“No,” she said without hesitation.

Blaze looked puzzled and hurt at the same time.

“Colleen is going to want to give you the tour of her folks’ place, and I wouldn’t deprive her of that for anything,” Liz answered. “So you’ll have to wait until after supper. I’ve invited her and Raylen to eat with us.”

“I understand.” Blaze’s grin lit up the whole barn. “I’ll get my trailer set up while you do what you got to do and see you back here in a few minutes.”

Liz tucked one of her hands into her mother’s and the other into Tressa’s and led them back to the house. “You should have been here when I first discovered that barn was on my property. I thought it belonged to Raylen. And then we found the Christmas stuff up in the loft where Uncle Haskell had his wood shop, and Jasmine and Ace and Dewar and Gemma all pitched in to help me get it all up and lit before you got here. I wish you would have brought me here for Christmas so I could have seen everything all decorated.”

“Haskell and Sara came out to our winter place for Christmas,” Tressa reminded her.

“I know, but as a child I would have thought this place was magic,” Liz said. “As an adult, it seems like that to me, and I can’t wait for you to meet Jasmine. She owns the café where I work. Don’t look at me like that, Aunt Tressa. I know I’m rich and I don’t have to work, but I want to. And I’ve invited everyone I know to the party so you can meet the whole community.” She stopped at the back porch and took a long breath, then went on. “You’d never believe that Jasmine left a high paying corporate job to be a cook in her own little café, or that Pearl walked away from being a high-powered banker to run a motel over in Henrietta. And what do you think of this infatuation Blaze has with Colleen?” She finally let go of their hands and opened the door. “Welcome to my home.”

“We’ve been here before,” Marva Jo said.

“Not since it’s belonged to me,” Liz told her.

Tressa giggled. “You threw that last question about Blaze and Colleen in there pretty slick, girl.”

“Yes, I did, but I’m worried about both of them. You’ll remember Hooter and Blister.” She pointed to the dog and cat meandering around the corner of the house. “He’s a terrible watchdog, and I understand she has kittens two or three times a year. You’ve probably already met them, too, but if you’ve got a problem while you are here, just remember that they are wonderful listeners. Now please answer that question, Aunt Tressa. I’ve been dying to ask you, and Blaze is always around, and I’m dying to know what y’all think.”

“You are missing our gossip sessions, aren’t you?” Marva Jo said.

“Yes, I am,” Liz admitted honestly.