“Smart girl.” Tori tilted her head suggestively. “Sounds like they’ll be seeing each other again soon.”
Faith tossed back the last sip of wine in her glass, clearly not thrilled about the prospect of Austin and Vesper getting closer, which seemed strange to me. From what Matthew said, and from my own observations, Austin was a lovely young man. Maybe it had something to do with her daughter potentially meeting a guy who was invested in staying in Faith’s tiny hometown? At any rate, it was none of my business, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t stay curious.
“If you really want a challenge, Tori”—I pointed toward the other end of the table—“try finding a match for Bowie over there. He’s a self-proclaimed lone wolf.”
Tori waved her hand dismissively. “He’s just hiding his true feelings behind that grizzled facial hair. There’s someone out there who can break through that overgrown pelt of his. Remember, I thought I was going to be single my whole life until I met Nick. Every lone wolf can be tamed. Even him.”
“Is that true?” Faith’s eyes darted down the table where Cal and Bowie were seated together. “I feel like some men are happier on their own little islands, so to speak.”
“Some people just lack the right relationship tools to be successful,” Tori said. “We’re going to have singles retreats here this summer. Did Lauren already tell you?” Faith shook her head. “Maybe you can come to one of them as a secret shopper. We’d love to have an insider tell us how it went and what we need to change.”
“You’ll be up here to visit Vesper anyway, right?” I said. “Maybe you could stay a little longer and do a retreat. It would really help us out.” Matthew had mentioned that Faith needed to get away from her controlling ex-husband in Texas. Maybe a retreat at the ranch would do her good.
“I’ll be visiting,” she said, “but I don’t think I could do the single mingle thing. Just the thought of that makes me feel queasy.”
“What about you, Bowie?” Tori asked. He was sitting directly across the table from her, stroking that god-awful beard. “Would you be willing to go to a Silver Sage singles retreat as our mole?”
“A singles retreat? No way. I’m kind of a?—”
“Lone wolf,” his family finished for him.
Bowie was completely unfazed at everyone ganging up on him. He crossed his arms on his broad chest and smiled. “Exactly.”
“What about you?” Tori asked Sam, who was sitting to her left. “Are you a lone wolf too?”
“He’s more like a lone squirrel,” Bowie said, before his brother could answer. “Always chattering.”
“Some people enjoy good conversation,” Sam shot back at him. “We’re not all lonely hermits like you. I’d probably enjoy the hell out of a retreat full of single women but, unfortunately, I don’t have that kind of time on my hands. Besides, would it really be fair to the other bachelors?”
In response, there was a chorus of groans.
“That’s three strikes,” Tori said. “How about you, Cal? Want to come meet some eligible women and possibly find true love?”
“Uh…” Callum looked completely flustered by her question. “No, thank you, m’am.”
“This western matchmaking is proving to be difficult,” Tori said, “but I’ve faced harder challenges.”
“Maybe Ella would do the singles retreat, if you can drag her away from work,” Faith said, her voice infused with sincerity. “I know she’d like to meet someone.”
“She already did.” Sam’s expression soured. “She’s been dating some old geezer from Laramie named Harrison Forkwell.”
“Please don’t call him old,” Matthew said. “I happen to know Harrison through the Chamber of Commerce, and he’s only in his early fifties.”
“Ella is thirty-nine though,” Sam argued. “That’s a big age gap. Too big if you ask me.”
“She didn’t ask you though, did she?” Bowie challenged, clearly enjoying what appeared to be some jealousy on Sam’s part. “You’re a little too invested in Ella’s love life.”
Sam was saved from having to answer Bowie’s challenge by Jake yipping at his feet. The little scamp had been roaming the dining room all evening, gobbling up every scrap of food that dropped to the floor.
“Jake needs a walk,” Sam said. “Anyone want to come with us?”
His invitation started phase two of the party, where people split off into groups. Some left to play card games in the Round Room while others went to watch football at Matthew and Bowie’s house. As Sam dressed Jake for the outdoors, Faith offered to join them on their walk.
Matthew pulled me aside and got close so he could whisper. “Can we get some alone time? I thought we could take a walk, but not with Sam and Faith. Just the two of us.”
“I’d love to.” I leaned up on my toes and kissed his cheek, my lips brushing up against his scruff. Matthew was growing in what he called hiswinter beard, but he promised it wouldn’t be wild like Bowie’s. I had a feeling I was going to love the way it looked.
We strolled back to the house so I could put on a pair of thermal underwear, as well as a puffer jacket, gloves and a warm beanie. Matthew was right that Wyoming winters were no joke. It was only late November and already I needed layers to go anywhere outside. Matthew waited for me on the porch, unbothered by the weather, his breath visible in the cold night air. His outer layer consisted only of jeans, a quilted flannel jacket and his cowboy hat.
