“What?”
“Nate agrees,” McKenna said, spinning back to the group. “So when is Harry coming?”
“Saturday, June twenty-seventh.”
McKenna did the math. “That’s more than two weeks from now. Plenty of time.”
“You really think so?” said Georgie. “Because here’s the thing—Evie’s about to pop out a baby, Barb’s got a burned-down barn to figure out, Gus is Gus, and I hate to say it, but my arthritis is flaring. We’ll do what we can to help promote the event and build up excitement, but it’ll be on you and Nate to fix this place up in time. That’s why Barb’s barn was the perfect venue. It was walk-in ready.”
“Question. What exactly doesGus is Gusmean?” said Gus, shoving another pretzel into his mouth.
“Oh, don’t you worry,” McKenna said in response to Georgie. “This place will be ready.”
Because this wasn’t just about the arrival of a celebrity. This was the golden ticket McKenna needed. A chance to honor her mother—Harry Connick Junior!—a way to provide her sister with a special proposal—Harry Connick Junior crooning something amazing while Oliver proposes!—and the perfect opportunity to beef up her own portfolio—a celebrity crooning something amazing while a cute couple gets engaged at a charming B&B surrounded by adorable chickens and goats!
Oh yes. Harry Connick Junior was coming to town, and McKenna was ready. She leaned out the window. “Isn’t this great?”
“What?”
Nate might need a little more time to get ready.
Thunder rumbled, pulling Nate’s attention to the darkening skies. Looked like he hadn’t finished with the gutters a moment too soon. Would’ve finished sooner if he hadn’t kept stumbling across wasp nests in the eaves.
He twisted his arm to peek at the swollen bump above his right elbow. At least it was only the one sting—and at least he’d been the one to receive it. Taking care of the wasp nests had been the easy part. Convincing McKenna to let him handle the situation on his own? Not so much.
He started down the ladder, shaking his head at their conversation a little bit ago.
“Wasps? Oh my goodness, Nate. That’s terrible. They could sting someone. They could sting a guest. They could stingHarry.”
“I know. Which is why I’m getting rid of them. Please don’t lean out the window like that.” It was one thing for her to yell indecipherable things from a downstairs window. Leaning halfway out a second-floor window to keep telling him how much wonderful publicity some guy named Harry was going to bring his mom’s B&B was a different matter.
Wasn’t the excitement he minded. More like the twenty-something-foot fall if that excitement pushed McKenna over the edge. “We’ll talk about Harry later. Just close the window and go back to the meeting.”
“The meeting ended. Everyone’s leaving.”
“Then start marinating the two steaks I pulled out of the freezer and set in the fridge yesterday. They should be thawed by now. Thought we’d grill out later.”
“Even with a storm coming?”
“It should be moved on by then.”
“Okay. But just the two steaks?”
“Gus and Georgie aren’t joining us tonight.”
“Gotcha.” She disappeared, only for her wild pom-pom ponytail of curls to pop out a moment later, followed by way too much of her torso. “Are you sure you can handle the wasp nests by yourself? Because I don’t mind helping. I’m willing to take a sting or two for Harry.”
“You’re not taking any stings.”
“I could cause a diversion.”
“You’re already causing a diversion.” And he was about to tumble off the ladder because of it. “McKenna—honey—I mean it. Go back inside and keep the window closed.”
“Fine.” She disappeared, only to reappear a second later. “But for the record, don’t think for a second that I missed the way you called me honey just now.”
“I was talking about the bees.”
“Sure you were. Better watch yourself, Nate. One of these days you may just wake up and discover you’re starting to like me.”
