It wasn’t hard to remember the night he’d proposed. “Yep. It was only our second date.” Although it could have been a thousand times they’d driven home under the pale night sky, but this night was special.

The night of their first kiss.

She could still remember the way he’d tasted—like cherry Coke—and the smell of campfire smoke on him.

“It was a crazy, spur-of-the-moment question while we were watching the Fourth of July fireworks over Copper Mountain.”

“Romantic.”

“Impulsive. He’d just kissed me. My first kiss—and probably his—and all around us fireworks were exploding, and it was practically a Hallmark moment, but we got done kissing, and he told me he loved me.”

“This is like a movie,” Peyton said, holding her soup cup in both hands.

“A horror flick, more like. Because he also picked right then to propose.”

He’d scared her. The way he slid his hand behind her neck and met her eyes. Then, as if the idea had just taken him, he’d said, “Will you marry me?”

“I just stared at him. I couldn’t think. Couldn’t breathe. Somewhere inside me, I was saying yes, but a bigger part of me thought—‘What in the world is he thinking?’ And then, I don’t know, the word just spilled out. No.”

“You said no.”

“You know this.”

“I’ve never heard the story though. I’m just trying to wrap my mind around it.”

“Yeah, me too, ten years later. He drove me home in silence, and I knew I’d broken his heart. And then I didn’t see him for the rest of the summer until . . . well, the rest is history.”

“Oh, Echo. No wonder you’re choking on your food. Because he looks gooood, honey.”

“I know. I saw him in town, except, I didn’t think it was him and what am I going to—”

Outside, the dogs erupted. Granite jumped off the cot and ran to the door, whining. Growling.

Echo hit her feet. “Something’s out there.”

Peyton had a hand on her arm before she reached the door. “Take this.” She shoved the JM capture air rifle into her hand. “It’s loaded.”

Hopefully with enough Zoletil to slow down whatever was harassing her dogs.

Echo opened the door, peered out into the darkness. Maverick jerked at the end of his tether, snapping and growling, along with Goose, Viper, Iceman, Jester, and Merlin, all baring fangs.

And at the end of it all was a sight that made Echo’s entire body go cold.

Holly was fighting her way free of a giant, angry grizzly.

No!

She already lay in the snow, moaning, growling.

Granite ran out past her, a streak of defensive fury.

“Granite!”

Echo took aim and, without a thought, sent the stinger into the night.

The bear roared as Granite pounced on him, pulling away from her injured dog, and rearing up.