Sadness lifted from his eyes, replaced with joy and love. “Yes, they’re definitely still alive. Right now, they’re traveling in Europe. If you’d like to meet them, they’ll be back next month. I haven’t told them about you yet. If I did, they might cut their trip short. They’ll be anxious to meet you.”

  “Really?” My spirits lifted at the idea of grandparents who would want to meet me. “They won’t wish I’d stayed away?”

  “Gosh no. My mother will be sad about how much time we missed with you, but she’s the type who will move forward and focus on the present.” He crossed one leg over the other placed his hands over one knee. “You won’t believe what she did for a living before retirement. She was an event planner, mostly fundraisers.”

  “Really?” A thrill pulsed through me. I was like my grandmother. We were both event planners.

  “That’s amazing,” Breck said.

  “What about my grandfather?” I asked. “What did he do?”

  “He owned a chain of drugstores. His father had owned the first one, and when Dad joined the family business, he grew it into a chain of twelve stores. A few years back, he sold it to one of the big chains and retired.”

  “You didn’t want to carry on with the family business?” I asked.

  “No, I was more interested in software than selling heating pads and cough medicine. My older sister joined Dad in the business. She’s now a vice president at the company that bought Dad out.”

  An aunt. I hadn’t even thought about an extended family. Were there cousins?

  Mason went on to explain that his sister had twin sons who were around the same age as my half-brothers. “The four of them are thick as thieves,” Mason said.

  Lennox came out to the patio carrying a tray. Mason jumped up to assist her, bringing it to the table while his wife went back inside to fetch whatever was left.

  “One moment, I’m going to get the boys out of the pool,” Mason said.

  We nodded. I watched as Mason knelt by the side of the pool and told the boys it was time to eat. My brothers. How strange. They swam to the end of the pool and, water dripping from their small bodies, darted up the stairs to grab beach towels.

  “How are you holding up?” Breck asked me.

  “Good. It’s not as awkward as I feared.”

  “Mason’s easy to be around.”

  “Like you,” I said to Breck. “Easy to talk to and a great listener.”

  Before he could respond, the boys, still in swimming trunks but wearing T-shirts, took chairs at the table. Although their complexions were dark like their mother’s, they resembled Mason. I could easily imagine the young men they would grow up to be.

  Lennox and Mason returned with a platter of tiny quiches and a stack of pancakes with plump blueberries.

  A flurry of activity followed as we all filled our plates. The boys ate hungrily between stealing curious glances at me while Mason and Lennox shared more details of the family. I learned that Mason’s sister, Amy, also lived in Denver. Her husband, Raymond, was an architect who worked with several builders in the area.

  "He designed our house," Mason said.

  "Neat," I said, unsure how to respond.

  "We'll give you a tour later, if you'd like," Lennox said.

  The younger of my brothers, Benji, having gotten his fill of pancakes, now stared at me. I smiled at him, noting the adorable freckles scattered over his impish face.

  "What grade are you in at school?" I asked him.

  "I'm done with school until the leaves turn red," Benji said, followed by an exhausted sigh. "But I'll be in second grade next year. I don't know how many sleeps that is, but my mom does."

  "I'm going to be in fourth grade," Josh said. "I could calculate how many sleeps until school starts, but not right now."

  "Are you really our sister?" Benji asked.

  "I am. Your dad is my dad too." I watched them carefully for clues about how they felt about this sudden development in their lives.

  "But you had a different mother, right?" Josh asked.

  "That's correct."

  "Where is she?" Benji asked.

  "Benji," Mason said, with a slight warning in his voice.

  "It's okay," I said. "She's in heaven now."

  Benji's big brown eyes blinked. "That's where our granny went. She died last year. We miss her a lot."

  "My mother," Lennox said. "She had a heart attack. It was very sudden."

  "Mom cried for a whole bunch of days," Benji said. "I cried, too, but not in front of anyone at school."

  "I'm sorry to hear that," I said. “It’s hard to lose someone you love.”

  "She was nice to us," Josh said. "And always had cookies in a jar on the counter. She gave us one anytime we went to visit her."

  "Despite my instructions," Lennox said.

  I turned toward her. "I'm sorry for your loss."

  "Thank you. She was a great lady, despite her lack of following directions."

  I wanted to ask after Lennox's father but didn't want to upset the boys with another question about a person they may have also lost recently.

  Turns out, I didn't have to, because Josh offered up the information. "My mom never had a dad. She doesn't even know what happened to him."

  I made eye contact with Lennox. Ah yes, I thought. Those of us who grew up without a parent understood the hole that could never be filled. She hadn’t had a privileged upbringing either. Yet she’d gone to medical school and was now a doctor. Plus, she was in a happy marriage, from what I could see. And two beautiful boys. People made it out of their circumstances sometimes. With luck, faith, and hard work.

  "So much for keeping any secrets around here," Lennox said softly.

  This went over the boys' heads as they continued telling me more about their lives. By the time our meal was over, I knew the names of their best friends, twin cousins, and the previous school year's teachers.

  "How do you do it all?" I asked Lennox as I helped clear the table. "Managing the boys and work?"

  "By the skin of my teeth."

  We laughed as we carried the last of the dishes into the kitchen. Breck and Mason were already there, chatting while they loaded the dishwasher. Were there more of these gatherings in my future? Would Breck be here for those too?

  Later, Mason and Lennox lent us swimming suits, and we all enjoyed the pool for an hour or two. The hours slipped by until I realized it was nearly three.

  I was sitting on the edge of the pool with my feet in the water. Breck came to sit next me, water pooling on his muscular arms and chest. I hadn’t realized until I saw him without his shirt how fit he was. It was hard not to stare at him, as if he were a delicious meal made just for me.

  "We should go soon," I said to him.

  "Mason asked if we wanted to stay. I need to get back for work, but you can stay for a few days."

  "I need to get back to work too," I said. "We don't want Scooter to fire me."

  He shook his head before splaying both hands through his thick hair, making it stand up in wet peaks. "She can't fire you."

  Mason was still in the pool, playing catch with his boys. My chest ached. If only I'd had him during my childhood. But that was a useless thing to want. None of this would have been here when I was a kid anyway. He was still building his business back then. Maybe if I'd been present he wouldn't have been able to finish school and find a job in the software industry.

  That was the problem with what-ifs and wishes. Changing the past was impossible, but even if we could, would we? Change altered the course of our lives and perhaps even our characters. I didn't want to be different than I was, I realized. Everything I'd gone through had made me the person I was today. Did that erase the losses? Of course not. Still, the choice for joy was mine. I had the chance to embrace these new, unexpected blessings or remain bitter, wishing for a past that didn't happen.

  I placed my hand on Breck's thigh. His muscle twitched under my touch. "Let's go home."

  He covered my hand with his. "You got it."

  18

  Breck

  That evening, we pulled into a parking spot on the street in front of Tiffany’s apartment building. We’d come home on Javier’s plane, and I’d insisted on walking her inside even though it wasn't quite dark. The sun had set but left streaks of pink clouds on the deep blue horizon. She didn't argue, and we walked to the front door together without speaking. I didn't want to leave her. I never did.

  At the doorway, she stopped and turned to me. Buzzers for the various apartments hung in a panel on one wall.

  “I guess this is good night,” Tiffany said.

  “Yeah, I guess so. It’s been an adventure.”

  “Thanks again for being there with me and for me.” Her eyes softened. She reached up to touch the side of my face. "I don't know if I could have done it without you."

  "You could have. Still, I'm glad I was there."

  “I’ll miss you,” she said.

  “I’ll miss you. However, I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”

  “You could come up?”

  “I should get home,” I said. “And get ready for the week.”

  Out of the corner of my eye, I detected someone approaching. When I shifted my gaze, I realized it was Jamie and Stormi, each carrying a bag of groceries.

  “Hey, guys,” Stormi said.

  “Hey, hey.” Jamie’s gaze went from one of us to the other. “Are you two just getting back from the trip?”

  “Yes. How’s Muffy?” Tiffany asked.

  “Cute, snuggly, fluffy.” Jamie grinned. “We had the best time.”

  “Are you two going up?” Stormi asked.

  “In a minute,” Tiffany said. “We’re saying goodbye.”

  They seemed to get the hint and excused themselves, passing by us to enter the lobby.

  “Anyway,” Tiffany said.

  “Anyway.”

  “I was wondering if you’d like to kiss me.”

  “Uh, yeah. Of course I want to kiss you. Are you ready for that?”

  She lifted her gaze over my shoulder. “Don’t look now, but we have more company.”

  I turned to see Garth and Crystal walking toward us, holding hands and talking animatedly. Her stomach stretched large against her coat, and her long blond hair hung loose around her shoulders.

  "Hey, guys," Garth said with the usual twang in his voice. "Are you waiting for someone?"

  "No, I’m just dropping Tiff off,” I said. "What are you two up to?"

  "We just got done with our birthing class," Crystal said. "Garth said he needed a drink after the videos of the up-close-and-personal nature of the birthing process. We're headed to Puck’s. Do you two want to join us?"

  "We can't," Tiffany said, a little too quickly. “We have some other things we need to do.”

  Crystal gave me a curious look but was polite enough not to ask any further questions.

  "Y'all have a good night," Garth said.

  "You too," I said.

  After they continued down the sidewalk, Tiffany said, “Maybe we should go inside before we get interrupted again.” She had her hand on the door when Brandi and Trapper came out of the bakery. They must have spotted us from inside, because Trapper called out, "Hey there." He had baby Willow in a front pouch. Her legs kicked wildly as she babbled.

  "What's up, man?" Trapper asked. "I've been trying to get in touch with you for days."

  "I've been busy," I said, sheepish. I’d noticed his texts but had been too consumed with Tiffany to respond.

  "He's been helping me with a few things," Tiffany said.

  Brandi's pretty face was darting back and forth between us like she was watching a Ping-Pong match. I knew what she was thinking. Had I finally gotten the courage to ask Tiffany out? I’d only been talking about it for two years.

  "What are you guys doing?" Brandi asked. "We're headed up to Puck’s for dinner. Do you want to join us?”

  “No, we’re finishing a few things before calling it a night,” Tiffany said.

  “We’ve had a busy weekend,” I said.

  Willow beat her fists in the air and squealed.

  "Willow wants you to come too," Brandi said.

  “We're just back from Denver," I said.

  Trapper narrowed his eyes, clearly getting for the first time that something might be going on between us. “Denver?”

  "Tiffany had some business there, and I went with her,” I said. Honestly, did everyone in town have to come by before I had the chance to kiss the girl?

  “They’re busy, honey.” Brandi took hold of Trapper’s arm. “We should go.”

  "Oh, got it. Well, we'll leave you to it then," Trapper said, after a pointed look at me.

  Brandi brushed her fingers against my shoulder. "We should get together soon, though. And catch up. Clearly you've been busy."

  "Yeah, sure. I'll call you," I said.

  "Or just text me back," Trapper said. "So I don't think you're dead."

  "Yeah, sure. Sorry about that." I would get so much grief for this later.

  Finally, they continued down the street toward Puck’s. "Could any more of my friends interrupt us?" I asked.

  She giggled, somewhat manically. “Into the lobby. Now.”

  I couldn’t get that door open fast enough.

  When we were safely inside, I led her over to a spot hidden from the window and prying eyes.

  I touched the side of her face with the back of my fingers. “You ready?”

  “I’m ready.” She lifted her chin and looked up at me.

  I leaned close and placed my lips gently to hers. Her arms went around my neck, and she kissed me back.

  She kissed me back!

  My heart thudded hard. I drew her closer, holding her steady with one arm, and kissed her again, this time slow and exploratory. She sighed and pressed her chest against me. We kissed and kissed and kissed. An eternity and a second all at once. My destiny and my destination.

  I would have gladly stayed and kissed her all night. However, I showed remarkable restraint by pulling away. "I'd say that was a darn good first kiss."

  "I agree," she whispered. "My legs are all shaky."

  I brushed a finger against the soft skin under her jawline. "You are exquisite. That's the best word I can think of. If I had my way, I’d make your legs tremble every day."

  “Kissing is nice,” she whispered.

  “I agree.”

  “Thank you for waiting,” she said.

  “I’d wait a thousand years for you.”

  “I’m glad we don’t have to test that theory.” She raised up on her tiptoes and gave me a quick kiss. “And now I’m going to see Muffy and get ready for work tomorrow. Good night.”

  I bade her good-night and watched as she started up the stairs. Just as she was about to disappear, she ducked back for one last look into the lobby where I stood, dumbfounded and numb and so very happy.

  “Of everything that’s happened, you might be the very best thing,” she said, before running the rest of the way up to the second floor. I listened until the sound of her footsteps was no longer. Only then did I turn away, practically skipping all the way to my truck.

  The morning after our trip to Denver, I made coffee before work. As the kitchen filled with the nutty scent, Huck came through the back door, sweaty from a run.

  "Good morning," I said, trying not to act too cheery.

  "Morning." Huck sat at the table and took his sneakers off and rubbed his sweaty feet. "How was your weekend?”

  I told him the details of yesterday, including learning the truth about her father.

  “Wait a minute—so you guys met her real dad?”

  “Yes, and his wife and little boys. Great people. Tiffany was thrilled.”

  “That’s a lot to deal with all at once,” Huck said. "How did she handle it all? Is she okay?"

  Huck might seem like a jerk half the time, but he was pure of heart. There was no one who cared more about his friends and family. He just did a great job hiding it from everyone.

  "She's fine, actually,” I said. “Happy to have found Mason and his family.”

  Huck helped himself to a cup of coffee. The pot hadn’t finished brewing, and the stream fell onto the burner and sizzled.

  “Can’t you wait two minutes?” I asked, irritated.

  “What does it matter?” He crossed over the refrigerator to get the half-and-half. “So, Trapper and Garth texted last night. They said you were standing in the doorway with Tiffany like you were about to kiss her.”

  I groaned. “They have the worst timing. I was about to kiss her for the first time and boom, there they were.”

  “She really held out on you,” Huck said. “Two nights in the same bedroom and no kissing? That must be some kind of record.”

  “I have to treat her with extra care.”

  “She’s been through a ton of crap,” Huck said. “Good for you for taking it slow.”

  “She only has one speed.”

  Mom sailed into the kitchen, the ends of a silk scarf trailing behind her like a double tail. “What’s this I hear about you and Tiffany? Trapper’s mom said you two were kissing in front of her apartment building.”

  Huck threw his head back in laughter. “This town will never change. Who needs a newspaper when we have the gossip ring?”

  “We weren’t kissing,” I said to Mom. “Not then, anyway.”

  “Interesting,” Mom said.

  “I think I’ll ask her to dinner tonight,” I said. “Maybe take her to the lodge.”

  “It will be the night for it,” Mom said. “You should sit out on the patio. The stars will be visible.”

  “And it’s a full moon,” Huck said. “Maybe you’ll get lucky.”

  “My mother’s in the room.” I would not be getting lucky, as Huck so delicately put it. Tiffany was not that kind of woman.

  “I don’t even know what lucky means in this context,” Mom said, when she clearly knew exactly what it meant.

  I sighed and went over to the coffee maker to pour myself and Mom a cup. “I have a good mind not to make either of you breakfast.”