Ariana smiled about him. “Thanks.”
Ace came in carrying a tray fill with baked potatoes wrapped in foil. He set it on the table and stood behind the seat at the head of the table while he waited for everyone else to enter the dining room.
Emma and Coop were the last to enter. They each carried glasses filled with ice water and set them beside the plates on the table.
Emma smiled. “Let’s eat.”
Dillon held the chair for Ariana. When she sat, he scooted the chair forward and took a seat beside her.
Emma took Coop’s hand and looked around the table. “I know I don’t do this very often, but would you mind if I said a prayer?”
Ace grinned. “Knock yourself out, Sis.”
“Let’s all join hands,” she said, and waited a moment for everyone to join hands. “Dear Lord, thank you for this food we are about to eat. And Lord, we understand you have a plan for us. Please help us to accept your plan and go with it, whether it was what we anticipated or is something fresh and unexpected. Help us to make good choices and to be happy. Amen.”
Everyone at the table echoed “amen” and released hands.
Dillon shot a glance at his sister. Was the prayer meant for him and Ariana? Was she telling them to ignore the fact that BODS had made a mistake? Did she want them to continue dating?
Emma smiled at Dillon. “You know we have a Hellfire firefighter picnic next Saturday at the county fairgrounds. You should bring Ariana.”
“I don’t know.” The last thing Dillon wanted to do was hang around a bunch of people in the sunshine playing silly games, when he could be alone with Ariana somewhere more private. Even the pond sounded like a better idea.
“It’s a lot of fun.” Emma turned toward Ariana. “We play games, eat, mingle and get to know each other. And it’s a fundraiser for the volunteer fire department in Hellfire. They do this once a year to raise money for the new equipment they desperately need.”
“I need to look at my calendar,” Ariana hedged.
“Me, too,” Dillon said. “I have a project that’s behind. I’m taking off this weekend, but I’m not sure I can take off next weekend, too.”
“Well, you two think about it. It would be nice to support the firefighters. They’re mostly volunteers, who give up their own time to help the community,” Emma said.
“We’ll be there,” Colton said.
“Speak for yourself,” Brand muttered.
“He’ll be there,” Ace said. “And so will I. The firefighters need the equipment. The least we can do is help them out.”
The rest of the meal passed with Dillon’s brothers picking at each other good-naturedly.
Dillon worried that they would scare off Ariana, but she laughed and joke with the best of them, even getting in a good jab or two that made his brothers smile.
When they were finished, Coop and Emma insisted on doing the dishes while the rest of them headed back to the porch.
Dillon leaned against a post while Ariana sat on the top step of the stairs.
I-lean, the black and white barn cat with three good legs and one missing a foot leaped up onto the porch, chased by Ruger, Ace’s Australian Shepherd.
“Hey, boy,” Ace squatted down and pulled the big dog into his arms, ruffling his fur. “Where have you been all day?”
“Terrorizing that poor cat, I’m sure,” Colton said.
“You don’t terrorize cats, do you, Ruger,” Ace said, scratching the dog’s belly.
With the dog otherwise occupied, the cat slowly limped across the porch, pausing only slightly at each man seated in rocking chairs or leaning against the rail. She didn’t stop until she reached Ariana. I-Lean rubbed up against Ariana, purring like a motorboat engine.
Ariana held out her hand to the animal. “Hey, sweetie, is that big ol’ dog getting all the attention?”
I-Lean rubbed her chin against Ariana’s hand and let her scratch her behind the ears.
“I’ll be damned,” Brand said. “That cat doesn’t like anybody.”
“What’s her name?” Ariana asked, looking up at Brand and Dillon.
“Her name is I-Lean, on account of the fact she has only three good feet,” Ace said.
“Poor baby.” Ariana frowned. “How did she lose the foot?”
“We don’t know,” Dillon said. “She appeared in the barn one day the way you see her now. She could have been born that way or lost it in a cat fight. We’ll never know.”
“You like cats?” Colton asked.
Dillon shot him a narrow-eyed glare. One he hoped Ariana wouldn’t see.
“I do,” Ariana said. “I always wanted one, but my parents were allergic.”
Brand sat in a rocking chair with his arms crossed over his chest. “What about dogs?”
Ariana smiled at Ruger. “I like them, too. Although, I’ve never owned one. The closest thing to a pet I ever owned was a goldfish I won at a county fair.”
Colton raised an eyebrow toward Dillon.
Dillon’s frown increased. If looks could kill, his brother would be dead.
“What do you think about the cliché that opposites attract?” Brand asked.
Dillon almost threw his hands in the air. Couldn’t his brothers give it a rest?
“I think it makes sense,” Ariana said. “I believe in balance. Nature has a way of correcting things that get out of balance. I think people need a person to balance them.” She smiled. “My grandparents were a perfect example. He was a very grumpy man. She was a complete optimist. Her optimism balanced his grumpiness. My father was an introvert. My mother an extrovert. They balanced each other.”
“Have you ever been around cattle?” Colton asked.
Dillon pushed away from the rail. “Look, Ariana isn’t here to confront the inquisition. I only brought her out for a day on the ranch and to do a little fishing. That’s it. She’s not interviewing for the job of a ranch hand or anything else.”
“They’re not bothering me,” Ariana said with a smile. “It’s flattering that they’re interested enough to ask me questions.” She turned to Colton. “And no, I’ve never been around farm
