So this was what normal life was like.
Boring.
Hannah flopped onto her couch Monday afternoon. Ned and Barley were stretched out next to each other near the patio door, where sunlight fell in a long stripe. Her poor, tired guys.
On Saturday Austin had called to let her know she didn’t need to babysit anymore. He’d hired Cassie on the spot. Hannah was glad. Hiring her had allowed them all to get back to their routines.
Randy had returned to the store, Austin had resumed ranching, and she’d finally started her summer vacation the way she’d imagined it. And all had been fine...until an hour ago. After two weeks of busy, busy, busy, she wasn’t sure what to do with hours and hours of free time. She was tempted to stop by Watkins Outfitters. See how Randy was doing. Ask if he needed help painting. Maybe even chat with Joe Schlock.
She must be desperate.
It wasn’t as though she’d been a lazy bum all day. She’d woken early, played with the dogs—Ned had actually seemed happy for once—packed away all the teaching supplies, cleaned her apartment, had two short training sessions with Barley that had gone better than she’d expected, made herself a healthy lunch, talked to Mom for twenty minutes on the phone and taken the dogs for a short walk.
She should probably be tired. She wasn’t, though. A restless energy zipped through her veins, urging her to text Cassie to make sure AJ was okay or to call Tess to find out if she needed help with any wedding details, even though she’d talked to her yesterday and Tess hadn’t mentioned anything.
Her nails caught her attention. They looked scraggly. Hopping up, she tried to remember if she had any clear polish left. She rarely wore colors since her nails tended to take a beating in the classroom.
A new bottle of clear polish sat in her bathroom drawer, so she filed her nails and swiped two coats on.
Now what?
Ned and Barley were still conked out. Her heart squeezed for the black Lab. Ned was such a trouper, but he seemed out of sorts. Like he was watching for someone or wanted to be somewhere else.
Could a dog be depressed?
Barley yawned. Wagging his tail, he ambled over to her, looking up with trusting eyes. Hannah got on the floor and petted him, hoping her nails were dry. “You’re a good boy, aren’t you? Only one accident today. How about we try no accidents tomorrow?”
He mouthed her hand, and she pulled it away, reaching to get a toy for him to chew instead.
Ned woke, too, took one look at her and changed positions, chin on his paws again. He let out a pathetic sigh and licked his chops. She checked her watch. Not quite four thirty.
“All right, fellas, it’s time for a field trip. Let’s go see Randy.” At the sound of Randy’s name, Ned’s ears perked forward.
It told her everything she needed to know. The dog missed him.
She kind of did, too.
After leashing the dogs and taking Barley out for a potty break, she drove the short distance to Watkins Outfitters. Then she led both dogs through the front door of the store where Joe stood in front of the fishing rods.
“Hi, Joe. Buying new gear?” She gave the older man a smile.
“Well, Hannah, it’s good to see you back.” He gave her his full attention. “Will you be minding the store again?” His hope-filled eyes went straight to her heart. He was lonely, and she’d actually enjoyed talking to him the week she’d managed the store.
“No, I’m busy with these two rascals.” She nodded to the dogs.
“Ah, there’s Ned.” Joe petted his head. “What’s the young ’un’s name?”
“Barley. I’m raising him for a year or so. Then he’ll go on to train to be a service dog.”
“You don’t say?” Joe rubbed his chin. “It’ll be hard letting him go. He sure is cute.”
“He is, isn’t he?” She wouldn’t argue with that. “Is Randy around?”
“He’s in the back.” Joe yanked his thumb over his shoulder.
“I’ll go find him. It was nice seeing you again.”
She continued to the back and leaned her shoulder against the doorjamb of the storeroom, where Randy was lifting a box onto a high shelf. “I see you’re back in your natural habitat.”
“Hey.” A grin spread across his face. “You brought Ned.” The dog got as close as the leash would allow, so she let go of it. Ned sat directly in front of Randy, staring up with his tongue out. “I missed you, boy.” Randy glanced at her. “What brings you out here? I figured you’d be lounging all day, finally enjoying your summer vacation.”
“I’m not much of a lounger.” She nodded to Ned. “I think he misses you.”
“You think?”
“Oh, yeah.”
“Well, he’s welcome here anytime. He’s practically the store mascot. Everyone’s been asking where he’s been.”
“That’s sweet...” Barley was sniffing a box nearby.
“I’d love to have him around more.”
“I don’t know.” No arguments came to mind. Sure, he was her dog, but wasn’t part of being a dog owner doing what was best for him? Was it selfish that she wanted him to be with her all the time so she could bond with him? “He’s my responsibility.”
Randy shrugged. “The offer stands. I could pick him up on my way in. Would give you more time to work with Barley.”
The idea tempted her. More than tempted her. Ned would love being with Randy. And she would be able to focus on Barley during the day. “Barley does need a lot more work. The first online meeting with the other puppy raisers was yesterday. Most of them were like me, struggling to potty-train and corral their pups, but there were a few who have already gotten their puppies to respond to several commands.”
“Well, there you go.”
“You wouldn’t mind?”
“Of course not.”
“Okay, then. I think it would be good for him. Only the mornings, though. I’ll pick him up at lunchtime. If it’s not going well after a week, I’ll just keep him with me.” She checked on Barley. He must not have found anything exciting in his sniffing, because he’d plunked down near her feet. “How’s everything else going?”
“Great. I finished painting yesterday, and I haven’t had to look at a cow since Friday.” His face positively lit up. “The only negative was the church ladies dropping off another week’s worth of casseroles yesterday and staying to help with AJ. They’re nice, but they can be...”
“A bit much?”
“Yeah. Way too much. For me, anyway.” He wiped his hands down his jeans. “Hey, what are you doing later?”
“Nothing.” Anticipation thrummed in her veins. Did he miss her, too?
“I need to order some furniture. Don’t have a clue what would work in my living room.”
He wanted her help. She found it satisfying—to be needed. Wanted. Even if it was just to help pick out furniture.
“I can come over if you’d like.” She tried not to sound too eager. “We can measure the space and figure out what you need.”
“Yeah, that would be great.” His gaze took her in, and a delicious shiver slid over her skin. “Should I pick up some dinner first?”
“Why don’t you let me get the food? You do what you have to do here, and I’ll meet you at the house.”
“Sounds great. You can leave Ned with me.”
“You got it.” She turned to leave, then hesitated. “Are you hungry for anything in particular?”
“Anything. I’m starving.”
She chuckled. “I’ll take care of it.”
Picking up dinner, looking at furniture...it all felt so domestic. And she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t anticipating spending time with Randy. But what would happen after he moved in?
He wouldn’t need her anymore. And she’d be left on her own.
Blue sky, dog at his side, great day back at the store. And now Hannah was helping him pick out furniture. Yeah, he couldn’t ask for more.
The breeze cooled Randy’s face as he drove with the windows down to the house. The doctor’s office had called earlier to let him know the doctor had ordered a few tests before his appointment next week, so he’d scheduled them for Wednesday. Now that his part-time employee, Finn, was back, Randy wouldn’t have to worry about the store when he drove an hour away to the hospital for the tests.
He hadn’t experienced any symptoms for the past two days. He didn’t fear keeling over the way he had a week ago.
Maybe he could look forward to the future. Ask Hannah out on a real date. Think about having more than just a house and the store.
Think about a wife.
His throat grew tight. Was he deluding himself? The disease still lurked in his body.
But it had been a while since he’d tried medication. There could be better treatments. Drugs that didn’t produce the terrible side effects he’d dealt with last time. Something to prolong his life.
“What do you think, Ned? Am I a fool for liking your owner so much?”
Ned’s tongue hung out of his mouth, and he licked his doggy lips. Randy would take that as a yes.
“I need a dog like you by my side.” The drive came into view, and he turned down it, marveling at the incredible vistas surrounding him.
In another week, he’d be living here.
Hannah’s Jeep was already parked, and she pulled a paper bag out of the passenger seat before waving to him.
He stopped his truck next to the Jeep. He and Ned joined her and Barley on the front porch. The puppy had circled around her legs, roping her with his leash. She was about to either burst out laughing or explode. He wasn’t sure which.
“Here, let me help.” Randy took the bag from her hands.
“Thanks.” She smiled, stepping out of the loop the leash had made, and led the puppy to the front lawn. “This might take a minute.”
“No problem.” He opened the door for Ned and took the food to the kitchen.
The countertops had been installed! He circled around to take it all in, amazed at how close the house was to being finished.
“He actually went to the bathroom for me.” Hannah came into the kitchen with Barley by her side. When she reached the island, she stopped. “Wow.”
“My first time seeing it, too.” He set out napkins next to the food containers. “Floors are getting started tomorrow.”
“Do you have a move-in date?”
“I told the guys to save next Monday night for me. If all goes well, I’ll be living here in one week.”
“One week.” She circled the island, trailing a finger across it, and stepped over to the cabinets. She opened them one by one, then turned to him with a radiant smile. “This is an absolute dream, Randy. I love it.”
An intense feeling he couldn’t identify swamped him. Looking at her, all bright and happy and sunny and pure Hannah, drove every thought out of his head but one.
She belonged in this house.
And he couldn’t think of a single reason why she shouldn’t be here.
Long-term.
He closed the distance between them, softly touched her cheek and gazed into those sparkling blue eyes.
Excitement and nervousness warred in them, and he dropped his hand to caress her arm while his other hand slipped around her waist. His face was inches from her.
“I like you.” His voice was low, raspy. He half expected her to toss out something sarcastic, but she moistened her lips and blinked up at him.
“I like you, too.”
And the only thing he could think to do was to kiss her. Lowering his mouth to hers, he sensed her quick intake of breath, and he pressed her closer to him. The kiss was slow and sweet and right. Her hands crept up to his shoulders as she kissed him back. The sensations flooding him told him this was what he’d been waiting for. This woman. This kiss.
He tasted a hint of lemonade on her lips. He wanted to laugh at how right, how simple it was with her.
When she broke away, he realized how breathless he felt.
“Um, I think we have an audience.” Hannah pointed to his left, where Ned and Barley sat looking up at them.
He burst into laughter. Hannah did, too.
For the next couple of hours, they ate enchiladas, measured the living room and sat in chairs in the backyard, scrolling through Randy’s phone, looking for furniture.
“A sectional would work great in there.” Hannah kept an eye on both dogs, who were nosing around the grass. Whenever Barley began to stray, Ned herded him back.
“Will it fit?”
“What about that one?” She leaned over his arm and pointed to a gray sectional on the screen. “It would seat a lot of people. And you could buy an armchair for the corner.”
“I wish I could try it out. I don’t like a stiff couch. And I’m going to miss the recliner.”
“If you want to make the drive to test them...”
“No.” He didn’t have time to drive to a bigger city to try out furniture.
“Look! They have a matching recliner.” She pointed again. “See?”
“Doesn’t look like a recliner. Looks like a regular chair to me.”
“It isn’t. Swipe through the other pictures.”
He realized she was right. It was a recliner.
“Sold.” He put his phone away and turned to her. The time seemed ripe to bring up something else on his mind. He’d been wanting to do this for a while. “Do you have a date for Sawyer’s wedding?”
“What?” An adorable crinkle formed above the bridge of her nose.
He shifted to face her. “Do. You. Have. A. Date. For. Sawyer’s. Wedding?”
Wide-eyed, she shook her head.
“Want to be mine?”
She nodded.
“Well, this is a first. Hannah Carr speechless.” His lips curved into a grin. “Rehearsal dinner, too? I’ll pick you up for both.”
“Is this a date?” Her forehead scrunched in confusion.
Didn’t she want to be his date? He’d gotten the impression she’d enjoyed his kiss earlier. Maybe he shouldn’t have assumed he was special to her.
“Yeah, it’s a date, unless you don’t want it to be.”
“Don’t put words in my mouth, Randy Watkins.”
“There’s enough words in there—no need for me to put more in.” He reached over and entwined his fingers with hers.
“Yes, I’ll be your date.” A shyness seemed to overcome her, and it surprised him. Whatever he knew about Hannah, shyness wasn’t part of it.
Or was she having second thoughts? Had he read her wrong?
“This house...” She was fighting for the words. “The dogs love running around out here. It’s a good yard for kids.”
Kids?
They’d shared a kiss, and she was talking about kids?
“Don’t you mean dogs?” He kept his tone breezy, but her words rocketed his anxiety into gear.
“Those, too.” She was looking ahead, and her profile had a wistfulness he hadn’t seen before.
Ned loped toward them, and Barley followed, thinking it was a game. Ned bypassed Hannah and sat next to Randy.
Kids and dogs. All because of a date for the wedding. What had he been thinking?
He had a heart condition. One he hadn’t told anyone about. And he had no business pretending to be an ordinary guy.
A relationship with Hannah would mean honesty. Coming clean about his health.
But would that be fair to her? Making her worry needlessly about something she couldn’t control?
Finding his father lifeless, his body cold, his eyes staring ahead at nothing, had changed Randy in ways he’d never be able to verbalize. He couldn’t stand the thought of putting Hannah or any of his loved ones through that.
“Is something wrong?” she asked.
“No.”
“You got tense when I mentioned kids.”
“No, I didn’t. You’re reading into things. Thinking too much,” he said, standing abruptly. “Let’s just enjoy the moment.”
Ned licked his hand, and shame overcame him.
He’d told himself he wouldn’t be selfish. Wouldn’t toy with her emotions. Yet, that was what he was doing.
Could he have forever or not?
He didn’t know. He just didn’t know.
“Randy’s going to be my date for the wedding.” Hannah watched the reactions of the other ladies around the table in the showroom of Mayer Canyon Candles the next night. The candle business was in a pole barn on the Mayer family ranch. Reagan and Holly Mayer had set up a large table in the showroom to make decorations for Tess’s reception. Tess and Hannah’s sister-in-law Leann were also there to help.
Tess dropped the netting she held. Reagan got a dreamy expression on her face. Holly let out a small squeal.
“That’s wonderful,” Leann raved. “You two are perfect for each other.”
“Hold up.” She loved their enthusiasm, but it might be misplaced. “It’s a date. A plus-one thing. That’s it.”
After she came home last night, she’d replayed his kiss over and over in her mind. It had been such an amazing kiss. A romantic one. Randy had been tender and giving and his arms had felt so strong, and he’d smelled incredible, and all she could do was picture herself with him in his beautiful house forever.
She’d mentally moved in last night.
But then she’d spoiled it by mentioning kids. And he’d said the words she never wanted to hear again. You’re thinking too much.
Yeah, she was a thinker, a planner, a doer.
It was the too much that had given her pause.
Did every guy consider her too much?
Was she too much?
“Tell us everything,” Reagan said.
Hannah zoomed back to the present and realized all of the ladies had scooted their chairs closer and were watching her expectantly. She lunged for another roll of wired tape to shape into a bow. “There’s nothing to tell.”
The way they were staring at her felt like an interrogation. This was getting weird.
“Did he ask you to be his date?” Tess asked. “Or was it casual, like, hey, we should go together to the wedding?”
“No, he asked me.” At least she had that going for her. A murmur of approval rippled through the group.
“Have you been on a date, yet?” Reagan looked positively ecstatic.
“Uh, no.” She didn’t think anything they’d done constituted a date.
“Taking care of the baby and building the house must have gotten his mind moving in the right direction.” Holly had such an easy way about her. “Do you like him?”
“Yeah. Sure.” Of course! She liked him too much.
Too much. Always too much.
“Well, don’t get so excited there.” Leann rolled her eyes. “Does your mom know?”
“I called her last night.”
“I’m shocked she didn’t tell me.”
“I asked her not to. I don’t want it to become this big deal. Really, it isn’t. He’s picking me up for the rehearsal and the wedding, that’s it.”
“So, it’s two dates.” Reagan sounded triumphant.
“I guess.” She lifted her right shoulder in a shrug. She wanted to enjoy this and get wrapped up in their enthusiasm, but she couldn’t. Her heart was too easily misled. This—this reading into every detail of a guy’s intentions—had led to pain before.
“Yeah, but you’ve been spending a lot of time together.” Leann reached over and selected a glass votive holder. “Helping him at the store, helping him paint, helping with the baby. Hmm...did I miss something? Have you had the hots for him all along?”
“No!” Her cheeks were surely on fire. “Austin had an emergency, and I had free time. And any one of you would have babysat that darling baby if you had the summer free like I do.”
“Can’t argue with you about that. I saw AJ in church and had to stop myself from begging to hold the little guy.” Tess got a faraway look in her eyes. “I hope Sawyer wants kids soon.”
Kids. The word landed in Hannah’s stomach like a concrete slab.
Did Randy have something against kids? She’d seen him with AJ, so loving and gentle and patient. He adored the baby.
She’d just rushed into a conversation he wasn’t ready for, that was all.
Tess pointed to her. “Well, you wait, when word gets around town you’re dating—”
“We’re not dating.”
“Has he kissed you?” Reagan asked, arranging netting the way Tess had shown them and setting a votive holder in the center.
Hannah was not answering that.
“He has, hasn’t he?” Holly’s eyes grew round. “Oh, Hannah, he likes you.”
The words danced around her heart, but she didn’t dare get her hopes up.
“Well, why wouldn’t he like her?” Leann waved away the idea as ludicrous. “If he’s smart, he’ll snatch her up right quick.”
“You make me sound like a kidnapping victim.” Hannah shook her head.
“Leann’s just saying you’re a prize, and we all know it.” Holly wrapped ribbon around a vase. “You deserve a man who knows it, too.”
Her mom had always told her there was someone for everyone. In recent years, she’d doubted it.
“There’s someone for everyone,” Reagan said. Had she read her mind? “At least, that’s what Mom tells me.”
“Your mom and mine must be sisters separated at birth.” Hannah resumed shaping the ribbon into a bow. “Mine says it all the time.”
“What if they’re wrong?” Reagan bit her lower lip.
“Then we’ll have our own fun.”
“Something tells me the local single women will be dwindling from here on out.” Tess wore an innocent expression. “You, missy—” Tess pointed to Hannah “—are not escaping, either. Randy’s your man. Which leaves...Reagan. Who can we pair you up with?”
“Mac!” Leann grinned.
“No.” Reagan’s head shook rapidly. “He’s Jet’s age. Way too old for me.”
“Yeah, Mac’s a real grandpa.” Tess rolled her eyes. “He’s not that old.”
They tossed names around until all of them were laughing hysterically.
Hannah loved them all, but what if they were wrong? No matter how much she liked the idea of Randy being her man, she wasn’t sure of him. And she didn’t know why.