He turned and laughed. “If I don’t cut it soon, small neighborhood dogs are going to get lost in it. Even now, when Mrs. Kranowski can’t find Edward, she comes over and beats the grass with a stick, looking for him.”

“I come bearing a gift from Claire.” She held up the wine bottle.

Tyler hesitated, as if silently squelching the first thing he wanted to say. “You know, I’m having no luck figuring out your sister. She gives me gifts when she clearly doesn’t like me. Is this a Southern thing?”

“Oh, she likes you. That’s why she’s giving you this stuff. Do you mind if I have some of this? I’m a little shaky right now.”

“Sure, come on.” They walked into his kitchen through the back, and Tyler took two wineglasses out of his cabinet.

As soon as he poured her a glass, she took a long drink of it.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“My mind went somewhere it shouldn’t have a while back. It still spooks me.”

“Anything you want to talk about?”

“No.”

He nodded. “Okay. So, what is this?” Tyler poured himself a glass and lifted it to his nose.

“Rose geranium wine. It’s supposed to bring back good memories.”

He lifted his glass to her. “Here’s to good memories.”

Before he could drink it, Sydney blurted out, “She’s hoping this will make you remember someone else and forget her. Like the casserole with the snapdragon oil and the tarts with the bachelor’s buttons.”

He lowered his glass. “I don’t understand.”

“The flowers grown in our backyard are special. Or maybe it’s the way the dishes made from them are prepared that makes them so special. They can affect the eater. You’re obviously immune. Or maybe she’s trying too hard, maybe that changes the way it works. I don’t know.”

Tyler looked at her incredulously. “She’s trying to make me not interested in her?”

“Which means you’re in already. Let me tell you something about Claire. She likes things that don’t go away. So don’t go away.”

Tyler leaned against the counter, as if for support, as if someone had pushed him there. For a moment Sydney wondered if she should have revealed something so personal about her sister. Claire obviously didn’t want him to know. But then Tyler smiled, and she knew she’d done the right thing. It had just been such a long time since she’d brought anyone any real happiness that she’d forgotten what it was like. Claire was doing so much for her. This was something she could give Claire. She could show her she could have happiness outside of what she knew. Happiness with Tyler. “I’m not going anywhere,” he said.