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Jacob grinned at Annie's persistence. He understood that. He'd spent a long time trying to control the world around him to make himself feel safe. Now he just retreated from it.
"Noon," Lucas said. "I'll be here at noon."
"Promise?"
He glanced at Jacob, and Jacob knew what he was asking. Jacob nodded, giving him permission to tell Annie about the Hart Promise. The kid needed it.
Lucas focused on Annie. "Our family, the Harts, weren't born from the same mom and dad, but we found each other and made a family when we were kids."
Annie glanced at Phoebe, and her mom hugged her.
"We have a secret handshake just for us. When we do it with each other, it's a Hart promise, one that we'll never break, that we can always count on."
Annie looked fascinated. "Really?"
Jacob and Lucas both nodded.
"Show me," she demanded.
The brothers looked at each other, and then they bumped elbows.
"That's it?" Annie frowned.
"It's perfect because you can do it any time, and you can do it secretly and no one sees it, or you can do it big and obvious to tell the world," Jacob said.
Lucas held up his elbow. "I promise I'll bring Rainbow Sparkle here Saturday at noon. Hart Promise."
Annie grinned and lifted her elbow. She bumped it against Lucas, then collapsed back into Phoebe, giggling.
"Right on." Lucas grinned. "I'm going to go get some furniture. I'll be back later, okay?"
Annie nodded. "I won't be scared."
Phoebe's arms tightened around her, and Jacob saw the emotion in her face.
Lucas stood up slowly so as not to spook Annie, gave them all a wave, and headed back to his truck.
Annie watched him go, and Phoebe looked at Jacob. "You Harts are good people."
Jacob grinned. "My family is fantastic." He didn't get up. "Annie."
She tore her gaze off Lucas to look at him.
"I have a sister named Bella. She's an amazing cook. She's going to come by today and bring us food and groceries." He pulled out his phone, scrolled to a picture of Bella, and held it out to her. "This is what she looks like. If you see her, you don't need to be scared."
Annie took the phone and studied it. Phoebe leaned over her shoulder and studied it as well. "She looks nice."
"She is nice. I have a bunch of other siblings, but I told them to stay away," he said. "If you two see anyone except Bella and Lucas, tell me right away. Okay?"
Annie looked at him. "Why? Is someone after us?"
Jacob didn't like that Annie was quick to ask that question. A kid her age shouldn’t be thinking about men coming after her, but every Hart had had the same childhood, so it was what it was. Jacob looked at Phoebe, and she shook her head once to tell him not to tell Annie what was going on.
He wasn't sure he agreed with that, but he smiled at Annie. "I just don't like most people," he said. "I need to prepare myself if people are visiting to get in the right mood, or I'm super cranky. So I need to know as soon as someone shows up."
Annie nodded. "I don’t like everyone either."
Jacob laughed. "Then we're going to be good friends." He leaned forward. "You know what's weird?"
