Tall, blonde, and brown eyed. He crossed the room and took a seat at the table. Nessa pulled out a chair on one side and sat down. When her knee touched his under the table, he got another jolt. He could not get involved with Nessa. She was his neighbor, and quite possibly in the next few weeks would be his cohort at craft fairs. If he started something with her and it went south, things would be terribly awkward.

“It’s your turn, April,” Flynn said as he bowed his head.

April’s chin dropped to her chest and she closed her eyes. “Dear God, thank you for this food. Amen.”

“That was short and sweet,” Flynn said.

“It covered what I wanted to thank God for, and we still say grace in this house because Nanny Lucy would throw a hissy fit if we didn’t. I just don’t see any need to thank God for everything from dirt to the bull that gave his life for us to eat today.” April slid the meat platter close to her plate and took a generous helping. “Nanny Lucy thinks we should thank God for it, and I’ll do it, even though it seems kind of crazy to me since Nessa bought and prepared the food. I’ll help with cleanup, but nobody ever thinks to thank God for the dish soap or the hands that wash the dishes. They only thank Him for the food and the good things that happen to them.”

“You’ve got a pretty good point there,” Jackson said. “I don’t think I’ve ever thanked God for Tex, and he’s been a loving, faithful companion that’s kept me sane the past couple of years. There’s been weeks when he was the only living thing around this place.”

“We had at least a five-minute prayer before every meal, including all of us reciting the Lord’s Prayer at the end of Daddy’s grace,” Nessa said. “I appreciate a short-and-to-the-point prayer.” She put roast, potatoes, and extra carrots on her plate, then passed the platter on over to Jackson. Their hands touched in the process, and there was that surge of heat again.

“Thank you.” His voice sounded slightly hoarse in his own ears. “This all smells delicious.”

“Nanny Lucy could make biscuits that melted in your mouth, but she never did master yeast rolls.” Nessa wondered how words went from her brain to her mouth with all the chemistry between her and Jackson dancing around the room. She hoped that April and Flynn were so focused on dinner that they couldn’t see it, or they would tease her later.