“I had to separate what was religion and what was Daddy. It wasn’t easy, but I finally figured out that religion isn’t the reason my dad is the way he is. That’s just his personality. He’s controlling, and if he doesn’t get his way, he gets angry.” Nessa was amazed at how just talking to Jackson took some of the heaviness out of her heart. “But enough about the past. Let’s talk about the future. Tell me more about these craft fairs. I can’t wait for the first one.”

Jackson took a long drink of his tea. “Are you going to have some quilts ready?”

“I found three tops already done in the closet. I have one finished, and I’m working on a second one. As soon as we finish with the one in the shed, I’ll start quilting what I’ve got. I might not get five finished, but is three or four enough for a start?” she asked.

“That’s a pretty good start, but you’ll sell as many kits as you do quilts. Miz Lucy always had a picture of a finished quilt on the top of the kit. I’ve often wondered how many folks really got one of those intricate ones sewn up,” he said.

Tilly brought out their food, smiled at Nessa when she saw the number was gone, and set down their burger baskets. “Y’all enjoy, and tell Flynn if he doesn’t call me soon, I might just bring my kids out to the waterfall to swim.”

“You can’t do that,” Jackson said. “The waterfall is on the Devereaux property, and we’ve got ‘No Trespassing’ signs posted everywhere. If we let one person come out there to swim, then we’d be constantly overrun with partying kids.”

“Party pooper!” Tilly gave him a gentle squeeze on the shoulder before she left.

“See what I’m talking about?” Jackson squirted ketchup on his fries and handed the bottle to Nessa.

“Oh, yeah.” She nodded as she covered her fries with ketchup and picked up a fork. “Does she flirt like that with every guy?”

“I have no idea,” Jackson answered. “But I’m sure glad Flynn is taking some of the pressure off me.”

Jackson had always liked tall blondes with brown eyes and delicate features. Nessa had curly red hair and steely blue eyes that looked like they could see right into his soul, and she barely came up to his shoulder. But he’d thought all week about that kiss they’d shared, and he kept sneaking peeks at her full lips as they ate their burgers. He had told himself that the sparks between them when they had kissed had only been the result of his not having dated or been with a woman in months, but now he was ready to admit that he was attracted to her.