His smile hopeful, he asked, “What do you say, Hannah? The pay is good. Really good.” He paused, waggled his eyebrows, and added, “Comes with benefits.”
Hannah snickered.
“I’ll bring him over to the Cabbage every evening just before I take over daddy duty solo.” Oblivious to their audience, Boone sauntered over to Hannah and placed his hands on her hips. “What do you say? Will you be our night nanny?”
“For how long?”
“I think it’s usual for puppies to cry at night for a week or two, but Ranger is a smart dog. He might make the transition in a few days.”
“What if I say no? Do you have a backup plan?”
“I always have a backup plan, but I hope I won’t need it. Say yes, Hannah. Please? I want you.”
Yes, well, she wanted him too, didn’t she?
“Okay. But I’ll need a crate and food and whatever else he needs before you bring him tonight.”
“Deal. We’ll do that after our lunch date.”
“You still want to do lunch?” she asked, surprised.
“I do. As long as…” He turned toward his babysitter. “Sarah? Are you good holding down the fort here for a few hours this afternoon?”
She’d been watching Boone’s and Hannah’s exchange with avid interest. “Of course. That’s why I’m here.”
“I’ll pick you up at noon?” Boone asked Hannah.
She shook her head. “I’ll meet you at the Moose. I have an errand or two I’d like to do this morning, so I’ll be on my way.”
“Okay, then.” He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. “See you at noon. Thanks a million for the assist this morning. I wouldn’t have made it without you.”
“Glad to help. Just don’t make a habit of it.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Smiling, Hannah crossed to where Sarah sat holding Brianna. She bent and kissed the baby on the back of her head, then said to Sarah. “It was nice visiting with you. The cinnamon roll was spectacular. I hope you enjoy your baby day.”
“I plan on it.”
“Cinnamon roll?” Boone repeated in a hopeful tone.
Hannah laughed. “You snooze, you lose, McBride.” She was grinning as she exited the house and shut the door behind her.
Inside, Boone spotted the bakery box and sighed to see it empty. Sarah said, “So, you want her, do you? As something more than a dog sitter.”
“Definitely more.”
“Are we talking something permanent? Is the most eligible bachelor in Eternity Springs off the market?”
Boone dragged his thumb through the dribble of icing at the bottom of the bakery box, then licked it off. “Yes, I think so. If I can persuade her to hang around, then I think it’s a real possibility.”
“Oh, wow. A scoop! A baby, a puppy, and a wife! Is this public news? Can I share?”
“That would be premature. I’m not one hundred percent certain I’ll be able to pull this one over the finish line.”
Sarah shook her head. “You’re Boone McBride, Eternity Springs’ own silver-tongued, silver-eyed juggernaut. I’m betting on you. And I can speak for the entire babysitters’ brigade that we are ready to assist in any manner possible. We excel at interventions when they’re necessary.”
“Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.”
“So when should we plan for a wedding? And where? Here? Texas? Her hometown?”
“I’m not going to rush her.”
But he was going to charge his batteries. He’d need 100 percent power to light her way to life, happiness, and love.
Probably wouldn’t hurt to have a backup battery, come to think about it.
He and Hannah were meant to be. He’d known it the moment she’d asked him to make love to her. Call it kismet or karma or fate or even a sprinkle of Celeste Blessing angel dust, meeting her that morning up at Lover’s Leap had been more than chance. It had been destiny. Be a light.
What he hadn’t realized was that illuminating someone else’s world would light up his own life too.
Boone scraped one more puddle of icing off the bottom of the box and took the delicious sugar hit. “I won’t rush her,” he repeated, “but I’m thinking a candlelight service here in Eternity Springs on New Year’s Eve.”
“That’s moving at a snail’s pace where you’re concerned. A New Year’s Eve wedding sounds fabulous. I suggest you phone Celeste this morning and book the Honeymoon Cottage at Angel’s Rest.”
“I’m on it.” Boone watched through the window as Hannah Dupree, dressed in black and mismatched socks, walked the path between his home and Serenity Cabbage. “I’ll get Tucker’s wife to work on finding the perfect wedding gown for Hannah too.”
“Wait a minute!” Sarah exclaimed. “Your cousin Tucker? When did he get married?”
“That’s a whole different story, but it’s a good one. Why don’t you hand me my baby, and we’ll sit outside in the sunshine and rock for a bit? I’ll tell you all the grubby details about Tucker and Gillian’s romance.”
He did exactly that, and had her in stitches about the wedding vows that the Elvis impersonator had instructed Tucker and Gillian to exchange. After he’d told the entire story, and with Brianna snoozing peacefully in his arms, he brought the conversation around to the earlier topic. “Sarah, about those interventions you mentioned. Do you think our babysitters’ club would be willing to play matchmakers from time to time?”
“Honey.” Sarah patted his knee. “This is right up our alley. Tell me what you’re thinking.”
Chapter Sixteen
Hannah raved over her sandwich at the Mocha Moose, and afterward, she and Boone spent a couple of hours exploring available commercial properties should he proceed with his retail shop idea. Despite the successful date and Sarah’s enthusiastic support for his romantic endeavors, Boone uncharacteristically second-guessed his decision to persuade Hannah to marry him.
Was this relationship happening too fast? Should he apply the brakes?
Sarah was right. A baby, a puppy, and a prospective fiancée were a lot to tackle in a week.
Could he be wrong about his feelings?
Uncertain and uncomfortable because he rarely suffered doubt once he’d charted a course, Boone scheduled a video conference consultation for later that evening with two recent experts on the subject of love and marriage—his cousins Jackson and Tucker. After showing off Bree and introducing Ranger to the family, he posed his problem.
“Wait just one minute,” Jackson said, holding up one hand palm out. “Before we get started, I want to take a moment to savor what’s happening here, Tucker. Mr. Know-It-All is coming to us for advice, and not advice on just any topic, but on women.”
“It’s a miracle,” Tucker agreed.
Boone flipped them the bird. “The miracle is that both of you losers found fabulous women who are willing to put up with you. In my defense, I’m not at the top of my game because I’m running on fumes due to nighttime feedings that average every two hours, so I’d appreciate it if you’d quit busting my balls and tell me what you got for me.”