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“Not particularly,” Rafe grumbled, but Theo caught the slight upward turn of his mouth. It was possible his brother had just smiled at him. Was Rafe happy for them, too? How sweet.

“Thanks, bro. I missed you, too.”

The bench around the table was a semi-circle so Callie and Sawyer scooted around to make space for Theo and Fee.

“We’re glad you’re feeling better,” Ruby said as they got settled, taking off coats and giving Gert their order.

“Thanks, me too,” Fee said.

“I heard Theo painted you a masterpiece,” Ruby said with a grin.

He sighed. “Is nothing sacred? No secrets in this place.”

Rafe rolled his eyes.

“I heard it’s really beautiful,” Ruby added, and Fee nudged his side even as he felt his face heating with embarrassment.

“It is,” she said. “I think he should do more.”

“No way. That was a one-time thing.”

“A one-time pouring all your feelings out into your art kinda thing?” Fee teased.

“Yes, exactly.”

“Oh, shoot, and I wanted to commission a piece,” Callie said, and Theo didn’t know when she got comfortable enough around him to join the teasing. Maybe right now.

“Well, too bad. I paint houses. I don’t make art.” Except he had, that one time, because he didn’t know what to do with everything he was feeling: fear and love in equal measures. Maybe he’d do it again sometime. He definitely wasn’t out of feelings.

But he certainly wasn’t taking commissions.

Gert returned with their plates, his piled high with bacon, eggs, and sausage, and Fee’s with fruit salad and a Danish.

“So,” Gert said as she lowered the plates. “How do you really feel about Lena staying with Knox?” she asked Ruby.

“I … uh … I kinda hate it,” she said with a sigh and Rafe slung his arm over her shoulder. “I’m trying to let her make her own decisions. Obviously, she should. She’s a grown woman. But we’ve never been apart for this long.”

“I don’t like it,” Rafe grumbled.

“Surprising no one,” Theo said with a laugh. “I don’t get what he’s doing for her.”

“Maybe he’s pouring all his emotions into epic poetry and reciting it to her,” Fee suggested with a giggle and Theo pulled her in closer, growling into her ear.

“Very funny.”

She stayed nestled against his side, pulling off pieces of Danish and popping them into her mouth, and he still couldn’t believe he was allowed to sit with her like this, touch her like this, in front of everyone.

Rafe was watching them when he looked up, an eyebrow raised, and Theo just grinned back. His brother shook his head with a gruff laugh.

“Have you had any more dreams?” Fee asked, turning back to Ruby.

“No, nothing. I’m sorry. I don’t know anything else about the grove.”

“According to Tom, the golf course guy has been back, asking questions at the bar about The Pines. He didn’t get many answers.”

Theo could imagine how the town would have shut him out.

“What about the wolf attacks?” Fee asked.