Emma’s lips curved. “If anyone can bring Logan to his knees, Des, I’m sure it’s you.”

LOGAN WAS ONLY half-listening to Luke talk about work while he grilled the kabobs. His gaze kept tracking Emma and Des, and he wondered what they were talking about. All he could make out was their two heads huddled together in the kitchen, but he’d occasionally hear laughing. And then Emma would poke her head around and look at him.

He knew damn well Des was talking about him. What the hell did she have to talk to Emma about that had to do with him? Now movies, that he could understand. Luke had told him that he and Emma had movie-night dates once a week because Emma liked going to the movie theater in town. So he knew Emma and Des had a lot to talk about there.

But he knew when women were whispering secrets, and that they had nothing to do with talking about the latest movie.

“These are done,” Luke finally said, taking the kabobs off the grill.

They went inside, where Emma and Des were still in the kitchen, huddled together like they’d been best friends for years.

“I’m leaving the dogs outside,” Luke said.

“That’s fine. I’ll put their food out there,” Emma said, grabbing their bowls.

“I’ll help you.” Des grabbed one of the bowls while Emma scooped up the food.

“Those two made friends fast,” Luke said, standing next to Logan while they washed their hands in the kitchen sink.

“Yeah, they did.”

“Table’s already set, so grab something to drink and have a seat,” Emma said after they came back inside.

Emma and Luke took their regular seats on one side of the table. Des took a spot across from Emma. It would have been awkward for Logan to pull up one of the end chairs, so he grabbed the spot next to Des.

The food was great, and he told Emma so.

“Thanks. It was easy enough to make. I mentioned that to Des, who apparently wants to take up cooking.”

Logan slanted his gaze her way. “Yeah? In your big fancy on-set trailer?”

“Hey, there’s a stove in there. I could actually cook if I wanted to. Or had time. Or access to a grocery store.”

“It probably beats that crap they feed you.”

“You’re right there. And now that I know Emma’s secret-marinade recipe, I have something to fix.”

“No way. Emma showed you her recipe?” Luke looked at Emma. “Even I don’t know that recipe for your infamous marinade.”

Emma leaned her shoulder against Luke’s. “Well, I’m sorry to tell you this, honey, but Des is kinda special.”

“Ouch,” Luke said.

Des laughed. And ate a fantastic dinner. And drank wine, and very much enjoyed the company of Emma and Luke. Even Logan seemed relaxed, and she got to listen in to some ranch talk as Logan filled Luke in on the goings-on. Though she didn’t understand some of it, because they talked stock and sales and inventory, it was still fascinating to hear a rancher talk about his passion.

Luke listened and nodded, and if Logan asked a question, Luke would defer to him and tell him the ranch was his to operate and Luke was fine with any decision he made.

“So tell me about your movie shoot, Des,” Luke asked as the topic changed from ranch talk to movie discussion.

“It’s going fine, I suppose. Logan got to watch a couple of scenes being filmed.”

Luke arched a brow. “Is that right? And?”

Logan shrugged. “They were good. Surprisingly better than I thought they’d be.”

“Gee, thanks,” Des said with a laugh.

“Though your aim is off.”

“Excuse me?”

“When you used your longer gun. You need better training.”

“I’ve had weapons training.”

He scooped rice up with his fork and took a bite.

“Are you saying it doesn’t look authentic when I shoot?”

“You’re unwieldy with that weapon. You’re not firing it with authority.”

Des grabbed her glass of wine and studied him. “And you think you can make me look better.”

“I can make your aim better, that’s for sure.”

“You do realize we’re not firing live rounds out there.”

He gave her a look. “Uh, yeah. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be aiming and shooting like you mean it.”

“Fine. Next time I’m at the ranch you can show me. And next time you’re on the set, I’m putting you to work as an extra.”

Logan frowned. “I don’t think so.”

“Hey, you said realism was important. I think it’s also important for you to see what it’s like to be an actor.”

Luke snorted. “She got you there.”

“No way in hell am I dressing up like some freakin’ alien.”

“Oh, Logan. You’d make a great alien. You have the build for it.”

Des turned to Emma. “He does, doesn’t he?”

“I am not going to be in the movie.”

“I think I’ll ask Martha if she wants to be in it, too. The two of you could be together. Like an alien family.”

Des could almost see the smoke blowing out of Logan’s ears.

“Martha would eat that up, wouldn’t she, Logan?” Luke asked.

“Yeah, she would. And she can definitely do it. I’m not gonna.”

Des quirked a brow. “Are you afraid to spend a day as an alien?”

“No. I’m just not interested. And I don’t have the time.”

“Oh, come on, Logan,” Luke said. “It’s the opportunity of a lifetime to say you were in a movie. Make the time.”

“Luke’s right,” Emma said. “If I had someone to cover for me at the clinic, I’d do it in a heartbeat. And Martha will love it if you do this with her.”

Luke and Emma stared at him, and Des smiled. She had him, and he knew it.

“Fine. I’ll be an alien.”

Des took a sip of her wine and smiled at him over the rim. “This is going to be so awesome.”

“And then we’ll work on your rifle skills,” Logan said.

“Can’t wait.”

With that settled, Logan looked over at Luke. “You and Emma coming for the Fourth?”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Emma said. “Martha said we don’t come around often enough, and she misses all the dogs.”

“That’s her way of guilting you into coming over for Sunday dinner.”

Luke nodded at Logan. “Martha has a way with that guilt. And we’ll definitely be there for the Fourth. I wouldn’t want to miss the fireworks.”

Logan’s lips curved, and, oh, he was sexy when he allowed himself to smile. “It’s the best part.”

Luke grinned. “You just like blowing shit up.”

“Well . . . yeah.”

“Like that time you shot that rocket off and set the grass on fire.”

Des looked to Logan, who shrugged. “It was a science experiment.”

“Bullshit,” Luke said. “You bought that rocket at the model store, built it, and thought you could send it to space.”

“I sent it up, didn’t I?”

“Yeah. And right into the dry grass. Man, Dad was pissed about that fire.”

Des caught the hint of a smile on Logan’s face. “He was.”

“Uh-oh,” Emma said. “You were in trouble, Logan?”

Luke laughed. “When you have to bring the water truck out to contain a grass fire in the middle of the dry season, trouble is an understatement. I thought for sure our dad was going to have to call the fire department.”

“It’s a good thing he got it contained with the water truck, or my ass would have been as burnt as that field.”

“So, your father was a little mad, huh?” Des asked.

“Oh, more than a little mad. I was shoveling cow shit for a month.”

Des laughed.

“Oh, poor Logan,” Emma said.

“Don’t ‘poor Logan’ him,” Luke said. “He deserved it. And then there was the time you hid all of Mom’s makeup in the barn.”

“Now that was someone you didn’t want to piss off.” Though Logan’s lips curved when he said it.

Des grinned. “You hid her makeup in the barn?”

“That stuff was like liquid gold to her. She put it on as soon as she got out of bed every morning. I thought she was pretty enough without it, and I told her that. She said no woman is beautiful until she has her hair and makeup finished.”

“Apparently you disagreed,” Emma said.

Logan nodded. “So one morning in the summer, I got up early, snuck into her bathroom and gathered up all her makeup into my school backpack, and hid it in the barn.”

“You could hear her screaming all the way from in the kitchen,” Luke said with a smile.

“How old were you?” Des asked Logan.

“Seven or eight, I think.”

“She came after you like you were the devil himself,” Luke said, pride in his eyes as he looked at his brother. “And even better, Logan played dumb, said he had no idea where her makeup was.”

“Yeah, but she knew it was me.”

“She always blamed you for shit.”

“Mostly because I was the one to blame for most of it.”

Luke laughed. “That’s true.”

“Did you get in trouble for hiding her makeup?” Des asked.

“She sent me to my room for the day. Which for a kid that age is like being in hell.”

“And if I recall, Dad thought it was pretty funny when Mom complained about it over dinner. He told her Logan was right and she did look pretty without makeup. Which set her off all over again.”

Logan nodded at Luke. “Yeah. And then I got sent back up to my room after dinner.”

“She was mad at you for about a week over that,” Luke said.

“It was worth it.”

They both laughed.

Des leaned back in the kitchen chair. “Makeup seems like kind of a silly thing to get so upset about.”

“You didn’t know our mother,” Logan said. “No sense of humor.”

He left it at that, and Luke didn’t elaborate, so Des didn’t probe any further, but she really wanted to know more about the woman who raised him. He’d mentioned her once, but only to say she was gone, and she’d remarried. His voice had been flat and she hadn’t wanted to ask. But she was curious.

After dinner, they all took their dishes into the kitchen and helped Emma clean up, then settled into the living room with drinks. Logan had switched to soda, but Des enjoyed another glass of wine. She had an early call tomorrow, but she didn’t want to leave. She’d so thoroughly enjoyed this day that she wanted it to go on as long as possible.

“We’re just so happy you’re here in our town to film. It puts a lot of revenue in Hope’s coffers,” Luke said.

“Yes. All your local motels filling up with the paparazzi, right?” she asked Luke.

He laughed. “Yes, and they’re eating at our restaurants, too. Thanks for that.”

“My pleasure.”

After about an hour of chatting, Logan stood. “Dawn comes early at the ranch, so we need to move along.”

Des stood, too. “Thank you all so much for having us over for dinner. I really enjoyed being here with you. And the excellent food and wine.”

Emma hugged her. “You’re welcome any time you need a break from the set.”

They said their good-byes and climbed in the truck.

It was a nice ride back to the ranch, especially since there wasn’t a procession of paparazzi behind them.

Logan was quiet, his gaze focused on the road.

“Thanks for taking me out today—and tonight,” she said.

“You’re welcome.”

“I know how busy you are running the ranch and all, and you have that part to get the truck fixed. If I hadn’t been with you, you probably would have just run into town and come right back.”

“Yep.”

“So . . . why did you bring me with you?”

His gaze slid to hers. “Because you asked.”

Okay, so he was back to quiet. She leaned back and looked out at the scenery. Once they left Hope city limits, there was more grassland, and fewer houses.

“So where did you go to park when you were in high school?”

He frowned. “Park?”

“You know. Where did you take a girl to go make out?”

“Didn’t need to take a girl anywhere. There’s miles of property on the ranch. Plenty of places to hide out there.”

“Is that right? You didn’t feel the need to get away from the possible prying eyes of your family?”

He let out a short laugh. “Not with that many acres. All we had to do was get in the truck and drive out to one of the ponds, or head out a few miles to someplace remote. My dad always went to bed early, and my mom didn’t much care what we were doing, as long as we didn’t bother her.”

Again that thing with his mom. She caught the tinge of resentment in his voice. “I’m getting the impression—and correct me if I’m wrong—that you and your mom weren’t always on the same side.”

“She hated the ranch, hated being married to my dad, and didn’t think very highly of having children. So in answer to your question, I didn’t think much of my mother’s skills as a wife or as a parent. Within the first year of my dad’s death, she remarried, left Oklahoma, and I haven’t seen her since.”