Chapter 17 #3
“I think I should go back to Williamsburg.”
Boone remained standing, overwhelmed by equal parts relief and annoyance.
While he’d be happy to see the back end of her, someone else would not.
“Thought you wanted to stay close to Sadie.” Lena hadn’t even been here one full day, and already she was planning to cut and run and disappoint their daughter…
again. He wasn’t even sure why he was surprised.
Lena gave him a look. “You were right. I’m just here because I need a place to stay.”
Mila tried to slowly make her way to the front door, clearly not feeling as if she belonged. Boone reached out as she passed behind him, grasping her hand to pull her next to him. She had a right to be here because, if he had his way, this was going to be her home. Very, very soon.
“Don’t go.” She started to protest, but he shook his head. “You’re a part of my life now. Mine and Sadie’s…and by extension, Lena’s.”
Mila stopped trying to leave, her unease giving way to…happiness. “I’m a part of your life?” she whispered.
Boone wrapped his arm around her shoulders, tugging her close. “Yes,” he said simply. The two of them were going to have that talk, but not in front of Lena.
Lena was watching them closely, her lips pursed tightly together. She’d been defeated and she knew it. It wasn’t often Lena didn’t get what she wanted, so he wasn’t surprised she was struggling to accept the loss.
“So, now you’re just taking off?” he asked. “Without giving a shit that Sadie will be disappointed?”
“No,” Lena said, hesitating. “I mean, yes. I’m not going to stay somewhere I’m clearly not wanted.”
Boone pinched the bridge of his nose. Of course she was twisting this around to make it his fault.
He lowered his voice, praying Sadie was still asleep.
It was stupid to have this conversation here, with her in the next room, but Boone didn’t want to drag this out.
“I didn’t say you couldn’t stay in Gracemont. You just can’t stay in this cabin.”
“I have no money, Boone. I spent what little I had for the plane ticket home from Florida. I had to borrow money for a tank of gas from my sister. And I’m driving her car, which I need to return to her by Sunday.
I can’t afford a hotel, so I’m not sure what else you expect me to do. You’ve left me no choice.”
This was Lena 101. Unable to solve her own problems, she blamed others when they wouldn’t do it for her.
It was why he’d bought the plane ticket for Sadie to visit her in Florida last summer.
Why he’d always been the one to drop Sadie off at Lena’s and pick her up.
Why he’d covered ninety percent of Sadie’s expenses for the past ten years.
And the reason she got away with all of that was because Boone refused to let Sadie suffer. She wanted to spend time with her mother, so he found ways to make that happen when Lena couldn’t…or wouldn’t.
“Boone,” Mila said softly. “There are a couple of vacant cabins.”
He turned to face Mila, unable to believe what he was hearing. Even after Lena’s rudeness to her yesterday, Mila was trying to find a way to help. “Mila.”
“Sadie hasn’t even had a chance to show Lena the stables or introduce her to the horses.”
Boone sighed, recalling Sadie making those plans one night shortly after her return from her last visit with her mother. He rubbed the back of his neck…then nodded, just once.
Mila turned to Lena. “There are several cabins on the farm that we rent out to visitors. Quite a few of them are taken this week, but a couple aren’t. They’re all kind of rustic, but you’re welcome to stay in one of those until Sunday, so you don’t have to cut your visit with Sadie short.”
Lena looked as amazed as Boone felt. “You really wouldn’t mind?”
Mila shook her head. “Of course not.”
“That’s…that’s really nice of you, Mila.”
“There’s one cabin that’s pretty close to this one. I’ll come back this afternoon with the key. We can head over there together, and you can settle in.”
Lena was more subdued than Boone had ever seen her. “Thank you.” Glancing at him, she said, “I think I’m going to go lie down with Sadie for a little while. I didn’t sleep well last night.”
He wondered how long she’d waited up for him. Given the dark circles under her eyes, he’d guess she hadn’t gotten more than a few hours’ sleep.
He and Mila watched as Lena walked back to Sadie’s room, tiptoeing in and closing the door behind her.
Mila sighed. “Well, I guess I—”
She stopped talking when Boone grasped her hand and tugged her toward his bedroom. Closing the door, he placed his hands on her hips.
“Mila, earlier, when you got here… I realize that didn’t look good, but—”
Mila laughed softly. “Boone, you’d only just left my bed.”
“Yeah, but…” He raked his fingers through his hair. “I was stripping off to get in the shower. I didn’t even see Lena in the bed. Apparently, she spent the night there, waiting for me to get home.”
“Given what I’ve learned about Lena, that tracks,” she said dryly.
He frowned. “You’re not mad?”
Mila squinted, confused. “Why would I be mad about that?”
“I love you.” Boone hadn’t meant to blurt out those words, but now that he had… “I’m in love with you.”
Mila smiled widely. “I’m in love with you too.”
He kissed her, deep and slow. “I don’t want to keep this thing between us quiet anymore.”
“Neither do I.”
Boone cupped her cheek affectionately. “Once Lena leaves, I’m going to sit down and talk to Sadie about us.”
Mila bit her lower lip nervously. “Okay. Do you think… Should I be scared about that?”
He chuckled. “I was worried about that talk myself until this morning.”
“What happened this morning?”
“Sadie called you when she was hurting. With her mother in the very next room.”
“Oh,” Mila said, as if just now realizing that. “Yeah. That’s awesome.”
“Plus, you’ve promised to make her meatloaf and garlic mashed potatoes. How could she not love you, too?”
Mila narrowed her eyes playfully. “I’m starting to think the only reason the Hansens keep me around is because of my cooking.”
Boone couldn’t resist teasing her. “Well, I wouldn’t say that’s the only reason, though it is pretty high on the list.”
“There’s a list?” she asked, giggling.
“Of course, there’s a list.”
“What else is on it?”
Boone grinned, because she’d set herself up without realizing it. “The most obvious one is because you’re so sweet.”
Mila gasped angrily, slapping his chest. “That’s the meanest thing you’ve ever said to me.” She might have sold the line if she wasn’t laughing.
“Now, now. I just said that was one reason. Another is because you’re so sexy.”
“Ooo,” she purred, running her hand down his arm. “The list is getting better.”
Boone gripped her hips, pulling her lower body flush against his. “But the number one reason is because you’re my very, very good girl.”
The color on her cheeks and the way her eyes dilated told him just how much she liked that reason.
“So we’re all systems go,” he said, wanting to make sure she understood what that meant to him.
“I’ll talk to Sadie, and then we make it official with your family.
We’re a couple. We can date for a while if Sadie needs some time to get used to the idea, but…
Well, how would you feel about sharing a kitten with Sadie? ”
“Sharing? Why?”
“That way, when you move in, we’ll already have the family cat. The ONE family cat.”
“Move in?” she whispered, clearly in love with that idea.
“Yeah. The Hansens have gotten used to fine dining. So we’re going to want it every night,” he joked.
Mila laughed, and then they sealed the deal with one hell of a kiss.