Runaway Lone Star Bride

Henry removed the thumb from his mouth, decision made. “No!” he said loudly and distinctly. He flipped onto his tummy again.

Maggie gently brought Henry back around. “Sure about that?” she teased, already working off her wristwatch with her free hand. She dangled it in front of him and continued in a cheery singsong voice. “I’ve got something for you.”

Unable to resist the temptation of sparkling silver and gold, Henry reached for the accordion-style band. Maggie let him have it, and only when he was holding the wristwatch with both hands, avidly examining the face of it closely, did she quickly undo the snaps and ease the diaper off.

A short minute and a half later, Henry was good to go.

The boy was a little antsy, probably from being cooped up for too long. Maggie set him down on the floor and guided him to the open toy and play area adjacent to her office. He toddled happily into the carpeted area with the miniature chairs and table, obviously grateful for the chance to explore.

Satisfied the child would be fine for the moment, Maggie turned back to his daddy. And that was when she saw what Hart had been up to, too. She stared at broad shoulders and a very fine chest. Equally nice abs. And an arrow of dusky brown-gold hair sliding down into the waistband of his pants. She couldn’t help the gasp that escaped from her lips. “You took off your shirt!”

He shrugged. “It was soaking wet and smelled like pee. What would you have me do?”

Maggie gulped, as her nipples tautened once again. Lower still, there was an even more treacherous reaction. “Put on another?”

He met her chastising glance with a boyish, devil-may-care smile. “I would if I had one handy, but I don’t.” He peered at her closely. Moved nearer, too. “Why?” His seductive grin broadened. “Does the sight of my bare chest bother you?”

Maggie threw up her hands in aggravation. “Would the sight of my bare chest bother you?” she shot right back.

“Actually, now that you mention it...” He tilted his handsome head to one side, considered her a long, sensual moment. “I might enjoy the view.

Maggie was sure he would. “Well! This is hardly the time or place for this,” she fumed. “Especially when you have a baby to take care of.”

At the mention of Henry, Hart sobered. “You’re right. This should come later.”

And that was when the outer door opened, and Maggie’s next appointment of the day walked in.

For a moment, the affianced couple just stared, as if wondering what in the world they’d interrupted.

Then Hart flashed a sexy grin, and quickly discarded the soiled diaper. “My son had a little accident that somehow ended up on me, and Maggie was kind enough to help us out.” Hart rolled the damp clothing up into a ball, tucked it under one arm, walked over to the play area and reached for Henry. “And now that she has,” he said, “we’ll get out of your way. And let the three of you get down to business.”

* * *

LYNETTE JAWORSKI AND Ben Bauer were in their early twenties and, from the looks of it, head over heels in love with each other in a way that Maggie had never been.

Pushing aside her pang of envy, she offered them a seat, then said graciously, “I understand you’re getting married next April and are considering the Double Knot as a venue.”

Lynette took Ben’s hand. “Actually, we’re only here because my parents insisted we see it.”

Outside, Henry began to wail. Maggie struggled to keep her mind on business.

Ben continued, “We don’t want what happened to that one couple to happen to us.”

There was no need to ask what Ben and Lynette were talking about; Maggie knew all too well.

Without warning, Hart walked back in, clean casual shirt on, a tearful Henry in his arms. The boy’s lower lip quavered. He took one look at Maggie and held out his arms for her to come and get him.

Aware the choice was a full-blown toddler eruption or an interruption during the meeting, Maggie stood and walked over to Hart. The little boy vaulted into her arms, promptly stuck his thumb in his mouth and rested his head on her shoulder.

“Sorry about the interruption,” Hart said, clearly not sorry at all, if it meant his little boy would get the maternal comfort he needed. “But Henry wanted Maggie.”

“No problem.” Lynette waved off the intrusion. “All little boys want their mommies.”

Except I’m not his mommy, Maggie thought. And I’m not going to be his nanny, either. But not wanting to get into that, during what was turning out to be a not-so-easy sales pitch, she prompted instead, “So, you were saying...?”

“After reading everything in the reviews online, there’s no way we would feel comfortable holding our wedding here, even if the Double Knot is where Lynette’s parents were married,” Ben said flatly. “So,” they rose and headed hand-in-hand for the door, eager to be on their way, “thanks for meeting with us, Ms. McCabe, but no thanks.”

They walked swiftly out the door. Seconds later, the exterior door banged shut.

Hart turned to Maggie, perplexed. “What was that about?”

“The malfunction of the steam engine, a year and a half ago. The train broke down as it was headed up the mountain. We had to transport the wedding party up to Nature’s Cathedral by bus. The wedding ceremony itself went without a hitch, but the train still wasn’t fixed, so everyone had to get back on the buses and drive down the old logging trails to the reception. Naturally, we apologized profusely for the inconvenience and the couple was given a hefty discount in compensation, but a number of the members of the wedding party were terribly upset, and they posted bad reviews about the Double Knot and The Wedding Train all over the place.”

Hart slipped into business mode. “What’s been the impact on the bottom line?”

“Not good.” Contentment flowing through her as Henry snuggled even closer against her, Maggie explained the subsequent lag in business.

“Can’t anything be done to counter the negative reviews?”

Maggie decided not to sugarcoat the situation. “If your parents would agree to a social media presence, then, yes.”

“You’ve tried to persuade them?” Hart guessed.

“A few times,” Maggie admitted. “Callie is an expert in the field and could probably help us, but your parents don’t want any part of it.”

Hart shook his head in wordless disapproval. “Tell me about it! Since they aren’t keeping up with the times, I tried to get them to sell the business and retire. But they refused. They wanted me to come in and take it over. They still do.”

“But you’re not interested,” Maggie allowed, trying without success to figure out why the notion that Hart did not want to return to his home state of Texas was so upsetting to her. Given the sparks they drew off each other, she ought to want him as far away as possible.

“I’m grateful for the upbringing I had here and the people skills I learned from working in such a chaotic business, but it’s not for me.”

Honestly, Maggie couldn’t see Hart managing the wedding business, either. A larger than life, big-picture guy like him would go crazy with the aesthetics and the minutiae. Sometimes, she felt like she might, too. “I understand. But that aside...” Aware she was loving holding the toddler a little too much, she handed Henry back to his dad. “You really can’t barge in when I’m in the middle of a meeting.”

Hart was instantly contrite. “I know—I’m sorry. I forgot to take the diaper bag with me and Henry’s toys were in there. And once Henry heard your voice...”

Maggie took a seat behind her desk and retorted, “You couldn’t have entertained him any other way?”

Smiling casually, Hart gave her a leisurely once-over. “Magnolia McCabe...are you accusing me of just wanting to commandeer your attention and spend time with you?”

Maggie flushed at his low, flirtatious tone.

With his smile widening and his son cradled tenderly against his chest, he inched closer. Maggie rocked back in her chair and tried to tamp down the immediate spark of excitement she felt. It took every ounce of self-control she had not to rise and join them both.

“Because it’s really not true,” Hart quipped. He sat on the edge of her desk, facing her. “It’s Henry here, who is completely and utterly crushing on you.” He indicated the winsome toddler. “Henry, whose heart you seemed to have captured.”

It was easy to see the staggering resemblance between Hart and his son. Both were incredibly handsome and engaging, in their own way. Maggie felt something catch in her heart. She knew her need for connection went soul-deep. But this was not the time or place to indulge that desire. Not when the child was so vulnerable.

She swallowed around the telltale tightness of her throat. “I know Henry likes me. I like him, too. But you can’t keep treating me like his nanny.”