Jackson got out of his truck and waved. “You didn’t have to bring him home. He knows the way.”

“No problem. He and I went to Paris and had an ice-cream cone.” Flynn took a few steps toward the porch. “Tilly came to seduce me, and I needed some time to think about what I told her.”

“And that was?” Jackson smiled.

Flynn told the story again, and Jackson stopped to pet Tex when he reached him and then leaned on the fender of the truck. “I’ve only been gone a couple of hours, and you went visiting.” Then he focused on Flynn again. “Come on inside and we’ll have a cold beer. Sounds to me like you were trying to help Tilly, and that’s a good thing.”

“Thanks for the offer, but April and Nessa will be home soon with groceries. I should get on back and help unload. I guess Tilly has to realize she has a problem before she admits that she needs help. I sure did,” Flynn said. “See you tomorrow.”

“Sure thing.” Jackson picked up a gallon of varnish and headed toward the shop with Tex right at his feet.

April had never been good at keeping secrets, but she was determined not to say a word to Flynn. But—and there always seemed to be a but where her life was concerned—when they got home, Flynn noticed that Nessa’s eyes were red.

“Have you been crying?” Flynn asked.

“Allergies.” Nessa brushed away his question with a flip of her hand.

April had to bite her tongue to keep from telling him that Jackson had broken Nessa’s heart. She felt a kinship with both her cousins these days, and she wouldn’t do anything to hurt either of them, even if some of their friends weren’t working out. “We want to hear the long version of the story about Tilly,” she said as she helped Nessa put the groceries away. “Sit down at the end of the table there and start talking.”

“April saw the lawyer tonight, the one who has a little girl and who came to adopt a cat, so you both need to talk,” Nessa said.

“What lawyer?” Flynn asked. “Why do you need to talk to a lawyer? Are you in trouble?”

“The lawyer and his daughter adopted a kitten, remember,” Nessa explained. “I think he has a crush on April, and I know his daughter does.”

“Oh, hush.” April blushed.

“You know the story. Tilly came. She offered. I refused and tried to talk to her about her lifestyle, like I did with my dad. I felt like a fifth wheel too many times when Dad would bring home a woman that had kids, and he showed them more attention than he did me,” Flynn said as he poured himself a tall glass of milk. “Your turn, April.”