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Johnny said when he handed the chosen book to her. “My dad is tired of it but maybe you’re not.”
    â€œI don’t think I’ve ever read Green Eggs and Ham, so it will be a treat for me.”
    Reading to him was a treat for her, but the book itself had little to do with it. Just the fact that Terese was sitting there with her nephew, participating in his bedtime routine, was something more special to her than either Johnny or his father could know.
    She was sorry when she reached the last page.
    As she closed the book, the little boy slid under the covers and said, “You’ll be here tomorrow, right?”
    â€œI will be,” Terese confirmed.
    â€œWe gots ranch work to do but I’m gonna show you our barn and our barn cat and all the stuff outside that I couldn’t show you in the dark.”
    â€œI’d like that.”
    She also would have liked to bend over and give him a good-night kiss on the cheek or the forehead, but, as with the urge to hug him earlier, she resisted. Instead she said, “I’ll see you in the morning, then,” and traded places with Hunter to stand at the doorway while he tucked Johnny in, roughed up his hair and gave him the good-night kiss she hadn’t been able to.
    â€œSleep tight, big guy,” Hunter said once the ritual was accomplished.
    â€œSleep tight,” Johnny answered, already sounding groggy.
    Hunter switched on a small bedside lamp and then joined Terese at the door, turning off the overhead light.
    She stepped aside to allow him to go out into the hall but once he had she couldn’t keep herself from craning around the doorjamb for one more look at her nephew.
    A wealth of emotions swelled in her and she had an odd feeling that he might once again disappear from her life if she left him behind.
    But of course that was silly. She knew she was going to see the little boy again the next day. Reminding herself of that finally made her able to tear herself away from the door.
    Once she had, Hunter motioned toward the stairswithout saying anything and waited for Terese to precede him.
    Not until they were at the foot of the steps did he say, “So that’s our boy.”
    Our boy. That pleased Terese. “I wasn’t sure if he knew exactly who I was,” she said then, recalling her introduction to her nephew.
    â€œI didn’t go into the details,” Hunter answered, explaining what he had told Johnny about her.
    She didn’t mind her nephew thinking of her as only a friend of the family so as not to confuse him and she let his father know that.
    â€œThis way,” Hunter said in conclusion, “he’s just happy to have company.”
    There didn’t seem to be any more to say on that subject so Terese felt free to voice the other question she’d been anxious to ask. “What about the blood test? Does he have hemophilia?”
    Hunter nodded. “’Fraid so. But now that we know, we can deal with it.”
    â€œWhich is why you didn’t want him running down the stairs,” Terese guessed.
    â€œMmm. I’m probably being overly cautious right now because this episode last week kind of shook me, but yes, he needs to be more careful than most kids since it’s so easy for the bleeding to get out of control if he’s hurt.”
    â€œWell, at least now you know where you can get him a refill,” Terese joked.
    Hunter had been very quiet since her arrival butthat comment garnered her a smile. A warm smile that softened his features and made her stomach flutter.
    Hunter seemed to realize they were still standing at the foot of the steps and nodded in the direction of the kitchen. “Can I get you something to eat or drink? Or shall I just show you the cabin?”
    It hadn’t struck Terese until then that Hunter was hanging back, making her visit only for his son and not participating any more himself than was absolutely necessary. Now that she realized