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Frankie followed Rowan’s gaze, and her face lit with warm recognition when she saw Harry. She flicked a quick glance at Rowan again, nudged her with an elbow, then beckoned him over with a quick flap of her hand.
As he joined them, Frankie rubbed his arm in greeting like they’d been friends for ages. “Harry, good to see you again.”
The big guy was as tall as Duncan and half again as broad. He had a sunburned forehead. “Colby Everett,” he said, extending a hand.
Shaking Colby Everett’s huge hand felt like palming a side of ham. A ham with calluses, and a grip like a bench vise. But a grin crinkled the corners of his eyes, and his Three Birds Winery polo shirt had a mustard stain smack-dab in the middle of the chest. It added a bit of goofy charm to his otherwise intimidating aspect. The guy’s teeth were perfectly straight—clearly the product of diligent teenage orthodontia—and startlingly white against his tidy auburn beard. A beard that, Harry noted, didn’t have a single gray hair in it. He absently swiped a hand across the silver-speckled stubble bracketing his own mouth.
“Don’t think that one matches your shirt, man.” Everett gestured to the dried-flower crown Harry held. His good-natured farm-boy wholesomeness and artfully messy man bun made Harry feel ancient.
“Ah, yeah. My sister’s.” Harry smiled and held it over his head like a halo. “I’d have gone with marigolds, personally.”
Everett and Frankie chuckled. Rowan’s smile was closed-lipped, but her eyes twinkled. Harry felt her regard like sun on his skin, and damn, did it feel good.
As if summoned, Arden plowed into Harry from the side and slipped her arm through his. Her hair was mussed, and her cheeks glowed with exertion. She plucked the flower crown out of his hand and seated it on her dark head.
She smiled at Frankie. “I’m Arden.”
“I’d have known you even without an introduction,” Frankie said. “You look so much like your mom. I’m Frankie.”
Arden held a flat hand over her head. “Got about six inches on her, though.” She grinned. “Rowan, hi. Without your overalls, I almost didn’t recognize you.”
Rowan blushed and chuckled, and Harry’s heart squeezed.
Arden looked at Everett through lowered lashes when he extended a big hand around Harry to shake her hand. “Colby Everett. You having fun?”
Arden nodded as she took his big hand, still a little breathless. “Didn’t see you at the singles event just now.”
Everett pointed to the Three Birds logo over his slablike pectoral. “Workin’, sweetheart.”
Arden poked the mustard stain and gave him a wicked smile. “Snackin’ too, sweetheart?”
Everett’s mouth hooked sideways in a smitten grin. Before he could reply, a loudspeaker announced team field games beginning on the south lawn in ten minutes. Arden grabbed Harry’s hand and tugged him in the direction of the crowd. “We’re doing this.”
Harry made a strangled sound of protest and did an imaginary hat tip to Rowan and Frankie as his sister dragged him away.
From behind, he heard Colby Everett call after them, “Iamsingle, though!”
“NEITHER OF USlive here, Arden.” Harry ran to keep up. “What are we going to do with a wine club membership if we win?”
“It’s not about winning. It’s aboutfun. And anyway, if we win, we’ll give the membership thingy to Ma and Dad. Professional recon.”
Harry searched the crowd. “Let’s find Duncan. He’s better at this shit than I am.”
“Nope. You’re my guy this time.”
Three Birds staff in their plum-colored polo shirts milled through the gathering crowd, handing out large burlap sacks and beach balls. Classic rock streamed through the loudspeakers. The day was warm for late autumn, and with all the color, bustle, and cooking scents on the breeze, the place had the excitement and atmosphere of a carnival.
A small woman with a silky black braid and coppery skin handed them a burlap sack. “Where’s the rest of your team?”
Arden looked up at Harry and stuck her bottom lip out in a mock pout. He shrugged and took the beach ball. “How many do we need?”
“These are relay races, friends. You need to—you know. Relay. We’ve got games for teams of four and teams of six.”
“Can the two of us run double?” Arden said.
The woman’s eyebrows raised. “You can join with one of the teams of four and join the sixes bracket.”
Frankie came pushing through the crowd. One hand waved in the air, and the other dragged Rowan behind. “We’re here!” she panted.
