SOMEHOW, DEACON HAD managed to arrange for time off and put a lake trip together in just a few days’ time. It had all come about because Zach Powers had wrangled a cabin at the lake for the Fourth of July holiday. He’d invited Deacon to come along and told Deacon to bring whomever he wanted since the lake house was huge. And since Zach had invited all of his friends who wanted to come, and Deacon had heard there was going to be a big crowd, Deacon had invited Loretta and Hazel. He figured they would have a great time at the lake, and it would give him an opportunity to do some fun stuff with Hazel.

Loretta had balked at first, but he’d convinced her Hazel would have a blast. Jane and Will were coming and they were bringing their kids, Tabitha and Ryan, so he knew Hazel would have kids to hang out with. And they also had a dog. So did Brady and Megan, and Sam and Reid. Otis would have lots of company. It helped that Camila’s boyfriend was on active duty with the National Guard that week, so she was free to handle the bookstore for a couple of days while Loretta enjoyed a minivacation.

Loretta had asked if she could invite Josie Barnes along, since she didn’t know a lot of people in town yet. Deacon had called Zach, and Zach said he didn’t care who came. He’d reiterated that the house had a lot of bedrooms and they’d make it work. So Josie was coming, too. It promised to be a fabulous house party with all of their friends.

Deacon had worked double time over the last couple of days to get caught up at the building, then this morning had met with the guys who’d take over for him while he was gone. He had a great crew, and they knew what they were doing. It had worked out perfectly with the Fourth of July holiday being on a Tuesday this year. They’d end up with four days on the lake. And since he’d be taking some weekend time and only one actual workday off, it wasn’t a huge deal for him to be gone anyway, but he wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page. The walls were up and the flooring was in, so it was just a matter of getting the work orders in place and ensuring that stuff got done on time.

Now that his job stuff was settled, he packed up his truck. Loretta had said she’d take care of food, so all he had to do was make sure he had the necessary gear for the trip. He’d made a mental list of the activities he wanted to do with Hazel and threw in any supplies he would need on that front, along with clothes and blankets and outdoor gear. Then he drove over to Loretta’s house. She already had several bags outside when he pulled up, so he loaded those into the back of his truck. Hazel came running out and threw her arms around him, giving him a gigantic hug.

His heart squeezed as he hugged her back.

“I’m so excited to be going to the lake, Deacon.”

“Me, too. Do you have all your stuff packed?”

“Yup. I have my own flashlight. And Mama reminded me to pack bug spray. What are we gonna do at the lake?”

Otis was there as well, his tail whipping back and forth as he sought attention. Deacon made sure to pet him and give him lots of affection.

He followed Hazel into the house. “Lots of fun things. You ready to get dirty?”

Hazel laughed. “Yeah. Otis is coming along, too. That’s okay, right?”

“Sure it is. You didn’t think we were going to leave him at home, did you? He’ll love it at the lake.”

“Yeah, he will. I packed his bag, too, with his food, water bowl, leash, rope, and some other toys. Oh, and a blanket for him to sleep on.”

“You did good.” Deacon spied Loretta in the kitchen filling a large cooler, so he headed her way while Hazel turned and went down the hall to her room.

Loretta looked up as she saw him coming. “I’m just about finished here. Josie’s driving out this way. I figured since there are so many of us plus Otis we’d take my car as well.”

“That sounds like a plan. All the gear and coolers will fit in the back of my truck. And Otis can ride with me.”

Loretta grinned. “I think you secretly adore that dog.”

“Hey, no secret about it. What can I help you with?”

She handed him a few containers and directed him where to pack them in the two coolers. Then she told him where the soda and water were, so he loaded those in the truck as well. It took them about a half hour, and by then Josie had shown up.

“That’s a pretty small bag, Josie,” Loretta said as Josie walked in with something that looked no bigger than a backpack.

“I don’t need much, and I know how to pack tight. Thanks for inviting me. I’m very excited about this. My only plan was to head downtown to watch the fireworks.”

“Oh, there’ll be fireworks at the lake,” Deacon said.

She shot him a smile. “Then I’m excited all over again. Hi, Hazel.”

“Hello, Miss Barnes,” Hazel said.

“You can call me Josie.”

Hazel grinned. “Okay, Josie. Mama told me you like dogs.”

Josie crouched down and smoothed her hand over Otis’s back, who then licked her face. “I love dogs. Hello, Otis. It’s good to see you again.”

“Okay, let’s get this party started,” Deacon said. “I think Otis should ride with me since he’s so big.”

“I want to ride with Deacon, Mama,” Hazel said.

Loretta shot Deacon a wistful look. “I guess that’s fine if it’s okay with you, Deacon.”

“It’s great with me.”

“Then Josie and I will take my car and we’ll follow you.”

Deacon nodded. “Let’s roll out.”

Deacon headed out and onto the main road leading to the highway. He enjoyed listening to Hazel talk to him about games and sports and just about every topic. She even told him about Otis’s toenails.

He grinned at that one.

Fortunately, it only took about an hour and a half to get to the lake exit, then another twenty minutes to find the cabin.

By then Hazel—and Otis—were more than ready to get out of the truck. Deacon parked, and they jumped out. Loretta and Josie met up with them.

“I’m going to take Hazel and Otis on a quick walk,” Loretta said. “Let Otis release some of that pent-up energy he no doubt has.”

“Why don’t you let me do that?” Josie asked. “I could definitely stretch my legs.”

“Yeah, Mama,” Hazel said. “Let Josie take a walk with us.”

Loretta looked at Josie. “Are you sure?”

“Of course. Come on, Hazel. Let’s go explore.”

“Thanks. Deacon and I will sort out arrangements in the house while you two are exploring.”

“You got it.” Josie and Hazel disappeared, leaving Loretta and Deacon alone by the truck.

Deacon looked around. There were a few parked vehicles, but no one outside. He took the opportunity while he had it and tugged Loretta against him for a kiss. She grasped his arms and held on, meeting his kiss with a passion that matched what he felt.

When he pulled away, she smiled. “I’ve missed you the past few days.”

“Yes, it’s been a busy week. Sorry.”

She brushed her fingertip across his bottom lip. “Don’t be. I just hope we can manage to carve out some alone time while we’re here, though I don’t know if that’ll be possible with other people and Hazel and the dog and all.”

“Trust me, I’ll figure something out.”

She lifted up and kissed him again. “I’m sure you will.”

“Let’s take some of this stuff inside and figure out who’s staying where.”

“It’s really beautiful here. And this house—whoa.”

“Yeah, ‘whoa’ for sure.” The land was wooded, right on the lake, and the house was huge. Zach had said he rented a big cabin, but this was no cabin. It was a two-story mansion that sat right on the water. He couldn’t wait to see inside.

Loretta couldn’t believe this place. It certainly wasn’t the “rustic” she’d pictured in her mind when Deacon had invited them along for this trip. Tom’s family had money, and they’d lived in a big house after he’d graduated from law school, but this was larger than the house she’d had in Dallas. As they stepped into the foyer, they were greeted by an amazing amount of light, due to the floor-to-ceiling windows that showcased an incredible view of the back patio and the lake.

“Wow,” she said. “That’s a million-dollar view right there.”

Deacon set their bags just inside the incredible living room. “Looks like everyone is out back by the pool.”

She followed him as he made his way through the open, expansive door and out onto the covered patio. There was a kitchen outside, as well as the most beautiful infinity pool, which overlooked the lake. Brady and Megan sat poolside with Zach, who waved them over.

“Hey, you made it,” Zach said. “Beer’s in the fridge over there. There’s a list on the kitchen counter with a map of the house. Everyone’s names and room locations are on it. You should change into your swim stuff and get out here.”

“Thanks, Zach,” Deacon said.

Loretta looked over at Deacon. “I should find Hazel and Josie.”

“Let’s do that.” Deacon nodded at Zach. “We’ll be back. Don’t drink all the beer.”

“No guarantees,” Brady hollered.

They stopped at the island to study the map of the house.

“We’re close to each other,” Deacon said. “Sadly, not in the same room.”

She laughed. “That might be hard to work out, since I’m bunking with Josie and Hazel.”

“Yeah. And I’m with Zach.” He pulled her to the side of the kitchen and kissed her again, heating her body from head to toe just like he had out front. When he brushed his lips gently against hers to end the kiss, she sighed, filled with thoughts of being alone with him.

“We’ll make time together.”

She linked her fingers with his. “We are together. And right now that’s good enough.”

Just as they passed the front door, it opened, and Josie, Hazel, and Otis bounded in.

“We took Otis on a long walk, Mama, and he peed and pooped and fetched a stick. I threw it a whole bunch of times. We found the hose out front, so Josie gave him a big drink of water.”

“That’s great,” Loretta said. “Let’s take our stuff and get unpacked. Then you can put your swimsuit on.”

Hazel’s eyes widened and she looked around them. “Oh, there’s a pool.”

“Yes, there is.”

Hazel took the map from her. “I’m good at reading maps. I can find our room, Mama. Oh, you’re staying with us, Josie. And I can find your room, too, Deacon.”

Deacon grinned. “Lead the way, Hazel.”

Their rooms were both on the first floor, just across from each other. Convenient, but still not close enough. Loretta would love to be with Deacon, but she had Hazel to think about. So she waved to Deacon as he entered his room, then she followed a very excited Hazel into their room.

There were two queen beds and a bathroom. The room was extremely spacious, which meant there’d be plenty of room for Otis. It was perfect.

“I hope you don’t mind sharing a room with us,” she said to Josie as they all unpacked.

“Are you kidding? This is great. And this room is huge. In college I shared a dorm room with two other girls and it was smaller than the bathroom in our room here.”

Loretta laughed. “I remember college days. And you’re right. This is perfect.”

“Thank you so much for inviting me to come along,” Josie said. “I haven’t been to the lake since . . . forever. Maybe since I was around Hazel’s age?”

Hazel turned around. “That’s a really long time, Josie. You should go out and do fun things more often.”

Loretta rolled her eyes. “Hazel.”

Josie laughed. “Hazel’s right. I should get out and have fun more often. It’s on my list of things to do since my move here.”

“Good idea. You should start by swimming in the pool.”

Leave it to Hazel to be pushy. “Maybe she doesn’t want to get in the pool, Hazel.”

“Actually, I’d love to. Let me go get changed.”

In the end, they all put on their swimsuits, cover-ups, and flip-flops. They stopped in the kitchen first to unpack the ice chests, since they had a huge refrigerator and freezer to store all the food and drinks in, then headed outside.

Sam and Reid had shown up as well and were already in the pool. Otis had already made friends with Sam’s and Megan’s dogs, Not My Dog and Roxie. The three of them barked and ran after each other.

That made her happy. Even Otis was going to be entertained during their stay here. She noticed one of Otis’s bowls was out there, filled with water.

Deacon, no doubt. She smiled at the thought of him caring for the dog. Then again, of course he would.

“Come on over here, Loretta,” Megan said. “The water and the view are amazing.”

“Can I get in the pool, Mama?”

Hazel had had years of swimming lessons, so Loretta was confident in her abilities. “Yes. And no running.”

Hazel rolled her eyes. “I know the rules, Mama.”

Hazel walked to the deep end and leaped in. Loretta shook her head.

Her daughter had always loved water. Loretta had put her in swimming lessons from the time she was a toddler. She’d taken to it like a champion. At least Loretta didn’t have to worry about her here at the lake this weekend. Hazel had always abided by the rules, because she knew she’d be landlocked if she didn’t.

Deacon stood over by one of the covered areas having a beer and no doubt talking guy things with Reid and Brady. She tried not to ogle him, but he looked so fine shirtless, his board shorts slung low on his hips.

“If you don’t stop shooting googly eyes at your hot boyfriend, you’re going to trip and fall into the pool,” Josie said.

Good thing she had her sunglasses on, because she went wide-eyed. “I was not googly-eyeing him.”

Josie dragged her sunglasses down the bridge of her nose to shoot a direct look at Loretta. “Girlfriend. Please.”

“Okay, so maybe I was. Can you blame me?”

“Absolutely not.”

Loretta tore her gaze away from Deacon. She and Josie took a seat at the table next to the pool with Megan and Sam.

Sam poured them each a glass from the pitcher on the table. “Ice-cold margaritas. Made them myself. Isn’t this place amazing?”

“Incredible.”

“Chelsea’s going to be so sad she missed this,” Megan said, “but Bash has to work and she’s not feeling well in this heat, so they had to pass on the weekend.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Who else is coming?”

“I think Jane and Will are coming with the kids,” Sam said, “which should be fun for Hazel.”

“Oh, right, Deacon mentioned they’d be here,” Loretta said. “I know Hazel will enjoy hanging out with Tabitha.”

Loretta took a sip of her margarita. “This is delicious.”

“Thanks. Megan brought all kinds of baked goodies.”

“I’m so thrilled to have some time off from the bakery,” Megan said. “I’ve hired another person to help run the bakery, and she’s not only an efficient manager, she’s also an amazing baker. So I just decided to give her a chance to show off her stuff and I took a few days off.”

“Good for you,” Josie said. “Time off to recreate is so important.”

Megan nodded. “I agree. Brady and I don’t have nearly enough downtime.”

“How’s the progress on the new shop?” Loretta asked.

“Good. Reid and Deacon’s company is going to do the work, so that’s settled. Now that we have a timeline for the renovation, it’s very exciting. Between that and building the new house, though, life is busy.”

“I know all about that,” Sam said.

“How is your house coming along, Sam?” Loretta said.

“Just finishing touches on paint and moldings and getting the appliances in. We should be able to move in within the next few weeks. Then I’m having everyone over for a housewarming party.”

Loretta could feel the excitement vibrating through her friend. “I can’t wait to see it.”

“I’m hoping we can get Grammy Claire over there to see it as well.”

“How’s she doing?” Loretta asked.

Sam sighed. “She’s having fewer good days. She doesn’t recognize me as much as she used to. But then she’ll have one day where all is as it used to be. I’m holding on to those moments like they’re precious jewels.”

Loretta reached across the table and squeezed Sam’s hand. “That must be so hard for you.”

“It is. But I’m taking it day by day and enjoying her brief moments of clarity while we still have them.”

Loretta couldn’t imagine what it must be like to lose someone you love so much to Alzheimer’s disease. To know that someone you’ve loved and known your entire life, that that person who held all your lifelong memories, was slipping away from you a little more every day. It had to hurt like hell. But Sam was strong, and she was handling it so well. Loretta wasn’t certain she’d have the same inner strength.

Then again, she’d handled a rough marriage and a divorce. She’d moved her life and her daughter’s life back to her hometown, and she’d started her own business. She’d bought a farm and she had started a vegetable garden. She’d weathered gossip and she’d made new friends. And Hazel seemed happier than she’d been in a long time, and that was her number one priority.

So maybe she was tougher than she gave herself credit for. As long as she lived life day by day and didn’t look too far down the road into the future, she could handle this on her own.

She looked over at her daughter, who was happily swimming laps, and smiled.

Yes, it was going well. She was doing fine. And when Jane and Will showed up with their two kids, Ryan and Tabitha, and their retriever/Lab mix, Archie, it was a free-for-all of excited children and one more excited, barking dog.

Seemed as if even Otis was going to have all kinds of dog friends to play with for the next couple of days.

While Tabitha and Ryan dashed into the pool with Hazel, and Will headed over to grab a beer, Jane slid into one of the chairs.

“How’s it going, Jane?” Megan asked.

Jane gave them all a serene smile. “Well, I’m officially pregnant.”

Loretta jumped up and gave Jane a hug. So did everyone else.

“This is such exciting news,” Loretta said as they all sat down again.

“Yeah, except for the fact you get no margaritas now,” Sam said, pouring herself a refill.

“That just means more for us,” Megan said with a grin.

Jane laughed. “Considering my level of nausea at the moment, the idea of alcohol repels me.”

“Are you sure you wanted to come here?”

Jane looked over at Sam. “Oh, definitely. The kids are excited about this weekend. Will is, too, and I figure I can either hide in the house and nap or just sit in the shade or soak in the pool.”

“But definitely no boat rides on the lake,” Josie said.

“Ugh. No, no boat rides for me.”

“I’m beyond thrilled for you,” Sam said. “You must be so excited.”

“Honestly, I am. A little freaked out about starting over again, since Ryan and Tabby are mostly self-sufficient now. But Will has assured me he’s going to be there for me, and God, he’s such a wonderful dad to them. I know he’s so excited about having a new baby in the house. Tabitha is thrilled beyond belief to be a big sister.”

Megan reached over and grasped Jane’s hand. “You’re a great mom. You’re going to be fine. Plus, you have all of us.”

“Thank you. And I’m so happy that Chelsea and I will both have babies so close in age.”

“That’ll definitely be fun,” Loretta said.

After chatting awhile about babies and their jobs and personal lives, they all went inside and started prepping food for dinner. Tonight would be easy—burgers and hot dogs. Megan took the meat outside for the guys to start grilling. Loretta and Josie chopped up lettuce and vegetables for a huge salad, and they shucked corn cobs to put on the grill. Sam and Jane sliced strawberries and melon for a fruit salad. When Loretta and Josie were done preparing the salad and corn, they headed into the ridiculously oversized dining room to set the table for dinner.

“Who owns this place?” Josie asked.

Loretta shrugged. “I have no idea. I assume someone Zach knows.”

“Huh.” Josie spread out the utensils after Loretta laid the plates.

Loretta paused. “ ‘Huh’ what?”

“I don’t know. I’m just wondering who knows someone who owns a place this . . .”

Josie didn’t finish, so Loretta did. “Ostentatious?”

Josie laughed. “Yes.”

“The condo I lived in in Dallas was over five thousand square feet.”

Josie’s brows shot up. “For a condo? Really?”

“Yes. If you look up ostentatious in the dictionary, there’ll be a photo of my ex-husband next to the word. He was all about having the finer things. A doorman, a workout center, a business center, marble flooring, floor-to-ceiling windows, a security system, blah blah blah.”

Josie wrinkled her nose. “Sounds very . . . sterile.”

“It was. We weren’t allowed to leave anything lying around, like toys or books, nothing that gave the appearance that someone actually lived there, just in case he wanted to bring a client home. We lived like houseguests in our own home.”

Josie paused and gave her a sympathetic look. “No wonder you divorced the bastard.”

She was quickly finding out that Josie said exactly what was on her mind. “Yes, well, it took me a while to summon up the courage to leave him, but eventually I did.”

“Sometimes it takes a while to figure out how to get away from a bad situation. Which doesn’t mean you lack courage, Loretta.”

“Thanks for that. I’m working on that courage and independence thing every day.”

They moved back into the kitchen. “Independence is a hard-fought battle. It doesn’t happen overnight. There are so many factors and people who will try to keep us down, to make us think that we can’t do it on our own.”

Loretta tilted her head to the side and studied Josie. “You make it sound like you’ve fought your own battle for independence.”

Josie shrugged. “Not the same one as you have, but I had to learn the hard way that trusting some people isn’t always a smart thing to do, and the only person you can really rely on is yourself.”

She was about to ask Josie to elaborate on that, but just then Sam and Megan came inside with plates filled with burgers. “These are done, and Jane’s coming in with the corn.”

“Perfect,” Loretta said. “We have the table set. I’ll go roust the kids out of the pool.”

“Don’t bother,” Sam said. “Deacon and Will are taking care of that.”

Which meant she didn’t have to worry about her own daughter.

Having a guy around who actually handled things? Pretty awesome. And certainly new for her.

This weekend was going to be all kinds of fun.