Page 11 of Boston (Coral Canyon: Cowboys #12)

“No,” he said. “Like I said, I’m still trying to sketch it all out. And then of course Jeremy would have to approve it. We’d need to figure out a pricing structure, and I’d have to get everything checked off with the Wildlife Department too.”

In fact, they still had a long way to go before Boston could truly take anyone on the eagle excursion. Part of him didn’t want to at all, and he thought maybe he could keep the cabin on the edge of the woods a private sanctuary for himself.

But he couldn’t take three or four days off every couple of weeks to retreat into the wilderness and refill his well with eagle-watching. But if he took a group and it was a work assignment, he could….

“It looks like you’re going on Wednesday next week,” she said. “Is that right?” She tilted her phone toward him. “It just says ‘Boston out of office.’”

“Yeah,” he said. “Wednesday to Saturday. It’s a full-day hike up there, and that alone would limit who can actually go on the excursion.”

“Rough terrain?” she asked.

“I wouldn’t really say rough,” Boston said. “But it’s rugged. There’re a few steep places, and it is wide enough for horses. But I’ve told Jeremy that this should be an adults-only excursion.”

She gave a small nod and a quick smile. “Right. Because what children care about eagles?”

“Oh, I’m sure there’s some,” Boston said easily. “But it’s definitely more of an adult activity. With the hiking, the sitting quietly, the learning about less exciting wildlife than buffalo and wolves and bears.”

“How many does the cabin hold?”

“It’s got two bedrooms and a bathroom,” he said. “There’s also an outdoor outhouse and a big living room–kitchen–dining combo in the front that spills out onto a beautiful front porch that faces north, so it doesn’t take the brunt of the western setting sun.”

He leaned back in his chair, wishing he was already up the mountain or at the cabin.

“It’s a six-hour hike, about six miles, and I stop for lunch.

The first night, I imagine we set up dinner around the campfire, sing songs, and get to bed early, because the eagles are up between five and five-thirty.

And if you want to hear them talk to each other, that’s the best time of day to do it. ”

“They talk to each other?” Cora sounded like she didn’t believe him.

But Boston nodded emphatically. “Oh, yeah,” he said. “They have different kinds of calls and chirps too—for when they’re afraid or warning others, mating, have an intruder in their nest, or just saying good morning.”

She smiled, and Boston really liked the way that it transformed her more serious features into something softer and kinder.

Despite her fashionable clothes and questionable footwear choices for a mountain lodge, Boston knew she wanted to work hard.

She wanted to do a good job. She wanted to make her family proud.

He’d only known her for a couple of days, but he suspected she could charm crowds, calm angry guests, and lead employees with care, compassion, and grace on the one hand. And the moment she entered her office and closed the door, she would change completely.

Boston knew, because he worked in customer service and hospitality himself, and this was exactly how he was. He asked questions behind the scenes and learned on his own time, and then he tried to show up as prepared as possible, with a brave, confident face pinned in place.

Cora’s insight into how her move from Miami had gone told him that she was multifaceted, a hard worker, and could potentially be an amazing asset to Silver Sage.

“Do you think someone with my skills and physical ability could make the hike?” she asked.

Boston looked at her, trying to find the real question behind the words. “I think you’d do just fine.”

“I’m not a fast hiker.”

“Then I can slow down.”

“Are you inviting me to come with you next week?”

Boston grinned at her, now seeing between the lines. She’d suggested this mac-and-cheese meeting-slash-date, but she wanted him to ask her out next.

“Yeah,” he said. “If you think you can make it the six miles and can stand sleeping in a cabin that’s pretty rustic—it does have running water, but not reliable electricity—then you should come.”

He beamed at her. “I’ve heated the place with a potbellied stove, and I take lanterns so I can see at night.”

“Important,” she said.

“It has a generator, but I only run it on occasion. It’s hard to get gasoline up there.”

“It’s going to be hard to get me up there.”

He grinned at her, hoping he hadn’t scared her away too badly. “The nesting pair up there has a chick this year. Last time I was there, he hadn’t fledged yet, but I bet he’s flying now.”

“There’s no camera on the nest?” she asked.

“No,” Boston said, though he knew that was a popular thing to do worldwide these days. Heck, he sometimes turned on nest cams for other eagles—or cranes, owls, and even the bears up in Alaska.

There was something serene and peaceful about watching a wild animal in its natural environment, undisturbed by humans, surviving and thriving.

“You’ll have to pack in a lot,” he said. “Food, clothes, supplies.”

“I can do it,” Cora said.

“Great. I’m leaving on Wednesday around six a.m. Is that too early for you?”

“No,” she said quickly, shooting him a look that told him not to question her.

She made one more note in her notebook and then closed it.

“Okay. I think I have enough for today. I have a few more meetings this week, and then maybe I’d like to meet with you again to try to put everything together into one cohesive whole. ”

“Sure,” he said just as his phone buzzed. He picked it up from the console where it had vibrated against the hard plastic and saw a text from Joey.

Our cousin movie night is on Monday, June twenty-third, seven p.m. at Adam’s house in Dog Valley.

We’ll have a big bonfire, tin foil dinners (bring your own), s’mores, candy, and a soda bar.

Plus-ones are invited, be that a friend, a boyfriend or girlfriend, a spouse or anyone else.

Please just let me or Adam know by Friday night if you’re coming alone or with someone.

She’d included several smiley faces, a toasted marshmallow, and a tent.

Boston looked up and over to Cora. “Is our meeting done?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she said. “Who is that?”

“My cousin.” His grin widened. “And I know we haven’t been out yet, but if this mac-and-cheese date goes well, do you think you might want to go to a bonfire with me?”

Cora’s eyes lit up, and she nodded. “Yeah, I love a good bonfire.”

“It’s not for another week and a half,” he said. “I’ve got the hunting party this weekend, and we’ll do the eagles next weekend, and it’s after that. So if you hate me by then, you can cancel.”

She giggled and shook her head and then unbuckled her seatbelt. “I’m not gonna hate you by then, Boston.”

“You might.” He switched off the truck and added, “Stay right there. I’ll come get your door.” He practically leapt from the truck, and as he rounded the hood, he thanked the Good Lord above for filling his mouth with the right things to say.