Page 103 of Small Town, Big Storm

“Holly?”Storm asks once she’s gone.

I nod.“Holly.”A beat.“Park and ice cream.Kitchen Sink and UNO.And then…we tell her.”

Warm gray eyes coming to mine.“Sounds like a plan, Poppyseed.”

The walk to the Pioneer Museum takes no time at all—because this is Cedar Hollow—and then we’re standing outside the gates, watching as the kids stream out.

Watching as Holly runs across the lawn toward us.

“Hey, Mom!”She launches herself into my arms, hugs me tight enough for all the air to rush out of my lungs.“I had the best dayever!”

Before I can respond to that, she turns to Storm and says something that has it happening all over again.

“Hey, Dad!”

So much for the best laid plans.

Twenty-Seven

Storm

Poppy chokesand I’m right there with her, my wide eyes catching hers.

But beneath the shock is…

Fuck, it feelsgoodto hear Holly call me dad.

I’ve won the Cup.I’ve had twenty-thousand fans chant my name.

Butnothinghits harder than hearing her call me dad.

Never has anyone given me so precious a gift.

Holly slips out of my arms and starts skipping away.

“Um, baby?”Poppy calls.“Where’d you hear that about Storm?”

“From my friends at camp.”Skip.“They said they heard”—skip—“their moms and dads talking”—skip—“about Storm being my dad.”

Christ.

Boarding the gossip train in Cedar Hollow begins early.

Poppy and I exchange a look, and I hate that I’m as amused as she seems to be.

It’s not surprising that the kids know, considering how much the town is talking about us.I just…the flavor feels different now than when I was a kid.

Then it was…shameful, accusatory, judgmental.

Or maybe that was whatIwas feeling.

Holly skips a few more paces then freezes and turns back, her expression falling.

“Is it not true?”

My heart convulses—because I don’t want any of that shame, that judgment, that pain and disappointment andhurtfor Holly—but before I can process the vehemence of those feelings, of my need to protect them both, Poppy is crouching in front of her, taking Holly’s hands.“It’s true, baby,” she says.“Storm is your dad.He and I were going to talk to you about it tonight.We just…well, it’s complicated adult stuff but there were some things he and I wanted to make sure we had sorted before we talked to you about it.”

She pauses.