T he following morning, Joni was up at her usual time. She went for her run, then worked on packing. Max had promised to be there by eight to get her to the airport on time .

She was careful about what she packed. It was odd knowing she’d be spending the night with strangers who knew Max so well, but she really didn’t want to be out the money for a hotel. From what Max said, there weren’t any super close hotels anyway, because the area wasn’t exactly metropolitan .

By the time she was packed and had all of her things in order, Max knocked on her door. She hurried over to open it, surprised when he stepped inside, caught her by her waist, and kissed the stuffing out of her. He’d always been careful not to kiss her until the end of the night, but she had no complaints that he’d veered away from his normal course .

After he lifted his head, he winked at her. “Where’s your suitcase ?”

Mutely, Joni pointed, not sure she was even capable of speech after that kiss. There was just something about Max that kept her stomach in knots and her knees quivering .

Before she knew it, he had her suitcase in his truck and had come back for her. “You coming ?”

She nodded, following him out the door. Locking it, she followed him to the truck. She rarely locked her house in Riston, because there was almost no crime to speak of, and she trusted all her neighbors. But she would be away overnight .

Once she was settled into the truck and they were headed toward Lewiston, she finally found her voice. “Thanks for driving me to the airport. Are you going to pick me up as well ?”

He glanced over at her as he stopped at a four-way stop on the highway. “Pick you up? I’m going with you! My truck will be at the airport .”

“Going with me…but you can’t do that !”

“Why not ?”

She frowned. “Well, you’re on vacation, so you can’t go back to where you live and work in the middle of your vacation. It’s against all known patterns of the universe! What if the universe implodes because you made one rash decision? Think of the guilt !”

He blinked at her a couple of times before he started driving again, keeping his voice calm. “Universal implosion aside, will you feel better about the whole process if I go with you ?”

“Well, yeah, but — ”

“Then I’m going, and that’s all there is to it. It’ll be nice to be out of this snow for a day or two .”

She shrugged, not sure how else to handle his comments. “Will you be staying at the big house as well ?”

“Nope. I have my cabin there, and I’ll stay in it. I love the idea of being able to show you my home—where I live and work. And I can’t wait for you to meet the McClains. They’re incredible people .”

“I love what I’ve heard about them. Did you ever feel jealous of them? Knowing they had parents who loved them and lived in the big house while you had to live in a cabin ?”

He laughed. “The cabins were four-bedroom, four-bathroom homes built in the eighties. The old cabins that the first orphans built still stand, and I live in one today. There was no hardship there. But yeah, I guess I was a little jealous, but more of Kevin than the others. We all knew that Kevin wasn’t a biological member of their family, just like we weren’t, but Kevin lived with them. He was more a son than the rest of us, and that was hard sometimes .”

“I can see that. I’m excited to meet them all .”

“You might not get to meet all the brothers. They’ll be busy with the boys, but you might meet one or two. Adam just got back from his honeymoon, but I doubt you’ll see him and Tiffani at all other than the interview. They’re in hiding .”

“Well, as many as I can, then. I love the idea of getting to know the people who have been part of your life the longest .”

He smiled, reaching over for her hand, which rested on the seat beside them. “You’re not going to have a choice .”

* * *

W hen they landed in San Antonio, Max rented an SUV to take them to the ranch. “I could probably take a car, but I’m used to having four-wheel drive, and I hate going without it,” he told Joni as they left the airport .

She was shocked at all the traffic. “This city is way too big for me !”

“Me too,” he admitted, merging onto the highway and heading north on I-35. “We’ll go through Austin, and then you’ll see the countryside. I live thirty minutes or so north of Austin. You’ll love it. There are no mountains like in Idaho, but the hill country is still a beautiful place to be .”

“I’ll reserve judgment until I’ve seen it with my own eyes.” She watched around her as they slowly got out of the bustling city and onto the open road between San Antonio and Austin .

“Do you have any desire to sightsee while you’re here? We could do the Alamo, if you want .”

“I’d love to see it, but I really don’t think we’ll have time. If I get the job and move to the ranch, you can take me there. Have you been ?”

“Oh yeah.” Max shrugged. “Oodles of times. It’s a tiny little church, and you wonder how that many people stayed in there for so long. It’s very unmemorable, despite the rally cry of the Texas Revolution .”

She laughed softly. “I’ll definitely need to see it sometime then .”

“I’d love to take you. And the Riverwalk is really a nice place to go if you enjoy shopping and history. There’s so much history in San Antonio .”

“Someday, I’ll take you up on your offer. I love the idea of seeing all the historical stuff…but for now, I need to keep my brain in the game. I’m pretty nervous about the interview with Adam. This will be my first interview since I started working at the ranch six years ago .”

“Well, I’m sure you’re going to kill it. Remember you have Kevin and me on your side, and we’re a pretty formidable team .”

“Just pray for me while I’m in the interview, would you ?”

“Sure. But you’ll do fine .”

When they reached the ranch an hour later, he stopped at the main house. “Come on. Time to meet the people who raised me when no one else wanted me.” He got her suitcase from the back and led her to the house, knocking when they reached the door .

It was opened by a woman who looked to be around fifty. She was slender, and her eyes were sparkling and happy. Her blond hair had streaks of white, but she still looked beautiful .

“Max, you’re home!” She grabbed Max in a big bear hug. “I hated it when you were driving through those blizzards. I couldn’t stop worrying about you .”

Max smiled, hugging the small woman back. “I was fine. I pulled over when I needed to, and I made it safely to see Kevin—who sends his love, by the way .”

“Did you tell him it’s time he brought that wife of his home for me to meet? I’m sure she’s sweet as can be, if she caught a man like Kevin .”

Max choked on a laugh. “I wouldn’t call Bridget sweet, but I will say he loves her, and she seems to love him just as much .”

“Good. That’s what really matters to me. Are you coming back for supper tonight ?”

He nodded. “I’d love to, if you don’t mind .”

“I never mind. Benjamin and Melissa will be here as well to work on their wedding plans .”

“Wait—Ben’s already engaged to Melissa? I guess when one of your boys falls in love, the others all have to follow suit ?”

Lillian laughed. “I don’t think they have to, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they did .”

Max looked baffled for a moment. “Well, I’m going to leave Joni in your capable hands. I’ll be back at six for supper.” He leaned down and kissed Joni’s cheek, and Lillian’s eyes widened in understanding. “See you soon .”

Joni watched him go, feeling nervous about being alone with this woman who was so important to Max. “Thanks for letting me stay here, Mrs. McClain. I really appreciate it .”

“It’s Lillian. We don’t use last names around here, because there are just too many McClains.” She studied Joni for a moment, then turned toward the stairs. “Follow me, and I’ll show you the room that will be yours for the night. I’m giving you Adam’s old room, because it’s the only one with a private bath. I think you’ll feel more comfortable there .”

“Thank you.” Joni followed along behind the older woman, fighting an internal battle. “May I ask you a very private question ?”

Lillian frowned at her. “I suppose you can. What is it ?”

“Do you have any idea about where Max’s grandparents are? When he told me his story, it made me wonder if they wouldn’t want to see him. I think he feels like he’s missing his roots, if that makes any sense .”

Lillian nodded. “It does make sense. His grandparents got in touch with us here at the ranch shortly after he was sent here, but at that point, we weren’t allowed to let him have contact with them .”

“Did you ever tell him that?” Joni wasn’t sure what the repercussions would be for something like that, but she felt Max needed to make friends with his past to be able to have a future .”

“I haven’t. I will, I promise. Thank you for reminding me of it. It hadn’t seemed important to me, but I can see that it would be to Max.” Lillian turned and showed Joni the room, opening the different doors to show her where everything was. “If you need anything at all, you be sure to let me know .”

“I will. And thank you for listening to me. I know I’m just a stranger to you .”

“No, you’re Max’s girl. I don’t need to know anything else to welcome you with open arms. Thanks for coming to the ranch, Joni.” With that, Lillian was gone, closing the door behind her .

Joni pulled her interview clothes out of her suitcase and hung them in the closet, hoping the wrinkles would come out after a couple of hours. She’d shower with her skirt and blouse in the bathroom if it came to it, but she really didn’t want to have to iron. She hated ironing more than she hated wrinkles .

* * *

M ax puttered around his house for a few minutes before heading to the stable. His favorite thing about the ranch had always been the horses, and he needed a good long ride to clear his head. He knew he should probably ask Joni to go with him, but when she was with him, his head was anything but clear. No, he needed time alone with just his gelding for company .

As he rode, he looked out over the cabins that the boys lived in. He thought about what his life had been like when he’d lived there. He shook his head. He was no longer the confused teenage boy who had been sent away. He was a man, and he was very quickly falling in love .

* * *

W hen Max arrived at the main house for supper that night, he found Joni and Lillian working side-by-side in the kitchen as if they’d known one another forever. Melissa was sitting on the counter talking to them. Her hair was pulled back in the same dark ponytail she always wore .

Benjamin was in the dining room, talking to Peter in low tones. As soon as Max caught the word “wedding,” his ears perked up a bit .

“When are you two tying the knot?” he asked .

“Soon. Very soon,” Benjamin told him .

Max settled down at the table with the two McClain men. “Kevin says hi .”

“What’s his wife like?” Benjamin asked .

Max shook his head, chuckling a bit. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. She’s not who any of us thought Kevin would marry, I promise you that .”

“Really? Why do you say that?” Peter asked with a frown .

“Well, she’s this tiny little thing. Small enough you just kind of want to scoop her up and put her in your back pocket, and then she opens her mouth. She’s the most opinionated little thing I’ve ever met. And she has this thing where she starts fights with everyone she meets, demanding to know who their favorite Disney princess is. Very odd girl, but she loves Kevin, and Kevin loves her .”

Benjamin grinned. “Sounds like he definitely met his match with that one. She’s going to keep him hopping .”

Peter shrugged. “Any woman who’s worth having will keep you hopping. If you’re willing to overlook their flaws, then you love them. It’s that simple .”

Joni came into the room then with Lillian and Melissa. Melissa kept grinning at Benjamin, and when she walked behind him, she trailed her fingers along his shoulder as if she couldn’t bear not to touch him .

Joni set a huge platter with chicken fried steak on the table, and Max started drooling. As a native Texan, he considered himself a connoisseur of chicken fried steak, and he knew that Lillian made the best, hands down .

“Lillian, you spoil me !”

Lillian laughed. “I know it’s your favorite .”

“It is, and I’m thrilled you made it. Joni, you’re going to love this stuff .”

Joni smiled, taking the seat beside him while Melissa sat beside Benjamin. Lillian and Peter were on either end of the table .

“Will you say the prayer, Max?” Peter asked .

Max nodded, bowing his head. He said a short simple prayer before they all started in on the food .

“Lillian makes the best chicken fried steak in all of Texas .”

“Texas?” Benjamin asked. “In all the world !”

Joni watched Benjamin with his new fiancé, who hadn’t said a great deal while they were in the kitchen. Lillian had talked about how excited she was to finally be getting daughters in her life after so many sons. Melissa seemed to look at him and smile a lot, obviously thrilled to be marrying him .

“So how did you two meet?” Peter asked Joni .

Joni swallowed the bite of food in her mouth. “I work as a waitress at the café on River’s End Ranch. Max came in there on Friday, and I served him. We hit it off, and I showed him the ranch. He told me about a job opening here for a social worker, and I just got my masters in social work in May, so I decided to apply for the job .”

Lillian smiled, blotting her mouth with her napkin. “Well, I’m glad you’re here. You’re the first girl Max has ever brought home for us to meet .”

Max was a bit flustered by that comment. “I didn’t exactly bring her here for you to meet …”

“Yes, you did! You could have easily dumped her at the airport, and you know one of us would have picked her up there. It would have been no problem. The fact that you felt the need to fly with her is telling .”

Joni stole a glance at Max, wondering what he was thinking about all this. She was nervous, because she’d never felt for anyone the way she felt for Max. But what if it was a short holiday romance, destined to be over when he returned to Texas ?

“She’d never been to Texas before. There’s nothing wrong with me flying back to show it to her.” Max was definitely on the defensive, which surprised Joni .

“When are you two heading back to Idaho?” Benjamin asked, and Max sent him a grateful look. Being on the spot with Lillian and Peter was never easy .

“Tomorrow evening. Joni is working Thursday morning bright and early.” Max reached over and squeezed Joni’s hand under the table. “I’m going to take her for a walk after supper. I’ve seen her ranch. It’s time she saw mine .”

Lillian frowned. “It’s freezing out there. It’s in the low fifties !”

Max laughed. “Joni made me get real winter gear. I’m sure I can dress warm enough for a walk around the ranch .”

As soon as Joni had helped clear the table, Lillian shooed her out. “Go on your walk with Max .”

“Are you sure? I’m happy to help.” Joni didn’t feel right just running away with all the dishes that would need to be washed .

“Don’t worry about that. Go have fun. You only have one night in Texas. Make the most of it .”

Joni hugged the older woman impulsively. “Thank you!” She rushed upstairs to get her coat. When she got back down, Max was waiting for her .

“Are you ready ?”

She nodded, her eyes bright. “Show me your ranch .”

“Well, it’s hard to see after dark, but I’ll show you what I can.” He immediately started walking toward the boys’ cabins, pointing out the picnic area where the boys and employees ate with the family every Friday night. “What I really want to show you is the cabin where I lived when I was first brought here. I don’t know why, but it feels like the first real home I ever had .”

She frowned, again thinking of his grandparents. “I’m glad you’ve been happy here .”

“I have.” He pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to her. “I want you to read that for me .”

“What do you mean ?”

“Lillian said that my grandparents contacted the ranch shortly after I arrived, but she wasn’t allowed to let them have any contact with me. She gave me this envelope with a letter they wrote me years ago. I’m not sure if I’m ready to read it, so you have to read it first .”

Joni nodded. “I’ll read it and let you know if you want to read it. I can’t see well enough to read it here, but I’d be happy to let you know tomorrow .”

“I’d like that a lot .”