"I haven't found him yet. But yeah, it's worth a high five. I'll talk to you later."

She hung up before he could, immediately dialed Carolee. No time to bake m.u.f.fins, she decided. She'd get something from the bakery instead.

Whatever time she had to spare, she'd spend looking for Joseph William Ryder.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

IT TOOK SOME TIME AND SCHEDULE SHUFFLING BEFORE everyone could get together at one time, in one place. At Justine's request, they met in her home. There, she felt, everyone could talk and speculate freely.

And if she had everyone who mattered to her most under one roof, they might as well make a party out of it.

She knew her men, so she marinated flank steaks, picked up corn at her favorite roadside stand, harvested tomatoes and peppers fresh from her garden.

"You don't have to fuss so much." w.i.l.l.y B sat at the counter, snapping beans, his contribution from his own little garden. His pug curled devotedly under his stool.

"It feels good to fuss some. This summer's flown by, and we've hardly managed to all get together like this. And it keeps my mind settled." She sprinkled paprika on a platter of eggs she'd deviled-one of Owen's favorites. "When I think about it all, w.i.l.l.y B, how I just had to have that inn, felt that pull in my heart for it. Now it turns out there's this connection. Billy Ryder. All this time."

She sighed. "I never asked questions about my people, or not many. Never bothered to find out much at all."

"You lived your life, Justine. You had Tommy and your boys, and Carolee."

"I know it, and it's always been about the now and the next for me. And still, aren't I the one for buying up these old places? So there's something. Anyway, Carolee doesn't know any more than I do. Daddy, either. When we find out whatever we find, I'm going to make more of an effort to learn about who came before me. You looked into yours. I remember."

"It was kind of interesting to find out." He paused his snapping to scratch through his red beard. "Where they came from in Scotland, how they came here-those who did. And I thought Avery should know. Maybe I thought she didn't have much on her mama's side, so she should have as much as I could give her on mine."

"You're the best daddy there is. n.o.body could've done better."

"Well, I had the best girl to work with." He smiled over the beans, then shifted, cleared his throat. "Justine, you don't want to get married or anything, do you?"

"Why, w.i.l.l.y B MacTavish." She fluttered her lashes. The question may have come out of left field, but she knew how to catch. "That's the most romantic proposal ever uttered."

"Oh now, Justine."

She laughed, the sound full of amused affection. "What makes you ask?"

"I don't know, exactly. All this talk about families, I guess, and your boy, my girl-wedding talk. You're here alone, and don't give me that look. I know you can take care of yourself, and whatever else needs it. But we've been ... you know, for a while now."

"I like 'you know.' You're the sweetest man I know, and if I wanted or needed marriage, I wouldn't look at anyone else. We're good as we are, aren't we, w.i.l.l.y B?"

As answer, he took her hand. "You mean the world to me, Justine. I just want you to know it."

"I do know it, and I'm grateful you'd ask. Maybe, down the road some, I'll ask you."

"Oh now, Justine." He pinked up at the idea, made her laugh again as she came around the counter to hug him hard. "I love you to pieces, w.i.l.l.y B." She eased back enough to plant her lips on his.

And Ryder walked in, D.A. behind him.

"Man." He gave them a wide berth, went straight to the refrigerator for a beer. "Man," he said again and popped the top.

Tyrone leaped up, shivered a little as D.A. walked over to sniff him.

"Oh now, Tyrone, D.A. won't hurt you." But w.i.l.l.y B got off the stool, crouched down to soothe the puppy and scratch D.A.'s ears.

"Where's Hope?" Justine asked him.

"She had stuff. She'll be here." Lightning quick-a man had to be quick in his mother's kitchen-he snagged a deviled egg.

"Has she had any more trouble from down in the city?"

"No, and I don't see that happening. Book's closed."

"Good. Go on and let those dogs outside now. Tyrone's fine with Finch and Cus. He'll be fine with D.A. before long."

Ryder obeyed, nudging the still reluctant pug out with the toe of his boot. "Beckett and his brood just pulled up. Dogs, too."

"Oh, well, maybe I should-"

"w.i.l.l.y B, you let that pug socialize," Justine ordered. "You're going to make a neurotic out of him otherwise."

"Everybody's bigger than he is."

"And you're bigger than anybody else. You don't hurt anyone." She opened a cupboard, took out three bubble-shooting guns she'd already loaded, and took them out to the boys.

Seconds later Clare came in with a bowl.

"Whatcha got?" Ryder asked as he took it from her. "Potato salad? You're my favorite sister-in-law."

"I'm your only, but not for much longer. Avery and Owen are right behind us." She stepped over to kiss w.i.l.l.y B's cheek.

"You sit right down here, get off your feet."

"I'll do that, and snap the rest of these beans."

"Okay then. I'm going to go out and ..."

Clare lifted her eyebrows as w.i.l.l.y B hurried out the door.

"He's worried the other dogs will traumatize that bug-eyed rat of his."

"They won't, and Tyrone is adorable."

"He looks like a dog from Mars."