"Susan," he said. "Don't scare her. I'm not obsessed."

Susan, a woman for whom glamour was obviously not a priority, just laughed. A woman in her fifties, she had chosen to let the gray hair in and wore no makeup. She was dressed in jeans, a T-shirt and wore a flannel shirt over it. Very plain, very down to earth, completely approachable. "He's obsessed," she confirmed. "But you don't have to be afraid."

Jed didn't waste any time-he was down on the floor with his box of goodies. Curious Fay was there in a flash, crawling up to the box while Jed slowly removed toys and books. Berry was slower, but she edged near, sitting on the floor, keeping the box between herself and Jed.

"Can I get you something to drink, Susan?" Nora asked.

"Nothing, thanks. I just want to watch Jed. But we can both do that and talk. I wanted to know if you had a major picked out when you were in school. Did you have any ideas about what you wanted to study?"

Nora sat down on the sofa and Susan joined her there. "I thought maybe education, but I had no experience. And no idea why I was drawn to the idea."

"But even if you didn't have the details, you knew your dad was a teacher."

She nodded. "And when I was little, I played teacher with the girl next door and the dolls. But that was all play... ."

"Don't discount it too quickly," she said. "I used to build villages as a child. I used flowers and toothpicks and rocks-anything at hand in the yard. Hollyhocks were my favorite people. But never dollhouses, always towns filled with people. I had great complex plays and adventures. My mother thought I'd be a playwright, my father thought I'd be an architect. Turns out I'm an anthropologist." She laughed and Nora was so taken by how beautiful this plain, unfussy woman could be. Her eyes twinkled; her smile was alive with happiness. "I watched my daughters play and I guessed them right, but they were so obvious."

"Huh?"

"Well, Lindsey was always undressing other children. She's doing her residency in family practice. Melanie tried to diaper and breastfeed her dolls-she's the one with three children and is a stay-at-home mom who still talks about college one day. We'll see."

"Holy cow. I'm going to have to watch how Berry and Fay play!"

"But what about you?" Susan asked. "What are you playing at these days?"

"I'm picking apples," she said with a laugh.

"Do you like it?"

"It's very hard, heavy, taxing work. And yes, I like it. More than that, I love being there, in the orchard. It feels...natural. Healthy. But I'm doing it because the hours and pay work for me."

"Do you ever entertain the idea of going back to school?" Susan asked.

"Susan," Jed said in a warning tone.

"He eavesdrops," Susan said with a laugh. "But do you?"

"Not for a few years," Nora admitted. "Why think about things you can't possibly manage?"

"Well-"

"Susan," Jed said in a pleading voice, cutting her off. He took a breath and looked at Nora. And while he did that, Fay crawled trustingly into his lap. "Nora, this conversation can wait, we barely know each other. And since these little girls are my granddaughters and I want them protected, I completely support your caution with anyone, including me. But what Susan is jumping into here is-that's an option for you. If you want to go back to school, complete your education, you have opportunity at Stanford."

"Jed," Nora said with humor. "It's not just tuition and books that stand in my way. I have a family to support. Even if you paid for school-"

"Most of my friends are married men and women with kids," he said. "I know what's involved. Housing, subsistence, child care, transportation-lots of expenses. I understand. But listen-you should be more sure of me, comfortable with your decision, clear on your goals. Personally, I don't care-if school doesn't interest you, maybe something else does. I just want to help."

"Haven't you helped enough?" Nora asked.

"I don't think so," he said. "For seventeen years I sent a check to Therese without knowing how it was used. That was at least fifty percent my fault-I should have found a way. But now? I want to give you the things I couldn't give you while you were growing up. And there aren't any strings attached."

"Look out, Nora," Susan said with laughter in her voice.

"Susan!" Jed said. And again, Susan laughed. "I brought a few things you obviously need," Jed said. "Things that will make your life a little easier. I want to do these things just because you're my daughter and these are my granddaughters."

"What things? Like formula and diapers?"

"And a car," Susan said.

"Oh, for the love of..." Jed rubbed his temples.

"It's used," Susan said. "It was mine-used by me and I took very good care of it. I put a lot of miles on it, but I pampered it. I was ready for a new car so Jed bought it from me rather than me trading it in. It's a few years old, in pristine condition and it comes with car seats." She smiled that lovely smile again. "My daughter knew exactly what kind to get and where to get them at the right price-she's an expert on that. The other one is an expert at saying, *Put on this gown, please.' See, we all have our special gifts!"

Nora was speechless. A car? No, this was too much. No matter what anyone said, there had to be strings. And she wasn't ready... .

"I can't," she said, shaking her head.

"But you can," Susan said. "See, my ex-husband and I had to help my girls out with cars and with their insurance when they were sixteen or seventeen. They had jobs. We both worked and couldn't chauffeur. It was a choice between helping with the transportation or no jobs. Then there were other expenses-proms, graduation, events, and the clothing and accessories became more and more expensive. So over the years, we ponied up for stuff they needed. Lindsey needed tons of college, Melanie and her young husband needed a down payment on a house. Had Jed been around when you were going through all those stages, it wouldn't have seemed like such a windfall." She smiled at Nora. "You're very lucky. Your father wants to help and he doesn't expect anything in return except for a chance to get to know you."

Jed had Fay in his lap on the floor and Berry sitting cautiously beside him as he read the Please and Thank You Book.

"Really?" Nora said.

He glanced at her. "Nora, I have a lot to make up to you. Not the other way around."

Chapter Nine

Luke Riordan was throwing trash from his cabins into the big Dumpster on his property when he heard a horn honking. He looked up and saw a big truck hauling a camper pull into the compound. There was no mistaking his old friend, Coop, two weeks early. Unsurprisingly, with no notice. He tossed his trash in the Dumpster, laughed and shook his head. Then he headed for the truck just as Coop was getting out.

"You get fired again?" Luke asked, sticking out a hand in welcome.

"I quit. You heard about that oil spill in the gulf?"

"Was that your company?" Luke asked.

"Was being the operative word. They were always on the edge, stupid bastards. Took way too many shortcuts and it was coming. So I quit."

"Now what?" Luke asked.

"For now, this little town in the mountains while I regroup," Coop said. And then he flashed that badass grin he was known for.

Henry Cooper, AKA Hank or Coop or Hank Cooper, had gone to helicopter training when Luke was an instructor at Ft. Rucker. He was known as a rebel. Also known as one of the best chopper pilots the Army had. He'd had a notable Army career, though he did butt heads with authority regularly. And for the past ten years Coop had flown a helicopter for oil companies to offshore wells. And no big surprise, he butted heads with them, also.

"And the paycheck?" Luke asked.