The Mechanics of Mistletoe - Liz Isaacson Page 0,85

do I fix them?”

“With Bear Glover?” Jeff asked. “You get a huge loaf of that Amish friendship bread from The Pennsylvania and you show up on his doorstep.”

“She doesn’t want to be friends with him,” Logan said.

“But Bear loves that bread,” Jeff said. “It’s not about what it’s called; it’s about knowing what he likes.” He beamed at her. “You taught me that.”

“Friendship bread,” Sammy mused. “I can do that.” The Pennsylvania was on her way home, for crying out loud. “Logan, could you take Lincoln tonight?”

“Definitely.” Logan grinned at her. “When are you going to go?”

“Right now,” Sammy said. “I’m going to go right now.” If she didn’t, she wouldn’t go at all.

“I’ll lock up,” Jeff said.

“I’ll finish this and take Link for cheeseburgers,” Logan said. “Carmen will love that she doesn’t have to cook.” He started texting his wife, and Sammy turned to tell Link he’d be going home with Logan that night.

She could do this. It was a stop at a bakery, a quick shower, and a thirty-minute drive. She could do all of that.

Her stomach hummed at her, and Sammy got moving. If she had a plan and a way to accomplish it, all she had to do was take the first step. She took it, and then another one. Before she knew it, she’d gotten the bread, taken the shower—and the time to put on a little makeup and blow out her hair—and she was on her way up to Shiloh Ridge Ranch.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Bear smiled down the gigantic picnic table on the deck that stretched out to the side of the homestead. It could easily seat twenty, and tonight, they had thirteen chatting, laughing, and eating. Aunt Dawna wasn’t feeling well, and her daughters had left her at the assisted living facility and come to the ranch alone.

Bishop had ordered entirely too much pizza, which was fine with Bear. He loved having a hot lunch, and this way, he could run home, pop a plate of pizza in the microwave, and get that hot food before he went back to work on the ranch.

Arizona had brought a watermelon she’d carved to make it look like a bouquet of flowers, and Bear popped one of the roses into his mouth.

Ward or Ace had said something funny, and the pod of men around them erupted into laughter. If there had been any neighbors surrounding the ranch, Bear would’ve told them to keep it down.

Happiness filtered through him, because he loved his family. He loved that they could get together and celebrate their ancestors, and he loved that even if they didn’t all get along all the time, they all still came.

Even Cactus had come, though he’d texted Bear privately to say he might not. He sat on the other side of Ranger, who sat next to Bear, and their end of the table had definitely been the quietest.

Ranger would not say what had happened at the dealership that afternoon, but he hadn’t come home with any new trucks either. So what did Oakley want? Bear had asked.

Ranger had just clamped his mouth shut, shook his head, and started getting out all the paper goods for their meal that night. Bear had let him, because he understood not wanting to talk about something—or someone—a whole lot. Cactus did too, and Bear looked at him.

“Do you think…?” He paused while both Ranger and Cactus looked at him. “Never mind.”

“No, ask it,” Ranger asked.

Bear shook his head. “I don’t want to put Cactus on the spot. I’ll ask him later.”

Cactus’s eyes widened for a moment. He dusted his hands of the cornmeal that Tuscany’s put on their pizza dough and said, “You can ask me.”

Bear glanced across the table, but it was really huge, and Ranger’s sisters seemed engaged in their own conversation with Arizona.

“Do you think you’d ever date again?” Bear asked. “I mean, I know you had this awful experience, and you loved Allison. I know that. I’m just wondering…I guess I’m hoping….” He looked at Ranger for help.

“He’s hoping he might be able to heal and find someone else,” Ranger said, his eyes bright and concerned.

“Why?” Cactus asked. “You and Sammy are amazing together.”

“They’re not together anymore,” Ranger said out of the side of his mouth.

It was almost like every conversation at the table came to a screeching halt, and then Cactus blurted out in the resulting silence, “What? You broke up with Sammy?”

Every eye in the family flew to Bear, whose face grew as hot as