by Tina Leonard
“Are my eyes lying to me?” Laredo whispered.
Tex shook his head, dumbfounded.
“Where’s the camera? Get me the camera. I need a picture of this! No one will ever believe that my foul-tempered brother actually let a baby crawl onto his person.”
Tex handed him the camera and Laredo squeezed off a shot.
“You wake that baby, and Frisco’s gonna chew your head, Laredo.”
They both froze for a second as the baby sighed. Neither brother nor infant awoke, however.
Laredo gestured to Tex to follow him back into the kitchen. “I just had a brainstorm.”
“I’m wary of storms, myself.”
Laredo eyed him wryly. “I’m thinking about all these women.”
Tex raised a brow. “You and all the rest of us. Glad to hear you’re normal, Laredo.”
“I’ll ignore that for the moment, in the spirit of brotherhood.”
Tex grinned.
“I’m serious here. Give me a listen before you shoot this down, Tex. What if a woman was the way to get Frisco in a better frame of mind?”
Tex gave him his most sober look, which was nearly ruined by the twinkle in his eyes. “Frisco’s frame is bent. Totally. I do believe there’s not a woman alive who can make him hang on the level.”
Laredo sighed, used to his brother’s clowning.
“But maybe some womanliness is the way to get Frisco to act like a human being.”
“Like a shot of instant female hormones to counteract his overload of testosterone?”
Laredo shook his head. “No, I’m talking flesh-and-blood woman. Like sweet Annabelle.”
Tex burst out laughing.
Chapter Four
Tex stopped laughing as he took in Laredo’s focused expression. “Frisco has women all the time, or at least he could, if he’d pay them any attention. They practically fall out of the pew in church on Sundays.”
Laredo shrugged. “That’s pretty much a chain reaction to all of us walking in. When twelve men walk in, I’m sure the testosterone quotient in the room shoots up appreciably. You don’t know that it’s because of Frisco. He’s been so foul lately that I doubt any woman would keep him for long, anyway.”
Tex scratched his head. “I thought he was being a pain in the rump on principle.”
“I’m suggesting that maybe it’s been a while since he’s had a woman.”
Long while was embedded in the way Laredo stressed the time frame. Tex frowned. “I don’t think any of these girls are going to sleep with our brother just to get him out of a bad mood. And even if they wanted to, Mother Delilah would freak. She’s going to keep her flock safe from us wolves.”
“I don’t know that it has to be a sexual thing, exactly. Maybe he needs his own woman to balance him out.” Laredo’s expression turned thoughtful. “And apparently, we were looking for a housekeeper.”
“Are you hinting that we should hire one of these women?” Tex shook his head. “If Mason was here right now and could see Malfunction Junction-turned-Petticoat Junction, he’d be figuring out a way to get rid of them, not keep them.”
“But then Mason’s got Mimi keeping him all ginned up. How much excitement can a man stand, anyway? So all I’m saying is that having a woman around might make Frisco happy.”
“Frisco being ginned up all the time does not sound like a recipe for happiness.”
“But this Annabelle girl isn’t like Mimi,” Laredo pointed out. “She’s not the type to keep Frisco in a knot just for fun.”
“Annabelle’s your choice for a housekeeper? Mimi’s going to eat your heart. I distinctly got the impression that the new housekeeper was supposed to be elderly. Not a sweet young thing living here with me, you, Frisco—and Mason.”
Laredo rubbed his chin. “It could be dicey,” he admitted. “The unknown factor in this is Mason.”
Sudden pounding down the stairs alerted the men that Annabelle had discovered her baby was missing. “Quick! Intercept her before she wakes the baby!” Laredo commanded, jumping to his feet.
“She’s not a football, damn it!” But Tex shot out of the kitchen, no more anxious to have baby Em awakened than Laredo was.
Their jaws dropped as they realized they were too late. Annabelle stood staring down at the sleeping man cradling her baby. Her expression was one of amazement. Maybe even wonder.
Best yet, Annabelle’s hair was wet, she’d thrown her robe on over her towel so it had caught, and the legs that had previously been concealed by jeans and boots were totally exposed. She had wonderful legs and sparkly pink toenail polish on dainty toes.
Laredo and Tex backed up slowly into the kitchen.
“Last had it right,” Laredo said, his blood pressure darn near shooting out of his head. “We gotta keep her. For Frisco’s sake.”
Tex swept a hand across his brow as he leaned up against the pantry. “Oh, God, yes. She’s too adorable to send back. I don’t care how cranky the baby is. We’ll all take turns holding her. But to save my brother from himself, I gladly volunteer my services.”
“To rock the baby,” Laredo said pointedly.
“Just to rock the baby,” Tex agreed. “But damn, if any of those women are hiding such charms under those frumpy country dresses, I get first dibs on the next one we see undressed.”
Annabelle peeped around the corner, the robe fully pulled down over the towel now. “What are you guys doing in here?” she asked. “And why does Frisco have my baby?”
Laredo jerked straight. He arranged his face in a Boy Scout expression. “Frisco just loves babies, Annabelle. Loves them beyond anything you can imagine. I think he misses having young’uns in the house, if you want to know the truth. And when he heard your little Emmie up there wailing, why, he just raced to comfort her.”
She looked at him uncertainly. “That was nice of him.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Tex said. “And right before he dozed off, he said he hoped you’d help yourself to anything you need in the house.” His Adam’s apple jumped as he swallowed. “And furthermore, he said not to bother moving Em. He said you’re to get the rest you need, and he’ll watch her tonight. Since she’s so colicky and all.”
Annabelle’s lips parted, which Laredo thought was an expression Frisco would surely have to appreciate.
“That’s awfully nice of him.”
She didn’t sound certain. Laredo nodded enthusiastically. “Yes. That’s what people say about Frisco. He’s such a…nice…person.”
He held his breath.
“I suppose I’ll head back upstairs, if you’re sure about this?”
The two brothers nodded quickly.
“Well, all right. Come knock on the door if Frisco changes his mind.”
They nodded again. Annabelle left the kitchen, and the brothers high-fived each other.
She poked her head back around the corner, and they stiffened guiltily. “I’ll leave the diaper bag in the hall. I doubt Em will sleep much longer, and he can bring her to me when she wakes up.”
“Excellent. We’ll be sure to see that Frisco gets it,” Laredo said. “Don’t you worry about Em. She’s in good hands.”
Annabelle didn’t look all that likely to agree, but with a last glance at the man holding her content child, she went back up the stairs.
“Frisco’s gonna whup your hide.”
“No, he isn’t,” Laredo said with a grin, “because you’re not going to tell him. In the morning, she’ll thank him for watching her baby, and he’ll puff up with pride and say it was nothing, they’ll see each other in a rosy light, and boom! Instant happiness for Frisco.”
Tex shook his head. “I don’t remember you being so good with relationships, Laredo. Since when did you become the inventor of the mysterious perfect match?”
“I’m not looking for a woman, Tex, so shut up. In fact, never try this on me, because I won’t fall for it. But then, I’m a pleasant person in general.” He glanced out at his brother. “It’s Frisco who’s had
a problem. Unless I miss my guess, it’s well on its way to being fixed.”
“You’ve missed more than your guess before,” Tex mumbled as he cracked open a beer.
But Laredo ignored him. “There’s just two things that worry me,” he murmured.
“Can’t imagine that it’s just two.” Tex sighed. “They must be big, combo worries.”
Laredo looked around the corner to check on Frisco and Em. “One,” he said thoughtfully, “We’re going to have to figure out how we talk Mother Delilah into leaving Annabelle here. She distinctly said she wasn’t leaving without her—and there’s a reason she’s being so over-protective.”
“I knew this wasn’t going to be easy,” Tex said with a sigh. “And, two?”
“Em is only two months old.” He came and sat down across the table from his brother. “And that means that somewhere, there’s a father who just might show up any time.”
Tex swallowed. “Suppose he doesn’t?”
Laredo shook his head. “Think of Annabelle in that towel, and then ask yourself how long you’d stay away.”
“Five minutes, tops.”
“I’d last three. Not that she’s my type, but all things being equal, you know, three minutes. I’d want my baby and my woman all to myself.”
“Maybe he’s married.”
Laredo shook his head. “I don’t think so. Annabelle doesn’t seem the type to fall for a married man, and Mother D didn’t strike me as putting up with monkey business.”
“Could be she dumped him, I guess.”
“Or he dumped her.”
They stared at each other.
“That would explain Mother D’s protective stance.” Laredo considered his beer for a moment. “There is a father involved, but he wouldn’t be the first man in history who turned tail and ran at the thought of commitment.”
“Witness the twelve of us.”
“Precisely. Except we’d live up to our responsibilities,” Laredo said sternly.
“And wear condoms,” Tex agreed easily. “Don’t get your dander up. I’m just saying none of us have been keen to marry anyone. Possibly, neither was Annabelle’s boyfriend. As I mention, this is the problem. No matter how much we might think occupying Frisco with a woman might be just what he needs, the fact is, we don’t know anything about this girl. She could be a real disaster. And even if she’s not, even if we discovered she was the sweetest thing since southern tea, Frisco might resist her just on principle.”
“He’s that ornery.” This was something none of the brothers would deny. Not that Frisco had ever been an easy brother to live with, but he had been known to lighten up occasionally. These days, it seemed a pattern was set: Mason rode Frisco, and Frisco rode anyone within earshot.
It made for damn unpleasant living conditions. With it being winter, and them cooped up more than usual, Frisco’s mood needed a shot of sweetness.
“Does it really matter who she is or what her problems are?” Laredo mused. “We’re not looking for her to be Frisco’s dream woman. We would hire her as the housekeeper. Whatever happens after that would have nothing to do with us.”
Tex nodded. “Mason apparently thought we needed her.”
“Well, someone. Preferably middle-aged, though I’m not sure why he’d feel that way. Annabelle would be much easier on the eyes than Delilah. Not that Delilah’s unattractive, but Annabelle’s kind of hot.”
A cough escaped Tex. “I’d agree with you there.”
“Annabelle might get lonely here, but she has the baby to keep her occupied.”
“And all of us.”
Laredo eyed him. “In a brotherly sort of way.”
“Exactly. And the minute she’s unhappy, we’ll personally take her back to her home.”
“Think we can get Frisco to buy it?”
“Hell no,” Tex decreed. “That’s why you’re going to have to go around him on this one.”
“Me?” Laredo straightened. “Am I the twin with the brains?”
“I’m the twin with the good ideas. You merely execute them.”
“I was born first.”
Tex shrugged. “Technically, only because the doctor reached in and grabbed you first. It doesn’t give you leverage or bragging rights. You figure out a way to convince Frisco that Annabelle is just what he needs.”
“In a manner of speaking.”
“Yes. She just might be what we all need, but since that sounds kinky, we’ll say she’s for Frisco.”
“You know,” Laredo said slowly, “this isn’t a half bad idea. In a way, Annabelle is perfect for us. None of us are interested in settling down. But the ad Mason wrote clearly illustrates his belief that we need a housekeeper, a woman to set things straight around here. You can figure that Annabelle is no more interested in us than we are in her, simply due to the fact that Em is about two months old. That means Annabelle’s been through some difficulty recently, and more than likely another man is the last thing she needs!” He sat up, snapping his fingers. “It’s a win-win situation!”
“Do you know how few of those there really are?” Tex warned. “Think about it. Every time someone tries to manipulate us into a so-called win-win, it’s usually when someone wants something from the Union Junction ranch.”
“This time, we’re doing the negotiating. Piece of cake.” Laredo got up, peering out the kitchen at his brother. “If that baby’s father walked out on her, she’ll have twelve men to make up for it.”
“Probably scare the little angel into permanent colic.”
“I don’t think so,” Laredo murmured. “It’s the stomachache Frisco’s going to give me that’s gonna hurt.” He went out into the den to stare down at his brother. Frisco was sleeping like a baby with the baby. “It’s just as cute as two vines curling into each other,” he murmured.
Behind him, he heard Annabelle’s feet on the landing. She came to stand beside him, her light eyebrows raised in question.
“She’s fine,” Laredo said. “Neither of them have moved.”
“I don’t understand it,” Annabelle said. “Emmie doesn’t do that for me.”
“Ah, well.” Laredo gestured toward his brother. “Frisco has that settling effect on people.”
“Really?” Annabelle eyed the sleeping giant. “I would never have guessed.”
“Don’t let his gruffness fool you. He’s had a lot on his mind the past few…months.”
“Oh, I see.”
Laredo could tell Annabelle didn’t see, but she was trying to be sympathetic in spite of herself. He brightened. Sympathy boded well for Frisco. “So, I suppose you were interested in applying for the position of housekeeper?”
She looked at him. “I thought Frisco said you weren’t looking for a housekeeper. That it was a mistake.”
“Frisco’s not looking for one at the main house,” Laredo said hurriedly. “We’re looking for one at house number two.”
“House number two?”
“Four brothers live in one house. We built two to match the original family home. Your friends are all staying in house number three.”
“Who stays where?”
Depends on who’s got company, he started to say, but bit that back quickly. “Well, in this house, it’s Mason, Frisco, me and Tex.”
“You’re twins, right? I’m having trouble telling you apart.”
He could tell this unnerved her. “I’m nicer than Tex,” he told her kindly.
“That doesn’t help much.”
“I’ll smile when I look at you, and that’ll be your clue, okay?”
She smiled back at him, relaxing a little. “How can you hire me if you live in the main house with Frisco and he said he wasn’t looking for a housekeeper?”
He hesitated, his plan stuck. Frisco slumbered on, blissfully unaware of the matchmaking being planned on his behalf. “I don’t know,” Laredo said honestly. “It was Texas’s idea. I’m just supposed to execute it.”
Annabelle laughed a little, a quick, quiet so
und, as if she wasn’t used to being lighthearted. “You’re both being sweet, but it’s all right. I don’t want to cause problems. No more than I have, anyway.”
He shook his head. “You’re no trouble, Annabelle.”
Her brows raised. “Laredo, can I ask you something? Are you…flirting with me?”
“Oh, yes, ma’am,” he said. “But only out of force of habit.”
“You’re not…”
“No, I’m not. Absolutely not.” He gave her his most earnest look. “Neither is Tex. I’ve got an itch too big to scratch, and Tex is deep into rose-growing and putting down roots. You’d be bored to tears if the smell of manure didn’t get you first.”
“So you’re trying to hire me behind your brother’s back because…” She waited for him to fill in the blank.
“We could use help at the Union Junction ranch.”
“What kind of help would that be?”
He gestured expansively. “Cooking, for starters. We’re kind of tired of our cooking, though some of us have gotten pretty good at it. I’m just about sick of Crock-Pot dinners.”
“Crock-Pot?”
“We throw it on in the morning and forget about it until we get home at night. And it’s hot food.”
“Can’t complain about hot food.” She wrinkled her nose at him. “I can’t cook.”
His jaw dropped helplessly as his plan suffered a grand crack. “You can’t?”
“Just pancakes.” She smiled at his crestfallen expression.
Laredo glanced at Frisco, who had begun a gentle, rhythmic breathing. Frisco didn’t like pancakes. “You could learn….”
“If you think you and your brothers cared to be guinea pigs. It could be rough for a while.”
“It very well might.” Maybe the Crock-Pot was a miracle invention after all. He could still put food in it in the mornings, and then Annabelle could serve it at night, and Frisco might be fooled.
Doubtful. Laredo didn’t have any new recipes. Frisco would recognize his handiwork.
“Do you sew? Clean? Garden?”
“I could try.”
Executing this idea was turning out to be harder than he thought it would be. Laredo could almost hear Tex snickering in the kitchen. Annabelle had no selling points for housekeeping. She was pretty, petite, sweet.
