“Hmm…” Boone murmured. Mentally, he reviewed the empty spaces and needs of his town, even as his brain was shouting Maternity Springs! Maternity Springs! However, his instincts cautioned him to tread softly here. Understandably, children were a touchy subject where Hannah was concerned.
Movement off the road caught his notice, and he spied a herd of antelope. “Look off to the right. Bet you don’t see sights like that back in New England.”
“It is beautiful,” she said. “The snowcapped mountains are a welcome sight after watching heat waves on the Texas panhandle plains.”
“No kidding. Although, in defense of my home state, this isn’t the best time of year to visit. For ten months of the year—okay, nine and a half—Texas is a great place to be. But there’s a reason you run into a Texan every time you turn around in Eternity Springs during the summer.”
“One hundred degrees in the shade?”
“Exactly.” Bree let out a little squall at that point, and Boone laughed. “She’s glad we’re headed to the mountains and cooler air too.”
“Smart girl,” Hannah said. “Sweet girl.” In a softer voice that held a bit of a bittersweet to it, she added, “She’s a precious gift. A priceless blessing.”
Boone said, “Amen.”
They reached the summit of Sinner’s Prayer Pass at half past five and made the turn onto his drive at a quarter to six. Celeste Blessing sat in one of the rockers on his front porch.
“Any chance she has someone on deck to help tonight?” Hannah asked. “I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted.”
“Celeste is an angel. She’ll have a miracle in the works for us.”
After parking the SUV, Boone helped Hannah free Bree from her car seat. Then as Celeste stood to greet them, he approached his friend with his daughter in his arms. A lump formed in his throat as he walked up the path. His own grandmother had died long ago, but this woman did an excellent job of standing in for Gammy. As a result, he was introducing his daughter to a member of his family—a notable first.
“Oh, Boone. Look at you. Look at the two of you. Isn’t she beautiful?”
“I think so.”
“May I hold her?”
“Of course.” He awkwardly transferred Bree over to Celeste. “Hannah tells me I’ll get better at this hand-off with practice.”
“You will. You’ll be an old pro at it within the week.”
Boone wasn’t so sure. To whom was he going to hand her over?
Celeste greeted Hannah and asked, “How was the trip?”
“It was actually easier than I expected. She slept most of the time and was content to be fed in her car seat. I think we stopped and stretched more for ourselves than for Brianna.”
“Well, I know you must be tired. Why don’t I care for Miss Precious here while the two of you go and freshen up? Dinner’s in the oven keeping warm. I do love that kitchen of yours, Boone, by the way. After we eat, we can discuss my nanny plan.” Speaking to Hannah, she said, “Boone explained that you generously stepped in at the last minute to help him with the trip, but that you’re not looking for a full-time nanny position.”
Hannah’s voice was friendly but firm. “I’m definitely not.”
Celeste then gave Hannah one of her extraordinary, impossible-to-refuse smiles and added, “Nevertheless, do join us this evening. Please? Since you’ve spent time with little Sweet Pea here, your input in our plans will be invaluable.”
“Thank you. I’d love to join you.” Hannah glanced Boone’s direction and asked, “Want some help unloading the car? Celeste, you won’t believe all he bought for the baby.”
“Knowing Boone, I’m sure I’ll believe it. In fact, I trusted as much.”
“Hey, it’s easier to have something and not need it, than to need it and not have it.” He turned to Hannah. “Let’s get your bag from the car. The rest of the stuff can wait. Go have some downtime and meet us back here at…” He glanced at Celeste. “Seven?”
“Seven is perfect.”
Hannah handed off the diaper bag she’d taken from the SUV, then leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of Brianna’s head. She followed Boone to the SUV, where he unearthed her bag from the mountain of packages in the back. He handed it to her, saying, “Hannah. I don’t have words to thank you. What you did for me, for us, goes above and beyond the call of friendship.”
“I’m glad I could help.” With a glance toward the baby, she added, “The trip was good for me. Except for the heat, I enjoyed it.”
“Like I said, you need to see Texas in October. I’ll take you to Enchanted Canyon. You’ll love it.” Before she could offer a protest, he leaned down and kissed her lightly. “See you at seven.”
As happy as Boone was to be home, he watched Hannah walk toward Serenity Cabbage and nursed a real sense of regret that the trip was over.
“You need to convince that woman to settle here in town,” Celeste said.
“Working on it.” Boone strode back toward the house. “If you ladies are doing all right, I’ll hit the shower. There’s a bottle and anything else you might need in the diaper bag.”
“We’re fine. I’ve got this under control, Boone. I’ll enjoy it immensely. Some of life’s best moments are spent rocking a newborn baby.”
“Won’t argue with you there.” Although come to think about it, he hadn’t had the opportunity to rock Brianna yet. He’d have to rectify that as soon as he got cleaned up.
The aromas wafting from the kitchen when he entered the house almost had him detouring that way. Still, he resisted and went straight to the master suite. He lingered beneath the hot shower, letting the massage jets pound into muscles stiff from too many hours in the car.
Bet Hannah was as stiff as he. The shower in the Cabbage was functional, but it wasn’t nearly as luxurious as this one. He should have offered to share.
That thought gave rise to a vision that put another spin on stiff, and he indulged in a little shower-with-the-travel-nanny fantasy. When he finally dragged himself from the shower, he was much more limber and relaxed. He dried off, wrapped his fluffy white towel around his hips, and padded barefoot into the bedroom. Rather than go to his dresser in search of underwear, he sat on his bed.
Exhaustion tugged at him. He knew he should get up, get dressed, and go relieve Celeste, but he didn’t hear any screaming from either her or the baby. She’d said she had it under control. The trip to Texas and back had been long and emotional, and now that he’d had a few minutes to himself, it was catching up to him.
A glance at the clock showed that he had time to catch a little shut-eye. He’d give himself fifteen minutes. Lying back, Boone set his internal, never-fail alarm and closed his eyes.
Chapter Fourteen
Showered and dressed in jeans and the soft, oversized hoodie she’d picked up in a gift shop in town, Hannah made her way back to Boone’s house a little before seven. She arrived to discover Brianna sound asleep in the bassinet in the nursery. She found Celeste outside on the deck setting out disposable plastic plates, cutlery, cups, and napkins along the bar—for many more than three.