Mack poured himself a cup of coffee, sat down at the table, and rubbed his eyes. “Guess I’m going to have to wear my glasses for a few days. Damned allergies are already starting, and nothing is pollinating or blooming yet. At least I’m not allergic to goats, so that’s a blessing.” He wanted to slap himself—he should be complimenting her again, not talking about his stupid allergies.

“I rather like a fellow in glasses who makes waffles on Sunday morning and tells me I’m pretty when I look like hammered owl shit.”

He chuckled. “Been years since I heard that old saying, but you are pretty.”

“Mornin’,” Braden grumbled as he sat down at the table.

Holly slid into a chair beside him. “Can we have sausage gravy and biscuits for breakfast?”

“Already have the biscuits in the oven, and the sausage is browned,” Lily replied. “I was just waiting on you two sleepyheads to get down here before I made the gravy.”

“I have a request.” Mack was more than a little nervous, but he really wanted the kids to know that he was there for them.

“If you’re going to ask for scrambled eggs, too, then I’ll take some,” Braden said.

“No, it’s a little more serious than that,” Mack told him. “I want you kids always, always to do exactly what you did Friday night when you feel uneasy about anything. Call me or your mother, or both of us, and if you have to use a phone and call collect, do that.”

“What’s collect?” Braden asked.

“It’s when, if you don’t have a cell phone, and all you can get to is a landline, that you call the operator by pushing zero and tell her that you want to make a collect call. It means that we’ll pay for the call on our end and is easy for you,” Mack explained.

“I promise I’ll do it,” Holly said.

“You don’t have to worry about me.” Braden got out the milk. “I don’t never want to be in a scary place like that again. You can bet I’ll call you for sure.”

So this is what being a real father would feel like.

Chapter Eighteen

Lily could hardly believe that more than a whole week had passed since the incident with Wyatt leaving the kids at the motel. She still got mad when she thought about it, but that morning when they went to Sunday school and church, she tried her best to get rid of all that negativity and enjoy the beautiful sunshine.

As usual, Sally met Lily in the sanctuary. “Does that invitation to eat dinner at your house still stand?”

“Of course,” Lily said. “But dinner isn’t at the house today. We’re going to the pizza place. Want to join us?”

“Sure.” Sally nodded.

When Sunday school and church services had ended and the benediction had been given, Holly hurried to the back pew to talk to Granny Hayes. Braden took off toward the center aisle to talk to Isaac, leaving Lily and Mack alone. She was putting the hymnals back in the right spots when she giggled.

“What’s so funny?” Mack asked.

“I was just thinking that I’m glad Holly wore pants because she’ll be riding double with Granny Hayes,” she said.

Mack shook his head. “Nope, she won’t. Granny Hayes is one step ahead of you, sweetheart. She brought her wagon to church today. Didn’t you notice it parked out at the edge of the lot? She likes to put it there so her mule can eat the grass on the other side of the driveway while he waits on her.”

“I was so busy wondering why the kids weren’t arguing this morning that I didn’t pay a lot of attention.” Lily slipped her hand into his. “But riding on a buckboard will be an experience for Holly.”

“Yep, it will.” Mack gently squeezed her hand.

“Mama! Mama!” Braden and Isaac ran up in front of her. “Can I go home with Isaac? His mama says it’s all right with her if you don’t care.”

“We’ve got to come back to town at three to visit my grandma in the nursing home, so we can bring him home then,” Isaac said.

“Pleeeease.” Braden looked up at her with his big brown puppy-dog eyes.

“It’s fine with me, but be home on time. You’ve still got math homework to do,” Lily told him.

“And I’ve got to help with the goats,” Braden said. “Thanks, Mama.” He and Isaac disappeared into the crowd.

“Looks like it’s me and you for Sunday dinner.” Mack grinned.

“Sally is joining us. Hope you don’t mind,” she said.

“Not a bit,” Mack replied.

Lily reached out to shake Drew’s hand as they passed by him. “Want to join us at the pizza place for dinner?”

“Thanks, but I wouldn’t dare. The sweet wife has made my favorite meal, and the boys are all home. Maybe another time,” Drew said, and then lowered his voice. “I was sad that Holly hasn’t been joining us for youth group.”

“She’ll be back, I’m sure,” Lily told him.

“That’s good to hear,” Drew said.

“We’ll have to make plans for y’all to come to the house some evening for supper,” Lily said.

“Love to.” Drew dropped her hand and extended it to the man right behind Lily.

They were in the truck and headed to the pizza place when Mack took her hand in his. “Why did you invite Drew to join us for dinner?”

“I want to get to know his wife better, and he’s your friend, and it seemed like the thing to do,” she answered. “Why are you asking?”

“You’re not worried about us being alone?” He countered with another question.

“No, Mack, I am most certainly not.” She chuckled. “But remember, Sally is joining us, too. And to be truthful, I’m actually looking forward to a dinner with no bickering kids and some adult conversation that doesn’t revolve around who ate more slices of pizza.”

He made a right turn into the restaurant’s parking lot. He snagged a good parking spot, and Sally pulled in right beside him. “Do you ever wonder if Sally will ever remarry or have children?”

“Whatever brought that question out of the blue skies?” Lily asked.

“I guess I’m wondering about you and Sally both,” he answered.

Lily shuddered at the idea of a baby at her age.

“I don’t know about Sally, but I really wouldn’t want to start over. Do the math—if I had another child now, Holly would be almost thirty when that child was just starting high school. What about you?”

“I wouldn’t mind a ready-made family.” He shrugged.

“Wouldn’t your folks want grandkids of their own?” she asked.

“Dad wouldn’t know if they were his biologically or not, and Mama gave up on that idea years ago. Adam can’t have children, and I . . .” He hesitated. “You know my story. Until you came along, I didn’t trust women anymore.”

“You’ve only been around me and the kids a short while,” she said.

“But it’s been a good time,” he declared.

Sally tapped on the truck window and motioned for her to lower the window. “We better get in there while there’s still a table.”