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Lainey smiles, and her eyes turn glassy. She blinks a few times and slightly taps her wine to my beer.

We take a sip, and I lower my voice. "Tell me something. What was going through your head that first night? Before I ever walked up to you?"

She considers it, tilting her head. "Honestly? Bad week. Boring year. I just wanted a fun night out with Carla and maybe a kiss at midnight."

"And then?"

"And then I saw you, and that all went up in smoke in about thirty seconds." Her mouth curves. "You've got an unfair advantage, Jagger Cartwright. Nobody warns a girl properly."

I grin. "I could say the same thing about you." I catch a strand of hair that's slipped loose from behind her ear and tuck it back into place. My fingers linger against her jaw a few seconds. I confess, "I walked into that bar planning on a few drinks and going back to the ranch once midnight hit."

"Why?"

"Wyatt had just gotten back to town. It had been years since we hung out on New Year's Eve and he left me hanging. Said he had to go out of town with Willow for a marketing meeting. So I wasn't exactly in a happy place. Found out on New Year's Day that it was a lie and they had gotten together years ago, before he left for out of state. Apparently, he was still in love with her." I chuckle a bit.

"What's so funny?"

"You want to talk about being mad? Now that was maybe the maddest I've ever been."

Amusement lights up Lainey's expression. "Because your best friend was in love with your sister?"

Memories hit me hard. I affirm, "Yeah. But a bigger part was the fact they kept that big of a secret from me and my family for all these years."

"You seem okay now?" she cautiously inquires.

I chuckle again. "Yeah. After he let me punch him and we got into it."

"You punched him?"

"Sure did. And after I learned you left, it felt pretty good punching him. But it still took a bit for me to accept their relationship and be happy about it."

"And you're still best friends?"

I grin. "The best. Always and forever."

"That's good," she softly asserts.

I take another drink of beer and admit, "I was across the bar. Carla hadn't noticed me yet. But I saw you. And you laughed at something she said. I completely lost track of whatever conversation I was supposed to be having." I shake my head at the memory, still a little disbelieving of my own susceptibility even now.

"Wow. You played it so cool making your way over to us."

"It's a talent I have." I wink.

She laughs.

Matt appears with a huge wooden tray. The circle is filled with Kani, seaweed, cucumber, and avocado salads. Pepper and tataki tuna, jalapeño yellowtail, Wagyu skewers, spicy tuna and salmon sashimi balls, and rock shrimp tempura with a spicy, creamy sauce surround it. On the outer edge is a mix of tuna, salmon, yellowtail, red snapper, and octopus both in sashimi and sushi style.

"Good Lord. Are we eatin' dinner or feeding the whole ranch?" Lainey gushes.

Matt laughs. "You're not the first to say that."

"It's so good," I rave.

"Did you want me to put in any rolls?" he asks.

"Have the chef prepare what he wants. Is there anything particular you want?" I ask Lainey.

She glances at the food and shakes her head. "No. I think you're going to have to roll me out of here."