“It’s our pet name for him. He loves it.”
“Sure, he does,” Linc said, chuckling. “Seventh-grade health class for you and your fellow buffoon was one of the worst things to ever happen to poor Max.”
“On behalf of my buffoon twin and myself, thank you. We were rather proud of our work when it came to him.”
“All kidding aside, your mom and I were happy to see him having a good time with Caroline. He’s had a rough few months.”
“Yeah, he has. So how’d he get a night all to himself?”
“Mom and I saw that he was having fun, so we suggested to Hannah that she offer to keep Caden with them for the night.”
“In case we’ve never told you, we hit the parent jackpot with you guys.”
“Thank you, son,” Linc said softly. “I’m glad you feel that way.”
“We all feel that way.”
Chapter Thirty-One
“Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”
—Michael Jordan
Max tried to stay focused on work at the sugaring facility, but his mind was still locked in a Boston hotel room with Caroline. What a night that had been. After he’d danced with her for hours, his sister Hannah had offered to keep Caden for the night, and Max had willingly agreed. He so rarely took any time for himself anymore that he hadn’t hesitated to jump on the offer, knowing his son would be with an aunt and uncle who adored him.
Apparently, it had been his parents’ idea, which meant they’d probably tuned in to the deep funk he’d been in lately and were hoping a night off from fatherhood would do him good.
They’d been right about that. One night with the supremely sexy Caroline Lodge Fullerton had definitely fixed what ailed him.
She was fun, funny, smart, athletic, sexy and up for anything in bed.
Fuck, he could not be thinking about that unless he wanted to sport wood in the forest. That thought made him laugh.
“What’s so funny over there?” Colton asked.
Max hadn’t realized his brother was so close by. “Just thinking about something funny that happened this weekend.”
“Oh yeah? What’s that?”
Think of something, Max… “You know how Caden slept over with Hannah, Nolan and Callie after the wedding?”
“I heard that.”
“The kids slept between them, and they woke up to a hair-pulling fight at six a.m.”
“That is funny.” Colton gave him a curious look. “So what’d you do with your one free night?”
“As you well know, I went out after the wedding with you and your wife and our siblings and cousins.”
“And after that? When you walked Caroline back to the hotel. What happened then?”
“None of your business.”
“Aha. So it’s like that, is it? I hope you used protection.”
“Shut up, Colton.”
“I’m only busting you. Don’t get pissy. I’m glad you had some fun. You needed that. You’ve been a barrel of laughs lately.”
“It’s been harder than I thought it would be, to be on my own with Caden. Not that I’m completely on my own with Mom and Dad and everyone else around, but still…”
“The responsibility is all yours. I feel that, and for what it’s worth, I’ve admired the hell out of how you’ve stepped up for your son.”
“What choice did I have?”
“You didn’t even see it as a choice. You just saw him and that he needed you, and you were there for him. That’s cool, bro.”
“Caroline said she doesn’t want kids.”
“Like, ever?”
“That’s what she said.”
“Huh. Well, that’s something to consider.”
“Doesn’t matter anyway. She lives three hours from Vermont. I don’t even have reliable cell service unless I’m up here on the mountain. It was a fun weekend, but that’s all it’s gonna be.”
“Who you trying to convince? Me or yourself?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Okay.”
They went back to work replacing lines of plastic hose that brought sap from the trees to the sugarhouse, but Max continued to think about Caroline and the night they’d spent together while wondering if he’d ever see her again.
Hannah hadn’t slept in days. Coming home from Boston to learn that Dexter had gotten out of his pen and disappeared had left her devastated. She was barely functioning as she waited and hoped that someone would spot him or Fred or both of them. But days later, there was no sign of either of them, and she was a sleep-deprived zombie as she worried about whether Dex had eaten anything or if he was cold or if he missed her and his home.
She stood at the door and stared out at the dark yard, wishing with all her heart that he was safely tucked into his pen for the night.
Maybe she’d been crazy to think she could provide a good home for a baby moose, but she’d certainly tried to make him happy.
Nolan came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. “You need to get some sleep, Han.”
“I can’t sleep.”
“You have to.” He gently guided her back from the storm door, shutting and locking the inside door.
“Leave the light on. Just in case.”
Nolan left the outside light on. Taking her by the hand, he led her into their room where he undressed her and helped her into the flannel pajamas she wore year-round. “Come on, let’s brush your teeth.”
“I can do it.”
When she emerged from the bathroom, he was sitting on the bed waiting for her and held out his arms to her.
Hannah went to him, sat on his lap and let him surround her with his love. “This reminds me too much of when Homer died.” Losing her late husband’s beloved dog had been like losing Caleb all over again.
“I know you love Dex, and I’m sorry this has happened.”
“Even though you think I’m insane for wanting to keep a baby moose as a pet?”
“I never used the word ‘insane.’”
“You thought it.”
“I love you, Hannah. Whatever makes you happy makes me happy.”
“Even Dexter?”
“Even Dexter. I have to admit the little guy has grown on me.”
“Can we bring him inside when he comes home?”
“Absolutely not.”
Her shoulders slumped again.
“Maybe for a quick visit,” Nolan said.
“Really?”
“Like, ten minutes.”
For the first time in days, she smiled.
“There’s my girl. I hate to see you so sad.”
“I miss him, and I’m so worried about him. He doesn’t know how to feed himself or how to stay warm without his blankets.”
Homer Junior brushed up against her leg.
Hannah leaned down to pick him up. “You miss your brother, too, don’t you?” she asked the dog.
Always mindful of the sleeping baby, he gave a soft yip. He was the best-behaved dog she’d ever known, even more so than his namesake.