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“I’ve already told him all about you, OJ.”

Still, he narrowed his eyes. “I’ve seen this look on my uncles’ faces before—and my daddy’s. And then they always send me away to get something.”

Bailey burst out laughing, but she continued to shake her head.

“I’ll get the ice,” Reeves said.

But Laney said, “Absolutely not. You’re our guest, and you will not be doing anything to help with dinner. Besides, I want to introduce you around to Bailey’s aunts and uncles.”

She extended her arm toward Reeves, and he saw no other choice but to link his through hers and go with her. So he did.

Graham, Bailey, and OJ followed, and it seemed like they were going to tag-team introducing him to the other Whittakers. Laney introduced him to Beau with, “He’s Bailey’s new boyfriend.”

But OJ introduced him to Eli as “He’s a total online celebrity, you guys.”

And Bailey introduced him to Eli’s wife, Meg, by saying, “This is my boyfriend and my next-door neighbor, Reeves.”

He didn’t mind any of the introductions, and he shook hands and accepted quick hugs until he’d met every person there. Finally, a tall, broad-shouldered man clapped his hands together three or four times, creating a loud, booming sound.

“All right, all right, all right, we’re ready to eat!” he said.

Bailey leaned into Reeves’s arm and whispered, “Colton Hammond.”

“I’d forgotten his name,” Reeves said. “Thank you.”

“He got snowed in at the lodge one year,” Bailey said. “And he met Annie, his wife, who was our head housekeeper at the time. They live down in town now.”

Reeves nodded, and just as Graham said that he would offer grace, Bailey’s last uncle bustled outside carrying a sheet pan of what Reeves hoped were mint brownies.

“I’m sorry we’re late,” Andrew said, and he slid the brownies onto the end of the table and turned to take the big bowl from his wife.

Reeves couldn’t remember her name at the moment, and he told himself he didn’t have to memorize all of them in the first twenty minutes. Andrew’s eyes met his, and they both nodded at one another.

“We were just praying,” Graham said, then he ducked his head to do exactly that.

He didn’t start right away, and that gave Reeves time to reach up and remove his cowboy hat. A sense of peace and stillness fell over the space, and it reminded Reeves of the way the mountains could make all the nervousness inside him even out.

He’d never had a family unit like this. He’d never seen it, or felt this before, and Reeves swallowed hard, because he had no idea what to expect next. But he sure enjoyed this feeling as it trickled through him, and he wanted to bottle the pure serenity and let it out the next time he needed it.

CHAPTER

TWENTY-SIX

“Our Dear Father in Heaven,” Graham Whittaker said. He had so many thoughts and feelings running through him that he didn’t know how to articulate. His relationship with Laney was stronger than ever, and they’d both been rebuilding things with Bailey for many years now.

Pure gratitude still streamed through him that she’d returned to town and came to family functions like this. He’d begged God for this exact scenario for years before it had happened, and he found the words that existed on earth to be inadequate to tell the Lord what he truly thought and felt. Laney’s hand slipped through the crook of his arm, and Graham cleared his throat.

“We’re grateful for this warm day,” he said. “Which will hopefully herald a wonderful summer to come. We’re glad to be gathered as brothers, and friends, and family, and ask a special blessing that we’ll be able to enjoy one another’s company, enjoy good food, and strengthen the relationships we have with everyone here.

“We’re especially glad that Bailey, Reeves, and OJ have joined us. We pray for a blessing on the food, as well as for any special comfort, guidance, or need that anyone here may have. We may not know their hidden worries or ailments, but I know You do, Lord, and that You can provide for them what they need.

“We’re grateful for all Thy creations, from the atmosphere which gives us life, to the mountains which feeds our souls, to the flowers, shrubs, and trees that testify of Thy existence. Bless us to be better servants of Thee, and help us to have the peace that comes from knowing Jesus Christ. In Thy name, amen.”

“Amen,” rang across the patio around him, and Graham swiftly lifted his cowboy hat back to his head and stuffed it into place. He wanted to seek out Bailey and then Reeves to judge their reaction to the prayer. At the same time, Graham didn’t want to judge anything about them, and he’d been mildly surprised that Bailey had accepted the barbecue invitation at all.

Laney had put the event on their family group chat yesterday, and Bailey hadn’t answered until this afternoon, when she’d said she’d be coming…and bringing Reeves with her. She’d also told them that this relationship was still very new, and that if any of them recognized Reeves, to “keep it on the down-low and low-key.”

Graham still didn’t understand a lot of the terms the younger generation used. In fact, most of the stuff OJ said, Graham had to ask for a definition of.