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Actually, she probably got that from the sparse sense of organization and the townhouse’s proximity to the base, but I don’t want to blow her act.

Plucking a cookie off the pile, she nibbles a corner thoughtfully and glances at the three of us, then away. She sees the bathroom door and brightens.

A lot of information is contained in the bathroom.

We all just wait as she makes her inspection and then she comes out, stomping to stand right in front of me. Her eyes flash with a combination of

emotions I don’t fully understand. Is she angry? Outraged? What?

“You know what I’m going to say,” she says accusingly.

Oh. That. I can see it in her eyes.

Freak.

Her eyebrows arch in perfect parentheses.

“Tell me I’m wrong,” she challenges.

I cross my arms. Over my head, Will and Cass exchange looks.

“See? I’m not wrong,” she finishes, finally breaking into a smirk. “Oh, Lordy, what is your father going to say, Liberty Jane?”

“Yes, Liberty Jane?” Cass repeats with laughter in his voice.

Mona points viciously at him. “You are not allowed to call her that. That is just for family.”

“Yes ma’am,” he answers obediently.

“That’s right,” she sniffs, tilting her head to stare at me again. “So, you’re okay? You sure?”

“Never better,” I shrug, feeling my insides get lighter. She approves. I can tell.

“Well, that’s really what’s important.”

I feel Will and Cass relax next to me. They know they had gotten the seal of approval too.

“I ordered us pizza,” I suggest. “Should be here any minute. Can you stay?”

She reaches out to fuss at the corner of my dress, plucking it for no reason.

“Of course I will, honey,” she coos. “I want to talk to your gentlemen, anyway.”

Will crosses his arms. He is a gentleman, but he’s also impatient.

“Actually, we want to talk to you too,” he says.

She nods slowly as though she knew it was coming. I want to giggle. I love her Southern wisdom act. It is one of my favorite things that she does.

The pizza arrives shortly, and we all gather around the table to take slices on small plates. I notice the guys are not eating like a pack of rabid dogs as usual, in honor of our company.

Mona keeps an eye on both of them, continuing to check them out even though the charade of her initial entrance is completed. She really does care about me, and I’m sure this is blowing her mind more than a little bit.

“When is your dad getting back?” she asks.

I wrap a string of melted cheese around a fresh slice of pizza before dropping it on my plate.

“Just a couple of days,” I answer. “I will call him tomorrow.”