Chapter 46
“I have the ring,” McKenna said for at least the dozenth time since opening Nate’s suitcase and dumping everything out on the tiled floor of the airport and finding the hidden treasure right where she’d left it—tucked safely inside his zipped-up wadded-up pants pocket.
“I have the ring, I have the ring, I have the ring.”
“Excuse me,” Vivi’s voice said from behind the customer service counter, “but did I not make myself clear when I said all carry-on items need to remain un-strewn about?”
“Very clear.” McKenna kissed the pear-shaped diamond sparkling on the slender gold band from where she remained seated on the airport floor surrounded by Nate’s strewn-about carry-on items. “Oh, Nate, I can’t even tell you how relieved I am.”
“Believe me, I know the feeling.” Nate was crouched next to her, cradling an envelope inside his hands like it was a newborn kitten.
His hair, still damp from the quick shower he took before they raced to the airport, was more tousled than usual.
Probably because he’d been clutching it the entire drive over, something McKenna knew by this point he did when he was especially flustered. Or worried.
“I see you’re not undoing the strew.”
“Working on it, Vivi,” said McKenna over her shoulder, continuing to admire Nate’s handsome profile.
She’d been so consumed with the missing ring, she never thought to ask him about the comment he made the last time they were here.
Hey, I had something valuable inside that luggage too. Something I’d be crushed to lose.
What made the letter so important? Hopefully at some point he’d tell her. For now, his obvious relief at having it back made her as happy for him as she was for herself in finding the ring. Maybe even more so.
Wait, was that true?
Clutching the ring inside her palm, she lingered on Nate’s face. How had a complete stranger become so valuable to her in such a short span of time?
Without thinking, she leaned forward to kiss his cheek in need of a shave.
He turned his face at just the wrong moment. Or maybe the right moment. Instead of a scratchy stubbled cheek, her lips landed on the corner of a soft and warm mouth. Then stayed there.
“Okay, you two. This is an airport, not a lovers’ den.”
McKenna jerked back. “I missed,” she said in explanation to a wide-eyed Nate.
“I noticed. Want to try that again?”
“Don’t even think about it,” said Vivi.
McKenna jumped to her feet. The way Nate was grinning at her, anything she said at this point could and would be used against her in his own court of law. “I’m just glad we got everything back. I’m going to call Oliver. I’ll wait for you outside by the car.”
Shoving the ring onto her right third finger, she rushed past the sliding doors and tapped Oliver’s contact button on her screen. “Oliver? Hey. I’m so glad you answered.”
“What’s wrong? You sound out of breath.”
“I’m just walking briskly.” And freaking out a bit over Nate when she should be freaking out over Harry.
“Where are you? Not still in Tennessee with my ring, I hope.”
“I am still in Tennessee with your ring,” she answered happily because for once it was true. She lifted her right hand so that the diamond could catch the sparkle from the sun.
“McKenna, seriously, what is going on with you? Are you having some sort of mental breakdown? Is that Jake guy holding you hostage or something? Are you using the ring as collateral?”
“It’s Nate, and no. To all of the above.”
“Then what are you still doing in Tennessee? I saw your boss this morning and he said he was worried.”
“He’s always worried.”
“Well, frankly, so am I. I’ve been tempted to say something to Bobbi, but I don’t want her to worry when we already have so much to worry about. Did she tell you I mentioned the Germany offer was still on the table?”
“Yes, and why on earth do you keep mentioning that?”
“I didn’t know she’d get all worried about it.”
“Well, of course Bobbi got worried about it. I’m worried about it.”
“So then why are you still in Tennessee when everybody’s so worried about everything?”
“Because you need to come here. I’ve figured how we can give Bobbi the perfect proposal that will ease all our worries.”
“In Tennessee?”
“With Harry.”
“Who’s Harry?”
“The perfect person to serenade your perfect proposal.”
“Have I mentioned that I’m worried about you?”
McKenna walked past Nate’s car to a row of trees, so she could stand in the shade. “Remember that night a few months ago when we went out for pie after seeing that one movie none of us liked?”
“Somewhat.”
“Remember how Bobbi and I told you about that time Momma J taught us how to play that Masterpiece game?”
“Vaguely.”
“Remember how we said she brought down her old boom box and pulled out this CD with this guy on the case and we immediately started groaning because we thought he looked like some old fuddy-duddy crooner only Grandma would’ve liked?”
“Not at all.”
“Well, he’s coming here, Oliver.”
“The fuddy-duddy?”
“Yes! Except he’s not a fuddy-duddy. He’s amazing, and he’s going to put on a concert. Can you believe it? Harry Connick Junior, right here in the backyard. Maybe next to the glass cottage depending how it turns out. We’re still working out the logistics. But the point is he’s going to be here.”
There was a long pause. The type of long pause that made her think he was overcome with emotion. Perhaps speechless with excitement.
“I’m so confused,” he said.
Or maybe just confused. “About which part?”
“All of the parts. How is a fuddy-duddy supposed to help me offer Bobbi a perfect proposal for marriage?”
“Stop calling him a fuddy-duddy. He’s Harry. And he was Momma J’s favorite singer. Bobbi knows that. She’ll take it as a sign.”
“For what?”
“To say yes!” Why wasn’t Oliver getting this? “This is the perfect, romantic proposal we’ve been waiting for.”
“Are you sure?”
“One hundred percent.” Or at least a solid ninety-seven.
Oliver hemmed and hawed on the end of the line. “I don’t know. Just feels like so many things are up in the air right now. Rushing off to Tennessee just so some fuddy-duddy crooner—”
“Amazing crooner.”
“—can sing a song while I propose sounds . . . I don’t know.”
“Perfect is what it sounds like, Oliver. Perfect. Trust me. Something bigger is at play here. I think every challenging thing that’s happened these past couple months happened so that you and Bobbi would finally reach this place.”
“Bugle, Tennessee?”
“Yes. Well, no. Not Bugle, specifically. But yes, this place in your life where you can find your perfect happily-ever-after proposal, which we all know is just the beginning to your happily-ever-after life.”
“Well, perhaps when you put it like that . . .”
“Listen. You don’t have to do anything but get here. Bobbi already mentioned visiting me on her way back from Italy. The timing is perfect. I’ll tell her Nate and I are getting serious and—”
“How serious?”
McKenna’s words stalled. “I . . .”
“Long-distance serious? Marriage serious? What sort of serious?”
“Um . . .” Can’t-seem-to-stop-thinking-about-kissing-him serious?
Was that a thing? “I’ll handle what to tell Bobbi.
In the meantime you just make sure she doesn’t know you’re coming to Bugle or anything about the concert.
Trust me, this will be the biggest surprise proposal she could ever imagine. ”
“I still don’t know about this.”
“Love the enthusiasm!”
“I just hope this Harry guy is worth it.”
“It’s Harry. How could he not be?”