We left our upscale apartment in the Highland Park area of Dallas and headed toward Fort Worth in his pearl-white Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Evan had a fondness for Benzes and bought me a GLE 580 SUV for Christmas last year. I wasn’t really a “car person.” As long as it was safe and had air-conditioning and four tires, I was happy, but I had to admit it was nice.

The orthopedic surgeons I was doing my residency with were doctors for the Fort Worth football team, and they had graciously invited me to attend a reception at the stadium tonight. A frisson of anticipation skittered up my spine at the thought of seeing the stadium again.

“Are you excited about tonight?” Evan asked, smiling over at me from the driver’s seat.

I nodded. “Yes. I haven’t been to the stadium in years. The last time was with Beau and my dad, before he died.” My father had been a diehard Fort Worth fan, and that had rubbed off on Beau and me when we were kids. “Dad would usually buy us tickets to a game for Christmas, and we would get all decked out in red and white and eat overpriced hot dogs and drink too much soda.” I laughed at the memory. “I would always have a tummy ache by the time we got home, and Mom would scold my dad. But he would let me do the exact same thing the next year.”

“I wish I could have met them.”

“Yeah, me too,” I sighed. “I know you don’t really like football, but my dad would have made a fan out of you in no time.”

Evan and I arrived right on time, and my breath caught in my chest when I took in the elegant Main Level Club. My gaze coasted upward to the subtly lit ceiling with elongated drop fixtures that looked like shining crystals. They illuminated the room, highlighting the tasteful crystal vases dotting several long buffet tables. I inhaled the delicate scent of roses and calla lilies and turned to my husband with a wide smile of excitement.

“This is so awesome,” I enthused. “And it smells so good in here.”

Evan flashed me a grin. “Smells like testosterone.”

I laughed. He wasn’t wrong. There were big, male bodies everywhere, the alpha athletes mingling in expensive suits, some with ties and some with a couple of buttons undone to reveal muscular chests. Grabbing Evan’s hand, I said, “Come on. Let’s go find the Lademans. You’re going to love them. Christopher plays golf, so y’all will get along just fine.”