They’d just buried their mother, and he didn’t want to have to bury his brother because he’d ignored what felt like a cry for help. But the only other person he could call was Birdie, and he didn’t know how she was going to react. She was pretty upset with all of them and, with the fire at her work and Arnold dying, likely more upset.

But she was still their baby sister, and Junior loved her a lot. Maybe she could convince him to come home. So Ray got in his car and then gave her a call.

Chapter 14

Unaware of the family drama, Hunt was getting ready to go pick up Ava. He had the ring in his pocket and was going to play the rest of the evening by ear.

Blessings was limited in choices of places to eat out, but not in food. Granny’s menu was varied enough to suit most every palate, and the barbecue joint and Broyles Dairy Freeze took care of everything else. But the way he felt, he could put ketchup on cardboard and make it work if making love to Ava was on the menu for dessert.

He gave himself the once-over in the bathroom mirror and frowned. He still needed a haircut. Maybe another day, he thought, then put on his leather jacket, got the car keys, and left the house. The roofers would be back tomorrow, and so would the carpenter. They had the floor joists fixed and the subfloor patched in the kitchen, but there was still a place in the bathroom floor to repair as well. But that was tomorrow. Tonight was for the woman who’d put the light back in his life.

When he pulled up in her drive, the anticipation of just seeing her face made his heart skip. God. He was so far gone.

He got out and was on his way to the front porch when Ava came bouncing out of the house, waving.

He laughed. “I’m glad to see you, too,” he said, then walked her to the truck, helped her in, and kissed her square on the mouth. “You look beautiful.”

Ava sighed. “Drive, or take me back in the house.”

“One thing at a time, love,” he said, and got in. “Talk to me about your day,” he added as he started the truck and drove away to Granny’s.

“Well, you won’t guess who showed up in the ER.”

“Who?” Hunt asked.

“Vince Lewis and his wife, who was eight months pregnant. Supposedly, they were on their way home to Atlanta when she went into labor. I don’t know exactly what route they were on, but he detoured and came straight to Blessings Hospital.”

“Was she okay?” Hunt asked.