“I know they weren’t.” Her voice took on a breathless quality.
“Do you want the job?” He kissed the finger he was still holding to his lips. “Because their dad really wants a wife. More specifically, he wants you to fill the role.”
Her eyelashes grew damp, and a tear streaked down her cheek.
He rubbed it away with his thumb.
“It feels like we’re moving really quickly.” She shivered, and his heart sank. “Yet not quickly enough,” she continued in a dazed voice.
“If you need more time,” he said quietly.
“Yes,” she said quickly.
His fingers convulsed against hers.
“My answer is yes, Owen.” She tipped her face up to his. “Yes to you. Yes to your boys. Yes to us.”
His thudding heart skipped a few beats, then started thudding again even faster than before. “I want to kiss you so bad. Just not in the church parking lot.”
Her smile lit him from the inside out. “Raincheck?”
“One I intend to cash as soon as possible,” he promised huskily.
By now, the parking lot was crammed with cars, and few people were lingering outside the building. If they didn’t head inside soon, they would miss the beginning of the service.
They walked hand-in-hand to the front entrance. There were still so many things Owen wanted to say to Halle, but they had the rest of their lives together for him to say it.
For the next hour, he was simply going to enjoy sitting next to the woman who’d just finished agreeing to be his fiancée. He was going to thank God for sending her to him and his boys. If anyone got their boxers in a wad over how close he was sitting to her in church or how tightly he was holding her hand, then let the small-town gossip begin!
He couldn’t wait to tell Ryder and Cooper their prayers had been answered. In their own boyish way, they already knew it, but he was going to remove any last doubts they might have. He might even do it over ice cream.
Chapter 7: Proposals
August
It was never a good thing to get called to the principal’s office, not even for a twenty-eight-year-old kindergarten teacher who was decently sure she had done nothing wrong.
Halle shifted uncomfortably in the blue-and-white striped chair outside Dr. Gavin House’s office, waiting for him to finish his current meeting. She heard laughter on the other side of the door and hoped it was a good sign. Maybe it was a summons he gave to all the new teachers on staff—a mentoring session of sorts that was part of the school’s onboarding process.
If that was the case, they’d be riding the learning curve together since he, too, was new to Heart Lake Elementary School. The hallways were abuzz with whispers and smiles from the mostly female staff of teachers about the dignified and handsome new principal in his mid-fifties. He was a transplant from a posh school district in the northeast, and the absence of a wedding ring on his hand was creating nosmall amount of interest and speculation. The rumor receiving the heaviest circulation was that he had recently been divorced.
For all Halle cared, the distinguished Dr. Gavin House could be Prince Charming’s older brother. In her mind, it still wouldn’t erase the major strike he had against him—having the same last name as her ex-fiancé. Her only comfort was that the two men looked nothing alike. James was tall, dark, and as wiry as an Olympic skier. Dr. House was a few inches shorter, with broad shoulders and a sleek hairstyle that Jack Frost would approve of. Both men, however, dressed with remarkably similar pizzazz. Both of them could star in advertisements for men’s suits. Both accessorized with tie clips, cufflinks, pinky rings, and bracelets.
Just stop!Halle wasn’t sure why she was in such a lather over the similarities and dissimilarities between Dr. House and her ex, but it couldn’t be healthy. The name of House was far from obscure. Across the country, thousands of people shared it. She forced her thoughts to something else.
It was the first Wednesday in August, her first official day on the job. She’d started her morning with an orientation meeting for new hires and had spent the last few hours decorating her classroom. Though it was a task she enjoyed immensely, it had barely put a dent in her long list of things to do before her students arrived on Monday.
Owen had taken today off to spend with Ryder and Cooper. For the most part, her teaching schedule would mirror the boys’ school schedule. She and Owen were still coming up with a plan for childcare when her schedule didn’t mirror theirs—for sick days, teacher planning days, and such.
The door to the principal’s office opened, and the school secretary exited.
“Good morning, Halle!” Every strand of Naomi’s short gray hair was in place, and her creamy blouse looked freshly pressed. She was holding a clipboard with a pen poised over it. “Dr. House is ready to see you.” She’d worked for the school district for as long as Halle could remember.
“Thank you, Naomi.” Halle stood and smoothed her hands down the sides of her pinstriped gray trousers, feeling woefully unready to meet with her new boss. She hoped there was no chicken down clinging to her lightweight green cardigan, suddenly wishing she hadn’t agreed to a last-minute trip to the chicken yard to peek at the latest batch of chicks. Her willpower against Ryder and Cooper’s pleading green gazes was nonexistent.
Stepping through the doorway, she paused on the other side and waited to be acknowledged.
“Hi, Halle!” Dr. House stood and walked around his desk with his right hand outstretched. “Thank you for agreeing to meet with me on such short notice.” His tone was jovial, his movements relaxed and unhurried.
