Page 13 of Mountain Gift

I grip my pad and pen to my chest, wondering what the hell I'm going to do. I'm trapped between hoping Kristine is wrong about my chemistry with Boone and hoping to heaven and back that she's right.

It's too soon to tell. But I hope that allowing Boone to stay with me doesn't turn out to be a big mistake.

Chapter Four

BOONE

I've been stayingat Caroline's place for the last three days. And even though it hasn't been long, we've fallen into a routine that I love.

I wake up with the sun, drop Caroline off at work, and then head to the mechanic shop. When her shift ends, I swing by to pick her up.

Then we come home and cook dinner together, or more accurately, I watch her cook while trying not to gawk at how beautiful she is.

Sometimes, I can't help but wonder how it would be if her daughter Lucy was here too.

What would our routine be like then?

I've never really been around kids, but I know I would do anything for Caroline and her daughter.

I imagine we would all sit down at the dinner table together, sharing stories from our days while Lucy tells us about her adventures at school.

She would probably have me wrapped around her little finger in no time with her infectious laughter and big brown eyes.

Now it’s the day before Christmas Eve and I’ve just gotten up to start getting ready for work.

For a second, I consider taking a shower. But then my stomach grumbles, reminding me that it's time for breakfast, and I head downstairs and check on Caroline first.

When I get into the kitchen, I see Caroline, sitting at the table surrounded by crafting supplies.

"Morning, sweetheart," I rumble, my voice still heavy with sleep.

She glances up when she sees me and smiles. "Good morning, Boone. I left breakfast for you in the fridge."

I stride over to the refrigerator, opening it to find a plate of bacon and eggs. My mouth waters at the sight – she knows exactly how I like my eggs, slightly runny, and the bacon just shy of crispy.

I grab the plate and join her at the table.

"You off work today?" I ask, spearing a piece of bacon with my fork.

"Yeah," she replies. "I'm heading over to the nursing home to visit Penny's dad."

"That's nice of you, baby," I say, my respect for her growing even more. "I'm sure he'll appreciate the company."

"Yeah, he’s been a little lonely these last few months. Penny and Callum have been so busy with baby Ford that they haven’t had a chance to see him as much," she says, her voice soft. "He lovesit when I visit." Then she changes the subject. “How are things going down at the shop?”

I pause, my fork hanging mid-air as I process her question.

"They're going okay, I guess," I reply. "It's gonna take a chunk of work and a smidge more time, but it looks like everything is salvageable."

Caroline sets her crafting tools down, her full attention now on me. "That's great news, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is," I agree, feeling a rush of relief. "If luck stays on my side, I should have things humming along nicely after the New Year."

"That's fantastic," she says, her voice brimming with enthusiasm. "I mean, you've been working so hard, and it's really paying off. It's no small thing to start a business, and here you are, making it happen. I'm really proud of you."

Her words warm me more than any hot meal could. And it's not just the words themselves, but the genuine admiration in her voice, the sparkle in her eyes when she looks at me.

It's moments like these that remind me why I fell for Caroline in the first place. Her unwavering faith in me, her infectious enthusiasm, her ability to see the silver lining in every cloud - it all makes me feel like I can conquer the world.

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