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Authors: Christina James
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breakfast every day,” Luke persisted.
Mac attempted to answer but Ryan cut him off, offering his fourteen-year-old insight. “Don’t be such a dink. She can’t come live with us because they’re not married.”
“They can get married,” Luke argued.
At this Hannah laughed. Mac ground his teeth.
“Could you marry my dad, Hannah? Pleeease,” Luke asked.
Hannah looked from Luke to Mac and smiled brightly. Oh, she loved this, didn’t she?
“I don’t know, Luke. You see, your dad hasn’t asked me yet. Isn’t that right, Austin?”
“Austin! Wow. No one calls him that,” Aidan said.
“Really? Well, I happen to like the name.”
“So you’ll marry him if he asks you?” Luke then turned to Mac. “Daddy, ask her. She can cook!”
Mac laughed, he just couldn’t help it, the whole conversation just so ridiculous but so lively. “All right, that’s enough out of all of you.”
Mac paid special attention to Hannah, giving her a warning glare in case she had any ideas of continuing the silly talk, though it had lifted his mood, made him happy. “No more talk at the table. Just eat. There’s no one getting married around here.”
“Except maybe Aidan and his girlfriend,” Ryan teased.
“Shut up,” Aidan responded.
Round two began.
“Hey.” Hannah only had to say it once and silence commenced.
Astounded, Mac studied all three of his sons who had continued eating without any further hostilities toward each other. How impressive for Hannah to be so sure of herself to wield authority over adolescent boys, gain their respect by treating them fairly, and prevent any outbursts. He’d ask her how she did that when they were alone.
Mac stuffed himself until he couldn’t breathe and sat finishing his coffee. Silence had never been a part of the MacDevin household but that morning had proved different when all four MacDevin men sat around the dining room table eating breakfast—an historic moment that hadn’t escape Mac’s notice.
“I have to be on a job at seven,” he said for Hannah’s benefit. “I can drive you home first.”
“Thank you.” She stood. “Okay, guys, clear the table. No fighting, right?”
The boys agreed in unison.
Yeah. Mac had to admit Hannah O’Leary had his boys under her spell for sure with her fantastic cooking and her feisty temper dispelling sibling rivalry. Mac glanced at the feisty beauty sitting across from him. Now, he only had to ensure he didn’t become enchanted as well.
Chapter Seven
When Mac parked in front of Hannah’s house, it saddened her that he had to leave. She could easily get used to having adult company. She sighed, and then inhaled his woodsy aftershave in the coolness of the morning air one last time before got out of his truck.
“Mac, thank you for all your help. What you did for me was incredible. No one has ever taken care of me that well.”
“No one, huh?” he said, sounding shocked.
She shook her head, fighting the sadness that always threatened to consume her when she thought of what she never had. “I didn’t mean to impose by making breakfast this morning. I just wanted a way to thank you for your hospitality.”
“I could’ve given you a suggestion or two,” he said, shooting her that killer smile she adored.
Goose bumps immediately covered her. A flurry of butterflies tickled her tummy at the sight, but she attempted to keep her concentration in line. “I’m sure,” she agreed, her own smile coming easily. If he didn’t leave soon then she’d be so tempted to ask him inside. But why jeopardize a fledgling business relationship for a few moments of pleasure?
He reached over and twirled a long curl from her ponytail. “You must be kidding if you thought making breakfast was an imposition. You just raised the bar so high for me I’ll never be able to compete with that food. My boys will be
Mac attempted to answer but Ryan cut him off, offering his fourteen-year-old insight. “Don’t be such a dink. She can’t come live with us because they’re not married.”
“They can get married,” Luke argued.
At this Hannah laughed. Mac ground his teeth.
“Could you marry my dad, Hannah? Pleeease,” Luke asked.
Hannah looked from Luke to Mac and smiled brightly. Oh, she loved this, didn’t she?
“I don’t know, Luke. You see, your dad hasn’t asked me yet. Isn’t that right, Austin?”
“Austin! Wow. No one calls him that,” Aidan said.
“Really? Well, I happen to like the name.”
“So you’ll marry him if he asks you?” Luke then turned to Mac. “Daddy, ask her. She can cook!”
Mac laughed, he just couldn’t help it, the whole conversation just so ridiculous but so lively. “All right, that’s enough out of all of you.”
Mac paid special attention to Hannah, giving her a warning glare in case she had any ideas of continuing the silly talk, though it had lifted his mood, made him happy. “No more talk at the table. Just eat. There’s no one getting married around here.”
“Except maybe Aidan and his girlfriend,” Ryan teased.
“Shut up,” Aidan responded.
Round two began.
“Hey.” Hannah only had to say it once and silence commenced.
Astounded, Mac studied all three of his sons who had continued eating without any further hostilities toward each other. How impressive for Hannah to be so sure of herself to wield authority over adolescent boys, gain their respect by treating them fairly, and prevent any outbursts. He’d ask her how she did that when they were alone.
Mac stuffed himself until he couldn’t breathe and sat finishing his coffee. Silence had never been a part of the MacDevin household but that morning had proved different when all four MacDevin men sat around the dining room table eating breakfast—an historic moment that hadn’t escape Mac’s notice.
“I have to be on a job at seven,” he said for Hannah’s benefit. “I can drive you home first.”
“Thank you.” She stood. “Okay, guys, clear the table. No fighting, right?”
The boys agreed in unison.
Yeah. Mac had to admit Hannah O’Leary had his boys under her spell for sure with her fantastic cooking and her feisty temper dispelling sibling rivalry. Mac glanced at the feisty beauty sitting across from him. Now, he only had to ensure he didn’t become enchanted as well.
Chapter Seven
When Mac parked in front of Hannah’s house, it saddened her that he had to leave. She could easily get used to having adult company. She sighed, and then inhaled his woodsy aftershave in the coolness of the morning air one last time before got out of his truck.
“Mac, thank you for all your help. What you did for me was incredible. No one has ever taken care of me that well.”
“No one, huh?” he said, sounding shocked.
She shook her head, fighting the sadness that always threatened to consume her when she thought of what she never had. “I didn’t mean to impose by making breakfast this morning. I just wanted a way to thank you for your hospitality.”
“I could’ve given you a suggestion or two,” he said, shooting her that killer smile she adored.
Goose bumps immediately covered her. A flurry of butterflies tickled her tummy at the sight, but she attempted to keep her concentration in line. “I’m sure,” she agreed, her own smile coming easily. If he didn’t leave soon then she’d be so tempted to ask him inside. But why jeopardize a fledgling business relationship for a few moments of pleasure?
He reached over and twirled a long curl from her ponytail. “You must be kidding if you thought making breakfast was an imposition. You just raised the bar so high for me I’ll never be able to compete with that food. My boys will be
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