Jameson smirked. “How about lunch, a nap, and then the pool?”
“It sounds like a plan,” she said, taking his hand.
The connection between them seemed to flow between their fingers, filling him with something he never knew he missed.
They turned into the driveway a few minutes later.
“I’ll get the bags and take them to the pool house,” he offered. “Go on in and see your dad.”
Caroline hesitated. “If you don’t mind, I’d rather not tell my dad you’re staying with me,” she said, blushing. “I feel like a teenager sneaking in her boyfriend.”
“As far as he’s concerned, I will take my watch duty seriously. As long as you’re fine with me coming into the bedroom and checking on you personally.”
“Yeah. It might be for the best. Now I’ve discovered your Super SEAL missile, I might not recover,” she said, giggling.
“I want to believe you’re serious, but something tells me you’re determined to tease me about my special skills.”
“Never,” she denied, kissing him. “I happen to like them. Maybe you can show me more of your technique?”
“Hmmm. I’ll have to consider it. You haven’t begun to understand my full skill set. It might take us weeks or months to try them out.”
Sighing, Caroline turned to open her door and gave him a cheeky grin. “I should’ve known you were the slow one.”
“Why you,” he exclaimed as he dropped everything, racing around the truck to get to her.
Seeing his intention, Caroline squealed and took off running for the porch. Before her foot touched the first step, Jameson grabbed her about the waist, lifting her off the ground. His fingers aimed for her tickle spots, and she burst into laughter, trying to get away.
Thomas wheeled himself onto the porch with Nancy at his side.
His face beamed with happiness at seeing the two of them goofing around. Jameson hauled Caroline up on his shoulder and took the steps, setting her down before her father.
“Here you go, sir,” he said, panting. “I delivered her back to you safe and sound.”
“I don’t know, son. It seems she’s given you a bit of trouble. You’re almost out of breath, and she’s smiling. It appears she delivered you,” Thomas teased. “I insisted on coming outside to see what all the racket was in my front yard. It turns out we got a couple of kids running around the yard. Best sight we’ve seen in a while. Don’t you agree, Nancy?”
“Yes, I do,” the older woman said, taking in the couple. “It seems they enjoyed their weekend away.”
“We did,” Caroline told her. “Delaney seemed surprised and burst into tears at her shower. She loved the baby blanket you helped me make. She promised to show me some new patterns. With some of the community women, she and Rachel provide everyone with their own blanket when they come to the ranch. I might join them sometime. Do you want to come with me?”
“Of course, what a great idea,” Nancy said, holding the door open for Thomas to enter.
“Rachel made a handmade Moses basket for Delaney. She took an online weaving class to learn how to do it. They added my blanket, and it fit perfectly,” she said, entering the house.
Jameson excused himself to take their luggage to the pool house.
Caroline took the plates to the dining room and poured drinks as she told her father about the barbecue.
“It sounds like you enjoyed yourself, Honeybee. I haven’t seen you smile this much since you got here. Good friends are hard to find. Keep them close,” he advised.
Jameson entered, holding a roaster filled with a beef roast and roasted carrots, potatoes, and celery.
Caroline’s stomach growled as the aroma tickled her nose. “It smells delicious, Nancy. Thank you for making it.”
“It’s not any trouble,” Nancy assured her. “Your father and I got up at the crack of dawn. It’s good to set him to tasks first thing in the morning. By this afternoon, he’ll be begging for a nap from all his hard work.”
Thomas chuckled. “She’s a hard boss.”
“Somehow, I think you’d refuse to have it any other way,” Caroline said, squeezing his hand.
