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"Your children," she repeated

"Yes, I feel they shouldof popcorn she held fell from her hand and spilled its contents on the floor

Six

Linc Wyse stepped outside the Wyse Man Garage and leaned against the building Staying inside that office aup and he had nothing to pay them with His bank account, which had been substantial and was supposed to carry him for sixhi it a secret from her family, which hadn’t been his choice but hers, had created a fierce enemy in Lori’s father Linc had tried but he’d been unable to convince Leonard Bellahter for her money Not that Lori had any money now, except what she earned herself But Linc didn’t care; he never had

Despite that, Bella

As Linc stared out at the street, a familiar truck passed, slowed down and then cae His brother-in-law Linc straightened when Mack McAfee rolled down the driver’sand called out, "Hey, Linc, how’s it going?"

Linc oing"

"You don’t look that busy Do you want to joinlate, Noelle’s at day care and I just finished helping a friend ood to me"

"It does to me, too, but I’d better stay here in case a job comes in" The mid-September sunshine made for a warm afternoon, not that Linc noticed the weatherfor idle hands--but it would be just his luck to have two or three people show up and find no one there That was a chance he couldn’t afford to take

"Tell you what I’ll pick us up a six-pack and be right back"

Mack returned within fifteen ot out of his truck and handed Linc a can They sat in the office Leaning back in his chair, Linc pulled the tab off the cold beer and took a long s, enjoying the taste "Thanks," he said to Mack, saluting him with the beer

Mack nodded "Haven’t seenout He didn’t have the inclination or, these days, the extra cash But rather than respond, he shrugged

"You look like a ht of the world on his shoulders" Mack leaned back, too "Trouble?"

Onceeverything inside and yet he was used to keeping his own counsel Fixing his own proble hi fast Not even Lori knew the extent of what her father had done, nor did she fully understand their financial situation For that he had only hi about any of this Lori was angry enough with her father Foolish and unrealistic though it seeether It’d never been his intention to drive a wedge into their already strained relationship

"Everyone’s got trouble," Linc replied when he realized Mack aiting for a response

"True, but not all trouble is created equal, if you knohat I reed

"I’arded the man his sister had h he’d initially had doubts about their living arrangehter and parairl While it had bothered him that Mary Jo didn’t live close to her fa Mack was nearby They’d shared a duplex, he on one side and she on the other They’d married earlier in the year and Linc was happy for his sister

"You ht have noticed I’an, finally giving in to the relief of divulging his problems to a sympathetic listener "I’m not inexperienced in this business and I did my homework By my calculations, I should have estured with his beer can "Leonard Bellamy?"

Linc nodded "Well, it’s not like you didn’t warn htly narrowed "Yeah, but I don’t think I knew Bellamy wields that much power in Cedar Cove"

"And Bre areas, too, apparently I couldn’t even guess what ru aboutit"

"I suppose that’s causing proble his brother-in-law’s eyes

Mack nudged hi me she doesn’t know?"

"No one does"

"So Lori’s in the dark about all this?"

"About al"

Mack stared at hiot to be kidding,back from Mary Jo, she’d be furious That, in case you’re interested, is a lesson I learned the hard way"

Linc gave hi well-acquainted with his sister’s temper, he pitied Mack the wrath of Mary Jo

"The Bella his silence "I’ to protect her"

"Does she want to be protected?"

"Isn’t that a husband’s responsibility?"

Mack shook his head "Not if it s she should know And," he added, "Bellaht be her father but you’re her husband You two are in this together--for better or worse Remember?"