“Yeah, he has friends there.”

  “Well, if he’s too tired, we’ll still have room for him up until the rehearsal.” Mason bustled off.

  Geoff whipped him up a plate of brisket crostatas with hot barbecue mustard sauce and a dab of coleslaw on top, as well as miniature corn muffins stuffed with jalapeno relish and the tiniest chicken-fried steak bites he’d ever seen on toothpicks.

  “This is amazing.”

  “Just a sampling of the wedding reception. A teaser, if you will.”

  “I like it.” He better than liked it. If he thought there was a chance in hell, he would try to hire Geoff as a personal chef. Noah thought he knew better. In the last week or so, he’d seen how loyal people were to the Leanin’ N.

  “Good. Now stop growling at Mason because you’re scared. He’s doing a kickass job. Also, would you like some iced tea?”

  “I would. He was napping.”

  “Yeah. We do that a lot. Find five minutes to rest in between waves. He was up all night last night and the night before. He’s a good guy.” Geoff gave him a raised eyebrow, something Noah did often enough to know he was being chastised. “I know you two got off on the wrong foot, but, really, let him do his thing. That’s why you hired a wedding planner.”

  “He’s not half-bad at all,” he conceded. Hell, the man had managed to add the bride into this wedding pretty easily.

  Sammy would never know unless he told her. Noah thought maybe he would do that on her first anniversary. Then again, you never knew what was gonna pop out of his mouth when she made him nuts.

  Hell, he was more worried about his daddy showing up here and having a meltdown, especially after all the buildup about the hunting lodge that was.

  The Leanin’ N was a totally different animal now, he thought.

  Mason returned in just minutes bringing young Quartz and a fresh-faced cowboy with a strawberry blond cowlick and a crop of summer freckles that put Poteet strawberries to shame.

  “This is Avery. Avery, Mr. Wright.”

  “Hi.” Avery stuck out a hand, callused and beat to hell, belying his age. “I’m going to be your dog wrangler, I hear. Pleased.”

  The young man hung back, quiet and still, not meeting his eyes much. He liked Quartz just fine, though, and Noah never tried to push.

  “I hope you’re still pleased when you meet the saggy fartbag.”

  That made the kid laugh, and Geoff and Avery joined right in. “I like dogs. I take care of them here every day for Daddy and Uncle Ford.”

  Noah had seen an array of border collies and Aussies. Ranch dogs. He got that. But if the kid took care of fast, motivated dogs like that, he could handle Frank. “Good deal. The big thing is he’s not used to going out without a leash. He follows his nose and can get lost.”

  “We have a nice fenced play area for dogs too,” Avery said. “Lots of folks bring their pups up, and not all of them are off-leash types.”

  Quartz nodded, more enthusiastic now. “We made an agility course for them to play on.”

  “Oh, wow.” He had a moment of pure joy picturing old Frank running agility, ears flapping, tongue lolling. “He’s sort of old, you know….”

  “It’s okay. No one will be mad if he doesn’t want to. Everyone has different abilities.”

  “That’s so true.” That was a damned good sign in a kid like Quartz. Someone was teaching him right.

  “Anyway, you just have someone holler at us when they get here, and we’ll whisk… Frank?” When Noah nodded, Avery went on. “To the lap of doggie luxury. No worries at all.”

  “Thank y’all. Really. She loves that dog to death.”

  “All dogs deserve that.” Avery chuckled. “Geoff, you got anything for a starved cowboy?”

  “I have grilled pimento cheese sandwiches for both of you.”

  “Yay!” Quartz moved to a cabinet and pulled out two chipped old plates.

  “What do you mean, for both of them? Are you holding out on me, man? I thought we were friends.” Noah loved pimento cheese.

  “I can hook you up.” Geoff winked. “Quartz, can you pour Mr. Wright a glass of iced tea while I make sammies?”

  “Yes, Geoff.” An old, heavy glass appeared from another cabinet, this one in easy reach for a lad much younger than Quartz. Quartz poured a glass of tea, then got two more cups to fill with milk from the big fridge.

  “Have you lived here your whole life, Quartz?”

  “Yes, sir. I was born here.”

  “Wow. That’s pretty cool.”

  “Uh-huh. This is a good place, isn’t it, Geoff?”

  “Yes, sir. The best.”

  Mason chuckled, which only made Noah realize he’d been gone again. “Can I get a sandwich too?”

  “Of course. Another cup of coffee?”

  “Please.”

  The plates were filled with sandwiches, and Geoff kept making them as people kept showing up. There must have been a dozen ranch hands and a couple of what looked like waitstaff already in, maybe for room service? He had no idea. Watching all the bustle calmed him down, and soon enough, Ford and Stoney and Maydell were in the big kitchen as well.

  “I have to say, Noah, I do like it here,” Maydell murmured over her cheese sammie and milk.

  “Do you usually allow guests in here?”

  “We don’t have guests. Only family.” Oh, Ford was slick as snot.

  Geoff snorted. “I only kick people out when I need to make something that might fall in the oven. Soufflé. Right, Stoney?”

  Stoney looked so very innocent.

  Oh, there was a story and a half, he’d bet.

  Ford rolled his eyes, but Maydell laughed out loud. “Soufflés are so picky.”

  “Yes, ma’am. Finicky even.”

  A buzz sounded, and Stoney answered his phone. “Hey, lady. Are they? Excellent. Thanks.” He hung up before grinning at Noah. “The bride and groom are here, y’all.”

  Noah hopped up, ready to go see Sammy for the first time in months. “I got this, y’all. Give me a few, huh?”

  “Of course.” Mason rose, holding out an arm for Maydell. “Shall we go discuss a few things, lady?”

  “You aren’t fixin’ to holler at me, are you?”

  “I wouldn’t dream of it. Not in a trillion years. I save that for your boss.”

  “Oh, good.” Maydell took Mason’s arm, and Noah grinned. That was dear.

  Stoney pointed him out the kitchen door, and he headed outside, boots clicking.

  Sammy was getting out of her Escalade, her dark hair pulled up in a ponytail, her face tanned and healthy. “Ark! Ark, I missed you!”

  “Hey, baby girl.” He held out his arms and met her halfway. She ran to him so he could pick her up and swing her around.

  She was still a little thing, and her laughter hadn’t changed a bit since she was tiny.

  “Hey, Noah.” Doug was tall and skinny as a rail and looking happy as anything.

  “Hey, man. You have a good drive?”

  “I did. It’s gorgeous up here, isn’t it? I couldn’t believe how perfect it was when Sammy showed me the website.”

  Noah paused, then raised a brow at Sammy. “So you did look at the website?”

  “Sure. It’s gorgeous. Everything that Daddy said but classy.”

  “And rainbowy.” He just needed to know she understood that part.

  “Well, sure. It’s gay-friendly. Doug’s brother is gay, after all. I want him to feel comfortable. I mean, it’s not like it’s antiheterosexual, right? They’re not going to insist I cut my hair and wear flannel, after all.”

  “Not that I know of.” Doug had a gay brother? And they’d never introduced him? Damn.

  “Good. So, tell me, is it as beautiful on the inside?”

  “It’s amazing. Hi, Frank.” The basset had lumbered over on his long leash to sniff at his boots. “Y’all hungry?”

  “Yes,” Doug said.

  “No. Not until after the wedding. Momma will skin me if I can’t fit in my dress.”

  “You have to eat, baby girl. You lost ten pounds in Tibet. Momma will skin you if the dress is too big too.” He knew Momma’s temper.

  “See, love? Listen to your brother. He knows.” Doug nodded to him.

  He grinned and wrapped an arm around Sammy, steering her toward the house.

  “Can Frank come in?” she asked. “I mean as soon as he pees?”

  “Of course he can, and I have two basset wranglers for him too.”

  The basset in question farted audibly and then proceeded to water the grounds.

  Doug hooted. “You mean I’m not stuck with him the whole weekend?”

  “No, y’all can rest assured he’s being adored. The wranglers in question are in the kitchen. Come and see.” He led her in, feeling a little like a proud papa as he showed off the already decked-out main room and dining area. “We’ll have supper in here tonight and tomorrow.”

  Then they entered the kitchen, where Maydell stood and squealed, “Miss Sammy! Hello!”

  “Maydell! Oh, it’s good to see you.” They hugged and bussed cheeks. “Look at all the hustle.”

  “This is her, is it?” O’Reilly walked right up and held one hand out. “Mason. I’m here to make whatever you want to happen, happen.”

  Sammy took Mason’s hand in both of hers. “Oh, thank you. This place is amazing, so we’re already halfway there. This is Doug, and that’s Frank.”

  “Doug.” Mason shook hands with Doug too, then knelt to let Frank sniff his fingers. “Avery?”

  “Quartz and I are on it.” Avery offered Sammy a warm smile. “Ma’am, this is Quartz River. He’ll be loving on Mr. Frank for you.”

  “Oh? Well, I appreciate your help very much, Mr. River. Frank needs someone to help him not be frightened.”

  Quartz couldn’t quite look up to meet her eyes, but he nodded. “New places can be scary. He’s a handsome feller.”

  “He is, isn’t he? He’s dear to me.” Sammy knelt down and started talking to Quartz, leaving Doug to lean next to him.

  “Glad to be here. I tell you what. I’m hoping to keep her at home a few months after the wedding.”

  “I think you should get her pregnant immediately.” He winked when Doug almost choked.

  “So does she.” That was from Sammy. “We’ve been practicing long enough.”

  “I like the idea of being Uncle Ark.”

  “Ark?” Mason asked.

  “As in Noah and the.” Sammy laughed.

  “When she was a baby, I had an ark in my room—this huge, handmade beast. She loved it and cried for it. Ark! Ark!”

  “I guess I started calling him that too. I had nightmares, and I would scream for Noah.”

  “You still have the ark?” Mason seemed pretty curious, but maybe he was just being polite.

  “In the storage room at Momma and Daddy’s. For when this one has said babies.”

  “I promise to do my best.”

  “I know, kiddo.”

  “Who wants a sandwich?” Geoff bustled over, wearing the best apron ever. It had buff, half-naked dudes on it wearing chef hats.

  “Oh my God. That’s precious!” Sammy squealed. “I’d love one. Half of one.”

  “Sure thing.” Geoff enveloped Sammy, then Doug, in huge hugs. “We’ve all heard so much about you. Everyone sit. Quartz, take the puppy outside?”

  “Yes, sir.” Quartz took the leash and grabbed a dog biscuit. “Come on, Frank. We can go to the play yard.”

  The drooly beast focused on the cookie and was off, wagging hard enough that his butt was shaking. Avery followed, and Noah figured Frank was in good hands.

  Doug and Sammy ate standing up, citing the long ride as too much sitting. “Besides, I want to see everything!” Sammy said. “Do you have all the decorations and reception fun set up somewhere? I’ve checked the weather, and we should be good there.”

  “We have everything ready to go. The tents are up, but we’re leaving a lot of the smaller things in the sheds. The cornhole boards, for instance. The magpies and ravens love beanbags.” Mason smiled gently. “Anything you want to see, though, I can show you.”

  For a man who hadn’t slept in three days, O’Reilly was damned coherent, seriously.

  “Boss! Have you seen the basset in the dog run? He’s gorgeous.” Trev walked in with his “Jeep Naked” T-shirt and a pair of cutoffs that were tight enough to read his pulse.

  “I have. Trevor, this is Doug and Sammy. The wedding couple.” Mason’s tone went a wee bit stern.

  “Oh! Hey. Sorry, I was painting, and I’m a bit underdressed.” Trevor held up painty hands.

  Shit, Trevor was a bit underdressed for a Pride parade.

  “No problem.” Sammy blinked a little, and then Stoney’s phone went off.

  “Looks like some of the groom’s people are arriving, along with the best man.”

  “Oh, Steve-O!” Doug smacked a kiss on Sammy’s mouth. “Eat that fruit Geoff gave you. I’ll meet them.”

  Noah watched, just tickled to death. This might work out. Maybe.

  Sammy bounced and hugged him. “I can’t believe how neat this place is. Are the cabins gorgeous?”

  “They are. Come on. I’ll show you and let all these guys get back to work.”

  “Of course.” Sammy took Noah’s hand. “Mason, will you come with us?”

  Mason’s brows went up, but he nodded. “Sure.”

  Oh, there was trouble coming. He knew his sister and her little games. She had something to spring on them, and he would have warned Mason if he’d had time.

  “So, we have the doughnut wall and the signage and the cornhole games, right?”

  They headed out toward the cabins, Sammy swinging his hand like a little girl.

  “Right,” Noah agreed. “Everything looks great.”

  “Cool. So, Dougie and I were talking, and we’d like a bridal climbing wall and a clothesline to display Polaroids that people take at the wedding. Also, I forgot to bring the wedding party gifts, and I want to surprise Dougie after the wedding with some news, so I need a few things.”

  Noah thought O’Reilly was going to pass out.

  “That’s a lot to ask last-minute, honey,” Noah said. Not that he wouldn’t move heaven and earth to get her what she wanted.

  “I know, but it’s important, Ark. I need pink and blue balloons to fill up the back of the Escalade and a few stork balloons too.”

  “That’s dangerous to drive….” He stopped. “Wait. What?”

  Her cheeks were bright pink.

  “You just hedging your bets with both colors?” Mason asked.

  “It’s too early to know. I’m just in early days. I’m not even telling the ’rents.”

  “Oh my God.” Noah lifted her clean off her feet and spun her.

  “I know, right? So you two are the official first people I’ve told. You’ll help me, right?”

  “Of course we will.” Mason tugged out his phone and began making notes, Noah assumed. “Polaroids and film. Balloons. A climbing wall. The bridal gifts… can someone overnight them? I’ll have to run into Grand Junction for the rest.”

  “Oh, that’s smart. Yes. Yes, I should have thought about that.”

  “No climbing wall,” Noah said firmly.

  “We need a climbing wall, Ark.”

  “Not if you’re pregnant, we don’t.” He wasn’t gonna budge on this.

  “No one knows. I was pregnant climbing. Hell, I got knocked up climbing.”

  “Yeah, well, if your man isn’t smart enough to stop you, that doesn’t mean I’m not.” He glared, lips pressed together.

  “Ark… I’ll just tell Mason here to do it. He has to make me happy.”

  Mason shook his head. “It’s not my job to get in the middle of this,” he teased.

  “Oh, yes. I’m the bride. I’m the boss.”

  They all had a chuckle, but Noah knew that stubborn set of chin. She meant it.

  “I’ll have to see what I can do. I’m going to have to run to the Junction….”

  “I’ll come with you, if that’s okay.” The offer was out before Noah even thought about it. “That way you don’t have to expense all these last-minute add-ons.”

  And he’d be able to ensure she wasn’t on the phone to Mason, demanding to bungee jump into the wedding or enter on a bucking bull. Crazy girl. He did adore her, but there was a little one to consider, and it was his job to protect her until Doug could.

  “Sure.” Mason’s expression showed pure shock. “It might be a late night. I’ll start making calls to the major retailers to see if they can set aside Polaroid stuff. I’ll see you at the house?”

  “How long?”

  “Ten.”

  “Done.” That would give Noah time to read her the riot act a bit.

  “This is the perfect place, isn’t it, Ark?”

  “It is.” He grinned at her. Who was he kidding about kicking her ass? “Seriously, you could have warned me it was a gay resort.”

  “Seriously, you need to breathe.”

  “I am. Daddy is going to freak out.” Not about the gay, just how different it was.

  “Daddy won’t freak out, Mr. Uptight Business Guy.”

  “I am not uptight!” Maybe he was, but someone had to get shit done. Daddy had turned a huge portion of the business over to Noah when he was twenty-five. He had been there when the oil boom had made them billionaires, and now? It was all his.

  The pressure drove him out of bed every morning, but it also threatened to give him ulcers some days. So what? That was the price of success.

  Sammy stared at him. “Seriously. You aren’t uptight. Ark, if a guy shoved a lump of coal up your ass, you’d shit the Hope Diamond.”

  “Well, I have you to be unconventional and free for me.” That sounded more accusatory than he meant it to, and Noah hugged Sammy tight. “I love you, baby girl, and I’m so happy for you.”

  “I love you, Ark. I want to be happy for you too, okay?”

  “What does that mean?” He laughed it off, waving a hand in the air. “I’m fine.”

  “Uh-huh. It’s going to be the best weekend! Have you seen the cake? Do you know if it’s strawberry?”

  “I think you’re going to like it.” He knew Geoff was doing something with strawberries, even if the cake lady wasn’t.