Romantic, huh? Rick stood at Josies side as she studied the painting.

Its one of my favorites.

Josie slowly turned her head to look at Rick. She might as well admit itshe was in love with him. At that moment, he was focused only on her, as if she were all that mattered. She loved that. She wanted more of that.

Its not just the paintingthis whole place screams romance, she said. You should rent it out for weddings.

That suggestion seemed to please Rick. A huge smile spread over his face. You aint seen nothing yet, he said, grabbing her by the hand and taking her outside.

He walked her around the first-floor veranda, where wicker tables, chairs, and rockers were grouped under huge ceiling fans. Ropes of wisteria twisted and tangled their way through the wrought-iron railing.

When Rick took her arm and guided her down the front steps and onto the lawn, Josie was awestruck at the vision. The thick green carpet sloped hundreds of feet in front of the house and ended at a stone wall that divided lawn from vineyard. Beyond the wall was a line of live oaks, and beyond that was nothing but pure Sonoma Valley vistascraggy mountains and green vineyards as far as the eye could see. Samhain Ranch was more than a retreat, it was a world unto itself.

The dogs stayed close, running and wrestling and sniffing. I think Genghis is going to turn up his nose at Dolores Park after being here for a weekend, Josie said.

He can come as often as he likes. Rick looked down at her, smiling.

Those were the same green eyes that had mesmerized Josie from the moment she saw him. But today his eyes seemed deeper, darker. Maybe it was because she knew him now, she knew who he was.

Rick gave her a tour of gardens overflowing with herbs, tomatoes, raspberries, and figs, plus a variety of trees, including apple, lime, and lemon. He showed her the delphiniums, and the hollyhocks, roses, ferns, snapdragons, geraniums, and dozens of plants with names Josie couldnt remember five seconds after Rick told her. He took her hand and pulled her up to stand on the stone wall, then pointed out over the rolling hills of grapes. He explained to Josie how the vineyards were laid out and how each area would yield grapes destined for a particular type of wine. He took her through the olive grove and said she could take home cases of their olive oil if she wanted. He took her on a tour of the pool and pool house, plus the tennis and basketball courts, where they found Teeny shooting hoops and listening to his iPod.

Beautiful morning, Teeny said, removing his earbuds. He stood in place and bounced the basketball, catching his breath. Josie caught the way Teenys eyes flashed with a question when he scanned Ricks face.

The most beautiful in recent memory, Rick said to his friend. Want to take a stroll with us?

Nah, you two dont need me tagging along. Teeny smiled at Josie. So you like the place?

Yes, Josie said simply, knowing superlatives werent needed. I sure do.

Next, they hiked up to the staff housing at the far north edge of the ranch, a line of about a dozen small houses with tiny well-kept yards.

It was where Rosa and her husband and children and their children lived.

It looked like a miniature subdivision, Josie thought.

Rick showed her the charming three-bedroom guest cottage and the newer barna huge structure divided into a section for cars and farm vehicles and a section that had become Ricks custom-made gym. Rick offered to take her through a workout, but with one glance at the free weights, she asked for a rain check.

Next he took her to the horse barn, where she met Tom, the only cat on the ranch who liked people. He rubbed up against her ankle and purred, undeterred even when Genghis sniffed and poked at him with his paw. Then they went out to the pasture to meet the horsesa paint, two Appaloosas, and three quarter horses. Rick saddled up a couple of the mild-mannered geldings and they took an hour-long trail ride, Chen and Tara tagging along happily. Genghis kept his distance from the intimidating beasts.

When evening rolled around, they returned to the suite and took a shower together, kissing and soaping and laughing. Rosa served them dinner on the verandascallops with angel-hair pasta, a baby greens salad with walnuts, and then pears and cheese as dessert.

While Josie sat there in the spacious, comfortable rocker and sipped her tea, it occurred to her that the entire daythrough every glorious moment of that remarkable dayMrs. Needlemans words had echoed through her head: /… you must be brave enough to embrace what youve asked for./ Josie had asked for a lot when she wrote that list, and here he was, sitting next to her in the last golden light of the day. He was a survivor, a seeker, a lover a man whod been through hell and back and decided there had to be a better way.

No wonder Mrs. Needleman had sensed he was in dangerRick had barely made it out of his twenties alive! And Glorias prediction that Rick would need Josies forgiveness? The old lady had been dead-on there, too.

Josie reached over and took Ricks hand. He smiled at her. It was bizarre to think that shed only known him for a couple weeks, because it felt like theyd been in each others company forever.

Did you name this place, or has it always been called Samhain Ranch?

Rick tilted his head. Interestingly, Madame herself named it and it stuck.

Isnt that word associated with witchcraft?

Rick brushed his thumb across the top of her hand.

From what Ive read, the word?Samhain comes from the ancient Celtic word for?summers end, a harvest festival that doubled as their festival of the dead. It eventually became All Hallows Eve, and then Halloween in modern times. Wiccans consider it a Sabbath, so, yes, you are absolutely right.

Its the perfect name for a place so magical.

I think Madame was definitely on to something, Rick said, his smile spreading. He leaned in toward Josie. But Ill tell you a secret.

She moved closer. I love secrets.

Theres another definition of the word that I think is a better fit, and the more time I spend here the more Im convinced its what Madame Toulouse had in mind.

Tell me.

Well. Rick paused to kiss her cheek. Samhain was also the time for ?taking stock of the year gone by and giving thanks for all you have. It was a time when the supernatural world was separated from our world by only a thin veil, and the connectedness of all life was recognized.

Thats how I think this place got its name.

Josie stretched her neck to close the space between them, and left a soft kiss on his lips.

Excuse me.

Teeny stood over them looking sheepish. I seem to have rotten timing and I apologize, he said to Josie. Hey, Rick, can I have a moment?

Rick finished the kiss and patted Josies knee. Be right back.

Josie took a sip of her tea and looked out at the last bit of dying light beyond the hills. There was a restorative energy in this place.

There was a power here, and it was joyful and reassuring, something that filled her with calm.

But she shuddered with a realizationshe could have easily gone her whole life without experiencing this. She could have gone a lifetime without meeting Rick. It would have been so easyand so likely. She would never have known what shed missed, or even that something this wonderful existed.

The thought made her feel quite lonely.

The sound of Ricks agitated whisper caught her attention. She got up from the chair and went to the corner of the veranda, where she could peek around the side of the main house. Teeny and Rick stood near the kitchen door, under a light over the doorway.

Its probably nothing, she heard Rick say.

Teeny shook his head, obviously distressed. We cant take anything for granted, he said. Something about this smells bad, Rick, and Teeny had sensed her spying. Josie pulled her head back around the corner. She closed her eyes hard, silently cursing herself for being so nosy, then tiptoed back to her chair.