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“Of course. I made myself a promise after your divorce that I’d never hold back my opinion. Listen, if I’d caught my sons with what they were doing, I would’ve given them the boot myself.”

His words chilled me. I knew they were 100 percent true.

“I would’ve handled everything behind closed doors,” he continued, “then made them make amends with everyone they swindled. Again, I bear no resentment toward the LeBlancs, and I’m more than happy that things are going well between you and Zachary.”

“Thanks, Dad. That means the world to me.” I checked the clock and gasped. “Oh, goodness, I have to go.” Felicia said dinner would be ready at six thirty, and it was twenty after already. I didn’t like to be late.

“Of course.”

“Thanks a lot, Dad.”

“Always, my girl. I’m here for you, no matter what you need.”

During my marriage, I’d grown a bit distant from my parents. I didn’t want them to have a front-row seat for the shit show that was my life. Even during the divorce, I sort of kept them at arm’s length. But I was feeling closer to them than ever right now.

After wrapping up, I patted Starlight again before hurrying to the main house. I felt as if a weight had dropped from my shoulders, and I was smiling from ear to ear when I joined Felicia and Gaston in the kitchen. She’d made coq au vin, by the smell of it. It was my favorite type of stew, typically made with chicken.

“You truly are a whiz in the kitchen,” I told Felicia.

“Oh, that’s what all our guests say.”

She and Gaston exchanged glances, and then he looked at me.

“We meant to ask you, did you reconsider the idea of going into this together with Zachary?”

My heart somersaulted at his question. Did they discuss this with him?

I bit the inside of my cheek.HadI reconsidered it? I mean, things between Zachary and me were wonderful, but it was one thing to spend time together and have fun and something else entirely to go into business together. What if things fell apart between us further down the road?

Gaston and Felicia must have interpreted my silence as a negative because Gaston said, “Forget we asked. This isn’t about business. You came here today because you needed the ranch.”

“I did,” I replied, thankful they weren’t prodding more. I truly didn’t have an answer for them. This was something I’d discuss with Zachary first before telling them.

But the idea was taking root in my mind. So much so that, as I said my goodbyes later that evening, I wondered if I should bring it up to Zachary. I took out my phone, then decided that I couldn’t just corner him with this on a call.

However, I did want to check on my man. Holy shit, I was already thinking of him as my man. But it didn’t scare me.

Climbing into the car, I set my purse down and then texted him.

Grace: How did your week start?

I grinned when the little dots appeared, showing he was typing. I truly loved that he didn’t make me wait—unless he was busy, of course. But other than that, he wasn’t playing hard to get.

Zachary: After the weekend I had, fucking fantastic. Nothing could bring me down. Yours?

I grinned even wider as I replied.

Grace: The same. I’m over the moon.

Zachary: That’s exactly what I wanted to hear. I’m patting myself on the back right now.

I laughed.

Grace: You should.

Zachary: By the way, I can’t wait for you to meet my family.

While I’d been a bit worried when he first told me about it, now I was looking forward to it.