“Did anyone comment on your new earrings?” Lily asked.

“Rose and Ivy liked them, and . . .” Holly stopped before she finished and brushed past her mother. “And my history teacher says we have to write a paper on someone in our family. It can be on anyone, but it has to be fact, not fiction, so we can’t just make up a character and pretend we’re related to them. Rose tried to tell him that she was kin to Santa Anna, and he said she had to have documents to prove it.”

The family journal instantly came to Lily’s mind. “When is your paper due?”

“The last day before spring break,” Holly said. “But I don’t have any interesting people in my family, so what am I going to do?”

“I’ve got an idea. We’ll talk about it tonight after supper,” Lily told her.

“All right.” Holly shrugged. “I’m going to have cookies and milk. I didn’t like the cafeteria food today, so I only ate the dessert. What’s for supper?”

“Potato chowder and hot rolls. Got homework?” Lily followed her.

“Nope,” Holly answered. “But the sooner I can get on the history assignment, the better. I hate waiting until the last minute to do my projects.”

Mack went to his room, changed into faded work jeans and an old T-shirt, and was on his way across the foyer to the kitchen when someone rapped on the door. He started that way, but Adam pushed inside without waiting.

Like always, he was dressed in a suit, tie, and loafers. Other than a few crow’s-feet at the corners of his eyes, he didn’t look a lot different than he did in high school. One twin is good-looking; one is plain. One twin doesn’t age; the other one looks every bit of his forty-one years, Mack thought. But if the truth were told, Mack would bet dollars to goat droppings that he was more comfortable in his own skin.

“What brings you to the boonies?” he asked.

“Had some property to look at over this way again.” Adam raised an eyebrow at the kids’ coats when he added his trench coat to the mix. “Mama told me that Lily Miller has come back to Comfort and is living with you.”

“More like I’m living with her—she owns the house,” Mack answered. “What property are you looking at?”

“I’m ready,” Braden yelled as he bounded down the stairs, but stopped in his tracks when he saw Adam.

Mack made introductions. “This is my twin brother, Adam. And this is Lily’s son, Braden. We’ll be a few minutes, Braden. Want to have some cookies and milk before we go?”

“Sure.” Braden nodded and then turned his attention back to Adam. “Nice to meet you. For twins, y’all sure don’t look alike.”

“Thank God,” Adam chuckled.