For the past few days she’d worked with single-minded focus, drawing and redrawing and then tossing when the image didn’t meet her expectations.

She sighed and leaned back in her seat, stretching her tired back muscles. It probably looked to the guys like she was avoiding them. Like she’d sought solitude to wallow in her grief. But the truth was, she was pissed off.

Not just pissed off, but furious.

She’d done a lot of thinking. She’d done nothing else as she’d immersed herself in her art. And the more she thought, the more she realized that she would have to do something if she was ever going to move forward.

A light knock at the door startled her, and she swiveled in her seat to see all three men standing in the doorway. She quickly pulled down a blank piece of paper over her drawing and focused her attention on them.

“We have a surprise for you,” Michael said. “Can you spare us a few hours? We have something planned.”

Intrigued and eager to get out of the house, she nodded and stood, rubbing the kinks out of her neck.

“You’ll need to change into jeans and bring along your light jacket,” Seth said.

She nodded slowly. “Okay. Give me five minutes and I’ll meet you out front.” She hurried into the bedroom where all her clothes were put away in the closet and pulled out one of her new pairs of jeans. She shimmied them on and then chose one of the nicer shirts Callie had picked out.

Her curls were more unruly than normal because she hadn’t taken as much care in the past days, but after a look in the mirror, she deemed them acceptable and went in search of her boots.

When she went out the front door, all three brothers were standing around the Jeep waiting for her.

Michael slid into the driver’s seat while Dillon held the front passenger door open for Lily.

She smiled as she settled into her seat and Michael turned, his gaze roaming over her face.

“That’s the first smile I’ve seen from you in days. I’ve missed it, Lily. I’ve missed you.” She reached over to touch his arm. “I’m sorry. I know I’ve been difficult. You all have been so patient with me.”

He shook his head. “That’s not what I’m saying, baby. I just like to see you happy and smiling. That’s all.”

She gifted him with another smile.

As they turned around to head down the drive, she asked, “Where are we going?”

“That would ruin the surprise,” Dillon said.

Some of the heaviness weighing down on her lifted. She’d done a lot of thinking and a lot of soul searching since telling the guys the truth about her past. She knew what she had to do. Now she just had to find the courage to do it.

They drove a familiar path out of town and started up the mountain and around the switchbacks that led to their parents’ house.

She smiled a bit broader when the Colters’ cabin came into view. How quickly she considered them family. Her family. She already loved them. They’d accepted her and shown her nothing but love and unconditional support.

The guys got out and Dillon opened her door, holding out his hand to help her out.

“You’re being awfully gallant today,” she said as she stepped down.

He grinned. “I hope I’m gallant every day.”

“Aren’t we going in?” she asked when they bypassed the front porch and headed toward the barn.

Seth put his arm around her and propelled her forward. “Nope.”

“Oh.”

She followed behind Michael and Dillon, Seth’s arm wrapped around her. They were all being so solicitous with her. And careful, as if she were incredibly fragile and they feared breaking her.

And in a way, she supposed their fear was justified. Her meltdown had been monumental. But freeing in a way she’d never imagined.

When they reached the barn, Seth stood with Lily while Dillon and Michael went in. A few moments later, they returned, each leading two mounts.

She glanced suspiciously up at Seth. There was no way they’d saddled the horses that quickly. Which meant that they’d been readied before they’d arrived.

Dillon stopped in front of Lily and handed Seth the reins to the horse Lily had ridden the time she’d gone with Callie. Then Dillon lifted her into the saddle and Seth handed up the reins.

She waited while the men mounted, and then Michael started toward the trail that led to Callie’s Meadow. Dillon motioned for her to follow Michael, and he and Seth fell in behind.

They took a leisurely pace and Lily was enchanted with the changes that had taken place just since she and Callie had last taken the same path.

Spring had fully sprung. The fields were a lush cover of blooms in an array of colors that were so brilliant, she itched to put them to canvas. She stared at the beauty of the meadow, trying to commit every detail to memory. She’d need to update her drawing for Callie. The meadow was alive with new growth, bursting with vibrancy that enchanted her.

The stream that dissected the meadow gurgled and was fast running from the melting snow from nearby peaks. The sound mixed with the chirps of birds and the sounds of insects, the life and breath of the landscape.

Michael rode to the stream and dismounted, allowing his horse to nose into the stream to drink. Seth slid from his horse and then reached up for Lily.

They left the horses by the water and walked up a small incline that was particularly ablaze with wildflowers. She hadn’t noticed until now that Michael carried a basket in one hand and had a blanket roll under his other arm.

It was a perfect day for a picnic, and she was delighted that they’d thought to surprise her with such a sweet gesture. After being cooped up in her makeshift studio for the week, alone with her thoughts and her drawing, being outside, surrounded by the beauty of spring, was a balm to her tattered soul.

Michael handed the basket to Dillon and then unfurled the blanket. The breeze caught it and it billowed out. Michael flapped it twice, arranging it just so before pulling it to the ground. Dillon set the basket on one corner to hold it down while Michael stepped on the other.

Then he turned back to Lily and motioned her forward.

Seth escorted her onto the blanket and sank down on the edge. Then he reached up to pull her down beside him. Dillon settled on her other side while Michael sat across from her.

“Are you hungry?” Michael asked.

“Starving.”

Michael smiled. “Dillon has fried chicken. I made potato salad, and Seth made brownies. Dillon also dug into his highly prized collection of wines and brought along a bottle that he’s been saving for just the right occasion.”

She nearly moaned. “It all sounds fantastic.”

Michael pulled out hard plastic plates and napkins and passed them around. Then he took out the container that held the chicken and placed it in the middle, followed by the bowl containing the potato salad.

He handed the wine over to Dillon to open and then Michael distributed glass wine flutes.

It was amazing. They’d thought of everything.

“White or dark?” Michael asked her.

She grinned. “Both. I want a thigh and a wing.”

He plopped two pieces of chicken on her plate and then dished up a healthy helping of potato salad and handed it to her.

She wasted no time digging in and was soon enjoying the delicious, perfectly seasoned chicken. It was so good that she licked her fingers after every bite.

They ate in companionable silence. Lily stared up at the sky, mesmerized by the brilliant blue unmarred by a single cloud.

“It reminds me of your eyes,” Seth murmured.

Startled, she turned to look at him. “What does?”

“The sky. Today it reminds me of your eyes. Beautiful and so vibrant.”

“I never know quite what to say when you say such wonderful things,” she said in a low voice.

He smiled. “Keeping a woman speechless isn’t the worst thing in the world.”

“Ooohhh, you just had to go and ruin it,” she said as she made a stabbing motion at him with her fork.

Michael chuckled. “Guess he gets the couch tonight.”

Lily sipped at the wine, savoring the taste on her tongue. She took the last bite of her potato salad and put the plate away with a groan.

“Surely you’re not full already? We still have brownies to eat,” Dillon said.

“I’d have to be dead to turn down chocolate,” she said.

Michael took a metal canister and opened it. Immediately the rich scent of chocolate wafted on the breeze, teasing her nostrils with the delicious smell.

“Oh my God,” she murmured. “Gimme.”

Seth laughed. “Give the woman her chocolate. She sounds slightly demonic.” She took the hunk of brownie from Michael and sank her teeth into it. “Oh sweet mother, this is heaven,” she groaned.

Seth leaned in to nuzzle her neck. “It’s not as sweet as you.”

“Okay, you’re forgiven for the speechless woman crack,” she said magnanimously.

His expression turned serious. “There’s something we want to talk to you about.” Her stomach did a complete flip and she glanced warily at Dillon and Michael.

“You’re scaring her, dumbass. Quit being so serious,” Dillon said.

“We have something to ask you,” Michael corrected.

Michael reached into the picnic basket and pulled out a tiny box. He actually looked nervous and even a little pale as he scooted toward her and held out the box on his palm.

She reached for it, her fingers shaking.

“Open it,” Seth urged.

She took off the top and found a velvet jeweler case inside. She turned the box upside down to shake out the smaller one, and it landed in her palm with a plop.