“Then that’s what it is now.”

After the women left, Quinn said, “Sorry.”

Orlando smiled. “It’s fine.”

Quinn was just raising his beer to his lips when the back door to the house swung open and Liz stepped out. She looked around at those milling outside, then spotted Quinn. With sudden determination, she began walking toward him.

“Uh-oh,” he said.

“It’s okay,” Orlando murmured. “She’s not going to cause a scene. Not here.”

As he watched his sister approach, Quinn couldn’t help but be amazed at how the little tomboy he used to know had grown into such a beautiful woman. Not model beautiful, not put-together beautiful. Naturally beautiful, the kind of beauty not everyone noticed right away, but once they did, they would never forget. Liz could just roll out of bed, throw on a T-shirt, a pair of jeans, and a baseball cap, and she’d still be more attractive than most women.

Of course, the half scowl on her face wasn’t particularly helping her looks at the moment.

“Would you mind if I borrowed my brother for a few minutes?” she asked Orlando once she reached them.

“Not at all.” Orlando started to stand. “I have a call I need to make anyway.”

“No need to get up. I feel like a walk. Thought maybe Jake could go with me.”

They both looked at Quinn.

“Sure,” he said. “Here.” He handed his plate to Orlando, grabbed his bottle of beer, and stood up. “Let’s go.”

They walked in silence, Liz striding out a few feet ahead of him. She guided him down the dirt road that led to the barn. The building was big and white and in need of a new coat of paint. It had been at least six years since their father had stopped actively farming, so after the animals had been sold off and the fields on either side of the house had been leased to a neighbor, maintenance of the barn had no longer been a priority.