Though she knew she was being goaded, she couldn’t stop herself. Like a trout spying a salmon fly on a hook, she rose swiftly to the bait. “I’m not backing off from anything, Gates. If you don’t know anything else about me, you should at least figure out that I’m dogged, not afraid of too much, and never, never duck an argument.” She was about to say more when Josh, who had somehow rediscovered his crutches, hobbled onto the patio and Katie, wondering if her skin was as inflamed as it felt, told herself to count to ten and cool off.

“Is it okay if I spend the night with Stephen?” he asked.

“But you’re still recovering.”

“I’ll be good. Promise.” Josh flashed her his most engaging smile just as Stephen, eating a piece of wedding cake, sauntered outside. His hair was unruly, his tie was dangling from his neck and he licked a spot of icing from the corner of his mouth.

“Why doesn’t Stephen come over to our house?” Katie asked, trying not to remember that Luke was standing only inches from her, that he’d kissed her like no other man had ever kissed her, that she didn’t know quite how to handle her wayward emotions whenever he was near.

“’Cause we’re gonna camp out in the backyard.”

Tiffany and J.D. joined the group. J.D. was carrying an exhausted Christina, whose usually springy curls were as droopy as her eyelids. Her head was nestled against J.D.’s shoulder and she yawned broadly. “I take it you’ve already heard?” Tiffany asked, nodding toward the boys.

“Sounds like they’ve already cooked up plans,” Katie eyed her son and his crutches. “He really should come home and elevate the foot and—”

“Aw, Mom . . . I’m okay.” To prove his point, Josh lifted both crutches in the air and walked without so much as a limp. “I’m better. A lot better. Besides, it’s almost our house, isn’t it?”

“Not quite,” Katie said, but shrugged. “It’s all right with me if you’re sure—” She looked at Tiffany who nodded. “I’ll see he takes care of that ankle and in the morning, if he’s up to it, he can help Stephen pack his room.”

“He doesn’t have his pajamas—”

“Don’t need ’em,” Josh said.

“But I don’t want you sleeping in your church clothes. I’ll stop by the cottage and pick up anything you need.”

“I said I don’t need anything,” Josh insisted.

“He’s probably right,” Tiffany agreed. “We have double of just about anything he could want. He can have something Stephen’s grown out of.”

Josh threw Katie a look that begged her to give in.

“If you’re sure,” she said to Tiffany.

“Positive.”