The moment Erin clapped eyes on Aiden Fitzgerald, she knew where Wyatt and Kennedy had gotten their laser-blue eyes and Norsemen good looks. Aiden stood as tall as his sons and had the same strapping body of a warrior. Jessica, his wife, was of smaller stature, with dark hair and pale blue eyes that were nothing less than stunning.

“So this is the young woman who finally caught my son’s eye,” Aiden said as he walked a tight circle around Erin and gave her the once-over. When he returned to stand in front of her again, he winked at Wyatt and said, “She’ll do.” Jessica thumped her husband on the arm, elbowed him aside, and stepped in close to give Erin a big hug. “Ignore the man. He’s spent so much of his life staring at cows’ butts that he has no manners at all.”

When Aiden threw back his blond head and laughed, Erin knew it would be all right. Her future parents-in-law seemed to have accepted the marriage and be delighted for their son. They wouldn’t raise any objections at this late hour. She left Wyatt to reunite with them while she showed Jen around camp. The girl had color in her cheeks and looked almost fully recovered.

“I like Kennedy’s mom and dad. Don’t you?”

“Well, I don’t really know them yet, but I figure they must be fine people, because they raised Wyatt and Kennedy. They’re pretty special men.”

Vickie and Slade appeared last, both of them on horseback and leading heavily laden pack animals behind them. Atop one of the beasts of burden, Ginger traveled inside a wire cage. The crowd of people awaiting her arrival let loose with an appreciative rumble when she first came into view. She was a little, fluffy thing with fur the color of a cinnamon stick, and she had the most adorable face Erin had ever seen. Four Toes had moseyed up the mountain on foot, of course, and it was clear that his interest had been piqued by the presence of another bear.

Erin had become fond of Four Toes during the time she’d been working at the ranch, and she sincerely hoped he fell wildly in love with Ginger. Slade took excellent care of the older bear, and now Ginger would be treated to the same loving environment where she could wander the huge acreage during the day and then retire to the compound with Four Toes at night. Erin knew little about wild bears, but she believed these two would have a wonderful life together.

The “first meet,” which had been whispered about on the sidewalks of Mystic Creek for nearly two weeks, didn’t go as smoothly as all the humans had hoped. The moment Ginger was on the ground and looked up at the massive Four Toes, she squealed and ran. Slade tried to catch her, but he wasn’t fast enough to nab the yearling bear, whose feet had been lent speed by terror. Several of the younger people, Erin included, dashed out into the forest after her, but no one succeeded in apprehending Ginger. Everyone became worried about the little bear’s safety.