They’d been two peas in a pod…

They’d been two peas in a pod since that day. Oh sure, Jessie had gotten the calls all through middle and high school from Claudette on Friday nights with the typical teenage dramatic heartbreaks that were soon mended. Each and every summer that she came back to Chancy, Claudette had become more and more a part of the Turnbull family. In some ways she’d reminded Jessie of Wendy from Peter Pan. Always looking after the Lost Boys. She’d taken on the official role of woman of the house when both James Sr. and Bethe Anne Turnbull passed away about three years ago.

Jessie knew plenty of her friends back in Fort Worth and Dallas would think it just bizarre for a family like the Turnbulls to have all their grown children still living at home. But on the Turnbull farm, it was family and business and friendship all rolled into one. Something Jessie knew they all appreciated and treasured for how rare it really was. It was something tangible Jessie thought she felt every time she was there, and it always made her heart feel warm and a smile come to her face.

It was with that same warm feeling that she slid the cobbler into the oven. As the heavy oven door almost pulled itself shut the phone rang and rattled against the wall. She answered it to the sound of wracking sobs.

It was the summer after she turned eight…

It was the summer after she turned eight when she’d first met Claudette and the Turnbull boys. Percy was the quiet of the four boys. Peter, Paul, Percy and James (the Turnbulls hadn’t planned on four boys) were all cut from the same cloth – hard working, land loving, and faithful as the day was long. They’d all been good humored and fun-loving as kids. A few years apart each they were all fiercely loyal and protective of one another.

Jessie had been sent to the same Sunday school class as the Turnbulls and a young Claudette Calloway on Sunday that summer. Sitting next to Claudette, Jessie was soon enraptured by Claudette’s whispered play-by-play of how she and her mother had moved from Abilene to Chancy that spring so her mama could teach at the school, and how her mama had already set her sights on a good man in town and how Claudette was of a mind to do the same thing.

Somehow, even though they were only eight, Jessie eyed Claudette in her head-to-toe Laura Ashley Gunnisak dress and white patent leather shoes and thought of Claudette as a girl of the world. She was enthralled by her confidence, her seemingly endless knowledge of all things and decided she wanted to be her best-est friend ever.

As Claudette brought Jessie up to speed on whom everyone in class was, they were both caught by the teacher who was intent on her efforts to instill the importance of accepting Jesus as not only the savior of the world, but also a personal savior. After a stern reprimand from the roly-poly woman, the girls had fallen silent.

It was then that a quiet little boy up front had raised his hand and in a surprisingly firm, adult voice informed the teacher that he felt it was time to take Jesus in to his heart. The quiet classroom got even quieter as Percy Turnbull stood up to go pray with the teacher. With his younger brother James sitting straight as an arrow in the front row, Percy pledged his soul to Jesus and Claudette fell in love.

At the end of prayer the teacher was crying with happiness and Claudette was sighing with love. Jessie kept looking back and forth between the front of the room and her new friend wondering what she’d missed.

Class had dismissed that day the same time the congregation let out from worship. James had run up to his mother and father to tell them what Percy had done while Peter and Paul hugged him. Claudette’s mother Jean had come to the classroom to pick her up and was chatting with Aunt Bette as they walked down the hallway. As they approached Claudette had leaned over and whispered in Jessie’s ear, “When I get old enough, I’m gonna marry him.”

And she sure had, Jessie thought as she began chopping her apples up. Of course she had drug Jessie with her the next Sunday for moral support as she marched up to Percy and informed him of just that fact. Jessie laughed as she remembered the quiet, adult-like face of a young Percy who had smiled and said, “Okay then.”

Sitting in front of him, Case found…

Sitting in front of him, Case found what could be the perfect sandwich. Grilled rye bread, fresh romaine lettuce, dill pickles, fresh red onion, what looked like smoked turkey, fresh beefeater tomato slices, swiss cheese, more turkey, more onion, more lettuce. “This looks awesome,” he said as he picked it up. Jessie waited anxiously as he dug in. She grinned as he gave her the thumbs up with a mouth full of sandwich. She got up and poured some fresh tea for them both. Then started in on her sandwich.

Over the next two hours they talked about random topics from proper sandwich construction and the best flea and tick treatment to the plans Jessie had for promotion for Creekside. It wasn’t until Buck was whining at the back door that either of them looked up and took notice of the time.

“Man, I better get going,” Case said as he swung his leg over the bench and got up. “I’ve got a few things I promised Earl I’d help out with at the store. Thanks for the great sandwich.”

“You’re welcome,” Jessie got up and let Buck and Jenny in. “When will you be able to get the ceiling fixed? Hopefully this week?”

“Should get to it tomorrow if that’s alright?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Jessie said as Case picked up his tools and headed to his truck with Jenny trotting at his heels.

Buck reached up to put his front paws on her hips and Jessie leaned down to hug his head as she waved goodbye, “Now I think we’ve found us two new friends baby.”

As Jessie turned back inside, Buck stretched out in the shade of the porch. She washed the lunch plates and started getting out the goods for her cobbler. She had plenty of apples, so that made up her mind for her. Besides, she seemed to remember the Turnbull boys never passed on a cobbler no matter what it was made with.

As she began to peel a mess of gala and granny smiths, Jessie stared out over the back porch out towards the creek. Chancy creek ran straight through Hathaway property and wrapped itself around town. Though she’d played in the creek most of her life she couldn’t recall what it fed in to. Probably because Chancy had always seemed like a world unto itself for so many years.

As she pulled in to the barn at Creekside she saw Case’s truck …

As she pulled in to the barn at Creekside she saw Case’s truck and Buck and Jenny playing in the back.   She grabbed as many bags out of the back of the truck as she could and headed to the back porch.

“Hidee!” she hollered at Case as he came around the gazebo.

He waved at her with a hammer, his lips pinched around nails.  She managed to get the screen door open and set her bags down.  She turned around to both Buck and Jenny jumping up on her thighs in greeting. She stooped down and rubbed their heads. “Hey there kiddos you havin’ fun?”

Buck barked sharply and ran half way to the gazebo barking to let her know Case was there. Jenny ran up and tackled Buck’s side and they were off chasing each other.  As Jessie headed to the barn she heard Case ask if she needed help.  She waved him back to work and picked up the last four bags.  She stood for just a second at the barn door and thought how cozy this felt.  She shook her head and headed back to the porch.

Easy girl. She thought.

Her whole life Jessie Hathaway had let herself meet, greet, fall-in love, find some tragic fault in relationships, stage their dramatic break up, and envision her solitude as a nun- all in her head before the first date, or sometimes even the introduction.  As far as she was concerned it had always been easier not to see the glass as half full or half empty, but rather that her glass was cracked- so why pour anything in it to begin with?

She heard the Tejano music coming from the portable radio on the gazebo and thought that it was very cultural of Case to listen to- perhaps he knew Spanish.  She unloaded her groceries quickly, poured a big glass of ice water for Case and headed back out.  She came upon him fiddling with the tuner.

“How is it that no matter where you are in Texas you can get a clear Tejano station, but not the station you’re looking for?” he asked.

Jessie chuckled, “Never noticed that. What are you trying to tune in?”

“Well I’m trying to get your cousin on and I’ll be hanged if I can tune it in.”

Jessie eyed his radio and thought for a moment about how to handle the potentially ego-sensitive situation. “Well, you are on AM right? AM 1410?”

“Aww man it can’t be that easy.” He switched the radio over and turned the dial a hair and had Tammy Wynette coming through the speakers in no time.  He turned his head and looked up at her with a slow smile. “Well aren’t I the handy one?”

Jessie handed him the glass of ice water and grinned, “It must be the heat getting to you, surely a man of your intelligence would have checked that if you hadn’t been on the verge of heat stroke.”

Case stood up from where he squatted, “That must be it. Thanks. Jimmy’s got an interesting play list.” He nodded toward the radio.

“That he does. Tries to keep all of us around here happy with a mix of everything. Sundays is the only guaranteed programming. Gospel from sun up to sun down.”

Case nodded as he drained the glass. “Well, almost done here.  I should wrap up after lunch.”

“Speaking of, won’t you come in for a bite,” she waved toward the house, “I need hostess practice anyway.”

“Thank ya, I’ll take you up on that,” he said as he handed her back the cold drink, “Let me finish this last floorboard and pack up, I’ll be in in just a few.”

By the time he’d packed up his tools and set the toolbox on the back porch Jenny and Buck were snoozing in the shade and something heavenly was wafting through the doorway.

“Something smells delicious!” he said as he put his head through the door.

“Don’t get too excited,” Jessie sheepishly called from the pantry, “Just a maple scented candle I picked up.  We’ve got grilled sammich for lunch.”

“Best be careful there boss,” he said with a grin, “some customers might consider that false advertising.”

“I’ll have to remember that,” she said as she carried two plates with huge sandwiches over to the oak table. “But hopefully these are memorable enough that I can add them to my luncheon menu.”

Claudette hopped up on the tailgate of Percy’s truck…

Claudette hopped up on the tailgate of Percy’s truck and gave Jessie a shove, “Oh hush. Can’t fault a girl for wanting some chick chat with someone her own age. I’m deprived of female companionship, I am, out there on that farm with Percy and his brothers.”

Jessie hopped up next to Claudette and gave her a hug. “Guess I’d forgotten how quickly things get out around here. Earl did me a favor and sent Case by to check out what work I needed done…wipe that grin off your face. Guess he’s been helping Earl since he moved here a while ago.”

“Oh he has, and he’s had every woman in a twenty mile radius of Chancy a twitter, trying to introduce every niece, daughter and cousin to him” Claudette beamed with her knowledge.

Percy walked by gave Claudette a kiss and like a very smart man just kept on walking on to visit with some friends a few trucks down. “You know you’re my prince charming sweetheart!” Claudette called after him.

The sun was fully up now and Jessie thought about using that as an excuse to detangle from Claudette. Jessie could see in the glint of her eye that Claudette had something cooking and Jessie had an idea that she might be the main entrée.

“Well I better get to the store…” Jessie started but was cut off.

“Oh no, not just yet. We’ll be heading back home soon enough. You’ve been holed up at Creekside for the past two weeks, have just resurfaced and we need to catch up.”

Unable to argue with such a resolute Claudette, Jessie leaned back on her elbows and said with a grin, “Let me have it.”

Claudette was truly a font of knowledge of all things and all people Chancy, Jessie thought. She could seriously give Mabel a run for her money. Turns out that Jeff Craw (he asked people to just call him JC in the sweetest way according to Claudette) was not only Clara’s nephew but also somehow related to Case through marriage on his daddy’s side. JC was in fact artsy, according to Claudette, and had purchased the small storefront that used to be a flower shop next to the movie theatre. Looked like he would be selling paintings and maybe some pottery. As to his preference for women or men, Claudette informed Jessie he was definitely, certainly, most likely straight. He had after all checked out Claudette at the post office his first week in town.

Case on the other hand was apparently a bit harder for Claudette and the ladies of town to figure out. He’d bought one of the nicer homes down on Laredo Street and had it in tiptop shape quickly, which had the matriarchs of the garden club very happy. He’d run one handyman ad in the paper, had an adorable pup and had been helping his uncle Earl at the hardware store. According to Claudette, Case came to services on Sunday but JC only came here and there. Both had been seen in Paulson at a pizza joint by one of the ladies in Claudette’s Sunday school class.

When Claudette stopped for air Jessie leaned up, “Well now that’s very interesting.”

“I try to keep up. Oh here comes Percy, we’ve gotta head back. Why don’t you come out and have supper with us, it’ll be nice to get in a proper visit. Wouldn’t it Perce?”

Percy just nodded and headed around to the driver’s side. Jessie wondered if he’d even heard what Claudette was saying. “Can I bring the Ayatollah with me Percy?” she asked as he shut the cab. He just nodded and the girls giggled.

“Damn Claudette you’ve got him trained,” Jessie laughed as she slid off the tailgate.

“No subject changing, come to supper won’t you?” Claudette had her by the shoulders.

“Okay, I’ll bring dessert as long as you promise not to try to hook me up with any of your Turnbull boys.”

“Promise,” Claudette crossed her heart and held out her pinkie for Jessie to shake.

“See you ‘bout 6:30?” Jessie asked as she shook pinkies.

“Perfect, see you then!” Claudette hopped in the cab and rolled down the window, “Bring that handsome Buck of yours.”

Jessie woke to Joan Jett belting out how muh she loved rock and roll…

The next morning Jessie woke to Joan Jett belting out how much she loved rock and roll.  After the fried chicken disaster she had decided the entire kitchen, pantry and breakfast area needed scrubbing. She’d stayed up until two a.m. cleaning.   She just knew that she’d be up on her game when she knew everything was in its place.  And that went for all of Creekside.  She knew she’d be more confident moving forward once she had a grasp on every nook and cranny of the house and the property.

Not up for any potential matchmaking at Mabel’s, she’d poured a bowl of cereal using up the last of her milk and grabbed a DP. After she’d tidied up, she decided to head to town to do some grocery shopping and to stop by Market St.  As she turned on to 142 she looked down at her watch, 8:30 a.m.  She’d have half an hour before the farmers packed up their goods and headed back home for more work.

She scolded herself on keeping such irregular hours.  She knew all too well that bed and breakfasts only became well oiled and profitable machines when bodies were up and about early enough to get things going.  Today, she told herself, she’d start holding herself to the hours she’d kept every summer with Aunt Bette. In bed by ten and up by five; breakfast at seven, dinner at noon and supper starting at six thirty.

She’d toyed with the idea of just being bed and breakfast.  She made great breakfast fare, from crepes and omelets, to biscuits and gravy.  Something about breakfast was more baking than cooking. And in Jessie’s world that was a good thing. But then she realized that her guests really wouldn’t have anywhere else to dine except the DQ and Mabel’s.  It would be great if Chancy just had one family-style restaurant.  The more she thought about it, with some of the smaller surrounding towns, the peanut factory and the farms there’d be enough business to keep a small place going.

She turned onto Main St. and shook her head. There was no sense wasting time wishing for what wasn’t there.  She slowed down as she drove past Earl’s and KCHY.  Jimmy waved to her from behind his rock-star shades and she waved back.  In her mind’s eye she could see downtown Chancy with a fresh coat of paint and a few new businesses in the empty storefronts, maybe some artisans her guests could visit. Wouldn’t it be great to re-open the movie theater that anchored the end of Main St.?

As she turned onto Market she saw Claudette and Percy Turnbull and waved hello.  She’d run wild with both of them as a child during her many summers in Chancy.  Her daddy and Percy’s daddy had grown up thick as thieves according to Aunt Bette. Claudette and Percy had been sweethearts practically from the cradle and married a month after high school graduation.  As Jessie opened the door to the truck she saw what looked like a good mess of veggies set aside and hoped they were for her.

“Sugar pie!” Claudette called, “I was hoping to see you today so I came into town with Percy. How are you?”  She proceeded to pull Jessie into a monstrous hug. Everybody was either a sugar pie or sweetheart with Claudette.

Jessie hugged her back as the sticky sweet smell of White Rain hairspray enveloped her. Claudette had trademark big Texas hair that never went out of place.

“I’m fine. Hoping those melons and squash are for me,” Jessie said as she untangled from Claudette and gave Percy a hug.

“Of course,” Percy, always the quiet one, started taking the baskets over to Jessie’s truck. Jessie always wondered if Percy was quiet just because with Claudette you never got a word in edge wise.

“Now sugar,” Claudette started, “Mabel’s was just a buzz this morning with the news that Earl’s baby sister’s boy was out at your place for the better part of yesterday afternoon. Clara Craw was in a snit that you’d gone and gotten other help after she told Ernest to send Jeff over. Of course I don’t know what business it is of hers which of her kin mends your floorboards,” and with that she gave Jessie a wild wink out of her perfectly made up right eye.

“Woah Nellie,” Jessie said as she shook her head, “I have had no coffee this morning and you’re talking faster than a yankee on a rail.”

She was in the middle of battering a chicken wing…

She was in the middle of battering a chicken wing when Buck started to whine and the phone rang. She kicked open the back screen door to let him out as she picked up the phone, “Hell-lo.”

“Um yes, I’d like to book a four-day stay for five,” came a comically falsetto voice.

“Hey Kat, what’s up.”

“Aww you’re no fun. Anyway, what’s up is I just put the kids to bed- again- and am now having a glass of Chardonnay. You sounded so frazzled earlier today, thought I’d call and check up on you.”

With a snort Jessie picked up another piece of chicken, “You could say that. But all is well under control now. Just practicing my fried chicken.”

“You’re frying chicken at nine o’clock?”

“Is it nine? Man the time just flies around here,” Jessie used her knuckle to scratch her nose, managing to dust her cheek with flour, “I’m preparing a bribe to get Jimmy to come out and help me purge the attic. And if I’m to be a successful southern B and B owner I have to perfect my fried chicken. You know it’s my nemesis.”

“Do I ever. I’ll never forget dinner at your first apartment. Greg and I both bit into blood red chicken,” Kat laughed and Jessie heard her sip from her wine.

“Yuck it up. I know I’ll never live that down.”

“For someone who is such a foodie it’s nice for us culinary neophytes to see you fall from grace, even for a brief moment,” Kat said.

“Oooh, you must be on glass number two using terms like culinary neophytes,” Jessie kidded, “Good news though. Looks like Earl’s found me a handy-man that isn’t in the closet or in need of a fix up.”

As she turned her chicken in the big cast iron skillet she filled Kat in on all things Case and Jenny Jennings. Kat got a good kick out of how Jessie had blamed missing brownies on Buck.

“So, sounds like you wouldn’t mind a fix up with this particular handyman,” Kat asked.

“Don’t say that, this isn’t a secure line,” Jessie teased, “The Texas Matchmakers Association of Greater Chancy will be on my back in no time pushing me down the aisle and into the nursery!”

“Jess married life isn’t all that bad.” What was it about matrimony and kids that scared her so much after all, Kat thought? Of course she knew, Julia Truitt-Hathaway wasn’t the sterling example of happily married and motherhood for her daughter.

“Well anyway,” Jessie said shifting the topic as not to encourage Kat’s matchmaker train of thought, “Creekside just needs a little repair here and there and then I can focus on a tidy website, a few strategically placed press releases and drumming up some business. My energy is going into Creekside for now and it makes me happy. So there,” and with that she scooped the golden brown chicken out of the pan.

“That’s all any of us who love you could ever want,” Kat sighed, “I can’t wait to come down and see all your plans. You know I’m living a little vicariously through you. Cozy town, fresh air, exciting opportunities on the horizon.”

Jessie smiled, knowing her friend was doing the same, “Well I look forward to seeing you guys too. Go kiss those hellions for me and give Greg a hug. I’ll talk to you next week.”

“Okay, night night.”

“Night.”

As Jessie clicked off and set the phone down she reached over, pushed the door open and let Buck back in. “Okay, babe, let’s see how mama did.” She sliced a chunk of meat off a drumstick and cringed at the red meat. “Niiice.”

Well I guess he thinks you’re okay…

“Well I guess he thinks you’re okay,” Jessie said as they came up the front steps, “And if Earl sent you I guess you’re not going to kidnap me away to some desert island and have your way with me.” Oh my gawd did I just say thought out loud she thought.

Case chuckled, “Um nope. That wasn’t the plan. Just a little woodwork.”

As they walked down the hall towards the kitchen where the dogs sniffed around all the scattered pots and pans Jessie asked, “Can I get you anything to drink Brawny?”

“Excuse me?”

Oh my GAWD I’m going to die, get it together, she scolded herself.

“Can I get you anything to drink, or a brownie?” Jessie asked as she took a calming breath.

Case paused at the kitchen door and surveyed the disaster zone; “Use a lot of dishes when you bake?”

Jessie surprised herself by giggling, and then shook her head, “Um, no, actually, what you see there is my latest accomplishment in unintended demolition.”

She shoved a pot away from the front of the fridge and pulled out two Dr. Peppers, handed one to Case while she single-handedly popped the top on her own. She took a long drink as Case opened his and eyed the ceiling.

“Nice work,” he grinned.

With half her drink gone and the caffeine settling her nerves she smiled at him, “I always try my hardest.”

“Actually I can’t seem to get into much around here without creating ten times more work. Guess that could be good news for you. Don’t mean to sound rude, but where are you from? Earl hasn’t had much help since I’ve known him. And I don’t recall any Jennings around town.”

“Nope, not from around Chancy – grew up just outside of Houston in Spring. Guess it was about four months ago now I relocated. My cousin Jeff moved back here last year and kept talking about how calm and beautiful things were around here.”

Jessie began picking up the pots, skillets and pans and setting them up on the counter. She surprised herself when she noticed she wasn’t jittery any more. She’d always found it difficult to be around handsome men her age unless it was work where she was often in charge or in groups of friends.

“Here let me help,” Case reached down and offered to take a stockpot off her hands.

As they finished putting the cookware on the cabinets Buck started whining, having waited long enough for his treat.

Jessie opened a canister on the counter and pulled out some jerky. “Is it okay for Jenny to get a treat?” she asked as she tossed a piece to Buck.

“Sure,” he said as he walked to the back door, “that the gazebo in question?”

Jessie dusted off her hands and opened the back door, “This way sir.”

The dogs ran out first as Jessie and Case ambled off towards the gazebo. “I knew it needed some sanding and a fresh coat of paint. I can do that. But one of the floor boards snapped on me the other day and once I got to lookin’ at it I realized I was in over my head.”

Case walked around, eyeing the steps, testing the rails then hopped up and carefully tested boards. “Could be a lot worse, probably just a days worth of labor pulling out the rotten pieces, shoring up and laying new boards in. Need a few new rails too, nothing major.”

Jessie swatted at a mosquito on her leg, “Sounds about right. So what did you do in Houston to prepare you as a gazebo repair man?”

That drew a smile from Case as he wiped his brow, “Financial advisor extraordinaire. Of course that was eight to five. I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands and worked construction as I went through school.”

He leaned up against a post that gave a little creak, “My real love is furniture though. That’s why I moved out here, slow things down a bit, focus on the work I enjoy, see if I can make a go of things.”

“Me too. Not the furniture thing but I know what you mean about slowing down,” Jessie said and then let out a sarcastic laugh, “Of course I think I underestimated my workload, I don’t think I’ll slow down for a good decade.”

When had talking to men gotten this easy? She thought to herself that it might just be Case. He had that laid back, easy way about him.

“Well,” Jessie decided to stop starring, “let me show you some of the other places around the house I need help with, then you can work up an estimate.”

“Sounds like a plan,” he said and then called for Jenny, “Now where’d she run off to?”

“Oh I saw her and Buck head down to the creek, want me to call them in?” she asked and prepared to whistle them home.

“No, no. Probably best not to have her underfoot while I check things out. She’s been my shadow since I got her though; I’ve never seen her just take to another dog or person like this. I might just be a little jealous.” With that they both headed back to the house.

“Hey,” Case said with a nod toward the kitchen, “I’ll take you up on that brownie now if the offer’s still good.”

I’ve gotta see what’s gotten Buck all riled up…

“Dang dog. Hey Kat that’s awesome, I’ll call you in a few days to check on details. I’ve gotta see what’s gotten Buck all riled up.”

“Okay J, be good. Don’t get married off until I get there.”

“Ha ha.” Jessie said as she pulled herself up from the floor.

It was a truck. Buck had his paws up on the front window with his claws snagging the sheers and his tail wagging ninety to nothing.

“Buck, down!” Jessie ordered as she opened the front door and walked onto the porch.

It was a ’64 Ford, sea foam green sturdy old farm truck that had pulled up to the house. She recognized both the ride and the beagle that jumped like lightening from the bed of the truck and ran towards the house. With the sun shining directly at her she shaded her eyes and watched as the beagle and Buck jumped around one another sniffing in greeting and ready to rumble.

“Jen-nay,” hollered the plaid shirt from the truck, “Be a good girl.”

The Ford’s anchor of a door opened and Jessie watched as six feet of good looking hopped out of the cab. Hello, please be Jeff and don’t be gay she thought. He looked like the Brawny man – part Tom Seleck part every girl’s prince charming.

Jessie composed herself and called after Buck who begrudgingly came to her side as Jenny trotted over to Brawny’s side.

“Hidee, name’s Case Jennings and this is Jenny, Earl asked me to stop by and check out some work you need done,” he said as he extended his hand.

Jessie managed to keep her chin in place and look in his eyes to return the greeting, “Hi, thought Earl would be stopping by himself later on.”

“Well, if you don’t mind, he asked me to come out and check on your gazebo I think it was? I’m helping him out now-a-days off and on when I’ve got some spare time.”

“Mind? Oh no, I don’t mind. Didn’t mean to make it sound like I mind,” Shut up you babbling idiot she thought, “Don’t mind a bit, come on in, Jenny’s welcome inside too. Come here you pretty girl let’s go get a treat.”

At the word treat, Buck’s ears perked up. Jessie had to laugh because he looked torn between his seemingly new best friend and what he was sure would be bacon. As Case made a move to follow Jessie inside Buck’s attention turned to him momentarily. Her protective canine angel looked Case up and down and then headed inside towards the kitchen with Jenny following close behind.

“I miss you and your hellions,” Jessie said as she slid onto the floor…

“I miss you and your hellions,” Jessie said as she slid onto the floor and propped up against the cabinets. Buck sat his hind end in a huge skillet and licked at Jessie’s face. “It must be naptime because I don’t hear them.”

“Oh they’re next door. Forget about the noise on my end, what was that I heard?”

Jessie looked up at the ceiling where she saw a gaping hole where the chain of the pot rack had been anchored to the ceiling. “Bette’s giant pot rack decided to let loose from the ceiling.”

Kat giggled a little, “Bless your heart.”

“More like bless my pocketbook. I’ve got warped boards in the gazebo that probably needs a whole new floor, floorboards in the hide-away and under the stairs that need patching before I can store anything there, cabinets coming off the hinges, back porch screen that needs replacing, more yard work than I know what to do with and a kitchen ceiling that needs repair.”

“Well you didn’t expect this to be a cake walk now did you?” Kat asked in very maternal tone that made Jessie smile.

“No, no I didn’t. But I’m no good at all this. Luckily Earl said he’d come by later,” Jessie said, “Or said he’d send somebody…something. I don’t know. At this point I don’t even care if it’s a fix-up.”

“Ooh a fix-up. Now I didn’t know there were cute, eligible bachelors in Chancy.” Jessie could almost hear Kat’s brain switch into matchmaker mode. What was it about her friends who got married becoming obsessed with getting her married? She knew the pattern – first came the questions about do you think he’s the right one, then when did you set the date; then after the date is set, it’s where is the honeymoon; then after the wedding people immediately jump to, when are you going to start that family?

“Woah girl, don’t get too excited. All I’ve seen since I got back are the wed, elderly, confirmed bachelors and nearly dead. Although I hear I’m a prime target for someone’s gay, handyman nephew to hook up with.”

“Oh no,” Kat said, but Jessie knew her well enough that she could picture Kat’s Cheshire grin.

“Go ahead, let it out, have a good chuckle,” Jessie said, “I’m just glad Jimmy isn’t broadcasting a matchmaking play-by-play after the morning ag report.”

Looking to change the subject Jessie asked, “So what is up in Cowtown sister?”

“Well,” Kat said with her signature bubbly enthusiasm, “Greg is ready to take some time off and I was thinking that the kids and us could come down for a four-day weekend or something and help out, maybe do a little shopping and pick out some things to brighten up the house.”

Jessie got a little teary, feigned the trademark verklempt voice and said, “Oh Kat thanks,” she sniffed tenderly, “but the thought of your three kids running wild on this property scares the living bejeezus out of me.”

“Wha? Huh? Oh you hag,” Kat said as Jessie busted into a laugh, “You know my children are angels and you miss them as much as you do me!”

It was true; Kyle, Kaylie and Kris were adorable and fun, if not obnoxiously named, and no more of a handful than your average 6, 4 and 2 year-olds.

“We could come down next weekend, give you a few more days to sort things out for yourself and get ready to boss me around while Greg and the kids fish.”

“That would be…”

Jessie was cut off as Buck went wild scrambling through the pots and pans to run through the house and start barking out the front windows.