Narrowing her eyes, Cassie regarded him closely. She knew the backseat was filled with presentation materials and handouts for the following week's medical conference in Atlanta. Before she could protest, he threw an old flannel blanket from the truck bed onto the pile.

Cassie slid into the middle, then tried not to laugh as she watched Andrew negotiate his way into the truck. Sam flipped on the air-conditioning full force and turned to them with a silly grin. "Man. It's hotter'n a goat's butt in a pepper patch."

Cassie elbowed him in the ribs, then focused her attention on the dashboard as she tried to ignore Andrew's proprietary hand on her thigh. As soon as Sam put the truck in drive, his hand snaked its way over the back of the seat, coming to rest on her right shoulder. The ride home was the longest five minutes of her entire life.

The truck stopped in front of the old house, and they climbed out. Cassie stared up at the familiar facade, with its stately columns, and felt an odd surge of pride. Turning to Andrew, she waited for his reaction.

"So, this is the old pile of lumber." He put his hands on his hips and walked back behind the truck as if to get a better view. He turned in a circle, surveying the property. "I didn't get a good chance to look at it before. But now I see why you're having such a problem selling it. It's so old."

Sam slammed the truck door a little louder than necessary.

Cassie tugged on Andrew's arm. "How can you say that? You haven't even seen the inside."

He turned toward the house again, squinting into the sun. "It's old. Not my style. But really, the land it's sitting on could be a real gold mine."

Cassie bit down hard on her lip, wanting to defend her house and the place she had called home throughout the many happy years of her childhood. But she kept quiet instead, catching sight of Sam watching her closely.

Sam hoisted the suitcase out of the truck bed and slung it solidly onto the ground and right in the middle of a small puddle.

"Sorry 'bout that, Andy. Didn't see the puddle."

Andrew yanked on the handle and lifted it up. Cassie recognized the belligerent jut of his chin and knew she had to separate the two men before things came to blows.

She pulled on his coat sleeve. "Andrew, let's go inside and get you cleaned up. Thanks for the ride, Sam." She tugged on Andrew's elbow and led him toward the steps. Andrew moved ahead and stopped at the front door. Cassie hung back, turning toward Sam. "Sam? Please don't forget. . . ."

"I won't forget." The foolish grin disappeared as he spoke, the country hayseed gone.

A small grin crept across her face. "How did you know what I was going to say?"

He didn't return her smile. "I've known you for a long time." He turned and opened the door to his truck. "Don't worry. I'll go check on Harriet now. But you're probably going to have to be a real pain in the butt to get her to make an appointment for a complete office checkup." He climbed behind the steering wheel, slammed the door shut, then leaned one muscular forearm out the window. "I know you can be real good at that." He started the engine and pulled away before she could think of a response.

When she approached the waiting Andrew, his scowl turned into a practiced smile. "Alone at last." She allowed herself to be pulled into his embrace, her face plastered against his custom-made Egyptian cot-ton shirt. She sniffed, smelling the familiar expensive cologne, the starch of his shirt, and tried to nestle into his arms until she found a comfortable spot. She sniffed again, wondering what was missing.

Jerking her head up, her gaze met his.

"What's wrong?" His voice deepened as he pressed her closer to him.

She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to figure it out. Her eyes widened with realization. There wasn't anything wrong. There was just something missing. The smell of outdoors, Dial soap, and the rough feel of denim. Sam.

"Nothing. It's just so hot, that's all." She broke away and opened the door. "See? It was unlocked. You could have just put your stuff inside."

He followed her into the foyer, plopping down his dirty suitcase on the Oriental rug and gazing about the room. "It's like a museum in here. Who are all those goofy-looking people in the portraits?"

Cassie crossed her arms in front of her. "Your future inlaws. So be nice."

"Oops. Sorry." He faced her, not looking at all repentant. "Are we alone?"

Her fingers strayed to the charms around her neck. "Ah, yes. But Aunt Lucinda should be back soon. . . ."

He dropped his raincoat on top of the suitcase and approached her with a purposeful look. "Where's our bedroom?"

Something akin to panic rippled through her. What had gotten in to her? This was the man she was supposed to marry. "Our bedroom? Oh, you mean mine?" She tried to picture Andrew in the pink canopied bed, making room for the giant stuffed elephant that had been keeping her company of late. "It's upstairs, but-"

"Come on, then." He pulled on her hand, dragging her toward the steps. There was no mistaking the look in his eyes. It occurred to her to wonder why she felt nothing at his touch.

Before she could think of an excuse, she heard a car door slam outside. She pulled away. "That's Aunt Lucinda." She almost skipped to the front door and flung it open.

"Hey, Aunt Lu." Even to her own ears her voice sounded as country as collard greens. She didn't bother to turn around to catch Andrew's expression.

Lucinda fairly ran up the stairs and into the house, breathing heavily as she teetered in her four-inch heels. She wore freshly applied Bingo Night Red lipstick and smelled of baby powder. Cassie spied lines of the white stuff in the elbow crease of her aunt's arm.

The older woman tottered toward Andrew and smothered him in an embrace, leaving powder smudges on his jacket and a look of alarm on his face.

Lucinda smiled brightly. "I didn't get the chance before over at Harriet's house, but I just had to give you a hug and welcome you to the family, Andy. It's so good to finally meet you."

A small smile plastered itself on Andrew's face. "That would be Andrew. And, yes, it's nice to meet you, too. You're exactly how I pictured you."

The wattage on Lucinda's smile didn't dim. "Why, thank you. And you're exactly what I pictured, too." She looked down at the muddy suitcase. "Here, why don't I take that and let you get settled in your room. I'm putting you down here in my room. It just wouldn't be fittin' to leave you and Cassie alone upstairs. I'll sleep in the guest room instead."

With a wink at Cassie, Lucinda hoisted the suitcase and sashayed out of the foyer and to the back of the house.

Cassie ignored the stunned expression on Andrew's face and silently thanked her aunt. She wasn't sure why she should be so relieved to be rescued by Lucinda; after all, she was no stranger to Andrew's bed. But there was something about seeing Andrew here, in this town, in her house, that illuminated him in a strange new light-a light that wasn't entirely flattering. He stuck out like snow in July, and as she stared at him with new eyes, she realized for the first time in their rela-tionship how very different they were. She couldn't remember ever thinking that before, but maybe he had changed in the short time they'd been apart.

Cassie gave him a quick peck on the cheek before escaping past him and up the first couple of stairs. "I've got to shower and get this sticky ice cream off me before I start attracting ants. When I'm done, I'll show you the house."

"Oh, boy," he said, looking entirely unenthusiastic. "Can't wait."

As Cassie turned to run up the rest of the stairs, she could have sworn the eyes of Great-great-great-grandfather Madison sent her a scolding look.

Cassie sat on the porch swing, her bare feet skimming the surface of the floorboards, her eyes closed and head tilted back to catch the breeze from the ceiling fan. The door shut with a bang, and she jerked up.

Andrew's hair was still damp from his shower. With the high humidity in the air, it wasn't going to dry by itself anytime soon. Splotches of perspiration already marred his pale green silk shirt, and wet streaks snaked down under the waistband of a pair of mocha-colored linen trousers.

"Damn it's hot! How can they stand it?"

She eyed his outfit with amusement. "Well, for one thing, they dress appropriately."

His gaze traveled from her bare feet up to the denim shorts and cotton tank top with spaghetti straps she had bought on the spur of the moment during a trip to the local Wal-Mart. "I have my standards."

She moved over to make room for him on the swing. "Then stop complaining about being hot."

He eyed the swing speculatively, awkwardly maneuvering himself next to her. He slid back on the seat, then rested his arm around her shoulders, his fingers caressing her collarbone. They swung in silence for a moment before Andrew spoke.

"So, Cassandra. What's going on here?"

She looked down at her hands, noticing her peeling fingernails. She hadn't bothered to get a manicure since she'd been in Walton. "What do you mean?"

"Well, for starters, who's that guy? Sam something or other."

Cassie swallowed in an effort to make her voice sound nonchalant. "Sam Parker. He's the town doctor. An old family friend."

Andrew shook his head. "Oh, great. I guess everybody here spends a lot of time praying they won't get sick. What a bozo."

Cassie pulled away. "You don't even know him. You can't always tell who a person is by the way they look." Cassie pushed at the floorboard with a dig of her heel, sending the swing into an odd rocking pattern.

Andrew snorted. "Well, what about the way he talks? He reminds me of that Goober guy on The Andy Griffith Show. Hell, he's so perfect, we might be able to use him in one of our commercials as a redneck gas-station attendant. He'd be a natural."

She almost mentioned Sam's Harvard degree but kept silent, figuring it would be a lot more amusing to have Andrew find out for himself.

They turned their heads in unison at the sound of tires on gravel. Ed Farrell's Cadillac, its white walls sparkling, pulled into the drive and parked. Slowly, Ed slid out of the car and sauntered toward them, his pinstriped suit reflecting the sunlight.

Cassie stopped the swing and stood. "Hey, Ed." There was that word again. When had the word hello fallen from her vocabulary?

"Hey, Cassie." He approached Andrew with an outstretched hand and a smile. "And you must be Cassie's fiance. It's a real pleasure to meet you."

Andrew stood and shook hands. "Andrew Wallace. Nice to meet you." He studied Ed's face closely. "Have we met before? You look vaguely familiar."

"Nope. Don't think so. Can't imagine there being somebody looking just like me, though. Pretty scary, huh?"

He chuckled as Andrew simply nodded. Cassie noted Andrew's smirk as his gaze took in Ed's suit, and she had the oddest desire to go stand in front of Ed as a protective shield from ridicule.

Seemingly oblivious to Andrew's expression, Ed hitched up his pants. "So. What do you think of the property? Cassie's got a nice thing here. Have you had a chance to check out my new neighbor-hood, Farrellsford?"

Andrew's eyebrows rose with interest. "You're a builder?"

Ed's gaze shifted to Cassie for a moment. "Not exactly. I'm a realtor who just dabbles in land development and improving the town of Walton. It's been pretty lucrative these last few years."

"Really?" Andrew's attention had been aroused. "How lucrative?"

"Follow me." Ed led Cassie and Andrew off the porch and around the side of the house where the backs and chimneys of some of the houses in Farrellsford could be seen. Ed pointed. "I bought that piece of property for a song not three years ago. Now I've got close to a hundred and fifty houses on it, each going for around two hun-dred thousand." He grinned widely at Andrew. "Now that's what I call lucrative."

Cassie narrowed her eyes at the slate gray hip roofs of the houses in Farrellsford. "But Ed also believes in keeping the integrity of Walton. Which is why he's not pressuring me to do anything with the house besides sell it to another family for residential use. Right, Ed?"

"Well, yes, Cassie. As long as that solution remains feasible." He hitched up his pants again, looking uncomfortable in the stifling sun. "But I told you it would be hard, since everybody wants new construction these days. I've shown it to four families so far, and every single one of them has decided on one of the newer homes. That's why I came over today. To start talking about our plan B."

Cassie looked beyond his shoulder to the white house behind him. Every brick, every shingle, every floorboard, was as familiar to her as her own skin. The squeaks and sounds of the old house had been her nightly lullaby ever since she could remember. Her gaze strayed to the front lawn as a small breeze blew toward them, carrying on it the scent of her mother's roses. Beyond the house, towering over the driveway, the magnolia her mother had planted as a sapling when Cassie was born twittered its leaves in the breeze.

Ed continued. "And the good news is, I think I've got part of the town council on my side about that moratorium to halt further development. The police chief and Judge Moore have sworn to oppose, and I'm working on the others. Sam can't pass it without a majority, and I don't think he's going to get it." He smiled gently at her. "I'm not talking about bulldozing the house, Cassie. You know I'd hate that as much as you would. I'm just talking about finding some other uses for the existing structure with just some minimal changes."

Cassie's gaze fell to the backyard. There she saw the ghosts of her childhood friends playing hide-and-seek in the twilight of a long-gone day. She smelled her mother's roses again and turned back to the men. "I don't know if there is going to be a plan B, Ed. I know that's not what we originally talked about, but the more I think about it, the more I'm pretty sure I'd never be able to see this property used for anything else except for a family who wants to live in the house." She stared at the two men evenly. "I can wait. For however long it takes."

Andrew gave her a contentious look. "I beg to differ, Cassandra. First, you have a job in dire need of your attention back in New York. Second, there's an awful lot of money to be gained here."

Cassie stared at her fiance, waiting for him to say something about how much he needed her and loved her. Then she realized what she wanted most was for him to turn around and look at the house, to see it through her eyes and to know that the brick, mortar, and wood were worth far more to her than money. He did neither. Instead, he frowned as he tilted his head back. "This old place looks like a fire hazard."

Cassie looked at Andrew in disbelief, then turned at the sound of her aunt's voice.

Lucinda stood on the edge of the porch, waving at them. "Hey, y'all, I brought out some sweet tea. Thought you could sure use it on such a hot day."

Without waiting for the men, Cassie charged forward toward the steps. Her hand shook as she poured herself a glass. She paused for a moment, looking intently at the fuschia aluminum cup. She held the frosty metal up to her cheek and closed her eyes, remembering going to the Green Stamp store with her mother to buy them. With her mother's help, Cassie had licked and pasted all those stamps into their little book until they had enough to get those silly aluminum cups. They were as much a part of her childhood as church picnics and swimming in the creek behind Senator Thompkins's house.

The two men walked up the steps, deep in conversation. Cassie handed Andrew a fluorescent blue cup and watched with amusement as he raised an eyebrow before placing his lips on the curved edge to drink.

Ed chose a bright yellow cup and took a sip before addressing Andrew again. "If you like, I'd be happy to show you around Farrellsford and some other projects I've got going on around town. I'm always looking for investors." He winked.

To Cassie's surprise, Andrew nodded. "I'd like that."

"Aunt Cassie!"

They all turned to see Madison walking up the drive, Knoxie on her hip and Joey and Sarah Frances following close behind.

"Dr. Parker said Mama needed to rest, so he sent us over here."

The children clattered up onto the porch and stopped, staring at Andrew. Cassie made the introductions and was proud of the children as they each held out a small hand to him.

Knoxie slid down from Madison's arms and wailed, "I need to go potty."

Madison grabbed her hand and led her into the house. Quickly, the screen door popped open again, and Madison stuck her head out. "Before I forget-are batteries made of metal? Like, would they set off a metal detector?"

Cassie puckered her eyebrows as she regarded her niece. "Yes, I believe they are. Why do you need to know?"

Knoxie wailed again from inside the house. "Now, Maddie. I don't wanna wet my pants."

Madison smiled. "Oh, no reason." She let the screen door slam behind her as she disappeared inside.

Andrew stared at Joey and Sarah Frances who were now sprawled on the porch swing. "Oh, my god! You mean your sister has four children?"

Cassie put her cup down and poured more tea. "Actually, five. Baby Amanda must be home with Harriet."

Sarah Frances's small voice piped up. "Mama says we shouldn't use the Lord's name in vain, Mr. Wallace."

Andrew's eyes widened before he turned to Ed. "You know, I'm not doing anything right now. If you've got a few minutes, I'd love to take that tour."

Ed put his cup down on a railing. "Nope. Got nothin' planned at all. It would be my pleasure."

Andrew turned back to Cassie. "Assuming that's all right with you."

Cassie waved her hand in dismissal. "It's fine with me. I'll stay here and play with the children."

Andrew kissed her quickly on the cheek, then left to get into Ed's Cadillac. Ed faced her for a moment with a sympathetic smile. "We'll talk later, all right? And if you just want to wait it out until we find the right family for your house, then that's fine with me."

He winked and began walking toward the Cadillac with the same lanky gait he hadn't seemed to have outgrown. Cassie paused for a moment, recalling the memory of going with her mother to deliver a bucket of apples and old clothes to Ed's mother. Ed had walked away from them without a word as soon as they reached the bottom broken step of the front porch. His bare feet had stirred up clouds of red dust as he strode across the parched and bare yard in front of the dilapi-dated house, as if the embarrassment of facing charity was more than he could stand.

Cassie turned and opened the screen door. "Maddie. When you come out, grab some apples and meet us under the magnolia out front."

She reached for the hands of the two children, and the three went running across the lawn, the freshly cut grass tickling her bare toes. They sat under the welcoming branches of the old tree, leaning against the trunk, their legs stretched out in front of them. They were soon joined by Maddie and Knoxie, and the air was filled with the juicy crunchings of apples.