I laughed. “I think it’s just the homemade bread and fresh tomatoes and herbs right out of the garden. Simple stuff.”
“Simple, my ass,” she said, pointing at the now empty plate. “Then again, me and kitchen utensils do not have a good relationship.”
“No wonder Chase looks like a man walking around in a daydream,” Megan chimed, reaching for the last lemon bar. “It’s amazing those guys get any work done out at the farm. They’re probably all too blissed out on food to care.” She giggled. “Not that I mean to use my name as a verb.”
“Or,” Em added with a sly grin, “maybe my cousin is in love.”
I felt the blood rush to my cheeks as every eye swung to me.
“Oh, tell usallthe details,” Paige squealed.
Bristol groaned and turned up her nose. “Ew, wait. That’s our brother. We don’t want all the details. Keep it PG.”
“You’re no fun,” Paige muttered.
“You can share the swoony parts. There has to be some knowing Chase. Like, who kissed each other first? Was it out in the fields? Talk about gettingdirty,” Teagan said with a smirk. “Pun intended.”
I laughed despite myself. “Sorry. Some things aren’t meant to be shared, but itmayhave involved the out of doors,” I hinted with a blush, to the hoot of the others. “Butthe first kiss….well, I don’t know who moved first because it was definitely the kind that makes you forget everything.”
“She got all dreamy-eyed, didn’t she?” Em said.
“She’s definitely glowing,” Cam agreed. “It’s either love or it’s the sangria.”
I snuck a glance at her. There was no derision there at all. Just a look of calm amusement.
“Oh, you’ve got it bad,” Megan cooed. “I love a good second-chance story.”
“I’ll definitely drink to that,” Em shouted.
A round of laughter followed, accompanied by the clinking of glasses.
We continued to chat, mostly about work, with a little town gossip mixed in. All of my stress lifted away, and laughter came easily.
The fun finally ended when Megan’s husband, Clay, walked in with Zach.
“It’s my sexy ride,” Em mumbled, wobbling slightly as she got to her feet. “I warned you about the sangria,” she said, laughing as Zach slipped an arm around his wife’s waist, steadying her like it was second nature. She leaned into him for a kiss, which he met halfway.
I watched them with a quiet smile. They were so easy with each other. So different from my parents or Mason. It was so much more like it was between Chase and me. Was it possible it could always be this way?
The doorbell rang. Reid stepped into the room, and to my surprise, he was followed closely by Chase, whose eyes immediately found me. His expression softened into a smile that made my heart flutter.
“Hey,” he said as he closed the distance between us.
I stood, surprised that the room spun just a little. “What—”hiccup—“What are you doing here?”
“Heard you had a good time.”
I grinned. “I did.”
“I’m glad. You can tell me about it on the way home.”
I blinked at him. “How? Are you riding with me?”
“I’m driving you home, sweetheart.”
“But I drove here.”
He smiled patiently. “But you’re not driving home.”