“I don’t know,” he said. “I might just crawl back under the table again.”

“Those are the things they’re going to remember,” she said. “Camping on the beach, sleeping under the table...”

* * *

Gina had an evening completely to herself and decided to drop in on her mother. She laughed to herself as she pulled up to the little house where she’d lived her entire life and saw that Rawley’s cherry-red restored pickup truck was parked in front. And here she’d been so worried that Carrie would be lonely when she’d married and moved out six months ago.

Ordinarily she would have walked right in but no more. It was a surprise enough that Carrie was keeping company with Rawley. Who knew what else might be going on behind closed doors? She knocked.

“Well, Gina,” Carrie said, opening the front door. “You’re knocking?”

“I didn’t want to interrupt anything. I think in the future, I’ll call to make sure you’re receiving.”

“You’re such a goose. But what are you doing here? Alone? You seem to have more and more people trailing you every time I see you!”

“I know. I married a large family. They all went to Eugene to watch the Ducks play, just in case the coach puts Landon in. The van was full, Cooper and Sarah were following, and I’m more than happy to just hear about it later.”

“Tea? Coffee? Glass of wine?”

Rawley was sitting on Carrie’s sofa, apparently watching football, his cup of coffee beside him on the sofa table.

“Hi, Rawley,” Gina said. He lifted a hand in her direction and mumbled something back. “I’d love a beer if you have one. For old time’s sake. Remember all those times Mac used to come over with two beers, one for me and one for him, and we’d sit on the front porch in the dark?”

“I’m afraid it’ll have to be Merlot,” Carrie said. “Have you eaten?”

“I have, thank you. I nuked some leftovers, ate them by myself in an empty house, fed the dogs and took a long, leisurely bath. Then I thought, I hardly ever have an evening to myself, and decided to drop in on my lonely old mother.”

Carrie handed her a glass of wine and said, “I’m certainly not that old,” she said, ignoring the comment about being lonely.

“What are you doing here, Rawley?” Gina asked.

He looked over at her and said, “Helping your mother.”

“Oh? What are you helping with?”

He lifted a bowl. “This here popcorn.”

“We were just watching football. Come in the living room, sweetheart.”

“But, Rawley, who’s minding the bar?”

He turned the volume down and gave her his attention, looking a little animated. “Ain’t you heard? We got us a part-timer. Kid by name of Troy. School teacher by day, bartender and sweeper-upper by night four nights a week. Cooper can manage those three nights Troy isn’t around. Troy Headly is the kid’s name.”

“I hadn’t heard that. When did that happen?”

“About the time that baby kept Cooper and Sarah up half the night a couple weeks running, he got serious and hired himself some help. He can’t do without help around there. Besides, if Cooper’s honest with himself, he likes putting up those houses. It’s not like he does a lot of the physical labor, but he can’t be accused of letting the builder do it without plenty of advice.” He had some popcorn and said, “I prefer the mornings. I ain’t never been interested in taking care of all those people, but I’ll serve a little in the mornings, do the supply runs and keep it cleaned up, now that Landon’s quit.”

“It turns out Rawley enjoys cooking. And since he’s promised not to share my best recipes, I’ll accept his participation,” Carrie said.

“Had me sign a document,” Rawley said. “Confidential agreement.”

Carrie laughed. “I didn’t.”

“In blood,” Rawley said.

My God, Gina thought. They’re made for each other! And no two people could be any more different. Her domestic, all-business, independent mother who dealt with people all day and this old soldier who didn’t like people. Did they talk about things? Snuggle? Kiss? She coughed suddenly. “So, you two have been dating a couple of months or so now....”

They looked at each other with nonplussed expressions. “Dating?” Carrie said. She shook her head. “This sure isn’t the way I remember dating!”

“I can’t remember it at all,” Rawley said.

“We cook, watch TV, eat. Rawley helps around here or the deli if there’s something that needs to be done. If I ever go out to eat, I’m normally with Ray Anne and Lou—Rawley has very little interest in public places.”

“I go to the stores,” he said. “I get all the supplies for Cooper and Carrie. I ain’t called upon to be real friendly at the stores.”

Gina shook her head. “And I bet they just love to see you coming.”

“I reckon they do love it. I bring ’em plenty of money, buying up supplies for two businesses now.”

“Gina, Ashley said Mac got his promotion,” Carrie said.

“He did. He’ll be supervising a couple of units or squads of deputies, and his office will now be in Coquille—not a bad commute. And since he lives here, I suppose they’ll take advantage of him when they need help around here. But his schedule will change, and he’ll be working nights. Two to midnight.”

“Should we throw him a party?” Carrie asked. “It’s such an achievement.”

“I never thought about it, but maybe we should. We can have a backyard thing on a Sunday afternoon right before he leaves his Thunder Point office.”

“Oh, let’s,” Carrie said. She reached for her handy notebook. “Picnic-style barbecue or something else?”

“Barbecue chicken, crab and pasta salad, spinach and cheese stuffed French loaves...” Gina said.

“Stuffed mushrooms, braised red potatoes, vegetables cooked on the grill. Broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, carrots?” Carrie asked, writing down the possibilities.

“Oh, this sounds wonderful! I wish I’d thought of it. Maybe we should ask Mac what he’d like, since it’s his party.”

“Don’t be silly—I know what Mac likes as well as you do,” Carrie said.