Twelve
The heart of the storm had arrived, and it lashed the coast with gale-force winds and sheets of driving rain that endlessly pattered the windows. The violence of it was, in its own way, as beautiful as any sunny day. Hope watched the waves crash as she chopped the ingredients for a hearty beef stew while the boys worked out in Owen’s garage finishing the wind chime for Hannah. Not only was stew just the kind of comforting, hearty meal to warm the body on a cold, blustery night, it was also quick and easy to make and even quicker and easier to clean up.
Gideon and Liam had to leave early in the morning, so they would need to pack their bags tonight, and Hope fully planned to put the quiet evening to good use. She’d asked Owen to pick up condoms on his way home from work, and while
