They executed the elaborate fist bump motions they’d made up when they were fourteen. They tapped elbows. Ben jumped and spun so that his back was facing Sebastian. Sebastian pretended to lower a crown on Ben’s head and Ben pretended to pull a royal cape up over his shoulders. They’d gone through this routine before all of Ben’s baseball games.

Ben took his measure. “Don’t look so serious. We’re cool.”

“Are we?”

“If we do our fist bump, you know we are. Besides, there’s a lot to be happy about tonight. Sam’s cooking, right?”

“Right. Unfortunately, there’s also a lot to be sad about tonight.”

“Like?”

“Your shirt.”

“My shirt?”

“Did you steal that from a Hawaiian retiree?”

“Men wear pink!”

“Some men shouldn’t. Especially pink with palm trees and flamingos on it.”

“Man!” Ben laughed. “I look sweet in this shirt.”

“If by sweet you mean precious, then I agree.”

“Now, now, boys.” Genevieve met them, carrying a tray. “Play nice with each other. Appetizer? The toothpicks are for the meatballs and the dip is for the zucchini sticks.”

Both men helped themselves to the food.

“I can’t get over this piece of property,” Ben said.

Sam’s historic farm was owned and leased to him by the National Park Service. The tract of land included an orchard, a farm-to-table garden, and large bands of untouched nature.

“I love it here,” Genevieve said.

“I can’t get over this food,” Sebastian said.

“Is all of this paleo?” Ben asked.

“Every single thing you’ll be eating tonight is paleo.”

“I don’t understand how Sam makes healthy stuff taste so good,” Ben said.

“Me neither.” Natasha drifted over and speared a meatball.

“It’s his spiritual gift. It can’t be understood.” Genevieve leaned in. “People might suspect that I fell for Sam because of this place or his food. And I get it because, honestly, both are spectacular. But the truth is that I’d have fallen for him if he lived in a shack and could only cook frozen waffles. Don’t tell him, though. I want to keep him on his toes.”

“How can anyone say with confidence that they’d have fallen for someone under different circumstances?” Natasha asked. “The circumstances are what they are, and they do play a role in falling in love.”

“I’m telling you, Natasha, I’d have fallen for Sam under any circumstances. He’s just . . . my person. I don’t think there would have been any mistaking that.”

“Except that you did mistake that for the first few months after you met him.” Mischief danced in Natasha’s eyes.

“A commonsense observation like that has no place in a conversation like this one about love.” Genevieve’s big earrings swung against her thick hair. “I know what I know.”

“Speaking of love.” Natasha zeroed in on Ben. “What’s the latest with Leah?”

Sebastian stiffened.