“Apparently you’re also a big sap,” Dixie said, sidling up to them.

“Hey, Dix.” Quincy had been so taken with Roni, he hadn’t seen Dixie approaching them. “This is Roni. Roni, this is the one and only Dixie Whiskey.”

“That’s Dixie Whiskey-Stone now, thank you very much. Hi, Roni.” Dixie leaned in and hugged her, her long red hair falling forward. “I’m glad you guys made it, and that’s a great jacket.”

“Thank you. It was a gift from my friend,” Roni said.

“Well, your friend has good taste.” Dixie handed her a piece of paper and said, “This is your scavenger hunt list. Remember to take pictures, or your entries won’t count.”

“Okay, thanks,” Roni said.

“Dix! Got a sec?” Jace hollered from across the lawn, waving her over. “Hey, Quincy!”

“Jace.” Quincy lifted his chin.

“I’d better go. Everyone needs something today. Good luck!” Dixie said, and headed over to Jace.

“She seems nice,” Roni said, watching Dixie walk away. “She moves in those sky-high boots like she was born in them.”

“Yeah, she’s a trip,” Quincy said.

“Five minutes, people!” Crystal announced through the megaphone. She always stood out in a crowd, with jet-black hair, several piercings in one ear, and an affinity for dressing like a punk rocker.

“That’s Crystal, Bear’s wife.”

“Wow, she does not look like she just had a baby,” Roni said.

“You’ll have to tell her that. She thinks she’s gotten heavy but we all think she looks great, and Bear can’t keep his paws off her.” He nodded to Bear walking up behind Crystal, cradling Axel in one arm as he put his other around her and kissed her. “See?”

“They’re cute together,” she said as people began heading for the parking lot.

“Come on, let’s go.” Quincy spotted Penny and Scott standing next to Scott’s car across the parking lot and pointed to her. “That’s my friend Penny, Finlay’s sister, and the guy with her is our buddy Scott.”

Penny looked over, waved, said something to Scott, then ran toward them. “Hey, Pen,” Quincy said.

Penny planted a hand on her jeans-clad hip, beaming at them. “Hi.” Her eyes shifted to Roni, and she said, “I’m Penny.”

“I’m Roni. You work at the ice cream shop, right?”

“Yeah, I own it.” She pointed to Quincy and said, “Sometimes this big lug helps me out there.”

“Really? That’s so fun. I love your sundaes,” Roni said as cars began heading out of the lot. “I think the Go Away Gloomy Day sundae is my favorite.”

“I’m working on a new one called Book Boy Gets His Girl,” Penny said cheekily, eyeing Quincy. “It’ll be my sweetest sundae yet.”

“I think that’ll be my new favorite,” Roni said.

“Mine, too,” Quincy said, pulling her closer.

“I’d better go before Scott gets antsy. Are you guys coming back here?” Penny looked at Roni and said, “I’d love to chat and get to know each other better.”

“I think so. Are we, Quincy?”

“Yeah, we’ll be here. But anything Penny tells you about me is a lie.”