He should ask them if they’d learned anything more about the shooter in the woods, but he would trust they would let him know if they had. Besides, he didn’t want to cause more anxiety for Mackenzie. She smiled and made conversation and held her own with his boisterous law enforcement friends. He wasn’t sure why he’d been so worried.

She leaned into him. “Do you still think this was a good idea?”

He edged closer. “Yes, definitely.”

Those words were for him as much as for her. He almost reached for her hand, then caught himself. No need to give everyone the wrong idea or send Mackenzie the wrong signals. Or, rather, any signals too early. Before either of them was ready.

“Well, let’s wrap it up soon. I’m feeling vulnerable.” Her words surprised him.

And reminded him.

Vulnerable . . . deadly attacks . . .

He wasn’t sure if she was sending him a coded message. Sitting at the picnic table, he had a burger and sour cream potato chips, and she picked at a grilled chicken breast and potato salad. The friends shared small talk about Terra and Jack’s upcoming nuptials. Alex took the dishes to the house, and when he came back, he noticed that Owen had drawn Jack, Nathan, Robert, and, surprisingly, Mackenzie to the stables to show off one of his newer horses. Black and shiny. Beautiful for the kind of work Owen did.

Owen saddled the horse, and Mackenzie climbed on like a pro and rode around the corral. He hadn’t known she could ride, but that was one of many things he didn’t know about her. Admiration swelled inside. Admiration and fear. He couldn’t forget the danger pressing in on her.

Terra stepped up to his right side and hung her arm over his shoulder, and Erin stood to his left. An ambush.

“I think you’re smitten,” Terra said.

Seriously? “What gives you that impression?”

“I noticed it the first time I saw her—that day at the Rocky Mountain Courage Memorial.”

“Noticed what?”

“That dreamy look on your face.”

“It’s a beautiful horse. Your brother knows how to pick them, but I was under the impression this was a therapy place for wounded warriors, not a breeding stable.”

“Don’t try to change the subject,” Erin said.

“You guys are ganging up on me.”

“Not ganging up. But you’re always so secretive. Hold everything close, even from us.”

“I’m like your big brother. You don’t need to know everything about me.”

“Yeah, we see right through you. But I’m not going to tease you. I want to see more of her around here, along with you. I gotta go check on things.” Terra dropped her arm, then left him standing there alone with Erin.

“I’m so happy for you,” he said. “You know that.”

“Thanks, Alex.”