Ryan and I turned to see where the sound came from and saw a few people hurrying back into the yard. We exchanged a smile, and he said, "Uh-oh, they caught us!"

I chuckled and playfully took his arm. "Let's go home."

Once inside the house, everyone acted as if nothing had happened. However, we knew they were curious. Laughter and chatter filled the room once again.

Vacations always seemed to pass quickly because they were full of joy and laughter. Before we knew it, the vacation ended, and it was time to return to work. This time, we were swamped.

Ryan's parents had returned to their small town with plans to reunite for the next celebration.

Ryan and I had developed a better understanding of each other. We had different roles this time: he was in charge of the projects, I handled the suppliers, and Grayson assisted Ryan with his projects and market analysis.

I hadn't received any news from Atlas in a while. I avoided thinking about him and ignored anything concerning him. But dee