Missy pulled up in front of their dad’s house and turned in her seat to look back at Chance. “We’re not going to stay too long. Dad’s so excited you’re both here and I just want to see how happy he is when he sees you. We’ll make our excuses after about ten minutes and leave you to it.”

“You don’t have to,” said Chance. He’d been thinking that this visit would be a kind of family reunion.

“I know, but I figured you’d want them to yourselves for a while. And I’ve invited them to come over for lunch on Sunday. Dan’s smoking prime rib and I’m doing all the trimmings, in the hope that’ll be enough to make you come over before you have to leave.”

Chance smiled. She knew prime rib was his favorite. He looked at Hope and she nodded. “That’d be awesome, thanks, Miss.”

She grinned. “It’s a small price to pay to have all my family in my home for once.”

Chance knew how much that meant to her. She hadn’t had it easy in life. She’d had Scot when she was just a teenager and had raised him by herself until she met Dan a few years ago. The rift between Chance and his dad had been hard on her. He knew that their newfound closeness meant the world to her, and she would do anything she could to nurture it and draw their family back together.

They all turned at the sound of a shout from the house. Chance chuckled when he saw his dad standing in the open doorway, leaning on the frame and waving his cane at them. “If you’re going to sit out there all afternoon, would you at least send Hope in? I’m not worried about the rest of you. Well, send Dan, too.”

They all laughed and got out of the car. “Sorry, Dad,” called Chance. “It’s Missy. You know what she’s like. She started talking and wouldn’t shut up long enough for us to get out.” He came around the car and joined Hope, not wanting to leave her behind as he went to greet his dad. He needn’t have worried, she hurried by him and went straight to his dad and hugged him.

“Hey, Frank. It’s good to see you. You’re looking a lot fitter than you were in Oregon.”

“That’s all thanks to your uncle.” He grinned and hugged her tightly with one arm, supporting himself against the door with the other. Chance understood a little about where his pride came from in that moment. His dad could have leaned on Hope to hug her, but he wouldn’t let her support his weight. He’d rather cling to the door frame and support himself—even though it meant he got less of a hug because of it. He pursed his lips and tucked that thought away for further examination later.

“Would you let go of her and give me a turn?” Alice appeared in the doorway and Chance was grateful to her, as he was so often. She’d spotted that his dad was struggling now to keep himself upright. She pretended to push him away, but what she was really doing was setting him straight again with his weight balanced properly and his cane for support. Chance caught her eye as she hugged Hope and gave her a nod, hoping that she understood he’d noticed and he loved her for it. He picked up where she’d left off and put his arm around his dad’s shoulders, hustling him back inside the house and back to his place on the sofa. “How come I never get a hug like that; huh, Pops?”

Chance sat down next to him and leaned in for a hug. His eyes filled with tears as his dad hugged him back. He’d always been a wiry kind of guy, but in that hug Chance could feel how much skinnier he was, and how little strength he had. He had to bury his face in his dad’s shoulder and blink away the tears before he dared let anyone see him. When he came back up, Hope caught his eye. She’d seen. She understood. She gave him a sad smile. He hated to think that it wouldn’t be too many years before his dad was gone.

“What about me?” asked Missy with a grin. “Do I get forgotten, now the prodigal son’s back?”

Chance knew she was joking, but for a moment, his dad looked stricken. “You’ll never be forgotten, love. Come here.” He held his arm out to her and the three of them shared a hug that had Chance’s eyes filling up again.

After a few moments Alice asked Hope if she wanted to help her in the kitchen, and, of course, his dad looked up at that. “She’s not the help, Alice! She’s a guest. A very special guest.” He winked at Hope. “And a fancy one, too. You can’t be asking her to help in the kitchen.”

Hope laughed. “I’d like to.”

Alice winked at her. “There’s no need, sweetie. Everything’s ready and I’m going to ask my Danny to carry it through for us. I just knew that as soon as I said that, Frank would stop strangling those two and come up for air.”

“She spoils all my fun, that one.” His dad pretended to glare at Alice, but Chance could see the love that shone in his eyes. It seemed that opening his own heart up to love was allowing him to see the love all around him. His dad and Alice, Missy and Dan; they had great relationships and so much love. He wanted to believe that he and Hope would grow to share something like that.

Dan brought the tray through from the kitchen, and once Alice had given everyone a drink, they all sat there staring at each other for a minute until Missy laughed. “Well, this is awkward silence. It’s not like us, is it?” She looked at Hope. “You must have him in awe. I thought he’d be chattering away; he’s been chattering about you for weeks.”

“I’m just having a sip of my tea, thank you, Melissa. Then,” he turned and looked Chance in the eye, “I’m going to start asking questions, like when are you going to make an honest woman of her?”

“Dad!” Missy shot Chance a worried look, but he smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Miss. It’s not the first time he’s asked, is it, Hope?”

“No,” she answered with a smile.

“It’ll be the first time I get an answer though,” his dad persisted. “So, when are you thinking? I’m guessing it’s going to be up there in Montana, right?” He nodded at Hope. “You’ll want to have your wedding where your people are?”

Hope nodded hesitantly, then looked at Chance. “We haven’t talked about it yet.”

“See, Dad.” Missy scowled at him. “You leave them alone and let them tell you in their own time.”

He scowled at her, but he did look a little remorseful. “Okay, okay. I’m just impatient.” He looked at Hope. “Forgive me? I didn’t mean to …” He shrugged and took another sip of his tea looking disgruntled.

“There’s nothing to forgive, Frank,” Hope reassured him. “I wish I could answer you, and I will, just as soon as I know.”

His dad glowered at Chance. “See, she’s waiting on you. You’d better get your act together, son, or she might get tired of waiting.”

Chance smiled. “You’re right. I should, and when I do, you’ll be the first to know.”

“There,” said Alice firmly. “You heard that, Frank? You’ll be the first to know. So, until then, would you please stop harassing them about it?”

He shrugged and muttered to himself, then looked up and winked at Hope. “I can hope, right?”

She chuckled. “You can, and I think you have a very good chance.”

Chance groaned. “Don’t get her started on playing with our names.”

Missy laughed. “It’s hard not to, isn’t it? I mean there are so many possibilities. You’ve found Hope. She has a Chance.”

“Yeah, yeah, all right.” Chance waved his hand at her. “We’ve heard them all.”

Hope smiled at her. “To be fair, he’s usually the one who comes up with them.”

Missy laughed. “But he says it’s corny when we do it? That sounds about right.”

Chance nodded. He noticed that his dad was looking worried and rubbing his knuckles, which he always did when something was troubling him. “What’s up, Dad?”

He frowned. “I’m not sure I should say.”

“Try it, and see.”

He rubbed his knuckles some more, then met Chance’s gaze. “I’m not trying to rush the two of you along, I just want to know when it’ll be. I need to figure out how I’m going to get there.” Chance felt terrible when he saw the worry in his dad’s eyes. “I made it to our Miss and Dan’s wedding, but only just. I never thought I’d see the day you’d tie the knot, not since … But now, I know you will.” He smiled at Hope. “You’ve found her and I want more than anything in the world to watch the two of you get wed before I die.”

“And you will.”

He blew out a big sigh. “Son, I put on a good front and Alice covers for me, bless her heart, but I’m not up to doing much more traveling. Montana’s a long way. It takes you a couple of days to drive here. I don’t know how I’m going to manage a trip like that, but I’m going to do it somehow.”

Chance’s heart ached for him. His dad was a proud man and he’d been a strong, fit man all his life until the stroke. Chance hated to see him so worried about something that would have been so minor to him not so long ago.

Hope squeezed Chance’s hand and raised an eyebrow. He knew what she wanted to say, and loved her for checking with him before she spoke. He nodded.

“Frank, if it is in Montana, and we haven’t decided yet, but if it is, you don’t need to go by car. You don’t need to go by car wherever it is.”

He looked at her. “What do you mean?”

“We can send the plane for you.”

His brows knit together. “But the plane belongs to Dan’s brother, Jack. He let him use it for me when I had to get to Miss’s wedding.

“And he’d let you use it again, anytime you want to,” said Dan.

“But I don’t like to ask. It’s not right. He’s been kind and he’s almost family, but …”

“You don’t need to ask him,” said Hope. “We have a plane, too. We can send it to get you when we get married. Whenever you want to go anywhere, we can send it for you.”

His dad looked at Chance. “You have a plane now?”

Chance hesitated. He couldn’t say yes, but he didn’t want to point out that it was Hope’s plane.

She answered for him. “We do.” She squeezed his hand again and he nodded.

His dad smiled. “That’s nifty, huh?”

“It is. I’m lucky. It’s not like I earned it, not like Dan or his brother.” She smiled at Dan, and once again Chance loved the way she tried to keep everyone happy. She didn’t want to ruffle any feathers, but she’d learn with time that’s Dan’s feathers didn’t ruffle easily.

Dan smiled back at her. He knew what she was doing. He didn’t need appeasing, but he no doubt appreciated her effort.

“When we get married …”

“So, it’s definitely a when, not an if?” asked his dad.

Chance laughed. “You don’t miss a trick, do you?”

“Nope. And we can leave it alone now, if you want. I’ve heard all I need to. You are getting married and I don’t have to worry how to get there.”

Hope smiled at him. “Good, I’m glad we could set your mind at ease.”

“Nearly,” his smile faded again. “Just promise me you won’t take too long about it? I want to still be around to see it.”

“Don’t, Dad.” Missy voice sounded a little too high, and Chance knew that the thought of him dying was upsetting her. “You might have heard all you need to, but I still have a question.”

“What’s that?” asked Chance.

“Have you even asked her yet?” She gave Hope an apologetic smile. “Sorry, hon, but I don’t see a ring, and all this talking about it before you’ve even asked just seems wrong to me.”

Hope smiled. “It’s okay.”

The way she said it told Chance that maybe it wasn’t as okay as he’d thought. He glowered at Missy, but he didn’t know what to say, because it seemed she had a point.

She shrugged and he was grateful she didn’t say any more, but she’d said enough to make him realize that it was time to put some serious thought into his proposal—and when they got back to the valley, it’d be time to go see Seymour and officially ask for his blessing.

~ ~ ~

When they left Frank and Alice’s place, Missy drove them over to the resort where they’d booked a room for the next couple of nights. She’d said she and Dan would leave after a short time, but Frank had asked them to stay and Hope was glad of it. Chance had told her most of his family history and she knew that the three of them didn’t get to spend much time together. She wanted them to cherish every moment they got. Plus, she enjoyed Missy’s company—and Dan’s too, even though he didn’t say much. Chance had been right, it was worth listening whenever he did speak. She was planning to call Oscar whenever she got a minute. She’d love to get him together with Dan; she just knew they’d enjoy each other’s company.

Missy drove through the resort and pulled up outside a beautiful cabin that sat by itself, right on its own little beach.

“This place is amazing!” said Hope.

Missy turned to smile at her. “I’m glad you like it. It’s not one of those fancy five-star resorts, but it’s a great place, and the guy who owns it is one of my best friends.”

“How is Ben?” asked Chance.

Missy grinned. “Ben is finally happy! You have no idea how good it feels to be able to say that.”

Chance grinned back at her. “I think I do have some idea. It took him half his life to get there, but if anyone deserves to be happy, it’s Ben.”

Hope wondered if he was comparing himself to this Ben. It’d taken Chance half his life to even consider the possibility of being happy.

Missy smiled at her. “Sorry to talk about people you don’t know yet, but you’ll meet him before the weekend’s over I’m sure. Even if you don’t come out tomorrow night, you’ll see him around the resort. He’s a very hands-on owner.”

Chance chuckled. “And how’s Charlie doing? Does she ever get to see him, or does he still spend all his time here?”

“You’d be surprised how much less he works these days.”

“She put her foot down then?” asked Chance.

Missy shook her head with a big grin. “Nope. He cut back his hours voluntarily, as soon as they got married. He’s so cute. He wants to spend as much time as he can with her. In fact, when I saw her the other day she told me that he’s been asking her to cut her work schedule back.”

Chance laughed. “Who would ever have believed that?”

Dan smiled at Hope. “Ben’s family has owned the resort forever. He’s run the place since he was a teenager. To call him a workaholic would be an understatement. He and Charlie were together when they were teens, but they broke up and she went back to England. They never got over each other and she came back just last year. They’re married now.”

Missy nodded. “Remember I told you I had a friend who came over from England every summer when we were kids? Well, that was Charlotte.”

Hope smiled. “I envy you, having friends around who you grew up with.”

Missy laughed. “Oh, you have no idea. You’ll meet most of them tomorrow night, but there are a couple dozen of us who all grew up here and have now moved back and are settling down and having families.” She looked at Chance. “I don’t suppose there’s any way you’d ever consider coming back?”

Hope looked at him. She thought she knew what he’d say, but he surprised her. “I don’t think so, but I’d never say never.” Wow! Hope had thought that’d be exactly what he’d say. He smiled at her. “If you like the idea of living in a small town with a great bunch of friends, then maybe this is where you’d want to be?”

She didn’t know what to say. She thought they already had that in Montana, and she was surprised Chance would even consider living here. This was Chloe’s town.

Missy gave her an apologetic look. “Sorry, hon. It’s not like you have to decide now or anything, I was just curious.”

“I’d never say never, either,” she said with a smile. “But to be honest, I’ve only just got back to Montana. To me, that’s going back to my hometown. I don’t have any old friends there, but through Chance, I’ve met a whole bunch of new ones. Plus, my dad’s come back, too.” She looked at Chance. “Maybe someday?”

He nodded, but she wasn’t sure what he was thinking.

“You’re doing it again, Miss,” said Dan.

“Doing what?”

He smiled. “Making everyone sit outside in the car talking, when we should be getting going.”

“Oh. Sorry.” She got out and the rest of them followed her.

“I got you all booked in and sorted out, so you don’t have to go up to the lodge if you don’t want to. Here’s the key and the little information package.” She handed them over to Hope.

“Thanks. Don’t you want to come in?”

Missy smiled. “I’d love to, but I’ve hogged too much of your time already, and I told Scotty we wouldn’t be gone too long when we went to Dad’s.” She rummaged in her purse and pulled out another key and an envelope, then turned and pointed at the car sitting outside the cabin. “I got you a rental car. You might not need it, but I didn’t want you to feel stuck if you want to explore or anything.”

Chance took the key with a smile. “Thanks, Miss. I didn’t know anyone did car rentals.”

“They do now. One of Smoke’s student pilots used to work for one of the big franchises and he’s set up his own branch out at the airport. He seems to be doing good business, too.”

Chance nodded. “That’s good to know, and thanks for setting it up. I’ll pay you back when …”

“Oh, shush! You’ll do no such thing.”

Hope had to laugh at the expression on Chance’s face. She had a feeling Missy was the only person in the world who’d get away with telling him to shush.

Even Missy seemed to know that she’d pushed her luck. “You can take care of our rental when we come up there to visit you, how about that?”

Chance nodded. “Okay, you’ve got yourself a deal.”

Dan smiled at them. “Sorry guys. I got us out of the car, but she’s still not letting you go, so I’ll just have to drag her away.”

“Okay, okay.” She smiled at Hope. “I really will let you go now. I’m leaving it up to you, how much you want to see of us, but we’ll be around all weekend if you want to call or just drop in.”

Dan chuckled and looked at Chance. “She won’t beg you, but I will. Please, at least call, or I’ll have to listen to her fretting the whole time.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep you posted on what we’re up to and when we will be seeing you. You’re a big part of why we’re here.”

Missy reached up and hugged him. “Aww, that makes me so happy.” She turned to hug Hope, too.

Chance shook his head at her. “I’m glad, but will you go now?”

Missy laughed and got back in the car. “Okay. I’m going.”