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Jason nodded. “I know you do.” He jerked his chin toward the truck that was now parked. “You just have to look her in the face, and you can see it.”

At that moment Lydia closed her door and was heading for them. Her smile was infectious. Chet had made the right call.

Not only in telling her his feelings, but in making sure her brother was on board, too. There was nothing worse than destroying a friendship by sneaking around. He hadn’t told her that he’d talked to Jason. It didn’t matter in the grand scheme. All that mattered was where they’d ended up.

As expected, Lydia threw herself at Chet and kissed him deeply.

“Aw, come on, Lydia. I don’t need to see any of that.” Jason turned away and headed for the house.

Lydia giggled. She made a show of kissing Chet again, this time with exaggerated sounds and motions. When her brother grumbled some more, she called out, “It’s nothing I haven’t seen between you and Cece.”

“Lies,” he called back. “We don’t feel like we have anything to prove.”

She started to retort, but Chet held a finger to her lips. It wasn’t necessary. Lydia huffed and pulled back. She caressed his cheek with her thumb. “You got a little something here. Must have been working really hard. How is Misty doing?”

“You know her. She’s smart as a whip. She’s catching on to a lot of training I’ve given Lola. Even if she’s never been in a dressage competition, she’s got a knack for it.”

Lydia raised her brows and shot a look toward the horse in question where she was grazing in a small pasture. “Really? That’s amazing. Do you think that’s what the client is going to do with her? She’d make a beautiful competitor.”

“Don’t know. Jason hasn’t told me much about the client. I’m not even sure they live in the state.”

She frowned. “That’s disappointing. I would’ve loved to visit her after all this is done.”

Chet slipped his arm around her waist. “Well, if she does get taken out of state, then I think a road trip is in order.”

Pulling back, she looked at him, excitement all over her face. “Yeah? Do clients let that sort of thing fly?”

He shrugged. “Sometimes. If nothing else, we can do a drive-by.”

She laughed, making his heart leap. He couldn’t contain his own happiness at what they’d found together. At the rate they were going, he wouldn’t be surprised if he got down on one knee sometime soon.

The thought came so far out of left field that he had no idea what to do with it. How had he managed to go from a guy who wasn’t capable of putting down roots to a guy who wanted to plan for a future with this woman?

It was Lydia.

Every change he’d made had brought him to her, and he wasn’t afraid to admit that.

“Tate’s doing a barbecue tonight,” Lydia murmured. “Said I should bring my boyfriend.”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “So, I’ve been downgraded to your plus-one?”

She smiled. “I’d say it’s more of an upgrade if anything.”

“Is that so?”

“Oh, it definitely is. Because now they can’t uninvite you. I’m blood and since you’re attached to me, they can’t get rid of you without also getting rid of me, too.” She lifted up and kissed him again. “I’m still not used to this.”

“Used to what?” he asked, husky.

“Kissing you. Holding you. It’s all so surreal.” She leaned into him, resting her cheek against his chest. “I’m so happy, Chet.”

He let that sink in. He soaked it all up and craved even more. He’d never stop yearning for her, for what they had. Everything became clear. The future they both wanted. The utter happiness of simply giving in. “Me, too,” he murmured.

The barbecue was being held out back at Tate’s. It was a nice day, and Chet wasn’t the only one who had been invited who wasn’t part of the immediate family. There were several people from Sagebrush visiting the Dennisons. It likely had more to do with Faith’s husband being part of that huge family.

Lydia stayed by his side, her hand in his unless she was using it to eat. She was so in her element that it was hard not to be drawn to that happy aura.

“I see the two of you finally got with the program.” Tripp Gilley lifted his bottle of old-fashioned root beer and nodded to where Chet had his hand at the small of Lydia’s back. He was Brent’s older brother. Though he hadn’t been present at many of the family dinners, Chet had met him enough times to consider him a good guy.