Boone Read online

  “Excellent,” his mother replied. “I don’t know if you’ve seen Linda Gail recently, but she’s a lovely woman. She teaches kindergarten in Mineral Wells.” In an ever-so-casual tone, she added, “She’s single too.”

  Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding. Boone’s interfering-mother warning alarm went off. “Mom, tell me this isn’t a setup attempt.”

  All innocence, she said, “Now, son. Why would you think—”

  “Do the names Brooke Harkens, Liz Trenton, and Andrea Hernandez ring a bell?” Boone felt the weight of Hannah’s curious gaze, and he rolled his eyes. “Do I need to go on, Mom?”

  “Oh, all right. It’s just that I worry about you.”

  “You don’t need to worry about me, Mom.”

  “I can’t help it. You’re alone.”

  “So are the girls.”

  “I worry about your sisters too.”

  “Are you trying to set them up with dates for the wedding?”

  “Well, no.” She gave a little chuckle and added, “Brick Callahan took care of that little task for me. A couple of friends of his from Gunnison.”

  Boone laughed. He couldn’t help it. His mother was the Boy Scout of matchmaking. Always prepared.

  She wanted grandchildren. Badly. Her heart had been crushed right along with Boone’s when the adoptions had fallen through. She’d been his rock in the wake of Mary’s death. While he’d never explained all the gory details behind his decision to move to Colorado, she’d supported him. She’d never brought up the subject of remarriage—until she’d discovered that Jackson had a new girlfriend. That’s when she’d decided that Boone had licked his wounds long enough. She’d declared it was time he’d “met someone” and set about doing her part to make it happen.

  Little did she know that her most desired prize, that of becoming a grandmother, was mere days away. Or so it appeared. With his history, Boone wouldn’t count Trace’s adoption as a sure thing until the documents were signed, sealed, and delivered, and the boy lived with him until, well, until he turned eighteen and graduated from high school. That history was a big part of the reason he’d decided to keep his news to himself for a while.

  He didn’t want his mother’s heart to be broken all over again.

  But neither did he want her setting him up with a date for Jackson’s wedding.

  Sounds coming from the kitchen attracted Boone’s attention. He glanced over his shoulder to see that Hannah had cleared the table and was loading his dishwasher. “Like I said, Mom, Linda Gail is welcome to stay here at my place, but I hope you haven’t led her to believe I need a date.”

  “What would it hurt for you to escort—”

  “I already have a date to the wedding, Mom,” he said, his gaze locked on Hannah. Being a light didn’t mean there couldn’t be something in it for him. Right? “In fact, I have a date here having dinner with me right now, and this call is interrupting it.”

  “You do? You do? Well, why didn’t you say so? You shouldn’t have answered your phone during a date. That’s rude. I taught you better than that. Apologize to your date for the both of us. Goodbye, son. We will see you tomorrow.”

  “Goodbye, Mom. Y’all drive safe.”

  “Don’t worry about Linda Gail. I’ll find another place for her to stay. I didn’t say a word to her about you. I was saving that for the drive to Colorado.”

  He laughed. “Love you too, Mom.”

  With the call ended, he met Hannah’s gaze. “My mother asked me to apologize to you for interrupting our supper.”

  “Our supper?” She arched a brow. “I thought it was a date.”

  He winced. “Heard that, did you?”

  “You were standing in the doorway. I couldn’t help but hear. So, do you lie to your mother often?”

  His wince deepened to a grimace. “Ouch. Honestly, I very seldom lie to anyone, much less my mother. I can usually manage to choose my words carefully enough that I don’t put myself in that position. Tonight, I’ll admit I flew a little too close to the line. In my defense, I only answered her call because I thought it might be a time-sensitive issue. Instead, I found out she was matchmaking, so I shut it down as quickly as possible. After all, I do have a dinner guest, and who’s to say it’s not a date?”

  “Um, me.”

  “Perhaps you’re defining the word too narrowly. I invited you to dinner. You accepted. I believe I could successfully argue the point.”

  “Well, you’re a lawyer. You’ll argue that the lake is orange if it suits your purpose.”

  Boone flashed her a grin. “Won’t try to argue that point. What I do want to do is return to the discussion we were having before my mother called. You’d just asked a question.”

  When Hannah wrinkled her brow in thought, Boone reminded her. “You asked for a recommendation for a place to stay.”

  “Oh, that’s right. You said it was complicated.”

  “I did, and it is. Ordinarily, I’d send you to Angel’s Rest because it’s truly the nicest resort in this part of the state. However, I happen to know that they are completely booked until mid-August. Between the normal summer crowd and the big wedding this coming weekend, I doubt you’ll find a free hotel room in a hundred miles. Luckily, I have a solution to that particular problem. C’mere.”

  He waved her over toward the windows, then pointed toward the small, weathered log cabin some thirty yards away from his garage on the other side of a rail fence. “I bought that property with the thought of future expansion. The cabin has one bedroom, one bath, and a kitchenette. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s clean and comfortable. It’s private. I was going to put my cousin Tucker up there, but he’s decided to bunk somewhere else, so it’s available. It’s yours if you’d like to stay. I hope you will stay. Want to walk over and see it?”

  Hannah’s tongue circled her lips as she considered it. Boone could tell she was tempted, so he pressed, “I promise I’ll be an exceptional landlord. I’ll allow you your privacy, and I won’t be a pest.”

  She shifted her gaze from the cabin to him, tilted her head, and studied him. “What’s the catch?”

  “No catch.”

  “There’s something,” she mused, suspicion in her violet eyes.

  “Tell you what. I can use a walk after that big meal. Why don’t we go take a look at the cabin before the sun goes down? You can think about it overnight, and let me know what you want to do in the morning. Okay?”

  Following a moment’s hesitation, she nodded. Boone hustled her out the door before she could change her mind.

  He took the long way around, choosing the path along the shore because it showed the cabin in the most picturesque light. That and the trail exaggerated the distance between his house and the cottage. While they walked, he attempted to sell her on Eternity Springs. His recommendations included his favorite restaurant in town—Ali Timberlake’s Yellow Kitchen—and the live music performances held each summer evening at Murphy’s Pub. He talked more about the soap shop and the Christmas store and the spa at Angel’s Rest. “If you need of a day of pampering, you won’t find a better place for it.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” she said.

  They reached the fence that divided the two properties, and he opened the gate and motioned her through. “Oh, smell the honeysuckle,” Hannah said, referring to the vines that draped the fence rails.

  “It’s why I decided to leave this fence, at least for now,” he explained. “The flowers attract hummingbirds. I’m a bit of a bird-watcher.”

  “Really?”

  “Really. I saw a bald eagle last week.”

  “I saw one today! It was glorious.”

  “Stick around, pretty lady. You’ll see all sorts of wildlife.” Boone pretended not to see her skip a step. He launched into an enumeration of the different species of animals he’d seen since moving into his new home. “Keep in mind, I’ve only lived in the house a few weeks, so I expect the list will be longer by the end of the month. This is a relatively isolated secti
on of the lake, so early in the morning and again at dusk, we get lots of animals coming down for a drink.”

  As they approached the door, Boone pulled his keys from his pocket. The ding-a-ling of a small set of metal wind chimes hanging from the eaves sounded a pleasing welcome as he slipped the cabin key into the lock and paused. “I should probably give you a word of warning. When I decided not to tear the cabin down, I asked a friend of mine to handle the updates. I told you about her. Celeste Blessing? She owns Angel’s Rest? Remember?”

  Hannah nodded, and he continued, “Celeste gave the cabin a name and a theme. Serenity. So—” Boone swung open the door and gestured for her to enter. “—welcome to Serenity Cabbage.”

  As he’d expected, that stopped Hannah short. “Cabbage?”

  “We couldn’t decide between Cabin and Cottage. Cabbage became a joke that stuck.”

  Laughing, Hannah stepped inside. “Oh, my.”

  Boone followed her into the cabin, and as always, he was struck first by the smell. Celeste had commissioned a special fragrance from Savannah Turner to be used in a variety of items at Serenity, everything from fabric detergent to cleaning agents to candles. Thankfully, it had nothing to do with the aroma of cooked cabbage. It was a pleasing scent—fresh, welcoming, and cozy. Boone thought it might have some lavender in it, but beyond that, the fragrance remained a mystery. Savannah and Celeste called it Simple Serenity.

  The next items Boone always noticed were the stuffed animals. The little dog was the mascot of Angel’s Rest, named by Sarah Murphy of Fresh Bakery fame, and sold by the hundreds each year along with accessories like dress-up clothes and hats in the Angel’s Rest gift shop. In addition to the plush toy itself, the shop sold Serenity T-shirts, and calendars and pens and socks and bathrobes and blankets. Celeste had installed at least one of every branded item in Serenity Cottage. The touches were subtle, but anyone who spent time here would note the message.

  As a result, Serenity had a vibe that made a person want to sink down and chill.

  “It’s lovely,” Hannah said. “Homey and welcoming.”

  “Peaceful and serene,” he finished. “It can be your sanctuary for a while, Hannah. All you have to do is say yes.”

  She stroked the buttery soft throw draped over the back of a rocking chair and opened her mouth. Boone could all but see the word yes formed on her tongue. Then, abruptly, she closed her mouth and frowned. “Something about this strikes me as being too good to be true. What’s the rent?”

  “It’s fair.” He gave her his best, boyish, encouraging smile. “You can rent Serenity Cabbage for a month—no, make that the entire summer. You can have it until Labor Day at no charge if you’ll do me one little favor.”

  She folded her arms, tilted her chin, and studied him. “Let me guess. You need a date for your cousin’s wedding on Saturday, don’t you?”

  “And the rehearsal party on Friday night. It’s going to be a lot of fun. Great Texas barbecue, superb live music, and the groom’s dog will be the ring bearer at the ceremony on Saturday.”

  “I’m flattered, Boone. Truly I am. But I have to ask. Why me? I don’t doubt for a minute that you know of dozens of women who’d be thrilled to be your date to this wedding—without the cabin bribe. Why not call one of them?”

  “Cabbage bribe,” he corrected. “And you’re right. I imagine I could get someone to go with me. Honestly, up until now, I haven’t wanted to take a date to Jackson’s wedding. Here’s the deal, Hannah. This is going to sound a little crazy to you, I’m sure, but we have this tradition thing going on in Eternity Springs. My friend Celeste—the one who decorated Serenity Cabbage—has this thing about angel wings. She gives an award. A blazon, she calls it, and you have to earn it. When you’re part of the Eternity Springs community, and when most of your friends have already earned theirs, well, it makes a person want one. I want one. I’m competitive that way.”

  “Okay, but what does that have to do with me being your wedding date?”

  “I think I was being guided by destiny when I chose to stop at Lover’s Leap. I think that I was meant to be a light in the darkness of your anniversary day.”

  “You were that, Boone, and I thank you for it. You’ve been a real blessing for me today. But today is one thing; lighting up my entire summer is something else. How do you figure taking me to your cousin’s wedding plays into the illumination process?”

  He rubbed the back of his neck. He didn’t know how to explain it to her because he couldn’t explain it to himself. All he knew for certain was that he didn’t want to see her drive off into the sunrise tomorrow. He wanted her here. Next door. This summer. He wanted her next door when he brought home his new puppy, Lucky or maybe Ranger, and when he brought his new son, Trace, home. And he wanted that quite badly.

  What he didn’t want was to scare her away. Judging by the look on her face, he was close to doing precisely that. Step carefully, McBride. “Look, the wedding date isn’t a deal-breaker. We can negotiate a more typical rental fee if you’d prefer.”

  “I would.”

  “Okay, then. How about I check with the chamber and get the average price for a long-term summer rental in Eternity Springs? Would you be agreeable to that?” When she hesitated, he pressed, “I honestly believe you’d enjoy spending time in and around our town this summer, Hannah. I’d be happy to have you as a neighbor at Serenity Cabbage.”

  She grinned and shook her head. “I’m sorry, but that is such a stupid name.”

  “I know. It’s why I love it. It’s a shame to have such a stupidly named, peaceful place sitting empty all summer. Tell me you’ll stay.” When still she hesitated, he added, “We have Uber now. They’ll deliver warm cookies right out of Fresh’s oven.”

  Hannah pursed her lips. “Two weeks. Will you lease Serenity to me at the going rate for two weeks?”

  He extended his hand. “Deal. With the option to extend.”

  She shook it. “Deal. Starting tonight. That way, we won’t need to worry about changing the sheets on your guest bed before your family arrives tomorrow.”

  He wasn’t going to argue that point. He was going to save his powder to make another run at getting Hannah to agree to be his wedding date. “Want to walk a little farther? If we follow the shoreline path about a hundred yards, there’s a spot that offers a fabulous view of the sunset. It’s shaping up to be a nice one tonight. Just the right amount of clouds to get some vivid color.”

  “Sounds perfect. Lead on, sir.”

  He led her along the lakeside path without speaking, toward the spot at the far end of the Serenity property where he’d replaced an old wooden bench with a pair of cushioned swivel rockers. Turned toward the west, one could watch the sunset. Turned toward the lake, one had a perfect view of the Callahan family’s North Forty compound. With wedding guests slated for arrival beginning tomorrow, the property bustled with activity, Boone saw.

  “This is the spot.” He motioned for Hannah to take a seat if she wished while he picked up a pail half full of flat stones that he collected whenever he spied one. He had a dozen such pails parked along the shoreline of his property because Boone loved to skip rocks. “Looks like we’ve timed this pretty good,” he observed as he selected a stone. “The sky should be spectacular in the next ten minutes or so.”

  He selected a rock and sent it skipping across the glassy surface of Hummingbird Lake. Three skips. Silently, he offered the pail to Hannah. She accepted the challenge.

  “You’re good,” he said after she’d slung a five-hopper.

  “Once upon a time, I lived on a lake. I found this activity the perfect blend of relaxation and challenge.”

  “A woman after my own heart. We’re a perfect match.” He handed her a second stone. “Which reminds me. Look straight across the lake. See where they’ve built an arch right at the water? It’s the best sunset spot on the lake. That’s where my cousin Jackson will marry Caroline about this time on Saturday. Now that we have the Cabbage situation sett
led, mind if we revisit the wedding date question?”

  Her second stone skipped four times. “You are persistent, aren’t you?”

  “A dog with a bone, my mama says. So, yeah. I am persistent. I want you to be my date to the wedding events. You’ll be doing me a solid if you agree. In fact, it could be argued that doing so would be the flip side of the light-destiny thing.”

  Reaching into the bucket for another stone, she paused and met his gaze, frowning in confusion. “I don’t understand. Is Saturday an anniversary for you? Are you saying that you need a light of your own?”

  “No. Hannah. What I need is protection.”

  “Against what?”

  “Not what. Who. My mother. I failed to anticipate the effect that Jackson’s marriage would have on the woman, and she doesn’t even know about my other cousin Tucker’s big news. This call tonight was a tip-off. I have a Matchmaking Mama problem, and I need to nip it in the bud this weekend. Now, you’re going to repeat the suggestion that I call someone local, but here’s my argument against that. It’s a numbers problem. As in, we don’t have them. The truth is, I’ve already gone out with every eligible woman in Eternity Springs. All four of them. All four of them agreed that we are great friends, but not potential lovers. And my mother knows this.”

  “You keep her updated on your dates?”

  “No, but Mom made a visit to Angel’s Rest on a girls’ weekend trip with friends in April. She grilled Celeste, who spilled the beans.”

  “Ah.”

  “Say you’ll come, Hannah.”

  He knew she was relenting when she fixed her gaze on the North Forty. “I don’t have anything appropriate to wear to a wedding. I wouldn’t know what to wear to this one.”

  “Angel’s Rest has a boutique. Ask for Lisa. She’ll get you fixed up.” He sent the stone he held flying, a high arc, rather than a flat skip. Then he caught her hand in his and brought it up to his mouth. He kissed her knuckles. “Please? I promise to show you a good time, and I’ll be a perfect gentleman.”

  “A perfect gentleman?”