Every muscle in Flynn’s body tensed. His dad had never asked his approval on anything, especially not his multitude of women. Not once had Matthew said, “What do you think of this lady or that one?” No, sir! He had simply come home and said he was getting married again, and he’d expected Flynn to be his best man.

Nessa seemed to be frozen in place, but finally she crossed the room and hugged her mother. “Have y’all had breakfast?”

“We ate at Weezy’s this morning before we came on out here,” Cora said as she held out her arms toward April. “I’d forgotten how little this house is. How are you, April? Are you doing all right?”

“I’m fine, Aunt Cora.” April walked into her arms and hugged her. “Better than I’ve been in a long time. Being here with Flynn and Nessa has been a blessing.”

“About that walk you and Flynn were going to take? Why don’t you step outside? And after that we should really be leaving,” Delores finally said.

“I reckon him and me could go see the waterfall.” Matthew took Delores’s hand in his and headed for the front door.

Flynn followed behind them, glad for the chance to get away from the double ambush. Hadn’t any of Nanny Lucy’s sons learned how to use a phone? Cora was right. The house was way too small for the two O’Riley brothers to be inside it at the same time.

Delores sat down on the porch, stretched out her long legs, and put her bright-red spike heels on the bottom step. “Y’all boys don’t leave me alone too long, now.” She giggled as she lit up a cigarette. “I thought I was going to have a withdrawal fit in there, darlin’, with all that tension. I’m sure glad I never had a brother, or boys, for that matter, if that’s the way they act. I’ll be right here when y’all get back.”

“Where’d you find this one?” Flynn asked when they were halfway to the waterfall.

“That’s harsh,” Matthew answered. “Don’t you want me to be happy?”

“Of course,” Flynn replied. “We all deserve to be happy, but some of us have to work at it.”

“I found her at the office.” Matthew laughed out loud. “And, Son, I do work at it, probably harder than any other man. Sometimes I find it for a season, but when I’m not happy, I’m smart enough to move on.”

“You have got to be kiddin’ me.” Flynn couldn’t believe what he was hearing. His dad never went for the women who worked in the oil field offices.