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“Oh, right.” I laugh and sit back down.

She smirks and starts making the drink. When she sets it in front of me, I brush my fingers against hers, and she swallows hard, our eyes locked on each other.

“Ugh, I need a man,” Vera moans.

That breaks the moment, and I laugh. I sip the drink and put a wad of cash on the bar.

“Here,” Iris says, holding out most of the cash. “You left too much.”

“Keep it. Buy something pretty for our date.”

“Maverick,” she says, pushing the cash forward when I don’t take it. “I can’t do that.”

“She can,” Vera tells her, taking the cash and tucking it into Iris’s apron pocket. “We can stop by Juniper & Lace after work today.” She glances over and grins at me.

I tip my hat. “You can stay.”

She laughs and rests her face in her hands, gazing between Iris and me. “Oh, I’m not going anywhere.”

Iris rolls her eyes, but I can tell she adores Vera. A pang of guilt shoots through me. I’m glad she’s had such a loyal friend looking out for her all this time.

The sign for Little Lark Trailer Park is faded, and patchy grass is one of the first impressions as you drive through. Chain-link fences hem in each small plot. The gravel driveway crunches under my truck tires, and I cut the engine in front of Iris’s trailer two minutes early.

What can I say? I’ve been looking forward to this all day.

The trailer’s seen better days—faded aluminum siding with dents from last year’s hailstorm, a porch that’s sagging a bit more, and an old barbecue grill in the corner. Lights are strung over the little round table by the grill, and pots overflowing with flowers line her path and Otis’s next door, making them the two prettiest yards in the trailer park.

I make note of the things that could stand to be updated—I’ll have a little chat with Otis later.

Little Lark is on the edge of town, where the streetlights are sparser and the night sky actually shows stars. In that way, it reminds me of Harrington Ranch, although the view is nowhere near as spectacular.

Iris has made it homey, much more than when her mother was here, but damn, she deserves better. A place with space to breathe, room for a garden, and a roof that doesn’t threaten to cave in during heavy snow.

I step out, smoothing my button-down, and head up the steps. The door creaks open before I knock, and Linc pokes his head out, all gangly limbs. I swear he’s shot up since he first started helping feed the horses. He has his dad’s sandy hair, and his sharp eyes like his mom’s miss nothing. I should probably stop seeing them when I look at him, but it’s next to impossible.

“Hey, Maverick,” he says, his voice cracking just a little. “Ugh. My voice has been doing that so much lately. It’s so annoying.”

“Pretty soon you’ll have a whole new voice, but it can be all over the place for a while,” I say sympathetically. “Your day going all right?”

“Yeah, it’s been good.” He steps aside to let me in. “Mom’s almost ready. Otis is coming over for pizza and movies.” He pauses, glancing back toward the hallway, then lowers his voice like we’re conspirators. “You taking her someplace nice? She has a new dress—it makes her look like a movie star.”

I chuckle, warmth spreading in my chest. “Nonna Bella. Don’t worry, I’ll treat her right.”

Linc nods. “Cool. I don’t think I’ve ever been there.”

I’m slightly thrown off after hearing this news. “Oh . . . that surprises me. She used to love that place.” Hopefully I picked the right restaurant. “I’ll have her home by eleven,” I add.

I feel like I’m trying to get approval from a parent.

“No rush,” he says. “Otis and I are planning to watch as many movies as we can, so . . .” He glances down the hall again, and his face brightens. “There she is.”

Iris appears then, stunning in a black dress. Her blond waves fall down her back, lips curving in a smile that makes me weak.

She grins at Linc, her eyes softening. “You two plotting something out here?”

“We’re behaving. Right, Linc?” I say, pulling her close for a quick kiss on the cheek. “You look stunning.”

Linc grins, and Iris’s cheeks turn pink.