Page 114 of Deathtoll

People credited the vets at Hope Hill with saving the town at the Mushroom Festival. Donations were pouring in. Hope Hill was going to get its zip-line course and so much more. Maybe even their first expansion, a whole new wing.

Too good to be true. Too good to last. Definitely don’t deserve this.That exhausting voice that haunted survivors of childhood trauma had been whispering all day. But as Kate received warm hug after warm hug, she finally told the damn voice to stuff it.

Emma stopped by. “I love seeing you this happy.”

“Thank you, sis. Hey, has anyone introduced you to Harper’s brother yet? His name is Kennan.”

Time passed in a blur. Kate only snapped out of the rose-colored fantasy at the reception when the bride and groom’s first dance was announced and Murph led her out onto the dance floor in the middle.

“Why did I agree to this?” She panicked. “I can’t do this.”

Murph remained his own unflappable self. “You can.”

“Oh God,” she said as she looked over his shoulder. “Only like a hundred people are recording us on their cell phones.”

Her muscles locked up. She wasn’t like Allie, who could go on stage in front of an audience and reenact Calamity Jane for two hours. Kate wasn’t a performer.

“Relax,” Murph whispered into her ear. “Dance like nobody’s watching.”

“I can’t.”

He pulled her closer. Flush against him. Ran a hand down her back. Way down. And said in a rumbly voice, “Think of something else.”

Oh. Well.She could pretty much guess whathewas thinking about.

She cleared her throat. “How does that thing keep growing?”

And he laughed so hard, he nearly tripped over his own foot as they began to dance.

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