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logging the property as a way to earn some income.”
Hanging a hand from Lacy’s shoulder, he nodded his approval. “I
think it’s a great idea.”
    Surprised by his easy acceptance, Annie
hemmed, “Well, I haven’t made any decisions yet.” Walling her
peripheral vision against seeking out Jillian, she said, “I’m not
sure how we can manage to log without a road in, with no way to get
the wood and all.”
    “ Cal told me his forester
friend was taking care of it. All you need is a permit and that
shouldn’t take but a few weeks or so.”
    Once again, Annie felt things were
moving too quickly. The logging deal would be ready before she
could decide whether or not to sell. She had no idea if Jillian’s
offer was the right amount without checking the market. And she
still had yet to talk with Casey, discuss their options. Logging
would provide them with money and allow them to keep the land, but
with the land came expenses, taxes. Jillian’s offer would allow her
and Casey the freedom to walk away with a lump sum. It was
tempting. “Yes, well, Cal is an optimist.”
    Malcolm returned a thoughtful gaze.
“And you’re not?”
    “ Of course she is,” Lacy
quipped. “And Annie knows value when she sees it. She knows it’s a
lot of money.”
    “ Value,” Annie repeated.
“Yes.” Value. Money. Cash—and lots of it, possibly more than five
hundred thousand dollars. Resisting the urge to look over her
shoulder at Jillian, Annie spotted Aunt Fran as she emerged from
the kitchen.
    “ Hey, sugar!” Fran wiped her
hands on a red waist apron, her standard uniform attire along with
her starched white dress, and made a bee line for the three of
them. “I thought that was ya’ll I saw out here.” She brushed
wayward red curls beneath her hair net, aqua-blue eye shadow
jumping out against a line of heavy black lashes.
    A rush of nerves unraveled Annie’s
calm. “We’re here for lunch,” she blurted.
    Ignoring the obvious, Fran asked, “Did
you find Casey? I’ve been worried sick as a coon huntin’ at
noon.”
    Malcolm and Lacy remained mute,
assuming they knew the answer.
    “ I did.” Annie cleared her
throat. “She’s in Murfreesboro. With Troy.”
    “ Troy Parker?”
    Annie nodded. “Seems the two are an
item.” She glanced at Lacy, reminded of another young girl who
thought she wanted to escape on the heels of a boy. “Casey thinks
she wants to be with him for a while.”
    As though Fran understood completely,
she ceased further scrutiny. Rolling her lips together, she shared
a glance with Lacy and said, “Give her time. She’ll be
back.”
    “ The chicken smells awful
good, Aunt Frannie.”
    Fran accepted Lacy’s invitation onto
easier terrain with only a slight pause. “Now you know I don’t make
anything but the best.” Glancing between them she asked, “Three
orders?”
    Malcolm looked to Annie for
confirmation. “Actually, I just realized I told Candi I’d be by her
place after church,” she lied. Resisting the urge to look over her
shoulder, she couldn’t very well afford to stick around and have
Jillian make an approach!
    “ You want a couple orders to
go?”
    “ No, thanks.” At the
disappointment staring back at her, Annie added, “I don’t want you
to go to any trouble.”
    “ Now, sugar you know it’s no
trouble at all.”
    Annie managed a small smile. “Two
chicken dinners to go would be great, Aunt Fran. Thank
you.”
    The light returned to her expression.
“Four fried chicken dinners, double the biscuits!” she called out
gaily and whisked back to the kitchen service window. Calling the
order back, Fran turned on her white-soled heel and retrieved a
host of glasses. Setting them on a tray, she filled them with ice,
grabbed a pitcher of tea and delivered the goods in seconds. “Now
c’mon ya’ll, sit.” She poured four glasses full. “Just holler if
you want more.”
    Malcolm grinned. Guiding Lacy to a seat
on a cushioned stool, he said, “You spoil me,