“Yeah. It’s been selling so well my mom’s thinking about offering it through the holidays, and Maya earns fifty cents toward her college fund for every cookie sold.”

“That’s pretty cool of Susan.”

“She’s not all bad,” he said wryly.

Atticus knew how Susan felt about Tobias. Most of the town did. Susan would barely speak to Jada since her daughter had married Maddox. She blamed Maddox almost as much as she blamed Tobias for what had happened to Atticus, since it was Maddox who’d taken Jada and Atticus to the party that fateful night.

“She’s not bad at all,” Tobias said. “I know that.”

“Sure you do,” he teased. “Anyway, it was Maya’s idea to add ice-cream cookies to the menu last summer, and the store’s been doing much better since then. I think my mom feels she owes Maya a little something.”

“I’m glad business is picking up,” Tobias said and meant it. Since nothing could compensate the Brookses for what they’d lost, he couldn’t wish enough good things to happen for Jada and her family.

Tobias looked down the street, checking to see if anyone was standing near the entrance to the store. “Susan doesn’t happen to be in there right now, does she?” he asked, lowering his voice.

Atticus clearly found the question funny. “No, the coast is clear.”

Tobias wiped his forehead as though he was wiping away sweat. “Good to know, man. Thanks.”

“No problem.” Atticus started to wheel himself away but turned back before Tobias could get too far. “Hey, I’m going to the Blue Suede Shoe. You should come down afterward. We’ll have a drink and play a quick game of darts.”

“You’re on. I’ll see you there,” he said and headed to the store.

As he drew closer, he thought of Harper and the conversation he’d abandoned, but he didn’t pull out his phone. He wanted to get in and out of Sugar Mama while Susan was gone.

“I hear there’s a new cookie in this place that’s pretty darn good,” he called out as he strode through the door.

Maya appeared to be running the store by herself. She did that for brief periods of time, if her grandmother or Pamela Kent—the woman who helped Susan with the store—had to run an errand. But Tobias knew Maya wouldn’t be alone for long, not at only thirteen, so he didn’t plan on staying more than a few minutes.

“Uncle Tobias!” She hurried out from behind the counter to give him a big hug.

“Atticus says your cookies are selling like crazy, Squirt.”

“Well, not like crazy. But they’re doing pretty good. It didn’t hurt that Daddy bought three dozen to take to the faculty meeting at school yesterday,” she added with an impish grin.