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Chapter One

Honey

I watch as the young girl pulls on her oversized shirt, trying to hide the fact that she has a s, with freckles across her nose and cheeks, but I saw on her job application she’s about the sae as my son

“Can I ask you soo wide for a moment “Not about the baby, Piper” Her face turns a few shades pinker when she realizes that I know I’ the job “There’s no need to hide that froe when Ford knockedto put her at ease I want her to relax and feel welconant woman

“You can ask” She finally smiles and this time it’s not forced like the others She’s been extra nice, but this is a job interview and I can tell she’s trying to put her best foot forward

“I know everyone in town That’s just how it is around here” She nods and her long dark ponytail bounces with the action The only people I don’t know are the ones passing through “You’re not fro” I knew that theher She’s lost and it pulled at everything inside of est and weakest thing about me is my heart and that he’s been put on this earth to protect it Young Piper here is tugging at allinto her background the best he can It’s not just for my protection either

We always do a full rundown on new hires since they ith kids I know hers will come back clean She just needs a place to lay soirl in need and I would never turn my back on that

“I’ her hands in her lap and fidgets with them “Sometimes ineaze to her hands

“Then it should be easy for you to ht into one of the cabins”

Her head jerks up in surprise “You’re hiringabout—” Her hand goes to her stomach

“Yeah, sweetheart, I’ you” I stand up fro to her feet quickly “Welcome to Camp Hardwood”

I pull her into a hug and she’s stiff for a s me back hard Piper holds on for a ive her all the time she needs

“Van” I call out toand he opens my office door

“Mom?” He looks at Piper and I swear each day he looks more and more like his father We were only blessed with one child, although running a camp makes it feel like we have hundreds at times

“Will you show Piper to her cabin?” I toss him the keys and he snatches them in midair

“Sure thing”

I watch theirl is safe No one in her situation should be alone I was all byI met him at this very camp when I fell off the dock and into the lake and he swam out to save me I’ve been his ever since We came from two different worlds but that didn’t stop us It also didn’t stop ht in the face and breaking his nose for pushing me off the dock that day Back then I didn’t kno to swim, but by the time camp was over that year Ford made sure I could swim like a fish It’s always been his life mission to make sure I’m safe

I step out of ainst the counter I’m sure he’s who ht have more money than God, but Moose knows people that don’t even exist to the rest of the world I never pushed but I’ent before he settled into an early retireiant, with dark hair and eyes He has to duck to get into s, but he doesn’t seem to mind Everyone calls him Moose but he lookssuper secret for anyone because the man is unmissable If he’s in the room, you know it