“Shane?” I asked. Then it dawned on me. “You mean your sister’s boyfriend—er, husband?” I wasn’t sure if they were married or not, but I knew they had a lot of kids.

“That’s the one,” Alex said, dropping his head against the seat as he closed his eyes.

“Whoa,” I said in wonder. “I’m a little worried I won’t be able to remember how everyone is connected.”

“Nah.” He swallowed hard. “You’ll do fine.”

“Uh-huh,” I murmured. I was trying to keep him talking as his muscles tensed with nerves.

“No, really,” he said, opening his eyes long enough to look at me. “It’ll be easy. Ani is outspoken and kind of crazy. Bram looks like a lumberjack version of me. Kate is the sweetest woman you’ll ever meet, and Shane is the one following after her like a puppy. Simple.”

I laughed at his descriptions and held his hand firmly as the plane landed with a bump, and then we were slowing way down as we pulled up to our gate.

“How would you describe me?” I asked teasingly as we came to a stop.

“The most beautiful woman in the room,” he said easily.

“Oh, you’re smooth,” I joked, pinching him lightly.

“I love you,” he said softly, his eyes earnest and sweet. His expression grew slightly panicked as I froze. “You don’t have to say it back—” he said quickly.

“I love you, too,” I said at the same time.

We stared at each other.

“Well,” he said, letting out a breath of relief. “I made that awkward as hell.”

I burst out laughing.

“Come here,” he said, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled at me. We kissed until the person next to Alex started to grumble in annoyance.

*  *  *

We hadn’t checked any bags, so we made quick work of getting off the plane and heading toward the passenger drop-off area outside.

“It’s just easier to get picked up here,” Alex explained, looking around for his brother as we walked outside. “No reason to go downstairs if you don’t have bags.”

He inhaled deeply and dramatically dropped to his knees on the concrete.

“Oh, Oregon,” he said happily. “How I’ve missed you.”

The people around us laughed and pointed as he pretended to kiss the ground. I watched him in amusement, but when I caught him glancing at me, I realized that he was trying to embarrass me. Not on my watch, buddy.

“Yes,” I yelled, raising my hands in the air. “I love the smell of rain and car fumes!” I made eye contact with a man around our age who was pulling a large suitcase behind him as he approached the doors. “Don’t leave! You’ll regret it!”

Alex was laughing hysterically when an SUV pulled up beside us and a petite dark-haired woman leaned out the window.