“He was really mad, though.” Her voice cracked. “Because I disappointed him and everything.”

Nealy wanted to hug her, but Lucy was working too hard at holding on to her pride. “Let’s see if we can find someplace to order pizza for dinner. And Button’s out of clean clothes. Can you show me how to use the washer?”

“You don’t know how to use a washer?”

“I had servants.”

Lucy shook her head at Nealy’s utter lameness, then patiently demonstrated the basics of doing laundry.

By the time the pizza arrived, Mat had disappeared. She found him outside with his head under Mabel’s hood. He grunted that he would eat later. She suspected he needed some time alone, and she was more than happy to give it to him.

After dinner, Nealy scrubbed the tub, undressed the baby, and set her in the water. She gave a gleeful shriek, then began splashing with the plastic measuring cups Nealy’d brought up from the kitchen. “You certainly do know how to have a good time,” she said with a laugh.

“Da!”

She turned and saw Mat standing in the door. His arms were crossed and one shoulder pressed against the jamb. “I’ll take over,” he said wearily. “I didn’t mean to stick you with her.”

“I don’t feel stuck.” Her words sounded sharper than she’d intended, but she was angry with him. Angry with him for not being the man she wanted him to be—a homebody who would hold on to these girls.

She knew she was being unfair. Mat hadn’t asked for any of this to happen, and it said a lot for his character that he had gone to so much effort on their behalf. But she was still angry with him.

Button slapped both arms into the water and sent up a tidal wave to impress him.

“I just saw Lucy heading downstairs carrying a portable television,” he said. “I hope I don’t have to worry about pawnshops again.”

“Where was she taking it?” She did her best to wash one of Button’s ears, but it was a catch-as-catch-can proposition.

“To the motor home. She said she and Button weren’t going to stay in the guest room no matter what you said.”

Nealy sighed. “There’s a double bed with one side against the wall so Button couldn’t roll out. I thought it would be a good place for them. Obviously Lucy didn’t agree.”

“Lucy’s a brat.”

The pizza must have revived the teenager’s fighting spirit because Nealy would bet anything that she was matchmaking again—making certain Nealy and Mat were going to be alone in the house.