losing his fear of this stranger as he moved close enough to breathe in the soft summer fragrance that seemed to cling to her.

  “What’s an in?” Danny asked.

  “Someone who makes something really useful that we never even knew we needed.” She laughed. “Poppie has made garden tools which, unfortunately, never seem to work as well as he’d hoped. And kitchen utensils, which only add to the chores of our already overworked housekeeper. Her name is Trudy Carpenter, and she’s been around since I was your age.” She tapped an index finger on T.J.’s nose, which caused the little boy to giggle.

  “Can we meet Poppie and Bert and Trudy someday?” Danny asked.

  Hannah nodded. “I know they’d love t
o meet both of you. It’s been a long time since they had little people around to play with. Bert was a wonderful teacher. And Trudy adores children. She bakes the best cookies in the world, which is why Poppie is constantly adding inches to his waistline. I think he’d be willing to share some with you, though. He’s very generous with people he likes.”

  “Do you think he’d like us?”

  “He’d love you.”

  Pleased, Danny caught her hand. “Come on, Hannah. Show us the rest of the work you did today.”

  With Danny holding one hand and T.J. imitating him by catching her other hand, the boys led her away, with Ethan trailing behind.

  They paused when they reached the area where the crew had been working all day.

  “I wanted to start with the retaining wall.” Hannah pointed. “That way, you wouldn’t have to look at the pile of boulders for more than a week or so.”

  “Your crew does good work.” Ethan watched as Danny and T.J. left her to climb to the top of the tallest boulder, where they did their best to balance before toppling into the dirt.

  Hannah nodded. “They’re a good group. The younger ones are on the high school football team, and they consider this a good way to stay in shape for the season. Plus, they get to work on their tans so they can impress the girls.”

  Ethan chuckled. “Another bonus is that they get to work alongside a real babe all day long.”

  “A babe?” Because he’d caught her by surprise, she found herself blushing before she managed to turn it into a joke. “Yeah. Right. More like their pain-in-the-neck slave driver. After a day of sweating and rolling in the dirt, there’s no way they’d ever see me as an object of lust.”

  He tipped up her chin. “If you believe that, lady, you’re wearing blinders.”

  Though he’d intended it to be humorous, the minute he touched her, everything changed. He felt a quick flash of need so sharp, so strong, he had to bank the urge to crush her against him and kiss her senseless. Because he hadn’t felt this way in such a long time, he was startled by the intensity of his feelings.

  Catching the light of surprise in her eyes, he gave her a smoldering look. “You, Hannah Brennan, are the sexiest slave driver I’ve ever met.” Like his son, he leaned close and breathed her in before stepping back and lowering his hand to his side.

  She waited a moment for her heart to settle, wondering the ground beneath had actually tilted. Or had she just imagined it?

  Because she was flustered by the feelings that rippled through her, she was actually grateful when Danny and T.J. came rushing up to cause a distraction.

  “Is that old tree dead?” Danny pointed to a gnarled oak with a trunk so big, it would have taken half a dozen arms to span it. The roots had grown through the soil and snaked along the ground like giant, twisted ropes.

  “Not at all.” She walked closer, eager to put some distance between herself and the man who was making her so uncomfortable. “It just takes a while for older trees to get their leaves.” She studied the sturdy branches that soared several stories into the air. “To me, a tree like this is something magical and wonderful.”

  “Magic?” Danny’s interest was immediately piqued.

  “Maybe not real magic. But think how old it must be. I bet it was alive before my Poppie was born. Think of all the wonderful things it has seen in its day.” She studied the old tree. “I think this would make a grand tree house when you two get a little bigger.”

  “A tree house? Oh boy, Daddy. Can we have one?”

  At Danny’s shriek of excitement, T.J. ran to his father and tugged on his hand.

  Ethan looked down at his little boy and laughed. “I think Hannah is putting way too many ideas in your heads tonight. Swimming lessons. Playscapes. And now a tree house. In a magical tree, at that.”

  “Can we, Daddy?”

  “We’ll see.”

  “That’s the classic line of every parent.” Hannah knelt down and said in a stage whisper to Danny and T.J., “‘We’ll see’ can mean anything from ‘not on your life’ to ‘here’s hoping if I delay long enough, they’ll forget all about it.’”

  “Guilty,” Ethan laughed. “I hope this doesn’t mean you’re going to reveal all my secrets to these two.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of it.” Hannah got to her feet and pointed to the tractor. “I don’t have the key with me, but if you’d like, you can still climb aboard and pretend to drive it.”

  That was all the encouragement the little boys needed. With shouting and laughter filling the air, they pulled themselves up to the seat of the tractor and wrapped chubby hands around the wheel, making engine sounds as they did.

  Danny stood up and waved. “Daddy. Hannah. Come on. We’ll take you for a ride.”

  Hannah and Ethan climbed up to the seat and settled the boys on their laps.

  Hannah brushed a wisp of blond hair from T.J.’s cheek. “I was just about your age the first time Poppie let me sit on his lap and drive the lawn tractor. That was all it took to get me hooked. While my sisters were playing with dolls, or reading books in the hammock, all I wanted to do was work with Poppie.”

  “Was it hard?” Danny asked.

  “It probably was, but I never. When you’re doing what you love and spending all your time with someone you adore, how can it feel like work? I thought Poppie was the smartest man in the world. He knew the names of all the flowers. Even the wildflowers that grew in the woods. He would take me for walks and point out the plants that were safe to eat, and the ones that would make me sick. I can’t tell you the number of times he picked a mint and urged me to chew the leaves, or to taste the sweet nectar of a clover. I’m sure my friends thought it was strange that I wanted to spend so much time with an old man, working all summer hoeing vegetables and hauling water in sprinkling cans that weighed almost as much as I did. But I wouldn’t trade a single minute of it.”

  She pointed to the orange ball of sunlight that seemed to be sinking beneath the distant shore. “Look. Poppie used to say there wasn’t a prettier sight in all the world than the sun setting over Lake Michigan.”

  T.J. yawned and rubbed his little fists over his eyes.

  Seeing it, Hannah turned to Ethan. “I think all this fresh air has someone ready for bed.”

  Danny sat up straighter on his father’s lap. “I’m not tired, Daddy. Do I have to go to bed, too?”

  With a laugh, Hannah reached over to tousle his hair. “I wasn’t talking about you. I’m the one who needs to get to bed.”

  Danny caught her hand. “Will you come upstairs first and tell us another story about Poppie?”

  Ethan gave a shake of his head. “Another time, Danny. Right now I need to get your little brother into the tub and off to bed before he falls asleep right here. As for Hannah, she’s put in a long day. She needs her sleep, too, if you want her to show up for work again tomorrow.”

  “Will you be here tomorrow, Hannah?”

  She was touched by Danny’s eagerness. “I certainly will.”

  She waited until Ethan climbed down from the tractor before handing T.J. over to him. The little boy wrapped his arms around Ethan’s neck and pressed his face against his father’s shoulder.

  Hannah felt a quick, hard tug at her heart before turning toward her car. When she settled herself inside, Ethan stood with his younger son in his arms and his four-year-old clinging to his hand.

  She gave them all a warm smile. “Thank you for dinner. I had a really great time.”

  Ethan returned her smile. “So did I, Hannah. And I know my boys did, too. Good night.”

  As she turned the key in the ignition, she couldn’t resist calling to Danny and T.J. “If you’re awake in time tomorrow, we’ll start the day with a real tractor ride.”

  Danny gave an excited shout while his little brother merely closed his eyes and yawned.

  With a wave of her hand, Hannah put the car in gear and drove away.

  Ethan started toward the house.

  Beside him, D
anny was chattering happily. “That was fun, Daddy. I wish we had a Poppie like Hannah. It would be fun to have a grandpa who knew everything.”

  “Yes, it would.” He climbed the steps and waited until his son was inside before heading toward the upstairs. “I think we’ll have to do really quick baths tonight before heading off to bed. What do you say?”

  “Yeah.” Danny stifled a yawn. “I want to get to sleep as fast as I can, so I can be up in time to drive the tractor in the morning.”

  All the while that Ethan helped his sons get ready for bed, he marveled at their good humor. Without a word of protest, they climbed into their beds and snuggled under their blankets. By the time he’d kissed them good-night and stepped from the room, their breathing was slow and easy, signaling that they were already on their way to dreamland.

  In his own room he paused at the window to stare down at the moonlight glistening on the water. Strange, he thought, that one person filled with a zest for life had brought them more simple joy in one evening than they’d enjoyed in years.

  It hadn’t hurt that she was so easy to look at. But beauty, even as rare as Hannah’s, wasn’t enough. He knew plenty of beautiful women who would have been completely bored with an evening spent in the company of two little boys. Hannah Brennan had not only seemed delighted by them, but had used her considerable charm to put them at ease.

  His sons weren’t the only ones eager for morning to come. There was no denying the fact that he couldn’t wait to see her again.

  Chapter 6

  “Daddy.” Little Danny had his nose pressed to the glass, watching as Hannah’s truck rolled to a stop in the driveway. “Hannah’s here. Hannah’s here.”

  Ethan turned away from the stove and strolled to the window to stand beside his two sons. He understood their eagerness. He was feeling like a kid himself this morning. His first thought had been that Hannah would soon be here, bringing her own particular brand of sunshine.

  When she stepped from the truck and started across the yard, he felt his heart do a crazy dance in his chest. She had a loose-limbed way of walking. Like a dancer, but instead of a leotard, she was dressed in snug-fitting jeans and a T-shirt that read For This I Went to College? Little wisps of hair had already slipped from beneath her bright-yellow baseball cap.