“Well.” Dixie popped her hands on her hips. “Miz OCD here takes even longer to make her bed. If there’s a wrinkle it drives her crazy.”

“You’re going to waste your time with Mitzi by arguing?” Graham asked.

“Sorry about that,” Dixie apologized. “So we thought we’d make a shirt for the Fourth of July out of red-and-white stripes.” She held up a length of the fabric. “And then we’d put a ruffle around the bottom of the star material. We even thought we’d really be twins that night and dress alike. What do you think?”

Mitzi picked up a pattern. “Using this one?”

Tabby nodded. “It’s only got a few seams.”

Mitzi loved spending a little time with the girls and talking fabrics and patterns, but she would have rather stayed in the kitchen and visited with Graham longer. He’d said he had a crush on her. That was a big enough deal to tell Paula and Jody about, but she didn’t want to jinx it. She wanted to hold it tightly in her heart and enjoy the thought for days, rather than hours.

“So what do you think?” Dixie asked.

Mitzi almost asked About what? before she remembered the pattern in her hand. “This one would be good to start with. If you have any questions, just holler at me. Right now, though, I should be going. Paula and Jody will be home soon, and I’ve got plans with them this evening,” Mitzi said.

“I’ll walk you out,” Graham said. “And if you two start up that tiff after I’m gone, be sure there’s not blood involved.”

“Daddy!” Dixie and Tabby said at the same time.

“Okay, then, if there’s blood, clean it up before bedtime,” he said.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, she said, “You’re really good with them.”

“So are you.” He traced her jawline with his fingertip, his touch sending shivers down her backbone.

She reached up and touched his face in a similar way. Time stood still, and the only sound was the beating of her heart. His eyelids fluttered shut and she moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue. One of his hands gently traveled down her arm while the other one cradled the back of her head. His touch created a ball of heat in the pit of her stomach, and it grew even larger, warming her from the inside out when his lips met hers in a fiery kiss that rocked her world. Her arms snaked up around his neck, and he pulled her closer to his body.

When it ended, he gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time. I’ll walk you home.”

“It’s only a block. You don’t have to do that,” she said.

“A gentleman always walks his date to the door.” He grinned as he laced his fingers in hers.

Date? Kiss? Jody and Paula had said that if he kissed her, it was a real date, but how could it be when they’d spent the afternoon with saws and hammers instead of candlelight and wine?

When they reached her door, he brushed another sweet kiss across her lips. “I’ll see you before then, but I’m really looking forward to next Sunday.”

She went inside to an empty house and headed straight to the kitchen for a bottle of water. Glad that neither Paula nor Jody was home right then, she wanted to bask in the idea that she was going out with Graham. Even if they’d be surrounded by friends and family on a pontoon boat, he’d said it was a real date.

“Hey, anybody home?” Harry startled her when he popped in the door.

“Just me,” Mitzi said. “Want a bottle of water or a beer?”

“No, I’m good, and I’m glad you’re here alone. I know you and Graham have been doing a little flirting dance. I need to talk to you about that.” Harry pulled out a kitchen chair and sat down.

“Is it about Rita going to the dealership?” Mitzi asked.

Harry nodded. “I guess you already know what I’m about to say. If there’s a chance of them making a family—”

“I just came from his house,” Mitzi butted in. “He told me exactly that there’s no chance of him and Rita ever trying to make another go of it.”

“Tabby and Dixie don’t want their mother in their lives?” Harry frowned.

“Do you remember Rita at all?” Mitzi finally sat down across from her father.

“Not well. Seems like she was pretty wild,” Harry answered.

“She’s blonde, blue eyed, and even smaller than Jody is right now. The girls told us that when they saw her again after more than ten years, they felt she still didn’t want children who didn’t look like her,” Mitzi explained. “I’ve got a date with him next Sunday. We’re taking the girls out on his pontoon boat. You and Granny are invited, too.”

“Just be careful.” Harry pushed back the chair. “I love you and sure don’t want to see you hurt. And, honey, that don’t sound like much of a date.”

She stood up and hugged him. “I promise that I’ll be careful. And, Daddy, I’m finding out that all dates don’t involve roses and lookin’ at the moon together.”

“If you fall for him, darlin’, make sure it’s for him and not to get those two girls,” Harry said as he wrapped his arms around her.

“Yes, sir.” She stepped back.

“Just an old concerned daddy who can’t stand for his baby girl’s heart to get broken. Your mama and I loved each other so much. I want that for you,” he said as he opened the door.