“Cara and Jill are there.” He shrugs. “It’s not really a guys’ night out, and besides, I want you there.” He steers us down the windy, tree-lined driveway. “I spend a lot of time with these people, and I want you to be comfortable with them too.”

“I am comfortable with them.” I smile. “I like them.”

“Good.”

He parks, and as we approach the front door, it flings open and a barking, excited Thor comes racing out of the house, stops to sniff us and get a pat on the head, then races to the side of the house.

“He has to pee!” Seth announces as he runs out after his dog, wearing a Seattle football jersey. “Hi, Ty! Hi, Lauren!”

“Hey, buddy,” Ty replies, and leads me into Josh’s home.

“Oh, good! They’re here!” Cara claps happily from the kitchen where she and Jill are bustling about. “Lo, come back here with us. The living room is full of testosterone.”

“This is where we part ways, babe,” I say to Ty, and kiss his cheek, but before I can walk away, he grips my arm and pulls me back against him for a long, hot, searing kiss, earning grumbles from both Zack and Josh, who suggest we get ourselves a room.

“This is football,” Zack informs us as Seth and Thor storm back in from outside. “There is no kissing during football.”

“Go watch your game,” I say, and pull out of Ty’s embrace. “I’ll be the tall one in the kitchen if you need me.” I wink and saunter away toward my friends. “I brought hot wings!”

“Wow, you made wings?” Jill asks.

“No, I brought them.” I laugh. “I picked them up from the Bulldog in town.”

“They have the best wings.” Cara takes them from me to pop them in the oven to keep warm.

“What’s the score?” Ty asks the guys as he hangs our coats, and settles in on the couch.

“Seattle’s up, seven to nothing, still early in the first quarter,” Josh says.

“So, how’s it going?” Jill pops a chip full of guacamole in her mouth.

“Good.” I nod and then grin when they roll their eyes. “We just saw you Friday night. How are you?” I ask Cara.

“I’m good.” She shrugs and stirs a Crock-Pot full of chili.

“How are you adjusting to being so far out of town?” I ask.

“It’s been . . .” She purses her lips, searching for the right word. “Interesting. Ranch life is new, that’s for sure. Oh! We have some fresh eggs to send home with you guys if you want them.”

“Sure, we’ll take some,” I answer as Jill nods. “Thanks. Nothing like farm-fresh eggs.”

“So true,” Jill agrees. “Are you still going to plant a garden in the spring?” she asks Cara.

“Yes, look,” she says excitedly, and points out the kitchen window to the backyard. “Those four stakes mark the area that Josh is going to fence in when the ground dries up a bit in the spring.”

“You have to fence it?” I ask.

“If we don’t want deer and rabbits to eat the veggies before we do, yes.” Cara laughs.

“Ah, makes sense.” I nod just as the guys shout from the living room.

“That ref is fucking blind!” Josh exclaims. “The ball was in! Sorry, Seth.”

“It’s okay.” Seth shrugs. “It’s football day.”

“As I was saying”—Cara laughs—“I’m going to plant lots of veggies and herbs, and I’m sure there will be more than we can eat, so you guys are welcome to some of them too. Also, Josh has decided to expand to raising pigs for butchering too, so we’ll have eggs, chickens, pork, and beef, along with the veggies.”

“Are you preparing for the zombie apocalypse?” Jill asks with a laugh.

“No, grain-fed meat is so much healthier.” Cara giggles and then shrugs. “But we will be able to survive the zombies too.”

“I’m so happy that you love it,” I murmur. “I don’t know if I could do it.”

“We’re city dwellers,” Ty agrees as he joins us in the kitchen. He wraps his arms around my waist and kisses my neck before pulling away and opening the fridge.

“Yes, Cunningham Falls is such a bustling metropolis.” Jill rolls her eyes at her brother.

“It’s not fifteen miles from town in the middle of nowhere,” Ty reminds her, and kisses me one more time.

“Dude!” Zack yells. “Stop kissing Lauren and bring us our beers!”

Ty laughs and returns to his friends.

“How’s the real estate business?” Cara asks Jill.

“It’s always good around here. Tourists move in and out. Winter’s always slow, but I’m doing fine.”

“Holy fucking shit!” The men all jump from their seats, their arms raised above their heads. “Go! Go! Go!”

“Montgomery’s running the ball!” Zack yells. “Holy fuck, an eighty-yard run for the touchdown!”

“That’s right, baby!” Ty yells, high-fiving everyone, including Seth.

“Did Josh and Zack just bump chests?” Jill asks, as we stare at the spectacle before us.

“Yeah,” I reply, and giggle when Thor begins barking and jumping around the cheering men.

“Montgomery is on fire today!” Josh cries. “Whew!”

“Who is Montgomery?” Jill asks Cara.