“My job at the shelter does that for me,” April said. “Those animals love me. They don’t care about my past. The puppies wag their tails and the kittens start to meow when I walk in the door. They’re happy to see me, and that brings me peace.” She left her chair, turned a rocking chair around in the living area to face the table, and sat down. “Oh, I forgot to tell y’all that Kent Wallace brought his little girl, Callie, in today for another kitten. She was determined that he would invite me to his house for a playdate with her.”

“How did that make you feel?” Nessa asked.

“Scared,” April answered with a single word.

“That’s weird. What would you be scared of?” Flynn asked. “You’ve practically lived on the streets, or at least in your car, and you dealt with men who were pretty low down.”

April covered a yawn with the back of her hand. “I don’t know why I felt fear. Kent is a lawyer. He seems like a great guy, and Callie is a precious child. Maybe I’m still afraid to trust myself around people—we’re pretty isolated out here. But I don’t have to worry about any of that. He told Callie that two kittens was the limit, and we don’t get many repeat customers at the shelter. She’ll start school in the fall and forget all about me.”

“We’ve all proven that sometimes the unexpected happens,” Flynn said. “As far as my work, we need the repeat business over at Jackson’s. Which reminds me, April and I probably won’t be here tomorrow when they come to look at the quilt, Nessa. Will you text me when they leave?” Flynn asked.

“Yes,” Nessa answered. “I’m a little nervous about the whole deal, but I wouldn’t be any less if y’all were here. So I will let y’all know when it’s over.” Nessa didn’t look up from her work.

“Thanks. When are we going to take that one down?” April pointed to the quilt behind the sofa.

“Tomorrow after y’all get home from work,” Nessa said. “Maybe we should have champagne or at least a beer when we hang the new one up.”

“I’ll stop by the store on my way home and pick up a six-pack.” April pulled the sofa cushions off, stacked them by the door, and popped out her bed. “I’ll be in town every day, so if we need anything, I can pick it up.”

“All done!” Nessa said. “Three weeks and we’ve got it done. I can’t expect to finish one on my own in that time, but it gives me an idea of how long it will take. I’d thought I could do four this summer. Boy, was I dreaming big!”