By the time Chris had finished his painting Lily had booked a session with John Belfort and his bride-to-be for some engagement pictures and had given her card to Mrs. Belfort who also happened to manage the schedule booking for weddings down at the Petal First Baptist church.

Maybe this moving-to-Petal thing could actually work out.

“She cancelled? Again?” Nathan paced as Beth watched him, amused.

“She’s got stuff to do. Chris spray painted the Belfort’s back fence last night. She made him paint it and so she has to supervise. It’s not like she’s getting any help from her momma.”

“I barely get to see her as it is.”

“Look, Nathan, she’s got a lot on her plate. You’d do the same in her place and you know it. She’s working on her clothing stuff pretty much single-handedly too. Give her a little room to breathe.” Beth’s eyes narrowed as she dared him to argue with what he already knew.

Tate sent him a look from where she’d been sitting with Lil Beth feeding her. “You don’t like not being at the top of her to-do list.”

“Well no! I don’t. Is it too much to ask?” Cripes, he was planning on asking the woman to marry him, the least he could expect was some attention.

“Yes it is.” Tate shrugged and the baby did the same, laughing. Unable to resist, Nathan plucked her up, and she tugged on his ear before snuggling in for a sloppy kiss. “Yum, oatmeal.” He grabbed the cloth and got her face clean and then his.

“She’s the only one interested in really helping that boy. She’s his family. That’s what family does. You of all people should know that.”

He wanted to hang his head as he was righteously busted. But he resisted, trying not to pout. “I just want to be with her.”

“You sound like a two-year-old.” Beth stared him down. The disapproval of his sisters never sat well with him and he knew they were right, but he wanted to see her more and it wasn’t happening. It had been a week and a half since the last time he’d been able to actually touch her, damn it.

“She asked you to give her some time. She’s being reasonable and you’re being petulant. It’s very unlike you.” Tate handed him a cookie he gobbled down after sharing a little bit with the baby.

Not enough apparently as she grabbed his wrist and started to cry when she saw none left.

“You’re starving this baby. Clearly.” He shot an amused glance to Tate who handed him a graham cracker. Lil Beth examined it closely and then his face as if to say, Are you serious?

“The others had nuts in it. These are better for you.” Tate gave the baby a stern look.

Lil Beth was her mother’s daughter and she narrowed her gaze for a moment back at Tate. “No.” She shook her head and he laughed, kissing her cheeks, which seemed to satisfy her for the moment.

“Give the guy a break. He loves her and she’s not with him. Makes a man antsy.” Matt spoke from his place at the table with Meg, who was coloring.

“Do you love her?” Beth examined him carefully.

He took a deep breath and sighed. “Yeah. Probably. Definitely. Yes, yes, I love her. Heck, I want to marry her. But she holds me at arm’s length. I hate that.”

“Get over it. You screwed her over. It takes time to trust again. You can’t expect her to just go poof it’s over and then you two are hunky dory. You have to keep with the woo.” Matt looked up again. “And for crissake don’t go with this marriage stuff until the summer. She’s not going to run away. You’ve got her back. Give her time.”

“Ha. You were up on my sister five minutes after you met her.”

Matt snorted and looked to Tate with a smile. “Yeah. She gave me a run for my money. I made mistakes too. I seem to remember one of her brothers threw a drink in my face when he thought I’d hurt her feelings.”

Nathan barked a laugh, remembering that time at the Pumphouse. “You made her cry. I can’t abide any of my ladies crying.” He undid a fist that had been in his hair and kissed it. “Of course I’m waiting until summer to propose. But I have intentions with this woman and I aim to keep them. This is serious business. Marriage business. This is not dating. I’m past that with Lily. I want a life with her.”

Tate nodded curtly. “Of course you do. Help her instead of making her feel like she’s got to try and make everyone happy. She’s trying to deal with her momma, her brother and you. All while trying to make a living. She’s got enough to juggle. ”

He did hang his head then. “You’re right.”

Tate laughed and took the baby. “Of course I am.”

Which is how he managed to finally get her alone just a few evenings later when he crashed dinner at Beth’s house. Crazy loud with Murphy and Chase women, he brought over a box of stuff Beth had been bugging him about.

“Put it in my closet please.”

He started to get annoyed when he noticed Lily wasn’t in the room and realized most likely his quarry was also in Beth’s closet doing something or other. His sister had totally helped him corner his lovely Lily.

“I have a pretty awesome sister. Thanks.”

“Don’t get anything gross on my clothes or I’ll hunt you down.” She said it quietly and then turned around and headed back toward the kitchen.

Ah and there she was. He put the box down and moved to where she’d been hanging her coat up.