“Mom!” There was no mistaking the pleasure in her daughter’s voice as she answered her cell phone. Using the FaceTime feature, Hannah pretended to glare at her mother. “I was beginning to think that you lost my phone number!”
“Said the daughter who hasn’t called me in almost a week,” Josie countered, amused.
“I have a paper due, Mom,” Hannah protested by way of an explanation.
“Let me guess. You used up all your words on the paper, so there were none left over for me,” Josie deduced.
“I did have to use some of that time to get some sleep,” Hannah said. “You don’t want me falling asleep in class, now, do you?”
“Heaven forbid,” Josie said, glancing at Declan and smiling. She was really looking forward to introducing her daughter to him. “The important part is that we’ve finally connected.”
“And you have something to tell me,” Hannah concluded.
Her daughter had managed to surprise her. “How did you—”
“Mom, please. Even without FaceTime, I can see right through you. Speaking of which, you need to focus the video a little better.”
Josie didn’t need any further prompting. “I’m doing it right now, my love.”
The next moment, Josie managed to clear up the picture of the camera on her cell phone.
She also managed to arouse her daughter’s curiosity.
“Mom, who are all those other people in the room with you?” she asked.
Josie had Declan, Shannon and Declan’s mother, Ruth, standing beside her. Ruth and Shannon both waved at the girl. “Hannah,” Josie began, “I would like to introduce you to—”
She didn’t get a chance to finish. Hannah squealed, obviously excited. “Is that... Declan? He’s that good-looking cowboy who gave you those riding lessons, right?” her daughter asked, clearly pleased. And then she gasped as her eyes caught a flash on her mother’s hand as she took hold of Declan’s, pulling him closer.
“Is that a ring on your finger?” Hannah wanted to know. Not waiting for an answer, she cried, “It is, isn’t it?”
Josie turned toward Declan. “Nothing gets by my daughter. She’s going to make a fantastic doctor,” she told him proudly.
This was clearly after the fact, but Declan decided to properly introduce himself. “Hello, Hannah. I’m Declan Hoyt. And this is my niece, Shannon, and my mother, Ruth,” he told the broadly smiling young woman.
She nodded at both women, then said, “Hello, Declan. Are you calling to tell me that you’re going to make an honest woman of my mother?”
The greeting stunned him. “How did you—” he began, amazed.
Hannah laughed, pleased with herself. “Mom talked about you enough for me to make the connection.”
Embarrassed, Josie started to protest. “Hannah, I never—”
“You didn’t have to,” Hannah replied, her eyes sparkling even over FaceTime. “Some things I can figure out for myself. So, when’s the big day?” she wanted to know, delighted as she looked from one to the other parties involved.
“We haven’t figured it out yet,” Declan admitted. “Maybe you can help us decide when you come out for your next visit.”
Hannah looked extremely pleased as she returned Declan’s gaze. “I like him already, Mom. I’ll be out the next break that comes up,” she promised. Her voice filled with excitement. “I’ve got lots of ideas.”
Declan laughed. “Sounds like a chip off the old block,” he told Josie.
“Hey, watch that ‘old’ stuff,” Josie warned.
He smiled at his fiancée, his eyes completely focused on her. “Oh, I fully intend to,” he promised. “I fully intend to.”
Look for the next book in the Furever Yours continuity, The Bookshop Rescue by Rochelle Alers, on sale May 2022 wherever Harlequin Special Edition books and ebooks are sold!
And catch up with the previous book in the Furever Yours series:
Home is Where the Hound Is
by Melissa Senate
On sale now!
Keep reading for an excerpt from Last Chance on Moonlight Ridge by Catherine Mann.