Bonnie’s cheeks grew hot, and she wished she could hide her face right now. What must Jace be thinking? That she went around talking about him all the time to Gran?
She risked a peek at him to find him watching her, amusement mixed with curiosity on his face, but there was nothing but warmth in his eyes.
Gran ran a hand over the skirt of her dress. “My wonderful grandkids here eat lunch with me every Sunday after church. We’d love it if you’d join us. We’re just going to the café down the street.” As if that settled everything, she put the strap of her purse over her shoulder and headed for the aisle.
Jace and Noel glanced at each other before he said, “We don’t want to intrude.”
“You wouldn’t be,” Wyatt assured him while Chrissy nodded, her arm through her husband’s. “We’re going to Clearwater Café. We can meet you there after you get Gunner from his class.”
Bonnie worried they would feel pressured. “If you had other plans, you aren’t obligated to come. Gran makes friends everywhere, and she’s one of the most outspoken people I know.” She was giving Jace an out, but her heart held onto hope that he was going to join them for lunch anyway.
Jace moved as though he thought about reaching out to Bonnie. Instead, he tucked his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “I don’t want you to be uncomfortable. Are you sure you wouldn’t mind if we ate lunch with you all?”
Noel followed the conversation back and forth, her head moving to face the person speaking. It would’ve been funny if Bonnie hadn’t been nervous. “I’d like you all to come.”
There. She said it. Now it was completely up to him.
“In that case, it sounds like fun. I’ll go get Gunner, and we’ll meet you there.” With that, Jace strode past and to the back of the room.
Noel didn’t say a word, but she did give Bonnie a knowing look before following her brother.
When the Echolls siblings were gone, Wyatt moved to put an arm around Chrissy and smiled at Bonnie. “I’d say your plan is working.”
Chrissy was all but rubbing her hands together in excitement.
Bonnie wanted to object but smiled instead. “It wasn’t a plan, simply an invitation. You two are jumping to conclusions. This doesn’t mean anything.”
“Sure it does.” Wyatt put his other arm around Bonnie. “The man would be dumb and blind if he didn’t accept your invitation or Gran’s.” He raised his brows. “Now we’ll see if he’s worthy of my little sister.”
Bonnie jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow, but his comment had her smiling. “Don’t scare him away, Wyatt.”
“I promise nothing.” He hugged both women close. “Come on, I’m starving.”
* * *
It always amazedJace how much work it took to keep a two-year-old entertained at a restaurant. At least the Clearwater Café had bread and honey butter on the tables to enjoy while they waited for their meals. Thankfully, Gunner was a big fan of bread.
Jace glanced across the long table they were all sitting at and let his gaze rest on Bonnie. She swept some hair out of her eyes and then spread a thick layer of honey butter on a slice of homemade bread.
One of these days, he’d like to take her out for a meal. Just the two of them. What would she say if he asked her?
He tried to focus on the conversation around him as everyone else visited. Wyatt was talking about Joyful Hope Stables. Jace remembered a time last year when Bonnie’s car quit working, and Wyatt dropped her off at Jace’s house for work. They’d met briefly as Jace headed out the door. He mentally cringed at how much he worked back then.
Jace gave Gunner another piece of bread then asked, “Joyful Hope sounds amazing. Are the patients that go there referred from any particular medical facility, or do people make their own arrangements?”
“Both.” Wyatt wiped his hands off on a napkin. “Most of the kids in our hippotherapy sessions are from the rehabilitation center where they receive physical therapy, occupational therapy, or both. One of Chrissy’s friends, Raven, works there and learned about the stables. She thought a lot of the kids would benefit from it.” He smiled, and it was clear he was proud of what they did. “We probably have as many senior citizens as we do kids, though. It just depends on the day of the week.”
Gran, as everyone seemed to call her, pointed a finger at Wyatt. “Walking away from the Tabor fortune was the best thing you could’ve ever done.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Wyatt affirmed.
Jace smiled. “Would it be okay to drop by sometime? I’d enjoy seeing the place after hearing so much about it.”
Wyatt gave a subtle nod. “You’d be welcome anytime.”
But it was the glitter of approval in Bonnie’s eyes that mattered the most to Jace. “Wyatt and Chrissy have already had to expand once since opening a year ago. The stables are growing by leaps and bounds.”
Wyatt reached for his wife’s hand. “A lot of people worked hard to make this a reality. Our large volunteer base is what keeps things running the way they do.”
