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"You all are treasures," she said as she watched Lucas set the table down and arrange the small, matching chairs around it. The day had been amazing. So much laughter and fun. Eagles. Coyotes. A herd of elk, even! Cupcake had slept in his portable bed on Lucas's horse the whole way home, but Annie had been too excited to sleep. She'd ridden with Jacob, Phoebe, Bella, and Lucas in rotation, wanting to meet all their horses. Phoebe had never seen Annie so outgoing and free, and she loved every minute of it.
Jacob was magical, but so were his siblings. Such good people who cared. Protectors, it was obvious, but not at the expense of a depth of soul, which was freely shared.
Lucas grinned as he moved the little art table against the wall. "We've never had a little girl around here. It's fun." He set several huge pads of paper, markers, and watercolor paint on the table. "Annie? You like art?"
She looked over, and her face lit up. "Is that for me?"
"Sure is, kid. What do you think?"
"Mama! Look!" She abandoned the game and nearly hurtled herself over to the table. "Glitter markers!" She pulled them out and started coloring immediately, immersed in her craft, humming under her breath to the upbeat music playing on Jacob's home theatre system.
Bella grinned at Phoebe. "She's a great kid."
"I know." Phoebe was so used to the school calling her all the time, telling her how Annie wasn't measuring up to their expectations, how she wasn't following the rules, or behaving the way they wanted her to behave. She couldn't believe how good it felt to be around other people who saw the same beauty in her little girl that she did. "Thanks."
Maybe Annie was in the wrong school. Maybe there was a school out there that could see her daughter's gifts instead of trying to mold her into something she could never be. Because in one afternoon, the Harts had taught Phoebe that there were others out there who could support Annie in the way she needed it. To accept her. To nourish her.
Jacob set down a stack of fleecy, brightly colored blankets that Phoebe suspected were destined for Annie's bed. "You go online in twenty minutes. Don't you need to set up?"
"Yes. I do." But she didn't move. "I feel like I'm going to break the vibe here. No one will be able to talk while I'm on the class."
Lucas rubbed his jaw. "Jacob has an office in the barn. You can teach there."
"The barn?" she echoed. "I can't teach my class in a barn."
Jacob was frowning. "When I have a new horse, I often sleep there until they're comfortable. I have a whole set up in there."
"That's a great idea," Bella said. "Lucas and I will stay here with Annie and Cupcake. I'll make dinner, and we'll keep her safe and entertained."
"No, no," Phoebe shook her head. "I need to stay with Annie—"
"Annie," Bella said, "how do you feel if your mom goes to the barn to teach her class? I'll stay here and cook."
Annie looked up at Bella. "Can we bake brownies?"
"You bet."
"Yay!" Annie abandoned her art and ran to the kitchen. "Where are the chips? Jacob, where are the chips? I want chocolate chips."
Phoebe laughed as Annie started pulling open cabinets. "You won her over with the baking. It's her favorite thing in the world."
"Well, I'm a professional chef, so our bond is real." Bella winked at Phoebe. "We have it covered, Phoebe. Go do your thing. Your job is important."
"I know—" She glanced at Jacob. "You'll stay here with her?"
"No," Lucas said, walking over to her and Jacob. "Phoebe, you need protection as well. Jacob has to go with you and stay there."
She shook her head, alarm shooting through her. "No. He needs to be with Annie."
Lucas's face was understanding, but unrelenting. "How do you think Annie would handle it if something happened to her mom? You both need to be safe. Annie's got me and Bella, and we're absolute fucking badasses. And you have Jacob, who is halfway decent as well."
Phoebe didn't like being separated from Annie, but the house was small and Annie was so happy. She didn't want to make everyone be silent for an hour and a half. She looked at Jacob. "What do you think?"
He glanced at her, then met Lucas's gaze. "They matter to me," he said softly to Lucas. "It's everything."
Phoebe's heart tightened at his words.
Lucas nodded. "I know that. Top level alert. We're as good as you are, plus there's two of us."
