like to have one of the dogs available to them when we need to do search and rescues. Now that we’ve picked out the dog, she’ll get additional training before she comes to me, and then we start our own training program together where we learn to work as a team.”
“That’s right; Greer mentioned you’re part of the search-and-rescue team.”
“Search and rescues?” asked my sister, now back at the table with my mother. The intrigue in her voice wasn’t lost on me.
“Yes, I’m part of a search-and-rescue team to recover missing hikers and such,” Kyle said.
Everly gave him a soft smile. “Sounds like that could be dangerous.”
“It’s all part of the job, and it’s something I enjoy doing.” He clearly didn’t let her comment go to his head or boost his ego, which was nice to see.
“Well, if I haven’t said it yet,” Dad said, “thank you, son, for your service.”
With a nod and an embarrassed smile, Kyle replied, “Thank you, sir.” He cleared his throat. “If you guys want to get a good seat for the band tonight, we should probably head on over to Brew’s Place.”
Greer’s eyes lit up. “I can’t even remember when I last went dancing.”
Everly laughed. “Neither can I. Probably college.”
“Same!” Greer added as they huddled together and followed Kyle out the door.
“I knew they’d get along wonderfully,” my mother said as she took my arm in hers.
“Nice surprise to have Everly show up,” I said. “Is that why Dad invited Kyle, so she wouldn’t feel left out?”
My mother grinned. “I believe so. He’s a nice young man, isn’t he?”
I glanced toward the front of our small group. My father and Kyle were talking about something. I nodded. “He is. Greer’s whole family is nice. I was hoping you might be able to meet her parents this weekend.”
She stopped walking and looked up at me. “Hudson, is this serious?”
My gaze drifted to Greer, and I smiled before I focused my attention back on my mother. “Yeah, Mom. It’s serious.”
“This soon?” she asked with a hint of surprise in her voice.
“I’m not going to ask her to marry me, Mom.”
She rolled her eyes. “Well, I wasn’t thinking you would. It just seems to be moving rather fast, don’t you think?”
“We’re dating, that’s all.”
“And you don’t live here,” she added in a low voice as we got closer to Greer.
With a wink, I replied, “That might be changing soon.”
Before Mom had a chance to say anything else, we caught up with everyone, leaving the conversation to be finished later.
“Mom and Dad seem to be enjoying themselves,” Everly stated before taking a sip of her beer.
“They always did like this area of New Hampshire, remember?” I asked.
“I do remember,” she answered, a fond smile on her face as if a memory had sparked to life. “I loved our summer trips here.”
I nodded. “I did too.”
Everly turned and held out her hand. “You’ve danced with Greer nearly the entire night. Now she’s dancing with her brother, so dance with me and let’s catch up.”
I took her hand and led her to the dance floor. “Are you in DC for a while now?”
Everly looked up at me with her soft green eyes. “I hope so, but I can be called away at any time. It’d be nice to be somewhere warmer for a bit. Although, I was offered a teaching position with Boston University.”
“You’re kidding me?” I said, a feeling of pride and joy bubbling in my chest. “Everly, that’s amazing. Are you going to take it?”
“I don’t know. I love field research, and the idea of being stuck behind a desk doesn’t sound appealing…yet it does at the same time,” she answered before digging her teeth into her lip.
“You’d be close to Mom and Dad. That’s a good thing.”
She glanced around until she spotted the two of them. “That would be nice.”
“And only an hour and a half from me.”
“Well, New York City isn’t that close to Boston, Hudson.”
When I didn’t reply, she stopped dancing and looked up at me with the same expression my mother had given me earlier. “Wait, are you leaving New York City and moving back to Boston?”
“I don’t have any set plans just yet, but if things keep going as they are with Greer, I can see myself settling down in Boggy Creek.”
Everly’s eyes widened before she let a huge smile spread across her face. “Shut up! Hudson, it’s that serious? Already?”
“I don’t know how serious it is, but I do know I want