Boo arched an eyebrow.“He did not.”
“Stood right there, and when I asked him why I shouldn’t take it...he had nothing.Said it was an opportunity of a lifetime.So...”She shrugged, quick and sharp.
“Okay.That was...weird.But love is patient and maybe you should give him another chance.”
“For him to destroy me in front of your entire family?He laughed at me, Boo.Laughed.Again.”
Boo stepped up to her, took her shoulders.“He’s not laughing now.I promise you, my brother looks like he’s lost his best friend.And frankly, so do you.”She pulled Harper close.
“I still have you.That counts.”
“That does count.”Boo held her away.“I remember telling you right before my wedding that I’d learned that God had good things for those who trust in His love for them.God loves you, Bee.I know you know this.But sometimes we’re not the easiest people to love.And if he doesn’t give up on us, maybe we shouldn’t give up on others.”
Harper sighed.
“If you come to dinner, I’ll tell you a secret.”Boo smiled.Put her hands on her tummy.
Harper’s breath caught.“Really?”
“Mm-hmm.But only my mom knows.Oaken and I are announcing it at dinner.You don’t want to miss that.”
Harper sighed.“No, no, I don’t.”
“Then how about you change out of this—whatareyou wearing?”
“What?You don’t remember this shirt?”
Boo paused.“That’s my shirt.My Scooby-Doo shirt.”
“And you’re not getting it back.”
Boo looped her arm through Harper’s.“C’mon.I promise, it’ll be okay.”
“Doubtful.”But she slid on her sandals and followed Boo up the trail, across the yard to the King’s Inn, and then past it, over the lawn to where the family had congregated.The chrysanthemums bloomed along the front of the porch, and it was hard to miss Jack throwing a football to Steinbeck and Doyle in the yard.Conrad and Oaken drove up in the UTV with firewood, then got out and added it to a stack of logs.Clearly a bonfire was on the agenda.
She’d probably be back at her house by then, packing her car.
“Bee!”This from Austen, who came down the stairs of the porch, her auburn hair tied back.She hugged Harper.“Jack told me this terrible story about you leaving for Nashville.”
She glanced over at him.He appeared as if he was trying very hard not to look at her.Shoot,he looked good in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt that stretched over his shoulders, his torso.
Don’t look.
She climbed the porch stairs and went into the kitchen, where Tia was mashing potatoes.“Hey.I didn’t know you and Doyle were back.”She didn’t know Tia well—mostly through Tia’s sister, Penny.Dark hair, pretty, tan, smart, and in Penny’s opinion, a little bossy, but then again, she was the older sister.
Penny came in carrying an oversized jar of pickles.Set it on the counter.“Okay, this was the last jar in the cellar.”
“That’s the one,” said Mama Em, and she glanced over at Harper.“Thank you for coming.”
Oh.Harper nodded.“How can I help?”
“Get the guys to set the table.”
She sighed, then went outside and stood on the steps and called them in.
Stein ran over and up the stairs.“I’ll check on Emberly.”He moved past her.
Conrad came in and headed to the kitchen, came out with placemats and a stack of dishes.Doyle went in, maybe for glasses.
