Page 15 of Small Town, Big Storm

“Let’s get him some!”

“Baby—”

But I don’t get any further beyond that before she’s dropping her spoon into the paper cup housing her ice cream and running for the door.

Runningoutthe door.

“And there she goes,” I mutter as she zips down the sidewalk after Storm.I shove to my feet, snag her ice cream, and follow my daughter out.Cedar Hollow is safe and quiet, but Holly is six and she doesn’t always look both ways before crossing the street.

The bell dings as I hit the sidewalk, gaze searching, heart pulsing when I see her already at the corner.

Shit.

Thankfully, Storm has stopped before the intersection, and his eyes come to mine as Holly chatters away at him.

I hurry over, force a smile at him, then crouch down.“Honey, look at me.”

“…and then I told Asher?—”

“Holly,” I warn and her gaze finally meets mine, her words trailing off.“You can’t run out like that.”

“But your friend needed?—”

“Youcannotrun off like that,” I say more firmly.“And youwon’tdo it again, understand?”

“But—”

“It’s not safe, and you willnotdo that again, baby.Promise me.”

Stubborn gray eyes on mine.An even more stubborn set of her jaw.

I don’t budge, though, just hold her stare and wait.

She’s headstrong—I don’t know where she gotthatfrom—but I’m more patient.

I’ve had to learn to be.

“I won’t do it again.”A sigh.“Can your friend get his ice cream now?”

I exhale, shift out of Protective Mom Mode and nod.“If Storm wants ice cream, he can get ice cream.”

Holly looks up at the boy who broke my heart and smiles brightly.“Well?”

There’s still tension in his frame, but his mouth kicks up.“Well, what?”

“Want some ice cream?”

Storm looks at me—and God, his eyes are so much like Holly’s, so beautiful and dynamic andunique, it’s a miracle he hasn’t realized…

“What kind of ice cream?”Storm asks as I realize precisely how dangerous this interaction is.

Holly sweeps her arms wide with all the drama she comes by naturally.“Scoops has every kind of ice cream you can dream of.”

“Everykind, huh?”His face has gentled, and his tone is edged with a hint of indulgence I haven’t seen in…

Well, since summer days and sand between my toes and popsicles and cold river water splashing over my naked skin.

“Everykind,” Holly replies solemnly.