nose, moved to the steps and waved to a passing neighbor, all with a sense of cool so liquid they could have bottled it. “Interviewingwith a practice in Nashville that embraces the latest concept of healing humor.”
“That’s hardly the latest concept, Payton.” April turned and tagged along after him right back down the walk they had just come up not five minutes earlier. “It does say in Proverbs that ‘laughter doeth good like a medicine.’”
“Wait a minute!” Sadie did not budge from the porch. “Did you say Nashville?”
“Yup. Tennessee. Actually, just outside Nashville. Murfreesboro,” he said casually, all Southern accent and subtle slyness. His deepset eyes blinked slowly, and though he did not smile outright, he wore an expression of affable enthusiasm. “Ever hear of it?”
“Well, of course.” Sadie had visited there, in fact. “But—”
“I have a map in the car. Let me show you where it is.” With that he hurried away, and before either April or Sadie could say another word, had stuck his whole upper body into the passenger side of his new—well, new to him—shiny blue Lexus.
“What happened to staying close by?” April leaned in, ducking and weaving to get the best vantage point to continue the conversation.
“Just a…” He whipped around and almost collided skulls with doe-eyed April. Gently, he took her by the shoulders and set her back a couple steps. “Just a four-hour drive. Maybe more if you go scenic.”
“More?” April asked.
He produced a stack of road maps and began shuffling through them. “You should, you know.”
“Should what?” Sadie demanded. Something did not feel right about this whole thing.
“Go scenic. It’s a gorgeous drive. Lots to see. Ever been to Cave City?”
“Payton Bartlett, what are you trying to—”
“Four hours? ” April accepted each map after Payt examined the front covers then discarded them.
“Okay, you got me. Might be more like five. But that’s still closer than the other group that showed interest in bringing me on—in Chicago.”
“Chicago?” The maps crackled, sliding from April’s hands into her open arms.
“Can’t find the map of Tennessee. I know I had one, because Moonie asked to see it and…Wait!” He interrupted himself a little too abruptly and began an almost frantic search back through the folded rectangles with pictures of states on the cover. “I do have a map of Illinois, if you want to see where that other practice is located.”
“We didn’t come to admire your map collection, Payt.” Sadie cradled the candy box over her chest, her own sacred shield of chocolate to fend off whatever distraction her brother-in-law would next fling her way. “We came to see our family.”
April scowled. “If you go to Chicago, we’ll never see Hannah.”
“Hey, hop on a plane.” Payt tossed the maps into the car then clapped his hands together. “There before you know it.”
“B-but I don’t fly well, Payt. And Sadie would have to arrange for four tickets for the family, and then we have to think about Daddy.”
“Oh, don’t give your daddy another thought,” he said, and far too fast for Sadie’s liking moved again to another subject. “In fact, it’s entirely premature to worry about us moving away. All speculation at this point. Nothing set in stone.”
“Are you sure about that?” Sadie narrowed her eyes. “Because this conversation is making me feel like I have rocks in my head.”
“Always the kidder, eh, Sadie? Hey, are those chocolates?”
“Yes, we brought them over for—”
“Terrific.” He slid the box from Sadie’s grasp and planted a quick kiss on her cheek. “Really thoughtful, really.”
“I didn’t bring them for you. I brought them for Daddy.”
“And I’ll see that he gets them.” The words had hardly left his lips before he’d popped open April’s car door, waved to another neighbor, then swept his free hand toward the waiting front seat.
“That’s hardly the latest concept, Payton.” April turned and tagged along after him right back down the walk they had just come up not five minutes earlier. “It does say in Proverbs that ‘laughter doeth good like a medicine.’”
“Wait a minute!” Sadie did not budge from the porch. “Did you say Nashville?”
“Yup. Tennessee. Actually, just outside Nashville. Murfreesboro,” he said casually, all Southern accent and subtle slyness. His deepset eyes blinked slowly, and though he did not smile outright, he wore an expression of affable enthusiasm. “Ever hear of it?”
“Well, of course.” Sadie had visited there, in fact. “But—”
“I have a map in the car. Let me show you where it is.” With that he hurried away, and before either April or Sadie could say another word, had stuck his whole upper body into the passenger side of his new—well, new to him—shiny blue Lexus.
“What happened to staying close by?” April leaned in, ducking and weaving to get the best vantage point to continue the conversation.
“Just a…” He whipped around and almost collided skulls with doe-eyed April. Gently, he took her by the shoulders and set her back a couple steps. “Just a four-hour drive. Maybe more if you go scenic.”
“More?” April asked.
He produced a stack of road maps and began shuffling through them. “You should, you know.”
“Should what?” Sadie demanded. Something did not feel right about this whole thing.
“Go scenic. It’s a gorgeous drive. Lots to see. Ever been to Cave City?”
“Payton Bartlett, what are you trying to—”
“Four hours? ” April accepted each map after Payt examined the front covers then discarded them.
“Okay, you got me. Might be more like five. But that’s still closer than the other group that showed interest in bringing me on—in Chicago.”
“Chicago?” The maps crackled, sliding from April’s hands into her open arms.
“Can’t find the map of Tennessee. I know I had one, because Moonie asked to see it and…Wait!” He interrupted himself a little too abruptly and began an almost frantic search back through the folded rectangles with pictures of states on the cover. “I do have a map of Illinois, if you want to see where that other practice is located.”
“We didn’t come to admire your map collection, Payt.” Sadie cradled the candy box over her chest, her own sacred shield of chocolate to fend off whatever distraction her brother-in-law would next fling her way. “We came to see our family.”
April scowled. “If you go to Chicago, we’ll never see Hannah.”
“Hey, hop on a plane.” Payt tossed the maps into the car then clapped his hands together. “There before you know it.”
“B-but I don’t fly well, Payt. And Sadie would have to arrange for four tickets for the family, and then we have to think about Daddy.”
“Oh, don’t give your daddy another thought,” he said, and far too fast for Sadie’s liking moved again to another subject. “In fact, it’s entirely premature to worry about us moving away. All speculation at this point. Nothing set in stone.”
“Are you sure about that?” Sadie narrowed her eyes. “Because this conversation is making me feel like I have rocks in my head.”
“Always the kidder, eh, Sadie? Hey, are those chocolates?”
“Yes, we brought them over for—”
“Terrific.” He slid the box from Sadie’s grasp and planted a quick kiss on her cheek. “Really thoughtful, really.”
“I didn’t bring them for you. I brought them for Daddy.”
“And I’ll see that he gets them.” The words had hardly left his lips before he’d popped open April’s car door, waved to another neighbor, then swept his free hand toward the waiting front seat.
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