“We don’t care if the whole state of Texas came to Celeste tonight, though it kind of looks like that,” Tabby said. “What we want to talk about is Mitzi and when you’re really going to ask her out. You’ve been an old bear since that day we went to the lake. And she’s not been herself, either.”

“I had a lot of summer work at the dealership,” he said.

“That’s your excuse. I imagine hers is that we’ve been real busy at the shop,” Dixie said. “Y’all like each other. We figure the problem is me and Tabby. After that last woman who was mean to us, you don’t want to take a chance on another one. And she don’t want to make it like all weird between us and her if y’all had a lousy date.”

“We ain’t kids no more, Dad,” Tabby said.

“Evidently not.” Graham wondered how they’d grown up so fast over the course of a month. “So since you’ve figured out so much, what’s your advice on the matter?”

“Ask her out to dinner and a movie, or a play in Dallas, or something fun for just the two of you,” Tabby said.

“And if she says no?” Graham was finally able to get out of the parking lot and take his place behind a long line of vehicles going the same way.

“Then send her flowers tomorrow, and ask again. If at first you don’t succeed . . .” Dixie said. “I can’t remember the rest of it.”

“Try, try again,” Tabby finished the old adage for her.

“How many times do I try, try again?” He turned onto Main Street and found himself right behind Mitzi’s van.

“The preacher at church last Sunday said something about seven times seventy. I wasn’t listenin’ good enough to know what that worked on, but it’s a good start,” Dixie said. “We’re goin’ to try not to fuss at you about this anymore. But we would like to see you happy again.”

“That’s my sister’s decision. I’m going to nag you all I want,” Tabby said.

Who would have ever thought that Tabby, the quiet twin, would have been the one to take a stand, and that Dixie, the mouthy one, would concede to let him make his own decisions? It was a complete role reversal, and it surprised him.

He parked behind the van and beside Harry’s truck. The girls were out of the back seat and jogging toward the house before he even got his door open. The last one inside, Graham could see Tabby taking bowls down from the cabinet and Mitzi over at the table putting out strawberries and chocolate syrup. Harry came from the sewing room with a few folding chairs tucked under his arm. It was the perfect picture of a family all working together, and he loved it.