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“Then I’m going to take full credit for reading your mind.”

“You can try.”

His laugh came again, quieter this time. “So? Do you want to come?”

Mara looked once more across the vineyard. She had eaten lunch alone. Walked through the vines alone. Tasted wine and talked to strangers and stood on a hillside simply because she had wanted to see the view.

It had been a good afternoon. A genuinely good one. And now she wanted to see Gabe.

“Yes,” she said. “I do.”

“Good. I’ll text you where to meet me.” He paused. “Mara?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m glad you had a good day.”

“Me too,” she said softly.

They said goodbye, and Mara slipped the phone back into her pocket. Then she got into the car, started the engine, and headed back toward Bear Creek.

CHAPTER 12

Gabe

Gabe knew Mara was close before her car appeared around the bend.

There she is, his bear said, with the satisfaction of someone who had personally arranged the evening.

Even though he had not.

Gabe smiled and pushed away from the side of his truck. The pumpkin patch was almost empty now. The last family was crossing the parking area, one of the children carrying a pumpkin against his chest while his father followed with two more. Beyond them, the late-afternoon sun lay across rows of orange and gold.

Mara pulled in beside Gabe and smiled as soon as she saw him. Gabe felt a surge of relief.

And happiness, his bear added.

And happiness, Gabe agreed.

He went to meet her as she climbed out of her car, then kissed her.

That was becoming remarkably easy.

Only this morning he had wondered whether he should. Now Mara simply lifted her face to his, one hand resting briefly against his arm as she kissed him back.

When they parted, she said, “Thanks for inviting me.”

“Thanks for coming.”

Mara stepped away from him and opened the passenger door. “I have this. I thought we could open it after the pumpkin carving.” She lifted out the bottle she had bought at Thornberg Vineyard.

“Now that sounds like a perfect idea,” Gabe said.

“I thought so too.” She checked the label. “I think we’ll have earned it, don’t you?”

“I do.” Gabe took it from her while she reached for her bag. “Tell me about the vineyard.”

“It was really nice. Better than I thought it would be, actually.”