When Dorothy got home, she saw Edna Petunia and Gertie in the kitchen. It was Gertie’s turn to help with dinner. Normally, Dorothy might have confided to Cassie Hayes, the woman who had moved to Texas with the girls as the matron of their former orphanage, about her feelings for Carter, but Cassie was busy with her husband and their growing family.

Dorothy did her best to hide her mood from her family, but she realized quickly she wasn’t being successful as everyone gave her pitying glances.

“What’s wrong with her?” Gertie was loud and obnoxious. Dorothy’s eyes filled with tears.

She didn’t feel like explaining to any of her sisters. Several of them were married and wouldn’t remember what it was like to be in a new relationship. And the rest of them couldn’t understand what she was going through because they had never experienced it.

“Go ahead and put that chicken in the oven, Gertie. I’ll be right back.” Edna Petunia took off her apron and flew up the steps quick as a flash, following Dorothy into her room.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

Dorothy was startled to find Edna Petunia so close behind her. She’d thought she was still in the kitchen making dinner. “I’m fine, Edna Petunia. Thank you.”

“You’re no more fine than a canary in a coal mine.” Edna Petunia had many zany expressions. Dorothy and her sisters weren’t always sure what to make of them, but right now, she was touched. Her mother had sensed she wasn’t feeling well and was trying to help her feel better.

“Thanks, Edna Petunia. I don’t know…I think Carter Reeves has me a bit shaken.” With that, the flood gates opened, and Dorothy found herself sobbing into Edna Petunia’s chest.

“There, there, sweet thing. Nothing a peppermint stick can’t cure.” Edna Petunia stuck her hand into her bosom and pulled out a fresh peppermint stick for Dorothy to suck on. Dorothy hesitated, knowing Edna usually kept these in her cleavage for children she came across, but then accepted, looking at the candy skeptically. Maybe Edna Petunia was right, and the treat would give her fresh breath and peace of mind. She could at least try.

With Edna Petunia’s soothing voice and the calming effect of the peppermint stick, Dorothy spilled the entire story to Edna Petunia. She even told her that Carter had kissed her, and that she longed for him to touch her in that way again.

“I know you think I’m old and batty, and maybe I am…but you have to be careful who you show your petunia to, Dorothy. When I met Cletus, I knew he was the right man for me, but not all men are cut from the same mold. I was one of the lucky ones—”

Dorothy grimaced. She didn’t want to think about her adoptive parents having sex. “Okay, I get your point. Don’t worry, I’m certainly not going to show my petunia to him. I don’t know if he’s even talking to me outside of work.”

“Honey, you did nothing wrong. Some things just aren’t meant to be. I am sure you’ll find someone one day that makes you feel just as special.” Edna Petunia patted Dorothy on the shoulder and went back downstairs to finish cooking dinner. Dorothy finished munching her peppermint stick, washed her hands, and headed downstairs to join her family for their meal.

With a house full of girls, there was always someone who was having trouble with something or other. It would be nice to catch up with her family and tune into someone else’s problems. That way, she could ignore her own…then maybe they’d go away.

* * *

The following morning, Dorothy took a different route than usual to the house where she worked with Carter. She felt refreshed after her talk with Edna Petunia, and even more determined than ever to be professional at work and set aside her feelings for Carter.

“Hello,” Carter mumbled as he riffled through stacks of paper Dorothy had filed the day before. “I can’t find anything!”

Dorothy tried not to look exasperated. She had been in a good mood, but it was clear that Carter was not. She forced a cheerful grin on her face and found the paper Carter was looking for.

Humming one of her favorite songs, she made coffee for Carter without him having to ask for it. She brought freshly made cinnamon rolls out of her lunch bag and put one on a small dish for Carter.

“Thank you.” Carter chewed the doughy treat with a dreamy look on his face. “These are delicious.”

“You’re welcome. Minnie makes them often.”

“Who’s Minnie?” Carter asked between bites. “Oh, wait, let me guess. Another sister?”

Dorothy smiled. She knew it seemed crazy to him, but she loved her large, rambling family. She wouldn’t have it any other way.

“You know, we’ve never talked about that.” Dorothy was thinking out loud.

“About what?”

“Well, now I know your ideal woman, and you know my ideal man. But how big of a family do you want?”

Carter blinked a few times. He looked as if he’d never considered the question. “I’ve always assumed I’d have one, of course. I’ll settle down in a small house near the courthouse in Austin. Then there’s food and private schooling and other expenses to consider. I wouldn’t want to have more than one.”

Dorothy smiled sadly. Carter was so logical in his plan for himself. He would find himself a nice, logical wife and settle down to have one nice, logical child who would one day go on to reproduce with someone else’s nice, logical son or daughter.

“I’ve always known I wanted a big family. Not as big as the one I have now—I’ll leave the really huge family to Penny—but I want at least four or five children. That way, they’ll always have someone to play with, to laugh with, to cry with. I think it’s very important for children to have that.”

“I see.” Carter was silent for a while, then snapped to attention. “Well, we’re wasting time. The case will go to the judge in less than two weeks, and I need to prepare my opening remarks. Get out the typewriter.”

Dorothy tried to focus on the task at hand. It would be her first time using his typewriter. She usually took dictation by hand for correspondence. She had used a typewriter once before, back in New York, and was excited to try one again. She slid a piece of paper into the machine and set the carriage all the way to the left.

“I’m ready.”

The morning passed quickly. The cinnamon roll had helped cheer Carter up considerably. He was still obsessed with efficiency and work, of course, but a little kinder about it than usual. He even reminded Dorothy to break for lunch exactly at noon.

“Let’s eat outside today.”

Dorothy was surprised but grateful at the suggestion. “That sounds perfect.” The two sat in silence at a small table outside Carter’s house. Dorothy ate the pork sandwich she’d packed as a lunch and Carter ate a handful of nuts.

“It really is a lovely day out.” Dorothy sighed and closed her eyes, breathing in the deep scents of the trees and bushes that surrounded the house.

“It is beautiful out here. But don’t you ever wish for something more than what Nowhere has to offer?” Carter seemed genuinely curious, but Dorothy didn’t want to get into an argument.

“I don’t know, sir. Can’t we just enjoy this glorious day, without getting into a big debate about city versus small town?” Dorothy’s tone came off a little sharper than she intended. To her surprise, Carter simply smiled.

“I respect a woman who can put me in place from time to time.”

Dorothy smiled as she chewed a piece of her sandwich.

“As long as she’s able to be put into her place when it’s needed,” Carter added. A small thrill coursed through Dorothy’s body. She felt a deep longing inside of her to be as close to Carter as possible. She could tell he felt it, too.

“Perhaps this evening, Miss Sanders, you could continue to show me around Nowhere?”

Dorothy grinned, thrilled he’d remembered. “I don’t know. I do have quite an active social calendar, so I’ll have to check on that.”

“Please do, and get back to me. For now, let’s get back to work.”

Dorothy nodded and followed Carter back into the house. She’d have to think of something really special for that evening. She wanted to make sure Nowhere left a good impression on him. She knew he was partial to the city, but she was positive she could change his mind.

* * *

That evening, Dorothy and Carter trotted along on two horses from Penny and Tom’s farm. Dorothy knew some fresh country air would be good for Carter after spending days in his dusty house, reviewing letters and log books. She’d convinced Penny to let them ride a couple of their horses in exchange for Dorothy helping cook for the boys. Tom and Penny could barely keep up with the appetites of their seventeen adopted boys as it was, and now that Penny was pregnant, it was even more of a challenge.

“Excuse me, did you say your sister has seventeen adopted sons?” Carter looked like he might become ill.

“Yes. But that’s just the beginning. Tom is the seventh son of a seventh son. So this baby will definitely be a boy, and all the rest as well. They’ll have twenty-four sons when all is said and done.”

Carter looked like he was having an attack of some sort. His face had gone white, and his mouth was set in a firm line.

“Are you all right?” Dorothy asked cautiously.

“I’m fine. Just in a bit of shock.”

“Do people in the city not have big families? I guess I’ve never really stopped to consider it.”

“I’ve always thought that family is what you make of it.”

“I like that.”

They rode along quietly for a few minutes. It was just before dusk, and the temperature was cooling down a bit. They came to the edge of a pond, and Dorothy prodded her horse over to it, allowing the mare to sip water.

“I’ll bet you don’t have fresh water like this in Austin.” Dorothy tried not to sound smug, because she didn’t want to make it a competition. But she did want to show Carter that the country had its strong points, too.

Carter laughed. He was normally so serious during the day, so it was nice to see him loosen up a bit. “No, I don’t suppose so. We do have other things, though.”

“Like what?” Dorothy knew she was being forward, but couldn’t help herself.

Carter pulled his horse up next to Dorothy’s. They stared at one another for a few moments, and then he leaned down toward her. Suddenly, his horse took off with a loud splutter. Carter shouted in surprise.

Dorothy spurred her horse to chase after Carter and his runaway mare, soon catching up to them. “I’m so sorry! I don’t know what got into her—”

Carter interrupted Dorothy. “It doesn’t matter. I think I’ve seen enough of Nowhere for this evening.”

Dorothy tried to hide her disappointment. “All right. We can head back.”

Carter had already set off down the path, and the spell of a few moments before had been broken. Dorothy sighed and followed after him.

When they got back to Penny and Tom’s beautiful, rambling house and brought the horses back into their stalls, they ran into Cletus.

“What are you doing here?” Dorothy wouldn’t be surprised if the old man was spying on her.

“Edna Petunia finished knitting booties for Penny and Tom’s baby, and she said she thought I needed to deliver them tonight, just in case the baby comes early!”

Dorothy thought Cletus’s excuse sounded made-up. She decided not to call him out on it, however. She had learned that the old man had his reasons for the way he acted. It had served him well in life, and she couldn’t judge him for that.

“Carter Reeves,” Carter extended a hand to Cletus. Cletus stared at him for a second, sizing him up, then shook his hand. “I remember you from our law exam. If memory serves, you were one of the highest scores in the class.”

Cletus grinned. “You’re correct—and as I recall, so were you.”

Carter nodded.

“Good to see you again, but I won’t lie to you…I’m keeping my eye on you, boy.”

Dorothy couldn’t believe Cletus would threaten Carter. He had done absolutely nothing wrong; they had only been on a walk.

“Is that so?” If anything, Carter looked amused.

“Dorothy here is one of my girls, and if anyone ever harms one of my girls—well, let’s just say, you’ll be sorry you were ever born.”

“I understand that, Mr. Sanders. I wouldn’t think of hurting Miss Sanders. She’s been nothing but an excellent secretary these past weeks.” Dorothy felt nervous, but Carter’s eyes were shining.

“It had better stay that way. But just in case, my wife and I would like to have you over to our house for dinner tomorrow evening. On account of you spending so much time with our daughter. It wouldn’t be right if we didn’t get to know you.”

“I’d be obliged. What can I bring?” Dorothy was surprised that Carter answered so quickly, and her heart began beating faster at the thought of Carter in her house.

“No need to bring anything, we have all we need. And don’t you forget that.” Cletus tipped his hat and walked away, and Dorothy tried not to laugh. It was sweet how overprotective her parents were.

“Well. That was interesting.” Carter raised his eyebrows at Dorothy, and she let out a giggle. The man had an effect on her.

“Sometimes, they forget we’re grown women. Well, most of us are. I do have a few younger sisters who aren’t adults yet.”

Carter wrinkled his nose. “Every time I think I’ve seen them all, there’s another sister.”

“Just wait until tomorrow.”

* * *

When Dorothy got home from work the next day, Edna Petunia was running around the kitchen like a mad woman. The table was set with good silverware and fine dishes left over from Cletus’s parents when they’d lived in the house. There was chicken frying on the stove, and Dorothy smelled the aroma of freshly-baked bread.

“Edna Petunia, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were trying to impress Mr. Reeves.”

Edna Petunia barely paid Dorothy any attention.

“Could you get the lemonade, dear?”

Theresa, Hattie, and Katie ran into the kitchen. Like Edna Petunia, they were in a state. Katie grabbed a broom from the closet and began sweeping the floor as she hummed.

“That’s what you’re wearing?” Theresa looked at Dorothy’s outfit in dismay.

“What’s wrong with this? It’s just dinner.” Dorothy tried to be calm, but nerves raced through her body. What if Carter didn’t like her family? What if Cletus scared him off? What if Edna Petunia tried to make a pass at him? Dorothy knew the old woman would be joking, the same way she teased her sisters’ suitors, but Carter wouldn’t know that. There were so many things that could go wrong.

Dorothy felt sicker and sicker as dinner time approached.

“We’ll show him that we know how to put on a proper meal,” Cletus huffed as he put on his suit jacket. “Just because we don’t live in the city doesn’t mean we’re any different from him and his kin.”

Carter arrived promptly, wearing a freshly-pressed suit and carrying a bouquet of flowers. Edna Petunia greeted him at the door and buried her face in the stems.

“Why, if I were a younger woman, Cletus might have something to be jealous over.” Edna accepted the flowers and planted a big kiss on Carter’s cheek. Dorothy shook his hand formally. She heard a few of her sisters snicker behind her.

“Penny was right—he’s dreamy!” Hope tried to whisper, but everyone in the room heard her clear as a bell.

“Shh!” Dorothy hissed.

“It’s lovely to meet you—all of you.” Carter smiled tightly. Dorothy could tell he was just as uncomfortable as she was. She showed him where he could sit, between Edna Petunia and Cletus. It wasn’t her first choice, but Edna had specifically asked that he be seated there, since she’d never met him before.

“You have a lovely home,” Carter told Edna Petunia. She grinned.

“The only thing that matters is the people in it. That’s what really makes it a home.”

“Yes, of course.”

Minnie helped serve the fried chicken, and Dorothy sliced the bread and passed it around the table.

“I hear you’ve been working day and night on an estate case in town, Mr. Reeves.” Cletus’s voice boomed loudly in Carter’s ear, startling him a bit. He swallowed a piece of bread quickly.

“Yes, that’s correct. I’ll be in Nowhere for just a few months.”

“One thing I learned when I was in law school myself…many of the people I studied with? Couldn’t trust ’em as far as I could throw ’em.” Cletus made eye contact with Carter for a long time. Dorothy couldn’t stand watching it.

“Carter’s job is to find the truth!” Now Dorothy turned beet red. She hadn’t meant to say anything, but she wanted everyone to know that Carter was a good man. Edna Petunia raised an eyebrow at Cletus.

“This chicken is excellent. Thank you!” Carter looked at Dorothy and she relaxed. She knew he was trying, and she also knew it was for her benefit. That soothed her frantic nerves.

“You’re very welcome.” Edna Petunia was always happy to receive compliments on her meals, even though she knew she was one of the best cooks in the area.

“I understand from Dorothy that you all have quite a few sisters, and brothers-in-law, and nieces, and nephews.”

“Oh, yes!” Theresa, who loved to talk, began running through the entire list of relatives, oldest to youngest, and all of their associated spouses and children. Carter smiled, catching Dorothy’s eye.

“I love that my grandbastards are nearby. Wouldn’t stand for things being any other way.” Cletus looked lovingly at Edna Petunia as she spoke. Carter seemed a bit surprised at the term ‘grandbastard’, but recovered quickly.

“It’s very nice out here. A pleasant place to spend a few months.”

“Or longer…” Edna Petunia suggested. “You never know, you might just want to settle down out here.”

“Oh, no. I could never see that happening.” Even though Dorothy knew how Carter felt about Nowhere, she hated hearing him say it out loud. Edna Petunia looked like she wanted to press the issue, but for some reason, didn’t continue. She and Cletus exchanged a worried look.

Minnie brought out the pecan pie she had prepared for the evening’s dessert. Dorothy helped her serve it, passing a piece to everyone. When she handed a plate to Carter, his fingertips brushed hers for a moment, and chills rippled through her body.

Dorothy couldn’t look at him for the rest of dinner. Her face burned so badly she was sure it would catch on fire, and she didn’t trust herself to say or do anything. She was relieved when Hattie began doing the dishes. She volunteered to help.

“Now that everyone’s finished their meal, I’d like to see you alone in my office, Mr. Reeves.” Cletus looked straight at Carter, as if he were challenging him. Edna Petunia let out a whoop, showing off her dentures.

“You be nice to our guest now, Cletus,” she chided.

“We’ll have to see about that.” Cletus wore a serious expression on his face, and Dorothy felt herself getting flustered again. She said a silent prayer that Cletus wouldn’t be too hard on him.

Carter wasn’t sure what he had gotten himself into. Dorothy’s family was large, unruly, and downright peculiar. They weren’t anything like he was used to…but at the same time, they’d made him feel welcome. Even though Cletus had been giving him a hard time, Carter could tell that it was only because the man cared for his adoptive daughters deeply. He figured that was why Cletus wanted to talk to him alone, but he also wondered what exactly the old man knew about his and Dorothy’s relationship. He had a professional reputation to uphold, and he didn’t want any untoward rumors starting about him and his hired help.

In the formal parlor, Cletus sat down in his big chair and motioned for Carter to have a seat across from him.

“Tell me now, and give it to me straight—what exactly are your intentions with our Dorothy?”

Carter was at a loss. Although words were normally his strength, he found himself speechless. “She’s an excellent employee, sir. I would hate to jeopardize that for any reason.”

“If that’s the case, Mr. Reeves, then why are you out riding horses with her—or whatever you young folks are calling it these days—at all hours of the evening?”

“It’s true, sir, that Dorothy has been showing me around Nowhere. Understanding the lay of the land around here will help me try my case.”

“Remember, son, I’ve had just as much schooling as you have. I see through your words. If your intention is to return to Austin once your case is settled, why are you leading Dorothy on?”

Carter was taken aback. He had worried before that he might be setting false expectations with Dorothy, but he also genuinely loved spending time with her. She could make him laugh, and she could take him to task. It was a rare combination in a woman. Still, he did not want to make Cletus Sanders mad. The man had quite a reputation around town for being fiercely protective of his daughters.

“I understand, sir. I’ll—I’ll keep my feelings to myself and ensure that our relationship is strictly professional.” Even as he said it, Carter knew it would be very difficult to keep his word.

“There is another way, you know.”

“Excuse me?”

“This town could use a lawyer. I’ll be running for town judge soon, and I could use a clerk. Then when I retire, you’d be able to take over. And in the meantime, there are always disputes over land and horses and chickens and all that comes with life in the country. It may be less formal than what you’re used to, but it’s an honest living and a good life.”

“With all due respect, sir, I will be returning to Austin. I’m not meant for small-town life.”

“And with all due respect, son, you won’t truly know until you try.”

Carter sighed. The two men weren’t going to see eye to eye, that much was clear. “I want you to know, sir, that I do care for Dorothy. And I’ll do everything in my power to keep her happy.”

“Well, that’s something, at least. But you need to be honest with her about your intentions.”

“Yes, sir. I understand.”

“Good, then. Now, get out of here. It’s late, and I don’t want any rumors about any of my daughters and a fancy city lawyer.” Cletus walked Carter to the front door. Dorothy, Hattie, and Katie were standing in the hall, pretending they were dusting.

“I’ll walk you out, Mr. Reeves,” Dorothy said shyly. Cletus frowned, but didn’t say anything. Hattie and Katie giggled and started to follow Dorothy and Carter, but Cletus grabbed their shoulders and steered them in the other direction.

It was a clear evening, and Dorothy saw the half-moon hanging low in the sky as they walked outside. She hoped Carter would kiss her as he had outside the mercantile. Her body tingled as she anticipated his touch.

“Good night, Miss Sanders,” Carter said abruptly, and started off for his horses.

“Good night.” Dorothy was puzzled and disappointed. Had she done something wrong? She had half a mind to run after him, but it was getting late, and she wasn’t sure what she would even say to him. She didn’t want him to think she was desperate for his attention.

Dorothy watched as Carter rode off into the distance. She would figure out what was bothering him and get to the bottom of it. Plus, she saw him every day…she had plenty of other chances to get him alone.