After having a really delicious supper with Jacy and Melissa, Justin gave Jacy an ad to put in the paper. She read over it and told him that it was a splendid ad. He appreciated her compliment. Samantha interrupted them, "Jacy, what do you think of the Le Chateau?"

"Well, I hate to admit it, but I kind of liked the town before that business opened up. I think the town is going to have some trouble now that it�s here. But I hope there isn�t any trouble."

"Me too!" Samantha replied. "What do you think brother?"

"The town was a nice place before it came. I�ve heard lots of arguments for and against it spreading around town. It hasn�t affected me in any way, so I haven�t formed a solid opinion one way or another."

"Just like a man, either he hasn�t an opinion, or he likes it if it has to do with ladies or alcohol." Melissa stated while playing with Smoke.

"MELISSA!" Jacy harshly said but with a hint of humor.

"Well, it�s true, Jacy." She said.

"I agree, Melissa." Samantha said.

"All of you gaining up on me, and I�ll I said was that I don�t have an opinion at this time. Let�s wait to see what happens before we make any snap judgements shall we?" He finished by looking at Jacy.

"Justin isn�t like that. He�s just trying to be fair to the newcomers and not trying to form any opinions without having valid reasons." Jacy smiled at Justin. Justin was amazed at how well Jacy had stated exactly how he felt on the subject.

"Jacy can we talk? I need to tell you something." Justin asked.

"Hey Melissa, how about you and me taking your pup for a walk?" Samantha asked.

Melissa realizing that Justin wanted to talk to Jacy privately nodded her head. Melissa tied a rope around Smoke�s neck and led him outside with Samantha following.

Justin walked around the room trying to decide where to begin. Finally, he cleared his throat and began. "Jacy . . ." But before he could spill his guts, Cody walked in.

"Hi Cody!" Jacy�s eyes lit up.

"I hope I�m not interrupting something." Cody looked from Justin to Jacy and then back to Justin again.

"Uh . . . um . . . no of course not. Justin and Samantha had supper with Melissa and me. Samantha and Melissa took Smoke for a walk, so we�re visiting. So why are you here?" Jacy blurted it all out in a rush before Justin said anything.

"I was hoping to invite you for supper, but I guess I�m too late." Cody frowned at the thought of Jacy having supper with another man.

Realizing that Cody wasn�t in any hurry to leave, Justin said, "I�ll talk to you later, Jacy." He excused himself and left.

Cody worked his way closer to Jacy. He wasn�t sure if he should be jealous or not. He knew Jacy liked him, so he shrugged off his insecure feelings and came closer to hold Jacy�s hand. "There�s something I�ve been meaning to ask you? I know I�m suppose to ask your pa, but since he�s dead . . ."

Jacy interrupted, "How did you know that?"

"Well, Jimmy told me some things months ago." Cody explained.

"How did he know?" She delved a little deeper.

"Well, uh Melissa told him." Cody answered.

"Great, just great." Jacy�s shoulder slump, and Cody noticed something was wrong. Jacy�s bright cheerful smile had been replaced by a depressing frown.

"Is there something wrong? Didn�t you want me to know?" Cody asked.

Jacy thought if only that Beauregard fella would leave, then it wouldn�t matter. Would it? She had started making up stories about her pa along time ago when the children started teasing her and Melissa. She had ignored their snide remarks for a long time, but when Melissa started being their target of bullying, and Melissa would retreat to be alone and cry, it was then Jacy started spinning the outrageous tales about her pa fighting pirates at sea. Then later on when some of them started to believe that she was making the whole thing up because they never saw her pa, she had told them that he had died at sea.

Should she come clean now and tell Cody the truth? She wanted to, but she just hated to admit that she had been lying. What if he hated her afterwards? No, she couldn�t risk it. She�d just have to hope that he would never find out.

She knew she was taking too long to answer. "No . . . no big deal. What did you want to ask me?"

But before Cody could answer, Melissa came walking in with Smoke. "Samantha went home with Justin. Cody, Teaspoon�s looking for you."

"Oh . . . uh . . . thanks Melissa . . ." Since Melissa was rough housing with Smoke, Cody didn�t feel it was the appropriate time to ask Jacy. "Well, I�ll talk with you later, Jacy."

"That would be great. Stop by any time." Jacy replied as she walked Cody to the door. Cody grinned at Jacy. He could stand there looking at her for hours, no forever. She was an angel, his angel, and he wouldn�t let anyone . . . not anyone come between them. Cody left to see Teaspoon.

Disappointed Jacy wished Melissa had stayed outside for a little while longer. I wonder what he had wanted to ask me. Jacy excused herself and went to their room. She was tired. It had been a long day. She picked up her diary and started writing in it. When she came to the part about Cody, she angrily threw it across the room, and it bounced off the wall. It happened just as Melissa came in with Smoke.

"Jacy what�s wrong?" Melissa was concerned about her sister.

"Nothin�" She retrieved her diary, placed it in her undergarment drawer and then snuggled under the covers. Melissa got dressed for bed, and then crawled in after making sure Smoke was all tucked in to his doggy bed.