“Yes,” she said, suiting action to word. Not sure why, Hannah glanced back just before rounding a corner and caught Miz Cookie looking at her. Hannah gave the woman an uneasy half smile, as color warmed her cheekbones. She received an amused, rather motherly smile in return. Hannah took the corner, the smile lingering. From the mists of memory, she sort of remembered getting looks something like that from her mother. She looked at Ferris’ back—a not unpleasant exercise—and wondered what it would have been like to have more than the memory of a mother.
Ferris called out before they reached the door. Very tactful. And necessary, she suspected. Both Alex and Nell looked a bit flushed—and like they’d just opened the distance between them. Nell’s gaze was distinctly wary when it met Hannah’s.
