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“From your mouth to God's ears. I've got to get back to work, but I'll see you tonight.”

“Can't wait.”

The call ended, and I sat there grinning like an idiot. Glenda couldn't have been more wrong about Graham. He wasn't possessive or controlling like Rob. He was protective and caring, and the way he made me feel was nothing like the fear I'd experienced in London.

The golden retriever nudged my hand, bringing me back to the present. I spent the rest of the morning caring for the animals, letting their unconditional love and trust soothe my nerves about the upcoming meeting with the men in my family.

By the time my shift ended, the anxiety had crept back in. I swung by the supermarket before going to Graham’s and spent far too much money as I practically cleared out the baking aisle. I felt a little better, even though the drive to Graham’s house felt longer than usual, my mind spinning with worst-case scenarios.

What if Seth and Randy demanded I move back home? What if they refused to accept Graham? What if they blamed me for everything that had happened?

Graham's house was empty when I arrived, which meant I had time to work off some nervous energy. I headed straight for the kitchen and started pulling out the pans, bowls, and mixer that I’d brought with me from Jasper Creek. Baking always helped me think, and I had a feeling we were going to need comfort food tonight.

I mixed up a batch of my Aunt Pattie's double-chocolate brownies, the kind with chunks of dark chocolate and a hint of espresso. The familiar motions of measuring and mixing helped calm my racing thoughts, but they couldn't completely silence the voice in my head that whispered all the ways tonight could go wrong.

The brownies were just coming out of the oven when I heard the rumble of Graham’s Harley coming down the street. Through the kitchen window, I watched Graham climb off his bike, followed by Roan getting out of his truck and Simon getting out of his 1960 Pontiac GTO. Two trucks and a Jeep pulled up as well.

Graham walked through the front door first, his eyes immediately finding mine. The tension in his shoulders eased when he saw me.

“Something smells incredible in here.”

“Stress brownies,” I admitted, gesturing to the cooling pans on the counter.

He crossed the kitchen in three long strides and pulled me into his arms. The solid warmth of his body against mine made some of the anxiety leak out of my system.

“How bad are you freaking out?” he murmured against my hair.

“Scale of one to ten? About a fifteen.”

He pulled back to look at my face. “They're your family, Joy. They love you.”

“I know. That's what makes this so hard.” I rested my forehead against his chest. “They're going to be so hurt that I kept this from them.”

“Then we'll deal with that when it happens.” He pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “Come say hello to everybody who’s going to help.”

“Joy, I’m stunned you haven’t forced Graham to buy furniture yet,” Roan teased as I walked into the barren living room.

The four other men chuckled.

“I’d heard stories, but I never believed it could be this bad,” Jase Drakos said. “How long have you lived here, Graham?”

I looked at Nash Rivers, the Jasper Creek sheriff, with amusement. He’d only just been voted into office when I’d left for London, so I didn’t know him really well.

“He’s lived here for over a year.” Simon shook his head with exasperation. “And all he has to sit in is a recliner?”

“Hey, it’s not that bad. He’s just choosy,” I defended Graham.

Simon stepped forward and smiled at me. “You’re too sweet for this lug. How are you doing?”

I felt myself blush. “I’m doing fine.”

“That’s good, sweetheart. Don’t worry about anything. We’ve got you covered.”

“And we’re going to keep Graham from getting his ass kicked when your dad and brothers arrive,” Roan added dryly.

Graham shot him a look. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“Hey, I've seen protective fathers and brothers in action,” Roan shrugged. “You're going to need all the help you can get.”