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fact she didn’t have a choice.
    After several phone calls to local lawyers, luckily avoiding having to call Dylan’s cousin Owen McBride, she discovered her father actually had a will. Everything went to Brian. The house had a small mortgage, but nothing Brian couldn’t afford if he worked steadily. She could spare a few workers from the housing development outside of town for a few days to put the house to rights and make it perfect for Brian, his wife, and their new baby.
    Morning bloomed bright and cheerful, irritating her already crappy mood. She pulled up in front of Brian’s rented house. Brian hadn’t done anything to take care of it. An old dusty truck sat out front. She wondered if it ran well, or if he’d neglected it like everything else in his life. The little compact car probably belonged to his wife, Marilee. A nice girl, Jessie remembered her from high school. A good choice for Brian. Sweet and kind. A cheerleader. Jessie remembered her being tossed in the air, her golden curls flying while her petite, strong body struck a pose. If memory served, she’d had a crush on Brian since their freshman year.
    “It’s now or never, J.T. Get your ass out of the car and go talk to Brian.”
    Great, she’d resorted to talking to herself. She headed for the front door, knocked, and waited for whatever came next.
    Marilee answered the door, swinging it wide. Her polite smile died and her blue widened with shock. She gasped. “You’re alive.” She held a dishtowel to her breast. “Oh my goodness. It can’t be. We thought you were dead.”
    “Not so much. Alive and well. I hear the old man isn’t though.”
    “How? Why? Oh my God. I can’t believe you’re here.”
    “May I come in?”
    Marilee regained her composure and stepped back. Jessie entered and found Brian lying passed out on the couch in the family room, four beer bottles clustered on the coffee table. Completely dressed, including his work boots, he snored so loudly she didn’t even worry about lowering her voice as she followed Marilee through the room into the kitchen.
    “Would you like some coffee?” Marilee asked, her voice unsteady, unsure after Jessie’s surprise resurrection.
    “I’d love a cup. How are you? The baby?”
    Marilee’s hands shook as she took down a mug and poured the coffee. Seeing Jessie had shocked her. Brian would probably think her a ghost.
    “We’re both fine. I’ve got about two months to go.” She patted her growing belly. Jessie felt a twinge of jealousy and held off the overwhelming memories.
    “Have you been to the doctor? Everything is going well?” Jessie accepted the coffee.
    “I’ve been a few times. They gave me some vitamins and said the baby is growing just fine. There doesn’t seem to be anything to worry about.”
    Marilee frowned, squint lines appearing at her eyes. Jessie imagined all the things she’d worried about over the last seven months. Jessie understood being pregnant for the first time and not knowing if you were doing everything you could for the life depending on you. She imagined Marilee wondered how she’d afford to feed, clothe, and generally take care of a baby when her husband barely worked. They had bills piling up and no good source of income.
    “Listen, Marilee, you don’t know me. You probably don’t want me poking around in your business, but I’m going to if you’ll let me. I want to help straighten Brian out and get him back to the guy he used to be. If you want my help, I need you to step back and let me do my thing. I’m overbearing and demanding. I’ll really piss him off before he realizes I’m only trying to help. If you’re up for it, I think I can make life for you and your baby better. Actually, a lot better if I can get him to cooperate.”
    Jessie glanced through the archway at her unconscious brother, snoring on the sofa, and thought this might take dynamite to fix.
    Marilee admitted, “I was never your friend. We used to laugh at you in