Free Twice in a Lifetime by Marta Perry Page A

skipped along between them.
    “Did you used to look for turtle nests with your grandmother when you were little?” she asked, tilting her face up toward Georgia.
    “I sure did. Miz Callie taught me and my brothers everything I know about the ocean and the shore.”
    “How many brothers do you have?”
    “Two. Both older than me. And a whole mess of cousins. When we were all here together, we made quite a tribe.” She smiled at the memory. They were all close enough in age that they’d played and fought as equals.
    “I wish I had cousins. Or brothers.” Lindsay’s voice sounded very small.
    Georgia exchanged a concerned glance with her grandmother over the child’s head. “Maybe you’ll get some cousins. If your aunt or uncle gets married, then their children would be your cousins.”
    “I don’t have any aunts or uncles. Just Daddy. And my grandparents. They live in Arizona.”
    It sounded lonely. She tried to imagine what her life would have been like without her big, sprawling, noisy, interfering family. She couldn’t.
    “Tell you what,” she said, putting her hand lightly on Lindsay’s shoulder. “Next time we all get together, you can be a part of our tribe. Okay?”
    Lindsay stared up at her as if measuring the sincerity of her words. Finally she gave a quick little nod.
    “Okay,” she said. She sighed, a very grown-up sound. “I have to go. I’m going to Bible school this morning.”
    “That’ll be fun,” Miz Callie said. “You come by later and tell us all about it, okay?”
    “Okay.” Lindsay looked a little brighter. “I’ll see you later.” She trudged off toward her house.
    Georgia stood and watched her until she reached the deck. “I see what you mean. Poor kid. She’s lonely.”
    “Hopefully she’ll make some friends at Bible school.”
    Miz Callie put her arm around Georgia’s waist as they headed to the house.
    “Did you arrange that?”
    “I might have suggested it,” her grandmother admitted. “Let’s get something to eat, and you can go over my notes. And I thought, since you’re going to have lunch downtown, you might drop them off at Matt’s office so he can get going right away.”
    “How did you hear about my lunch date?” She lifted an eyebrow at Miz Callie as they walked up the stairs. She didn’t think her grandmother had been around when her cousin Amanda had called with an invitation to meet for lunch.
    Miz Callie chuckled. “Child, if you want to keep secrets, don’t belong to such a nosy family. I just happened to be talking to your brother, and he mentioned that Lucas mentioned it to him.”
    Lucas was Amanda’s big brother and just as inclined to butt into everyone else’s business as the rest of them.
    Her thoughts drifted to Matt and Lindsay, alone and isolated. All in all, she guessed she’d take the family she had, annoying as they could be.

    Chapter Six

    “M r. Harper?” Madie Dillon, the secretary Matt shared with Rodney Porter, tapped and opened his office door a few inches. “You have a visitor. Shall I ask her to make an appointment?”
    Visitors were so unusual that for a moment he couldn’t think how to answer. “Who is it?”
    “Georgia Bodine.” Madie seemed surprised, too.
    Clients hadn’t exactly been beating down his door. “Show her in.” He rose, buttoning the top button of his
    shirt and tightening his tie.
    There she was, the door closing behind her. Instead of her usual shorts and T-shirt, she wore a turquoise sundress that swirled around her slim body and emphasized her tan legs.
    “I’m so sorry if I’m disturbing you.” She sent a quick, curious glance around the office. “Miz Callie insisted I stop by.”
    “Not a problem.” He rounded the desk and drew one of the comfortable leather chairs around for her. “Please sit down.”
    She slid onto the chair. “Nice.”
    “Nothing but the best for Rodney Porter’s clients.” He took the other chair and sat facing her.
    She lifted an eyebrow. “And