“That’s tomorrow,” Callie offered, fanning out her cards again. “Forecasters predicted sunshine today and scattered showers tomorrow.”
“Which means,” Poppy smiled, “rain today and sun tomorrow. Got it.”
Callie noticed how Logan pulled out Rose’s chair and then moved the rocker beside her close enough for them to easily hold hands. Another really nice guy. And if the way he looked at her cousin was any indication, he was a keeper. “How are you liking life in Boston?”
“Different from Texas, but in some ways the same. Everyone talks their own kind of funny.”
Rose rolled her eyes and squeezed his hand. “Remind me to tell you the story of my friend Marjorie and Logan’s niece Krissy when his brother and family came to visit. Needless to say, a Bostonian pronouncing party like pohtty can be seriously confusing to a five year old.”
“Oh no.” Callie had to laugh at that one. As a high school teacher, she knew from experience that kids of any age put an interesting spin on life.
“Yep.” Logan nodded. “She’s a smart kid, but a Boston accent was above her skill set.”
Cindy looked up from the card game. “I’m curious. What else is different yet similar?
“Within your neighborhood, folks are pretty friendly.”
“No they’re not.” Rose smiled at him. She was another one with that moon pie look on her face. “They’re just being nice ‘cause they like your accent.”
“Oh, and those baby blues have nothing to do with it?” Poppy teased from the card table.
“I beg your pardon. That’s my fiancé you’re talking about.”
“What?” Poppy shrieked in chorus with the cousins on the porch.
Rose squeezed her eyes shut. “Oops.”
Like an orchestrated dance routine, chairs pushed back and a deluge of surprised relatives descended on her demanding to see the ring and hear the whole story. Except for Grams. Callie noticed, surrounded by all the fuss, her grandmother rocked in her favorite chair, sipped from a warm cup of tea, and smiled at the youngest Boston granddaughter. Not missing a beat, she turned to the General. Where was the bluster and outrage at the slip of the tongue? “You knew?”
Their grandfather nodded his head, but it was Logan who nudged aside by all the squealing cousins, answered her question. “I may have asked permission.”
“May have?”
Logan smiled. It was a nice smile. Not for her, but she could see why Rose found it irresistible. According to her cousin, once he smiled all her brain cells would fry.
“I followed the chain of command.”
“Chain of command?” Callie spun about to face the General.
“That would be me and your grandmother,” her grandfather said, “followed by Rose’s parents.”
“Suck up,” she whispered in his ear and was pleased when he burst out laughing. Good sense of humor too. He would fit in well with this family. And he didn’t waste any time going after what he wanted. In this case, Callie was more than pleased the man wanted Rose. She deserved a good guy. They all did.
“Oh.” Cole slapped his future in-law on the back. “Forgot to mention. Mrs. Parker called earlier. She’s coming over. Wants to give us a proper thank you.”
Logan’s brows shot high on his forehead and his gaze immediately darted over to Rose. She shrugged, he twisted his mouth, she raised her brows and Callie shook her head. The two had been together for only a few months and already they communicated entire thoughts without words. What were the odds of that happening twice in one family? Whatever the math, she knew better. She didn’t stand a chance.
A golden flash caught the corner of Callie’s eye. “Good heavens. She had it restored.”
Sure enough, a pristine 1978 Pontiac Firebird with the cat eyes headlights pulled in front of Hart House.
“She did say it was her baby,” Logan offered.
Poppy tipped her head, watching the older woman push her seat forward to let someone out of the back seat. “That car is older than we are.”
“It’s older than most people,” Cole chimed in. The General cleared his throat and Cole hurriedly added, “But she loves it.”
Two boys slid out from inside Marylou Parker’s prize possession. Callie recognized the older boy as one of her students and the younger one as the passenger the night of the crash.
“Hello, Mrs. Parker.”
“Please,” she told Logan, “call me Marylou. After all, you two saved my life, we’re pretty much past formalities.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Logan and Cole chorused.
She waggled her brows at them and the two men catching on quickly, repeated in unison, “Marylou.”
“That’s better. I brought these little tokens for you.” She whipped out two old fashioned plastic pie trays with handles. Like the car, she’d probably had them longer than most people in the room had been alive. “I know Lucy is one of the best cooks in town, and your Lily can bake circles around any of us in town, but my old-fashioned butter crust apple pie still takes the prize every year at the county fair.”
Callie could see from the two men’s blank expressions and polite thank you that they had no idea what they’d just been given. The old lady was right. Her sister Lily could bake circles around anyone, but Mrs. Parker’s secret apple pie recipe was something even Lily might kill for.
From the satisfied smile on the old woman’s face, she knew the men would find out soon enough.
“We were just getting ready for Saturday lunch.” Grams smiled. “Why don’t you and the boys join us?”
“Oh, no.” She shook her head. “I have a few more errands to run and Timmy here is my chaperone. Can you imagine that my children think I might drive off the road again in broad daylight from a little drizzle.”
Imagine that, Callie thought to herself. Though in all fairness to the old lady, how often did beaver dams break loose during a storm of the decade?
“Timmy,” Marylou snapped. “Would you put that thing away. It’s not polite.”
“But it’s Bait and Fish and I’m almost at level six.”
“You play Bait and Fish?” Cole leaned over the boy’s shoulder and for the first time since crossing the threshold, the kid finally showed some interest.
“Sure. All my friends do. It’s great.”
“Glad you like it.” Logan smiled at the kid with a little too much enthusiasm for a casual comment.
“All right now,” Marylou started, “tell Mr. Buchanan and Mr. McIntyre thank you and we’ll be on our way.”
To his credit, the teen slid his phone into his pocket and shook Logan’s hand first. “Thank you, Mr. Buchanan. Mr. McIntyre. We really are glad you saved my grandma and brother. Even if he is a pain more often than not.”
The younger sibling scowled over his shoulder at his brother and then twisted forward again.
“Please call me Logan,” Rose’s new fiancé told the boy.
The kid’s ears almost perked up like a pincher on point. “Logan… McIntyre?”
Logan shook his head and from the broad grin on his face, he seemed to have an idea why the kid looked like a dog who had found his scent. “Buchanan.”
“The Logan Buchanan?” The kid’s voice almost cracked with excitement.
“I don’t know about the, but I’m Logan Buchanan.”
“The guy who designed Bait and Fish?”
Logan nodded and this time it was all the men in the room whose heads snapped in his direction.
“You designed Bait and Fish?” Cole confirmed.
Logan nodded again.
“Holy Christmas.” Cole turned to Rose. “Do you realize who you’re marrying?”
Rose smiled up at her cousin’s husband. “Nicest guy in the world.”
Eyes wide and hands waving in Logan’s direction, Cole carried on, “Who designed the most popular tech game on the planet right now.”
And now the rest of the puzzle from the tournament came together. If he’d designed the most popular game
on the planet as Cole claimed, the guy could afford whatever auction items he wanted and move to any city he wanted. So now Callie knew. Rose had found her a good guy, who loved her and was smart too.
Yep, the rest of the single women of the world probably didn’t stand a chance. All the good, and nice, and smart ones had to be gone.
* * * *
So glad you could join Rose and Logan on their adventure in HART LAND. Turn the page for an excerpt from Calytrix or get your copy here.
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* * * *
From Lily’s Recipe Box
ALMOND CRESCENT COOKIES
What you’ll need:
2 cups flour
1 cup unsalted butter (two sticks)
1 cup ground almonds
1/3 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients and work into a smooth dough so it’s not sticky. (if it’s too sticky or crumbly a little sour cream might help)
Cool for half an hour in the refrigerator
Take small amount of dough – about a small ice cream scoop size - and form into roll then fold in a half moon/ u shape on a greased cookie sheet (may use parchment paper).
Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes until slightly brown. (keep an eye on them)
Dust with confectioner’s sugar.
Lily’s Note:
If you’re a chocolate fan these cookies taste delish dipped in chocolate!
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Chapter – Excerpt
Guess who had their first grandbaby? Yep, that would be a giddy me. I happen to love babies, which means I’ve spent the first several weeks of his life helping my daughter avoid sleep deprivation. It also means I do not have a preview chapter for Callie (Calytrix) – if you will please forgive me, but I have enclosed the link here! If you’d prefer to wait, pretty please sign up for my newsletter and you’ll get a notification for release day. And of course, all excerpts are available –eventually –on my website!
Read more of Calytrix available on Kobo.
I also have a surprise for Farraday fans – Keep a look out for a Holiday Season release coming soon! (Again – great reason to sign up for that newsletter!)
Thanks for your understanding!
* * * *
Meet Chris
USA TODAY Bestselling Author of more than a dozen contemporary novels, including the award-winning Champagne Sisterhood, Chris Keniston lives in suburban Dallas with her husband, two human children, and two canine children. Though she loves her puppies equally, she admits being especially attached to her German Shepherd rescue. After all, even dogs deserve a happily ever after.
More on Chris and her books can be found at
www.chriskeniston.com
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Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen – Epilogue
From Lily’s Recipe Box
Chapter – Excerpt
Meet Chris
Rose Page 15
