Georgia Sweethearts. Missy Tippens

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СКАЧАТЬ Will’s neck. “Oh?”

      “I noticed you don’t have a website. Could really use new, more visible signage. Need to advertise.”

      Each word out of his mouth shot up her blood pressure another notch. So much to do and with limited funds.

      He slid a list toward her. “I can help you increase your business traffic.”

      The worst part was she suspected she might need help. Though her aunt hadn’t been much of a businesswoman, she’d been loving, fun, generous—and talented. Talitha herself had been the business’s biggest asset.

      A cold fist squeezed inside Lilly’s chest. She could never take Talitha’s place.

      A blob of green beans dripped off Will’s chin onto her thumb.

      Daniel took hold of her hand and swiped it off with a napkin. Contact with his hand shut out everything else around her. Made her zoom in on the spot where they touched.

      That level of awareness disturbed her. She pulled away her hand. “I can clean off my own baby food.” When she realized how ridiculous that had sounded, she laughed. “I mean, clean it off myself.”

      His expression teased, almost as if he understood how he’d affected her. “Just trying to help.”

      Trying to help feed her nephew. Trying to help run her business. What next? Trying to help run her life?

      No, thank you. She’d been there, done that, and had the emotional scars left by an ex-fiancé to prove it.

      She might end up having to rent the shop’s basement to Daniel. But she didn’t need any other involvement with a man who made her heart race just by touching her thumb.

      She firmly planted the spoon on the table and steeled herself to look into his gorgeous eyes. “I appreciate your taking the time to evaluate The Yarn Barn. But I don’t think there’s anything you can do at this point. We don’t have the money.”

      Daniel opened his mouth to respond, but movement drew his attention away.

      “Dada!” Will pursed his lips and blew mashed green bean bubbles that splattered into her face.

      Lilly swiped off the mess as the waitress delivered their pizza and her brother-in-law approached his son. The first time they’d seen him since he had left Jenna two days ago.

      * * *

      Daniel let the conversation with Lilly drop and greeted Ned.

      Ned ruffled his son’s hair and nodded. “Daniel. Lilly.”

      “Dada!” Will grinned and strained to reach for his father.

      “Hang on, big guy.” Ned wiped his son’s hands and then lifted him out of the high chair. “I’m glad I found you, Lilly. I tried to call earlier, to arrange picking up my boy, here.”

      Lilly gave her brother-in-law an odd look, as if nervous around him. “I’m sorry. My phone’s been off since I met with the accountant.”

      “Jenna told me that you were in a meeting.”

      Lilly’s eyes lit up. “So you two have talked?”

      With red-streaked cheeks, Ned cut a glance at Daniel. “Not really. I called to set up a visit with Will.”

      A visit? Had he and Jenna separated?

      Ned tucked Will under his chin and kissed the top of his head. “I’m sorry I haven’t been by. I’ve been trying to find an apartment.”

      “Your son misses you. Jenna misses you.”

      Daniel rose from his seat. “I can take Will and let you two talk.”

      “No, stay, eat your lunch,” Ned said. “You’re my pastor. It’s time you know what’s going on.”

      Motioning for him to join them, Daniel sat. Lilly scooted over, and Ned, holding his son, slid in the booth beside her. She didn’t seem angry with her brother-in-law. If her attitude was any indication of Jenna’s, maybe there was hope of reconciliation.

      As he and Lilly ate, Ned filled Daniel in.

      Ned brushed a finger over his son’s arm. “So we’ve separated. I have to take responsibility for that. But we argued about everything. Then Jenna told me that she didn’t need me. That I might as well go ahead and leave.”

      “Have you had marriage counseling?” Daniel asked.

      “She refuses.”

      Lilly shook out some Cheerios for Will. “She’s just scared, you know. Expecting you to leave at any time. She thinks it’s easier to push you away before she gets hurt.”

      Daniel suspected the sisters shared that trait. Maybe from growing up with those “rotten parents”?

      “Look, Lilly, I know what a tough childhood you and Jenna had,” Ned said. “But she’s pushed me away for a long time. I can’t take it anymore.” He stood with his son in his arms. “Jenna said it’s okay for me to take Will until after dinner.”

      “He’ll enjoy that.” Lilly, with a pale face and a sheen of unshed tears in her pretty hazel eyes, gathered Will’s diaper bag, then told Ned and Will goodbye.

      Daniel said, “I’m sorry your family is struggling right now.”

      She glanced at him, looked away then once again met his eyes. “We’ll make it through.”

      “A rough childhood makes depending on someone difficult, even when you’re all grown up.” He touched her hand, couldn’t resist offering some sort of comfort.

      She glanced down at their hands. “Are you speaking from experience?”

      He suddenly recalled his mom sitting in the bleachers alone at football games, an empty seat cushion next to her, the spot his dad had promised to fill. Then after she had died, no one in the bleachers. Frozen dinners alone. His dad coming home and shutting himself in his home office.

      He glanced at his watch. “Oh, look. I’ve almost passed the hour lunch I promised.”

      She’d turned the tables on him. But he never shared his past with anyone. Daniel had never been able to fill the void after his mother’s death, or to pull Blake out of his grief. To share that would be too painful. Especially now. A pastor needed to look capable and inspire confidence if he hoped to help others, to make a difference.

      Lilly gave him a look that said she knew he was avoiding the topic.

      He simply flagged down the waitress and paid the bill.

      As they walked out of Frank’s, cold air slapped him in the face. His cell phone vibrated. Normally, he’d ignore it, but the screen showed the caller was Cricket’s mother. “Excuse me a second. I need to take this.”

      On the other end of the line, the woman sobbed uncontrollably. Sick dread slammed him in the gut. “Mrs. Quincy, what’s wrong?”

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