Stuart’s smile was broad and happy, and Jai kissed him, long and deep. Once again, Ryann glanced around the room, wondering if anyone would notice or care, but everyone here was in their own world. She wasn’t sure she’d ever seen two men kiss in public outside of a gay bar or at Pride.

“So tell me about your sisters,” she said when they broke apart. “I’d like some idea what to expect. Which one is your maid of honor?”

“Well, actually,” Jai said, “my maid of honor is my best friend, Maddie. She’s supposed to be here in a few minutes.”

“Maddie’s actually how we met,” Stuart explained. “She’s an artist, too, a sculptor, like me. She and I met at the foundry here in town, and she introduced me to Jai last year.”

“Almost a year to the day,” Jai said, staring at Stuart.

They were lost in each other’s eyes long enough that Ryann wondered if she should remind them that she was here with them.

Stuart shook his head as if to clear it, his expression a little sheepish when he turned to her. “Sorry about that.”

“It’s fine. You two are really adorable.”

“We try.”

“So, sisters?” she said, turning back to Jai. “How many are we talking?”

“Four.”

She whistled. “Wow. Older, I think you said?”

“Yes—I’m the baby. My eldest, Jos, is ten years older, and then it’s one about every two years on down to me.”

“They all have ‘J’ names,” Stuart said, rolling his eyes.

“So do my parents and the aunts, uncles, and grandparents on my dad’s side,” Jai said. “And when my parents got to me, they just spelled the letter.”

“Wow. Four sisters,” she said, shaking her head. “Must have been a lot of baby-dress-up parties when you were little.”

“You better believe it. And tea parties, and slumber parties, and makeovers, and everything else. It was a blast.”

“They’re all nearby?”

“Yes. Jos is the farthest—she lives in Denver. Joan is just outside of Berthoud—a few miles south of here—and Janet and Julia are here in Loveland, still, like me.”

“You grew up here?”

“Born and raised! A little like you two—small-town gay. Stuart and I have joked about it before. Difference is, I never went to the big city.”

The men were staring fondly at each other again, and Ryann took a moment to sip her beer and check her phone. Ted was supposed to call her with an update today, but so far she’d heard nothing from him or anyone else. She’d have to excuse herself to check in some time soon.

“I hope you two hit it off,” Jai said.

“I’m sorry, what?” she asked. He’d said something before she caught this.