As Lucy settled Button back into her car seat, Nealy opened the door and stepped out. “I think we can give it a try now.”

“It’s about time.”

“There’s no reason to be so grouchy. ”

He pushed past her—pushed past the First Lady of the United States!—and ducked into the motor home.

“Da!” Button squealed from her car seat.

He looked so ill-tempered that Nealy hurried forward. “Maybe I should drive. You’ve got road rage written all over you.”

“Maybe you should sit down and watch for signs so we can get back on a decent highway.” He squeezed behind the wheel.

“I’m bored,” Lucy said. “I want to go to a mall.”

“If I hear another word, I swear I’ll tie up all three of you, throw you in the back, and lock the door.”

Nealy looked at Lucy. Lucy looked at her. They had a moment of silent communication. Only Button was happy. She finally had her man back in sight.

They rode in silence for twenty miles, past tobacco fields, hardscrabble farms, and several tiny hamlets. They were passing through a slightly larger town not far from the interstate when Nealy heard an ominous thud coming from Mabel’s front end. Mat immediately slowed, applied the brakes, and turned the wheel to the right, only to have it fail to respond. He cursed.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’ve lost steering.”

“I told you this thing was a pile of junk,” Lucy offered unnecessarily from the back.

Mat maneuvered the vehicle off onto the shoulder at the very edge of the parking lot for an ancient drive-in restaurant called Hush Pups.

“Cool. Can I get a Slurpee?”

“Hush, Lucy. What do you think is wrong, Mat?”

“You know that engine pinging that was bothering me?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t think this is it.”

“Oh.”

He didn’t move, just stared through the windshield. “Busted tie rod. Something like that.”

He looked so forlorn that she reached over and gave his arm an impulsive squeeze. He turned his head and studied her. Their eyes met, and something hot leaped between them. Embarrassed, she slowly removed her hand. Her palm felt warm where she’d touched him.

She rose and turned to Lucy. “Let’s go spend Mat’s money on junk food while he figures out what’s wrong with Mabel.”

Hush Pups didn’t offer the luxury of indoor seating, and Nealy camped out with the girls at one of three metal tables just beyond the parking lot, where they watched the tow truck haul both Mat and Mabel away. While Lucy ate, Nealy chased after Button. Eventually, however, the baby grew tired and curled up for a nap on the quilt.

“I’m totally bored.”

“Why don’t you go explore? Just check back.”

Lucy gazed at her little sister, then studied Nealy suspiciously.

Nealy smiled and spoke quietly. “I’ll watch her every minute.”