Thursday nights for trivia were always packed at the main house at River’s End Ranch. Bernard had learned that as soon as he arrived, and he’d quickly learned that it was the perfect night to get a take-out burger or something—anything rather than brave the crowds. He really didn’t understand the game anyway, and as Brandon had gotten involved with Lin and the restaurant so early, he really didn’t have anyone to go with anyway.

Tonight, for some reason, with Opal on his arm, he wanted to go. He usually stuck to himself, but this past week with her—even while he’d avoided her questions about his childhood—awakened something in him he hadn’t known before.

Just hanging out with her father, watching the Olympics and having popcorn with Opal and ice cream after all felt—comfortable?

It was something he’d never experienced before. Not ever. Even the summers he spent with his grandparents in France, as warm as they were and comforting, he hadn’t been around other people his own age. His grandparents still ran the cheese shop and worked every day, and he spent most of his days alone, roaming the small town and walking miles over the countryside, taking pictures with his grandfather’s old camera.

So this was new and—he liked it. He liked Opal, and looked forward to their outings. She had an incredible eye for color and scenery, one of the best he’d ever seen, and he’d actually learned quite a bit from her about nature scenery, although he wasn’t quite ready to admit it.

He’d really enjoyed getting to know Allen, and loved watching the Olympics with him. They always rooted for the US athletes in any event, but they had learned to appreciate excellence, in any athlete from any country.

When they’d watched the beautiful ice skating performance, he was actually moved by the grace and skill that the athletes showed, and he even had reached for Opal’s hand—and when he’d realized he’d done it, he glanced at her and she seemed as surprised as he was. He’d pulled his hand back quickly, but when he went to bed that night, he wondered how that had happened without him knowing.

And he realized it was because he felt comfortable—safe and comfortable, just for who he was. He speculated that that was what it felt like to be in a family, but he really didn’t know.

As he and Opal walked into the restaurant at the main house and a bunch of people at a table that he presumed were her family waved them over, he felt a tug at his heart that he’d never felt before. Like a warm blanket.

He gestured for Opal to go ahead of him and he followed her to the table.

“Welcome to the clan,” Allen said as he shook hands with Bernard and gestured to the seat next to him. “Meet my brother, Aaron, his beautiful wife Gillian, Opal’s sister Olivia—who you already met—and her husband Fred. Glad you could join us.” He clapped Bernard on the shoulder before he sat back down and reached for his beer mug. “You got here just in time. Pizza and beer, no better combination around.”

Bernard smiled down at Opal, who was looking around at the table. He nodded at everyone, smiles all around, and he took the seat between Allen and Opal.

While the waitress brought his beer—Opal ordered the same—he got the quick run-down on how to play. It was a team sport, apparently, and the Wharton-Hamilton family was a team. He shook his head at the thought.

There were several rounds, and they chose an answer as a group. Together. He shook his head at that, too.

He looked around at the other tables in the room and spotted the older lady he’d seen in the cafe the week before—and she was staring at him again. He looked away, down at Opal, who smiled up at him and asked him for an answer about the geography of Australia, which he couldn’t answer.

They lost the point, but hoisted their glasses at the effort. He laughed and looked around at the table and felt—at home.

He felt a tap on his shoulder, and turned to see the very same pretty older lady he’d seen staring at him earlier.

“Hello,” she said. She glanced from Bernard to Opal. “I’m Jaclyn, and the fairies aren’t speaking to me, but I just wanted you to know that I have heard from Gorgeous George that they are happy you’re here tonight. Together.” She smiled and nodded just before she returned to her table.

Bernard stared after her for a moment, and raised his eyebrows in Opal’s direction. She looked as confused as he did, and he shook his uneasiness off as his phone rang.

He reached into his pocket and frowned at the familiar ringtone. He felt Opal’s eyes on her—this would be the third or fourth time he’d declined a call when she was around—but he couldn’t help it. His mother was the last person he wanted to talk to when he was having such a good time, in good company. He hit the red button and declined the call, sliding the phone back into his pocket.

“Who was that?” Opal asked.

“Nobody,” he said, feeling guilty for not telling her who it was and why he didn’t want to answer, but now certainly wasn’t the right time.

Intermission came, and Opal’s family started a rousing conversation about the interest in curling, the luge, the dangers of downhill alpine skiing—all things Olympics.

Opal leaned closer to him, and he turned toward her. In the dim light of the restaurant, her eyes looked the exact same color of the emerald necklace and earrings she wore. She really was lovely.

She reached behind her for her camera and said, “Have you looked at the pictures from this morning? I’ve been dying to but haven’t had a chance.”

He reached around for his own. “No, I haven’t. I didn’t notice anything while we were there, but you never know.”

They both turned on their cameras and flipped through pictures, alternately enlarging them and showing each other as the others at the table talked about the Olympics.

As he was flipping through his own pictures, Opal gasped and stopped still. Her eyes grew wide and she looked slowly at Bernard as the conversation around the table stopped, all eyes on Opal.

“What is it?” he asked as she held out her camera to him.

He reached for it as he cocked his head. Her eyes were lit with excitement, her smile wide.

He looked on the camera screen and held the camera up to the dim light at several different angles. His own eyebrows rose as he realized what she’d captured on film.

“What?” Olivia asked. “Out with it.”

“Yeah,” Allen said. “We’re dying here.”

They’d explained over pizza to the whole family what they were looking for, and Opal’s Uncle Aaron and his wife, Gillian, had been very interested, as well as Olivia and Fred.

“I think—well, Bernard, what do you think?”

“Well, I’d love to see this on the big monitor. We’ve been looking for over a week.”

“Oh, come on. Spill the beans. We can’t stand it,” Gillian said and his heart warmed as Opal squeezed his free hand.

“I think we’ve found bear cubs,” Opal said, and he knew they were on the same page. He’d seen two little cubs, four little ears and eight little paws.

His heart leapt to his throat, and he shook his head. He couldn’t remember being this excited about anything before.

Opal seemed just as excited as they passed the camera around the table. In the excitement, he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, whispering in her ear, “We did it!”

He laughed harder when she wiped a tear from her eye and whispered, “And it’s not Bigfoot.”

“I couldn’t help but overhear,” a woman’s voice said from over Bernard’s shoulder. “You have pictures of bear cubs? My name is Belinda Weston, and I’m a fish and game warden here and I’d love to see them.”

Bernard turned around to see a pretty younger woman standing behind him, smiling at Opal.

“Oh,” Opal said as she reached for the camera that Olivia was now holding. “Nice to meet you. You must be one of the River’s End Ranch Westons.”

The woman looked down for a moment before raising her smile again to the table. “Yes, I’m married to Wyatt Weston. But I am a warden, and my territory includes the ranch now. It’s just about time for bear cubs to be born, and we’ve been keeping our eyes peeled. Sometimes they’re a little too close to the ranch and we need to know if you see any. Have you?”

“We’re not exactly sure,” Opal said as she handed Belinda the camera. “It’s a little hard to tell. We’ve been looking for a week and we took these pictures this morning.”

Belinda peered at the screen and held it up to the light.

“You’re right, it is hard to tell. We’ll keep looking, but if you see anything more definitive, please let me know right away. Bears change dens every year and there are several close to the ranch that the bears rotate through. Mama bears are really protective, and it can be dangerous for people, so don’t get too close. If you can confirm that’s what they are, I’ll need to know.”

She smiled and walked back to her table, and after Bernard watched her leave, he bet Opal’s gaze with wide eyes of his own.

“So, what do you think?” he asked.

“Probably the same as you. First thing in the morning?”

“Yep,” he answered as he reached for another slice of pizza and waited for the next round of trivia questions.