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inside.
    “I was thinking imagination ought to be the key component,” she said, pulling herself back to the matter at hand. “The girls can supply that.”
    “Now that’s funny, because that’s exactly what I had in mind. A deck with a sandbox under it? Slanted railings at the sides, a roof, maybe a slide for Alison, and a knotted rope to climb up and down for Hannah. A good pirate would have a rope.”
    “But no plank to walk, okay? Alison would take that challenge in a heartbeat.”
    “I can see that. She looks like a pirate to me.”
    Alison beamed. “Cap’ain Hook!”
    “Definitely a resemblance,” Cash said, nodding. “I thought maybe you girls might like to help me figure out just what to do, then put in a nail or two when the time comes. Would you be willing?”
    Jamie could see that lunch had been temporarily forgotten. The girls were thrilled. For however long this took, they had a project to occupy them. Then, hopefully, the playhouse itself would be good for many happy hours.
    “This sounds like a lot of work to me,” she warned. “If you ask for their input, you might end up building a McMansion.”
    “Oh, I’ll take my chances.”
    “It all sounds great, but we’ll owe you big-time for this.”
    “Your sister’s footing this bill.”
    She felt a surge of affection for Kendra, who had thought so far ahead and seen the need. “Listen, money can’t buy the peace the pair of you’ll be giving me.”
    “The fawn wasn’t moving,” Hannah said, as if they had never changed the subject. “Do you know about fawns?”
    Cash squatted down so they were eye to eye. “Yes, ma’am. I know that’s how they protect themselves. Where did you see it?”
    Jamie listened as Hannah tried to explain. Once her daughter had finished, she clarified. “Where the woods curl back toward Fitch Crossing.”
    “It wasn’t moving. I think it will die,” Hannah said.
    “I tell you what. I think we should check on it tomorrow morning. Just to be sure. I’ll come over, and we can go together, but we shouldn’t go back any sooner.”
    Jamie was glad to have reinforcements. “I marked the place with a baseball cap.”
    He got to his feet. “Girls, I left something on the porch. My grandmother sent you a pie.”
    For the moment the deer was forgotten. Hannah’s expression brightened, and Alison clapped her hands; then they took off together to see.
    “This is all very nice of you,” Jamie told him.
    “No trouble. That’s how we welcome people in the country. By fattening them up.”
    “I was afraid the whole day was going to be about the fawn. Now they’ll spend at least some of it drawing up plans for the playhouse.”
    “And eating apple pie.” His face grew serious. “I didn’t want to alarm them, but I did see a dead doe up on Fitch Crossing not too far from where you’re describing. I’ll call one of my men to help me remove it on the way out of here, so the girls don’t see it next time you leave, but we probably should keep an eye on that baby. Just in case that was the mother.”
    “Not hunters…”
    “Not this time of year. No, a car. People aren’t always good about cleaning up their own messes.”
    “And what should I do if that was the mother and the baby’s alone?”
    “That’s why I volunteered to come with you. We’ll see if we can figure out what’s up.”
    “You’re going down in my book as a helpful guy to know.”
    “I’d say just going down in your book is a good thing.”
    Despite the silent voice urging caution, she was enjoying herself. Talking to a man was a welcome change from the girls. Flirting with one was a welcome change from just being somebody’s mother. And she liked Cash, had liked him the first time they met. Had even thought about him a time or two since.
    “So you were serious about stopping by in the morning?” she asked.
    “This is just my first load of materials. Maybe the girls can come up with an idea or two for the playhouse between now