Come Rain or Shine by Allison Jewell

she will,” Ava spoke for her. “Jemma, if we help you with this will you do me a favor? Will you be sure that Gabe knows about Old Man Dan’s? I haven’t seen him in so long and this is the perfect chance.”
    Jemma visibly moved away from her, sitting farther back in her seat. She looked down at her hands. “So, is it true then?” she whispered.
    An awful quiet ate up a few seconds of time before anyone spoke. The look on Jemma’s face said she knew Ava’s secret. When Emmie looked up she found that Ava was staring right at the younger girl.
    “It is true that I haven’t been able to see him in a long time and I miss him,” she answered honestly.
    Jemma’s face actually flushed. “I’m sorry, Ava. I shouldn’t have asked. It was rude. I just overheard some things and . . .”
    “You don’t have to explain or be sorry,” Ava said, hiding all emotion from her younger cousin. “Will you help me?”
    The girl didn’t answer, she just squirmed in her seat uncomfortably.
    “Jemma, you don’t have to get involved,” Emmie spoke up. She could see the younger girl was afraid of being in trouble with her family.
    “Emmie, it’s not a big deal. She wants to help me,” Ava said harshly.
    “I said I would take care of it for you. You just didn’t give me the chance,” Emmie shouted. She could feel her pulse pounding in her temples.
    “You were alone with him for ten minutes,” Ava said, pointing to the hall where Emmie had spoken to Silas earlier.
    “You are not the sun, Ava. Not all of my conversations revolve around you.” As soon as the words left her mouth the regretted them. She and Ava rarely ever fought. She already felt awful, but she couldn’t stop. She would not watch Ava drag Jemma into the middle of her problems.
    “It’s fine, Emmie. I don’t mind helping her,” Jemma started.
    Neither Emmie nor Ava paid attention to her comment.
    “What was so important, huh? What did you have to talk about then? Or are you keeping their secrets now too?” Ava shouted loudly.
    “You want to know, Ava? You really want to know right now?” Emmie shouted.
    “Yeah. Tell me your troubles that are so much greater than mine,” Ava snapped.
    Jemma looked like she wanted to leave the room but couldn’t find a way. Emmie and Ava now blocked her exit as they stood shouting in the narrow opening between the sofa and wall. They were so lost in their argument they had completely forgotten she was in the room.
    “Fine. I made apple pie moonshine with Bo to pay for Max’s doctors,” Emmie said loudly.
    “Typical that you throw yourself into their problems. I think you really like the excitement of it,” Ava said all hoity-toity.
    “I’m. Not. Finished,” Emmie said through gritted teeth. “Things went south. Which is why Gabe couldn’t come back up here to marry you right away. It wasn’t all about you. An outlaw revenuer and his men kidnapped me. Two of them were Mr. Thomas and his brother, Will.”
    Ava’s mouth fell open. “Oh my, Emmie—”
    “I’m still not finished,” she said slowly her voice full of tension. “Mr. Thomas is dead. His brother is dead. Bo Johnson’s brother-in-law Steven was involved with them. He’s dead. The revenuer is dead. Remember that man who pulled us out of the speak in Louisville?” Tears spilled over her eyes.
    Ava nodded.
    “Well, he was working with them. Silas was right all along. We were targeted that night. He’s dead too.” Emmie barely got out the last words as her voice cracked.
    Ava’s hands were shaking as she covered her mouth. She stepped around a small table and made her way to Emmie, wrapping her best friend in a tight embrace. Tears spilled over Emmie’s eyes as she saw the flashes of the cabin in her mind.
    When she opened her eyes, she took in the sight of Jemma’s horrified expression.
    “Jemma, I’m sorry. I spoke too freely with you in the room. I shouldn’t have . . .” Emmie started.
    “What’s happened?” Trick asked as he