The Boss's Marriage Plan (Proposals & Promises 2)

Scott was scheduled for an overnight trip Thursday to a job site in Joplin, Missouri, planning to be back just in time to make it to the engagement party dinner on Friday night, and there was a long list of things to do to prepare for his meetings there. The sun had long set by the time Tess and Scott wrapped up their work. Predicting it would be a wearing day, she’d left a beef-and-vegetable stew in the slow cooker that morning, and Scott eagerly accepted her invitation to share it with her.

At his suggestion, they didn’t discuss work during the meal. Instead, they talked about their families and friends outside the office. He shared stories about babysitting little Henry last Saturday, making her laugh at his description of changing a soaked-through diaper and onesie. “Jake just stood there and laughed at me,” he added with mock indignation. “Didn’t even offer to help.”

She laughed again. “Did he take video?”

“No.”

“Then, consider yourself lucky. The whole episode could have ended up on YouTube, you know.”

He chuckled. “There is that.”

“You enjoy being an uncle.”

It hadn’t been a question, but he smiled and nodded. “Very much.”

He’d be a wonderful father, she thought with a little ripple of wistfulness. He was already comfortable with kids and experienced enough through his brothers that he was prepared for the reality of parenthood.

“I told Jake and Christina that you’d be coming with me to Bethany’s party,” he said, somewhat abruptly changing the subject.

They’d been clearing away the dishes when he spoke, and she paused in the act of loading the dishwasher. “Did you?”

“Yeah.” He closed the refrigerator door after stashing away leftovers. “Christina said she likes you very much.”

It was nice to hear. “I like her, too. All your family seems nice. Have you told them that we’re...um...”

“Seeing each other?” he supplied with a smile. “By Sunday morning the whole family knew. They’re cool with it.”

She wondered what, exactly, his family had said, but she assumed he would tell her when or if he was ready. For now, he seemed to consider the question of his family’s reaction settled. “What did your sister say when you told her I’m coming to your cousin’s party with you?” he asked.

“I haven’t actually told her,” she admitted. “She knows I’m bringing someone but there hasn’t been a chance to tell her it’s you.”

That wasn’t entirely true, of course. She could have made time to talk to Nina. She couldn’t even explain why she’d hadn’t.

Scott studied her face a bit too closely. “Will you mention it before we show up?”

“If I speak with her. Hand me that ladle, will you?”

He let the topic go, but she knew he didn’t fully understand her relationship with her sister. How could he, when she didn’t herself? He would simply have to see for himself when they spent time with her family. As close as his clan was, he would surely be aware of the difference in hers.

He wiped his hands on a kitchen towel. “So what had you planned for the remainder of the evening, if I hadn’t come to eat your food?”

“Promise not to laugh?”

He grinned. “No.”

She wrinkled her nose at him. “Okay, fine. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman are on tonight. I’ve watched them every year since I was a little girl. Usually I make hot chocolate and curl up on the sofa for an hour of Christmas nostalgia before I take care of anything else that needs to be done, like laundry or paperwork or laying out clothes for tomorrow.”

He didn’t laugh. Instead, she thought he looked almost charmed by her admission—which, of course, endeared him even more to her. He reached out to smoot

h her hair in a casually affectionate gesture. “Do you have any marshmallows for that hot chocolate?”

“Of course.”

“Then, may I hang around and watch the elf become a dentist with you?”

“I’d like that.”

He brushed a kiss over her lips. “So would I.”