Chapter 62

• Sadie always said the best hush in that house was dawn. The fresh hush — soft creek hummin’ past the hill, floorboards warm under bare feet, the new kitchen smellin’ like strong coffee and her man hummin’ some old country tune low under his breath.
• That’s how it was that morning. Beau stood at the counter, mug in hand, sunlight spillin’ gold across his shoulders where the back door cracked open for Huck to nose the breeze. Sadie padded in slow — big belly pushin’ his old flannel wide, braid swingin’ down her back, that ring catchin’ the light when she rubbed her ribs.
• “Coffee,” she rasped — voice gone soft with sleep, mouth half grinnin’ when he turned with that look. The one that said yep, still mine.