“It may sound horrible”—April picked up a rock and skipped it over the surface of the creek water—“but I’m glad that if I had to lose my mama, that I was too young to remember it. Nanny Lucy used to say that hard work would help me get through anything. Let’s go do our quilting, and then, if it doesn’t rain, I’ll help you paint the house today.”

“I have to go get the paint first,” Flynn said, “but I’ll take all the help I can get.”

“Count me in, too,” Nessa said.

“Thanks”—Flynn wiped his wet cheeks on his shirtsleeve—“for coming out here to see about me.”

“Hey, we’re family. We might all three be screwed up, but we’re still family, and we’re going to work through all this rotten baggage together,” Nessa told him.

April nudged his shoulder from the other side. “Remember that part of the Miranda Lambert song about the house that built her? It says that she thought that maybe she could find herself.”

Flynn and Nessa both nodded.

“That’s our story,” April said. “Now we’ve just got to figure out a way to get away from the past and look at the future. It won’t be easy, but like Nessa said, we’re family.”

“Thank goodness for that.” Flynn finally grinned. “If we weren’t, there’s no way I’d put up with you two.”

“If we weren’t, we would have sent you off with your new stepmom,” Nessa teased.

“And we’re not ever going to act like Uncle Matthew and Uncle Isaac,” April said. “Give me your promise right now.”

“You got it,” Flynn said.

“I promise,” Nessa agreed.

“Good. Y’all are my rock and anchor. Let’s keep it that way. And speaking of stepmoms,” she said, changing the subject, “the black widow looked like she could have you for breakfast when you came wandering into the kitchen this morning.”

Flynn shook his head slowly. “I’ve sworn off women, especially ones that would be attracted to my dad. Either they’re crazy when they meet him or they will be by the time he’s done with them.”

“Don’t know which is worse, your dad or mine,” Nessa said.

“It would be a toss-up.” Flynn finished off his breakfast and poured a mug of coffee from the thermos. “Thanks again for this and for the support.”

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

April woke with a start, sweat pouring off her body. She threw off the covers and immediately shivered when the cold air from the window air-conditioning unit cooled the sweat on her body. Lightning flashed through the window. For a split second she could see everything in the living room; then suddenly it was absolutely dark again.