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He nods. “Okay… good.” He smiles at me. “Great work, Viv.”
I sigh happily and feel accomplished with what we achieved. It’s a small step for the Trevors boys, but it’s one in the right direction.
I do not feel dressed up enough. I’d planned to stick around the cabin and do some reading or something on my last night in town, but now that I was invited to a barbecue—and that sounds better than being cooped up—I have to wear real clothes.
I knock on the door of Quinn and Graham’s adorable farmhouse and wait. I can hear laughter and talking inside the home, but I don’t know the rules of whether or not you enter when the party is already going. I should know this, but thinking it over, I went to a lot of work functions, never parties at friends’ houses.
Quinn swings the door open and gives me a wide grin. “Viv! I’m so glad I get to see you this weekend!” She envelops me in a tight hug and I squeeze her back.
I got to know Quinn for the first time last year when we had a girls’ night with Jane, April, and Molly. The girls’ night turned into a stakeout where we hid in a car dressed as grannies and followed someone who was blackmailing Jane’s mother… it was a whole story.
But I got to make Quinn my friend through that and every time she came to town, we all did a girls’ night. She was good fun. She may have been the only mom of the group, but she and April tied for the craziest of us.
“Thank you so much for inviting me,” I respond and let her usher me through the door. “I didn’t have time or a place to make anything, but I stopped and picked up this bottle of wine for you.”
She takes the wine and clutches it to her chest. “Bless you. I don’t know how Jane survives without wine in her life, but I could never.”
I laugh at her, then ask, “Is everything good?”
“Oh yeah! Just, you know, working and raising a very opinionated kid.” She laughs, but it seems strained. I halt her outside the living room, knowing that the second I get in there, I won’t have a minute without other people to talk to her.
“What’s going on?”
She shakes out a hand and lets a deep breath out. “I’m just…” She stops and glances over her shoulder before leaning in closer. “I feel like Graham is acting weird.”
I frown and think about how he was earlier in the day. He seemed fine other than being a little emotional about his brother agreeing to the name of the ranch, and he treated Alex well when I saw them interact.
“Weird how?”
“Like, I don’t know, jumpy or something.”
“How long has it been going on?” I ask, curious about this new development.
“I don’t know, maybe a couple weeks. I just don’t know what it is.” She bites her lip, and I can tell she’s feeling plagued by it.
“Have you asked him about it?”
“Yeah, he says he’s fine but then I sneak up behind him, and he jumps into the air.”
I frown. “Hmm, that is a little strange. But just give it time. I’m sure it’s nothing bad.”
She starts to respond but is interrupted by two bustling girls running between us. “Alex! Sophie! Slow down!”
I smile at Quinn and when the girls are out of earshot, I go to prompt her again, but then someone else enters the room and I know our time is up.
Quinn smiles at the stranger and introduces me to Aveline Hart, the owner of the bakery in town, and her husband Ethan. They have an adorable three-year-old girl running around their legs, and Alex comes to steal her away from them.
We all make our way into the living room where I see Amelia, the manager at the lodge I’m staying in and Aveline’s cousin. Then I meet Lucas and his wife, Kate. Also, more of Aveline’s family. CT joins us later in the evening and talks with all the guys while the women gab in the kitchen. It’s nice that Amelia’s there because she is also single, though she’s widowed, and we get to talking about business.
Another blonde shows up a little later and Aveline welcomes her with a large grin, I note it looks like the same woman that was at Three Rivers to see CT last time I was up here. When I glance at him, it is confirmed when his shocked gaze takes her in. Hmm. Definitely a story there.
I feel off without Archer there, but I quickly remind myself that we’re not even out as a couple officially, as a matter of fact, we haven’t discussed that at all.
“So, Viv, Quinn tells me that you’re in marketing?” The question comes from Kate, who I learn is a very popular photographer.
“I am. I’m currently working on getting a job with a big marketing firm downtown.” I smile politely at her and she nods over to her husband Lucas.
“My husband works with a lot of local businesses, and he’s always looking for a good marketing company to refer them to. I’d love to take your card and pass it on to him. Heck, I might use you for my marketing.” She laughs, then makes a comment about how she needs to revamp her website and get her branding in order. I give her Garrett‘s name for that. I've seen the work he’s done for Warren’s art website, and I know he could knock it out of the park for a photography website.
