“I have to help Foxy pack up. Maybe another hour.” I angled my head and gave the younger twins a smile, even working one loose to give to Walynn. “Y’all having a good time?”

“Yes!” both boys all but shouted and then began talking over each other to tell me about spending the evening playing games and such with Walynn.

Knox wiggled something out of his pocket and waved it at me. “Look what Morty gave us!”

I took it and examined the refrigerator magnet shaped like a casket with Lawson Funeral Home written along it in script. “Umm . . . I have no words.”

“Look what he gave me!” Nash held up a plastic tumbler with a tombstone on the side of it. The funeral home’s address and phone number were the epitaph.

“That Morty has a way with advertising. He said he’s going to stop by the salon next week to help me design a business card and maybe some flyers.” Walynn’s shiny red lips stretched with genuine excitement.

I barely contained a cringe. Morty ran the only funeral home in Magnolia. Surely he didn’t need morbid swag to draw customers.

I returned the casket magnet to Knox. “I thought Charlotte and Raleigh were watching you boys.”

“They were, but I thought they should have some time to explore with kids their own age. They’re over at the corn maze. I told them to meet you here after that.” Walynn ran her orange-painted nails through Nash’s brown curls, absently and motherly at the same time.

I slid my attention to Pa. He looked off, absent and not at all fatherly.

“Have you seen Peg or Boss?”

Pa rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah. Boss is helping Tripp put away the street cones. Tripp said he’d give him a lift home once they’re done. Peg was over by the courthouse, listening to the band last I saw him.”

“So are you taking the boys home now?” I swiped a handful of popcorn from the bag Pa was holding and crammed it in my mouth. The gnawing in my stomach from not eating all day was starting to get the best of me. I could still smell the hot dogs and bratwursts roasting away on a nearby grill. Maybe that would be my first stop after we finished packing up the booth.

The giant man fidgeted. “I was thinking . . . maybe you could and I’ll stay and help Foxy.”

Walynn brought those manicured nails to Pa’s arm and squeezed. “Dave, you were just telling me how tired you were. I don’t mind giving you and the boys a ride home. That way Austin can stay a little while after working all day and have some fun herself.” Walynn winked at me. “I think she’s earned it.”