“Let me get the boys fed and we can go out and sit on the porch. I just made up a pitcher of sweet tea.”
And by boys fed, she meant pull out the frozen fish sticks she put in the oven and drop a dollop of applesauce on their plates. It had been one of those days.
She settled the boys at the dinner table with Timmy’s hat placed directly in front of him on the table. No hats at the table rule twisted only slightly. She and Owen went out to the porch with two icy glasses of tea.
She slipped gratefully down on a rocker, glad to be off her feet. Owen leaned against the porch railing.
“How was your trip? Still snowing in Denver?”
“It was. But I got out between storms. That’s why I’m early. Wrapped things up before the next wave of storms came through. They are getting a lot of snow this spring.”
“Did you finalize the deal?”
“Just about. My lawyers are working out a few kinks, then the contract will be ready to sign. If all goes well, the Stanton hotel will be one of ours within a year’s time.”
Bella was amazed at how well Owen could negotiate deals. His line of boutique hotels was growing quickly. His company also owned various other companies related to the hotel industry, as well as a line of fancy restaurants, most of them in the hotels he owned. But still he came back to Comfort Crossing as often as possible.
“What are you thinking about?” Owen stretched out one long leg and adjusted his position on the railing.
“How lucky I am that you keep coming back to Comfort Crossing. I know you’re really busy with work.”
“I can do a lot of work anywhere as long as I have internet. I just wish I could spend more time here with you.”
She wished he could, too. It seemed like just as soon as she got used to him being around, he was off again, whisking away to some far city or back to Chicago where his company was located.
“How are plans for Summerfest coming along?” Owen asked.
“Really well. Katherine is a great person to work with. She has so many good ideas. We have a lot of sponsors set up and events planned. I’m hoping it brings a lot of tourists to town. We’ve expanded it from just Saturday and Sunday to Thursday night through Sunday. The parade is on Saturday late morning. It just keeps getting bigger all the time.”
“Sounds like you’ve been busy with all that. Things going okay at the shop?”
“It’s a bit of a slow period before the summer tourist season. The weekends are picking up now that the weather is nicer. I think people come to town for a quick weekend outing. I’m still turning a profit and putting away some each month in hopes of buying the building from you.”
“I told you that you don’t have to do that. I’m not planning on renting it to anyone else.”
“I appreciate all you did to find me this new place for the shop—you know that—but eventually I’d like to own the building and the carriage house.”
“Whatever you want. I’m just glad it all worked out.”
A crash came from inside the house. Bella rolled her eyes and slowly got to her feet. “I’ll be right back. Let me see what mischief the boys are up to.”
~ * ~
Owen watched Bella cross the porch and go back inside. He could hear the raised voices of the boys and Bella’s calming voice drift out the screen door. He didn’t know how she did it all. Raise the boys, run the shop, and now work on Summerfest. He was in awe of her. All he had to do was run his company and take care of himself. And he had people to help him with both of those.
He turned when he heard a car, the wheels crunching on the short gravel drive. Jenny and Clay stepped out of the car and waved. “Owen, I didn’t know you were back in town.” Jenny climbed the stairs and gave him a quick hug.
“Just got back.” Owen reached over and shook Clay’s offered hand. “Bella is inside. Some kind of commotion with the boys.”
Jenny laughed. “Those two are a handful. I thought having just one that age was about all I could handle. It’s supposed to get easier as they get older, and I guess things are easier with Nathan now that he can drive himself places, but it’s always something, I guess. He’s in the throes of being jilted by this girl he had a crush on. Very angsty time at our house.”
“If you’re looking for drama, you should try raising two girls.” Clay shook his head. “It’s one crisis after the next. Danielle’s are usually based around boys or clothes. Abigail’s are always about school. She is so hard on herself with schooling and she’s only in grade school. I dread her teenage years.”
Owen had no idea how people raised kids and stayed sane. It was all so foreign to him. His parents hadn’t even really raised him. His nannies and private schooling had been the ones raising him.