“There’s chocolate cookies in the jar, and a package of miniature candy bars on the counter. I hope they are still good. I got them from the pantry in my flooded house. I’m glad the adjustor has come and gone so I can go in and save what I can, and then make a decision about how to redo the house,” Stevie said.

Mia returned with the whole package of candy and a bowlful of cookies. “I’m going to have some milk. Want a glass?”

“Yes, please,” Stevie said. “So, you think that you might go on a second date with Beau, then?”

“Oh, yeah! And maybe a third and fourth and twenty-fifth.” Mia poured two glasses of milk and brought them to the living area. “But with this much passion, what happens when we have an argument?”

“Then you have amazing makeup sex like your mama told you about.” Stevie took a glass from her, picked up a cookie, and dipped it in the milk.

Mia followed her example and dipped her cookie. “Did you and Uncle Cody have makeup sex in the barn? He said you were cranky, and y’all argued a lot.”

“Nope,” Stevie answered. “We’re older and a lot more cautious than you two kids are.”

“I’m nineteen and Beau is twenty-one,” Mia argued. “We’re not really kids.”

“No, I guess you aren’t,” Stevie said.

“How do you know if a guy is the one?” Mia asked.

“You’ll have to ask someone more experienced than I am,” Stevie answered.

“I guess we can find out together,” Mia said with a grin.

“Maybe so,” Stevie said.

Mia finished off a handful of chocolate, half a dozen cookies, and her milk, and then said, “I should be going. I know Mama and Nana are going to want to ask me all kinds of questions about Beau. I’m not going to tell them I had doubts there at first.”

“Then I won’t say a word about that either,” Stevie said. “I’m just glad you got it all figured out and didn’t lose an opportunity to get to know him even better.”

“Me too,” Mia said as she slipped her arms into her coat and shoved her stocking hat down over her dark hair. “Like I told Mama, I’m not in a hurry, but it will be nice to have a boyfriend—a real one who treats me and the family right. See you later.”

Oh, to be young, Stevie thought, but before she could argue with herself over the cons of being nineteen again, Cody arrived bearing a brown paper bag that he set on the table. “Addy sent leftovers for supper.”

Stevie got up and unloaded the bag. “There’s enough food in here for two or three days.”