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done his best, she conceded. Even now that they were both all grown-up, he was still as dear to her as ever.
    }A smile came to Tulsa May's lips as she imagined the consternation of the young ladies at church. She almost giggled. When they found out that Luther Briggs was courting her, green would be the most common complexion color in the congregation.
    }A strange, anxious thrill swept through her, causing Tulsa May's heart to beat more quickly. Luther Briggs would be courting her. Immediately she tamped down the delight that skittered in her veins. None of this was real. It was pretend and it was a favor.
    }Besides, she was absolutely certain that friendship with Luther Briggs was far superior to a grand passion for him. He was sure to be a heartbreaker. And her heart was far too fragile already.
    }With a last shake of her narrow brown skirt and a careful straightening of the dark green piping on her shirtwaist, Tulsa May hurried down to meet her new and hopefully very temporary gentleman caller.
    }"Chin down, lips closed, hat in place," she reminded herself aloud.
    }
    }As Tulsa May reached the landing a few minutes later, she heard her father's voice.
    }"Well, of course you have my permission, son," he said, his tone incredulous. "It's not a question of that. It's—"
    }Tulsa May was left to wonder about the rest of that sentence. For at that moment Luther glanced up and smiled broadly, interrupting Reverend Bruder. "Tulsy," he called out delightedly. "What a prompt pigeon you are. Most of the girls I call on make me wait half an hour."
    }Tulsa May rolled her eyes dramatically. Completely forgetting her own admonitions, she raised her chin high and smiled broadly. "Well, I wouldn't want to appear too eager," she said. "Do you think I should go back upstairs and make you wait thirty minutes?"
    }There was a small huff of disapproval from Constance Bruder, but both young people ignored it.
    }"My dear Miss Bruder," Luther said, making a courtly bow. "I would much rather spend that time sitting with you."
    }The reverend seemed ill at ease and puzzled, but his wife gazed at her daughter and young Mr. Briggs hopefully.
    }"Well, I don't know about this. I—" Reverend Bruder began.
    }"Leave the young people alone; Philemon," Constance scolded him in a sugar-sweet tone that was as hard as maple candy, then she turned and smiled a much too friendly smile. "Young Luther has always been almost family. The reverend will sit in the front parlor. Luther, you may take our little Tulsa May out to the swing for a bit of privacy, but no leaving the porch. I'll bring some refreshments."
    }Little Tulsa May was horrified. Her mother was acting every inch the prospective mother-in-law, and Tulsa was tempted to set her straight immediately. As if sensing the impending confession, Luther reached for her hand and gave her a playful wink.
    }"We will sit on the swing, ma'am," he assured her. "Right in front of the parlor window. And we will certainly call for a chaperon if we decide to take a turn in the garden."
    }Miz Constance smiled with sickening sweetness.
    }With his arm offered in grand fashion, Luther hurried Tulsa May out onto the porch.
    }"That was the most ridiculous thing that I've ever heard," she whispered to him disgustedly. "Has my mother lost her mind? For heaven's sake, we've been out alone together in the Runabout probably a hundred times!"
    }Chuckling, Luther hugged her familiarly around her shoulders. They walked to the grill-back milk-blue porch swing, whose seat was covered with a folded quilt for padding. "That was before we were courting," he told her. The width of the swing dictated a certain closeness of the couple. Luther laid one arm along the back so that they were not so closely crushed together.
    }"But we're not—"
    }"Shhh." Luther brought one long finger to Tulsa May's lips. With a familiar, boyish smile he leaned down next to her ear and whispered gently. "Our true plan must be so secret, even we forget about