“Good.” Callie rotated her arm and winced. “Well, about eighty percent better. Not quite there yet, but on the mend.”
“Getting plenty of exercise?” Rowan said airily.
Callie smiled wryly. “A bit.” Then she giggled. “Okay, a lot. The man’s insatiable.”
Rowan gave an envious sigh. “I am so jealous. I haven’t had any for soooo long.”
“You have to get out a bit,” Callie said. “You said yourself that you won’t meet Mr. Right sitting in your living room.”
“Yeah, I suppose.” Rowan’s smile faded and she looked away, across at the kids having fun.
Callie frowned. She decided she’d have to make the effort to try to get Rowan to go out. She had no doubt that Neve would eventually meet someone who’d knock her socks off, and Bridget was far too nice to never settle down, but Rowan was clueless when it came to men. She had no idea what made them tick, and the relationships she’d been in had all ended with a whimper rather than a bang, with no man being the romantic hero that Rowan dreamed of.
Callie glanced around, suddenly missing Gene. “Where are the guys?”
“They’re all in the ball pit,” Rowan said, amused. “Look at them. Men never grow up, really, do they?”
Callie followed her gaze to the ball pit, and started to laugh. Gene, Hitch, Rhett, and several others were up to their necks in colored balls, surrounded by kids who appeared to think that burying the guys was the most fun thing they’d ever done in their life.
Gene caught her eye and got to his feet, picked up Tom—the birthday boy—and carried him like a rugby ball to the edge of the ball pit, where he gently tossed him back into the plastic balls, the boy screaming with laughter all the way. He began to walk over to Callie, but paused to pick up a tiny girl who’d fallen over, setting her back on her feet and making sure she was all right before he carried on.
“Well, well,” Callie said with amusement. “You seem to be enjoying yourself.”
He gave a nonchalant shrug. “Well, you have to help out, don’t you?” His teasing smile told her how much fun he was having.
“Hitch!” Rowan shrieked. “Put him down!” She went marching off to berate the unfortunate Hitch, who had shouldered Tom and was galloping around the play den. She scolded him for risking the boy’s safety, and he lowered the boy to the floor. Rolling her eyes, she turned to leave. Hitch smacked her backside, sending her on her way. She stopped, her eyes nearly falling out of her head, then walked on sedately to the café without looking back.
Gene looked at Callie, and they both burst out laughing. “He likes her,” Gene said. “A lot.”
“Hmm.” Callie studied Rowan’s scarlet cheeks as she bought herself a cup of coffee. “Does he now?”
Gene slid his arms around her and turned her to face him. “You okay?” He kissed her nose.
She kissed him back, snuggling into his embrace. “I’m fine, thank you. You?”
“I’m having a great time.” He looked across at the little girl he’d helped up, making sure she was all right. “I want one.”
Callie stared at him. “What?”
He shrugged and looked back at her. “I want one. A kid. With you. What do you think?”
Her jaw dropped.
“We’d have to get married first,” he said. “Of course.”
“Gene!” Callie could barely breathe. “Oh my God!”
“What? Don’t you want to marry me?” He nuzzled her ear and kissed her neck.
“I… Oh! Is this a proposal?”
He kissed along her jaw to her mouth, then pressed his lips to hers for a long moment. “Maybe,” he whispered when he eventually pulled back. “I know you don’t want to rush into anything. I’ll do it properly when you’re ready. A ring, down on one knee, the whole works. The urge kind of took me by surprise.” He kissed her again. “I love you, Callie. We can take our time, because we have the rest of our lives together, but the point is that I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
She had to be careful or she was going to cry in front of twenty six-year-olds. “I love you too.”
“So when I do ask you to marry me, do you know what your answer will be?”
She blinked furiously and nodded. “Yes. I know what my answer will be.”
His lips curved up. “I’m crazy about you, Callie Summer.”
“I’m crazy about you too,” she whispered back.
“Gene!” It was Hitch, yelling from the ball pit. “Put her down and get your butt back in here! I’m under siege!” He disappeared beneath a mountain of balls poured on his head by a couple of the kids.
Gene laughed. “I’d better rescue him.” He kissed her nose. “Love you.”
“Love you too.”
She watched him leap into the ball pit and disappear beneath the balls, making the kids squeal as he hunted for them beneath the surface like a shark.
“He’s quite a guy.” It was Rowan, who’d sidled up with two cups of coffee. She handed one to Callie. “I’m so pleased for you.”
Callie blinked away her tears and gave a bright smile. “What about you, Rowan? Have you ever thought about dating Hitch?”
“Hitch?” Rowan stared at her. “He’s like a brother.”
“He’s not, though. And he likes you.”
Rowan blew a raspberry. “Yeah, but not in that way. He’d never be interested in me.” She spoke a little wistfully, obviously thinking the gorgeous Hitch was out of her league.
Callie just smiled and blew on her cup of coffee as she watched Gene play with the children, and began to scheme in her head.
Buy Tempting Autumn, The Four Seasons Book 2, Rowan and Hitch’s story
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Other Books by Serenity Woods
For an up-to-date list of available books, please visit the Books page on my website.
The Four Seasons
Book 1: Seducing Summer
Book 2: Tempting Autumn
Book 3: Bewitching Winter
Book 4: Persuading Spring
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Treats to Tempt You
Book 1: Treat with Caution
Book 2: Treat her Right
Book 3: A Rare Treat
Book 4: Trick or Treat
Book 5: A Festive Treat
Book 5.5: No Way to Treat a Lady (Novella)
Book 6.5: A Taste of Things to Come (Novella)
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Between the Sheets
Book 1: A Secret Between Friends
Book 2: An Ocean Between Us
Books 3-5 coming soon
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Three Wise Men
Book 1: The Perfect Gift
Book 2: An Ideal Present
Book 3: A Secret Parcel
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About the Author
Serenity Woods lives in the sub-tropical Northland of New Zealand with her wonderful husband and gorgeous teenage son. She writes hot and sultry contemporary romances with a happy ever after, and would much rather immerse herself in reading or writing romance than do the dusting and ironing, which is why it’s not a great idea to pop round if you have any allergies.
Website: http://www.serenitywoodsromance.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/serenitywoodsromance
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Serenity_Woods
[4 Seasons 01] Seducing Summer Page 24