He chuckled. “I’m counting on that. Although experience tells me it might not work that way.” One corner of Haley’s mouth tilted up. He liked that he had made her smile, even just a tiny bit. He had a feeling she needed to smile a lot more often.
“I’ll try and resist any bad influence,” she said. Her blue eyes twinkled and it lightened his heart.
“Good luck with that,” he said. That barely-there smile of hers surfaced again.
“Your mother is a strong-willed woman,” she said. “Good thing I don’t bow to peer pressure.”
Ethan grinned. “She’s hardly your peer, so she might be a bigger influence than you think. She tends to be the leader of the pack wherever she goes. My guess is you’re a follower, but hopefully a cautious one.”
“Hmmm,” was her only response. She turned and flipped open her last suitcase, then quickly slammed it shut, but not before Ethan caught a glimpse of satin and lace lingerie in an assortment of colors. He couldn’t even remember what they’d been discussing. Maybe Miss Donahue wasn’t as demure as he’d thought. He couldn’t help but be intrigued.
“How does Ryan like his room?” he finally asked, looking toward the open door of the adjoining bedroom where the toddler napped.
“It’s hard to tell with a nineteen-month old, but he loves looking out his window and seeing the birds in the tree. And he took a nap without a fuss, so I think he feels safe here.”
“Good. I hope you do, too.” A warm feeling of something he couldn’t name swept through him. “So,” he said, bringing his hands together in front of his chest and rubbing his palms. “I was surprised—but glad—that you could move in so soon. Your old employer didn’t need notice?”
“No. Their oldest child just got his driver’s license. My days were numbered so to speak. That’s one of the reasons I needed this job so badly.”
“Their loss. My gain. I’m glad you’re here. We all are.”
“So am I. Very glad.” She looked around the room and let out a contented sigh. “It feels good here. Like I fit.”
Her sweetness and vulnerability struck a protective chord in Ethan. “If you hadn’t come along, I’m not sure what I would have done, so let’s just say everybody’s a happy camper.” He smiled at her. She smiled back, a smile that didn’t quite seem to reach her eyes, and Ethan found himself wishing she felt as happy on the inside as she looked right now. But he knew only too well the insidiousness of grief.
“Your mother is taking Ryan and me on a tour of the area this afternoon, when she gets back from having her hair done.”
“Oh, damn. I forgot her.” Ethan grimaced. “She’ll be spitting mad, making her wait and all.” He started out of the room.
“I’m supposed to drive her around,” Haley said to his retreating back. “Let me go pick her up.”
He turned and shook his head. “Get settled in first.” He glanced into the adjoining room. “Besides, Ryan’s sleeping and you don’t want to pick Mom up late your first time. She looks for excuses to be mad about the chauffeuring, because she hates that I insist on driving her everywhere. I worry she’ll fall though. She’s supposed to have knee-replacement surgery but keeps putting it off.”
“Why?”
“Good question.” Ask her about it sometime. I’d be curious to know what she says.”
“What if she tells me in confidence?”
“Ah, a woman of integrity. That’s one of the reasons I hired you.” He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. “Ask her anyway. I’d bet money her answer will be entertaining, and laughing is good for the soul.” Especially yours, he thought, knowing she had been through hell this last year or so.
“Yes, I suppose it is.”
“I know it is.” Ethan needed to find more of it in his own life. This last year of his life had been sorely lacking in the laughing department.
She studied him as if seeing way beyond the surface, and he felt exposed. “Your mother strikes me as quite a character. Are the two of you much alike?”
Her question surprised him. “I’m afraid to answer that. Might run you off.” He turned to go, but stopped when Haley’s light laughter floated around him. He glanced back at her, saw her wide smile and his heart did a flip. “See? Laughter is definitely good for the soul,” he said with a wink.
He hurried out of the room, grinning in spite of the fact that he knew his mother would be irritated as hell by the time he finally got to her.
****
“I cannot believe you’re thirty minutes late, Ethan Richardson. Thirty three minutes to be exact. I tried to call numerous times but you didn’t answer.”
Ethan patted his pockets. “Actually I don’t even have my phone with me.”
“What has gotten into you?”
“Too much to do I guess.”
She scowled and rolled her eyes, but he refused to let himself get riled. He had too much on his plate to let his mom get to him. He helped her to the car and got her settled, then strode around to the other side and got in.
“You know I don’t like to wait,” she said the minute he’d fastened his seat belt. “I also don’t like to be carted around like an invalid.”
“If you drove yourself, I’d be worried sick you’d have a wreck driving with a right knee that barely bends.” He loosened his tight grip on the steering wheel and tried to stay calm, because he knew his mother wasn’t normally irritable like this, which meant she probably hurt far worse than she let on. “I’m trying to take care of you, Mother. That’s one of the reasons I invited you to come live with Kayla and me. Sorry I was running behind today.” He started the suburban and pulled out of the parking lot. “I’ve been helping the new nanny get settled in, making sure everything’s okay.”
“In other words, you’ve been lollygagging around staring at your pretty young nanny. You can’t fool me, Ethan Richardson. You’re a rescuer, just like your brother, and Haley Donahue could sure use that. Better be careful, though. She’s married.”
Ethan groaned and swallowed back a curse. “I should have left you at the beauty salon.” Dottie crossed her arms and shot him a mutinous glare. Ethan held in a sigh. “The woman is very much in love with her husband. Anybody with eyes and ears can see that.”
“True. Let’s hope he’s alive somewhere. That poor woman has had to get through a long time not knowing if her husband is alive or dead. Anyone would eyes can tell she’s overwhelmed with sadness. She sure is a pretty though.”
His mother was right. Haley was a beautiful woman and if he were honest he’d admit he found her attractive. That’s not why he’d hired her though. She felt trustworthy and Kayla liked her. “She’s a very pretty woman,” he admitted.
Dottie shot him a smirk. “I figured you’d noticed.”
“I’m not dead, Mother, but I want a nanny, nothing else.”
“And a companion, or shall I say watchdog, for me.”
Ethan blew out a sigh of frustration. “My only concern is that you not fall and hurt yourself. You know that, even if you’re giving me a hard time.”
“I know no such thing, except that I’m only sixty four, but I feel like I’m eighty four some days.”
“Being kicked by Francie’s horse didn’t help your knee, that’s for sure.” He sliced her a look. “You may feel ancient but you don’t look a day over fifty five.”
“Fifty five! Last month you said I didn’t look a day over fifty.” She patted her freshly cut bob. “I need to find me a boyfriend. Put some sparkle back in my eyes. Of course, no man wants a woman who hauls a cane around. They’re scared I’ll whack them with it if they misbehave.”
Ethan laughed. “Only because it’s exactly the sort of thing you would do.”
She grunted. “If that’s so, I would have whacked you a minute ago.”
“Nah. You’d never make a scene in public.”
She waved a hand toward him. “Always a smart mouth. At least I raised you to do something right.”
Ethan grinned. “I
’d say you did several things right. I obviously can’t turn away a damsel in distress. That’s why I have a new nanny who’d take off like a Thoroughbred out of the starting gate if and when her husband returns.”
Dottie tapped her freshly-painted, bright red fingernails on her cane. “It’s sad, isn’t it? If she doesn’t find out what happened to her husband, she may never move on with her life. I’ve seen it happen all too often.”
Ethan hoped his mom was wrong for once. “She’ll have to move on at some point,” he responded.
“Not necessarily. It’d be easier if she knew her husband was dead. Much easier.” Dottie clasped her hands together in her lap and stared out her window for a few minutes. Ethan knew what she was thinking and it made his heart ache for her.
When she finally spoke, her voice was laced with sadness. “When your dad passed, I thought I might shrivel up and die with the pain of losing him. And your Aunt Jo had a terrible time after poor Wally was killed in the war, but she said to me more than once that in one way she was lucky. Lots of women never found out what happened to their husbands and spent their entire lives waiting on them to come home.”
“I think you and Aunt Jo would have both moved on at some point no matter the circumstances.”
Dottie thought a minute. “Maybe. But Jo and I are a different type than Haley.”
“No kidding. I’m hoping she’ll have a good influence on you.”
“No, you’re not. You’re hoping I’ll have a good influence on her, help her get on with her life.”
Ethan shrugged. His mother was nothing if not perceptive. “If anybody could do it, it’d be you.”
“Ordinarily I’d agree, but in this instance you might be the one with the most influence on her.”
“How so?” Ethan asked before he thought, then wished he’d kept his mouth shut. He pulled onto his street.
“Well.” His mom drew out the word until Ethan gritted his teeth. “She’s pretty vulnerable. If she found out her husband was gone, you’d be there for her. She could lean on you, and we both know she would need to lean on someone. Someone strong who understands about grief. You’re a good man, and you would be a good friend to her.”
“Nice to know you think I’m a good man.”
“Of course you’re a good man. I raised you.”
He couldn’t help but smile. “Good man or not, I don’t plan on rescuing my nanny, except to pay her for a job well done.” He pulled into his driveway and parked the car.
Dottie unbuckled her seatbelt. “You should keep an open mind. After all, look at your brother. Matt wasn’t looking for anyone either, and now he’s crazy in love with Francie and that baby.”
“Francie wasn’t married.”
“Point taken.” Dottie thought for a minute. “She had a lot of baggage though. So, what are you going to do about your interest in Haley?”
“I have no interest in Haley.”
“I’m only suggesting friendship. At least for now.”
Lord he needed a night out with the guys. Desperately. “Listen up, Mom. She’s not available. And, even if she were, she’s not my type. End of discussion.” Beam me up, Scottie. Tomorrow he’d head out to his dude ranch and get a break from all this. Ride through the lush pasture land. Have a beer or two with Hank and just chill. God he needed it.
Dottie pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. “Just remember what I’ve said, because eventually she’ll find out what happened to her husband, and if he’s gone, she’ll need a friend more than she’s ever needed one.”
Ethan sighed. “I’ll be there for her if she wants to talk, but she’s a lot more likely to come to you.”
Dottie pursed her lips. “She will need us both. Let’s just pray she gets some closure about her husband.”
“Yeah, not ever finding out what happened to him would make her life a continual hell.”
Dottie sighed. “She’s going to need us. That’s all I’m saying.”
“I hope it doesn’t come to that.” He pointed a finger at his mom. “I hired Haley to take care of Kayla and be a companion for you. And once she’s settled in, I plan on taking advantage of that and stepping out a lot more, which includes spending more time getting the dude ranch up and running.”
And having some much-needed fun. With a nanny to ease some of his pressure, he might even want a date here and there. Nothing serious. Just fun and maybe some mind-blowing sex. He certainly wasn’t looking for love. Another reason to stay away from a lady like Haley. The last thing he ever wanted was to fall for someone who was in love with another man, especially if that man was dead. Beloved dead husbands were perfect. He’d seen his aunt turn his uncle into a living shrine after his death. And if someone like Aunt Jo would do that, then a quiet, sentimental woman like Haley would be even worse.
He sincerely hoped to God none of them would ever have to find out how Haley would handle discovering her husband was never coming home to her.
CHAPTER TWO
Haley listened to Kayla and Ryan giggling and smiled. She’d been surprised when Ethan had caved to Kayla’s begging and invited them all to join him this weekend at the dude ranch. She hoped he didn’t regret it.
“Horsies! Horsies!” Ryan shouted as Ethan turned and drove up a long, winding road to his soon-to-be dude ranch. Haley smiled at her son, her own excitement vibrating through her. Ethan had talked pretty much non-stop her first few weeks of employment about his ranch. She could hardly wait to see it.
A deer and her fawn bounded in front of them, and Ryan squealed with delight. Haley laughed at her son as he clapped his hands and kicked his legs, turning his head as far as it would go to follow the deer and her baby.
Smiling, Ethan turned onto a gravel road. They wound through the hillside another mile or so before pulling up to a partially renovated, two-story, white ranch house with a wrap-around porch.
Haley’s mouth fell open. “Oh, it’s beautiful.” She opened her door and stepped outside. “I love old houses, especially ones with wrap-around porches. And look at all the gorgeous baskets of geraniums.”
“Flowers are a must,” Dottie said with a smile as her gaze swept over the porch.
Ethan turned off the SUV and got out, stretching his arms. “Yep. That porch was one of the first things that caught my eye. That and the land,” he added, going around to the other side of the car to help his mom out.
“The first thing that caught my eye was all the darn stairs,” Dottie complained.
“After your surgery, you won’t mind the stairs, Mom.”
She harrumphed and started toward the house. Ethan swooped her up and climbed the porch steps, ceremoniously plopping her down by the front door.
She slapped his hands away the minute her feet hit the wood. “I could have done that myself.”
Ethan winked at Haley. “Fine, you cantankerous old lady. You can climb down by yourself.” He pointed to a handrail. “Just for you. I put it up last weekend.”
Dottie patted his arm and went inside. Ethan shook his head and let out a long sigh. “As stubborn as they come, that’s Mom.”
Haley waited to respond until she was sure Dottie was out of ear shot. “Pride is more what I see.”
Ethan jogged down the steps. “Too much pride. She’s going to hurt herself someday. Besides, if she’s so darn proud, she should get the surgery done and throw that cane away.”
“Maybe now that I’m here to watch Kayla, she’ll do that.” Haley reached down and helped Ryan out of his car seat as Kayla scrambled out on the other side.
“Here’s hoping.” Ethan pulled up the rear hatch. “She’ll be much happier once she’s got that behind her.”
Haley glanced toward the front door. “Yeah, but it’s the ‘getting it behind her’ that’s the hard part.”
“Well said.” He squinted at the late morning sun then shut his eyes and breathed in the fresh country air.
Haley tilted her head back and soaked up the sun’s rays. It was a beautiful spring
day and she was definitely glad Ethan had invited them to come.
She watched his gaze settle on a rolling knoll about five hundred yards north of the house. Sadness seemed to settle over him and she wondered why. A strong urge to reach out and give a comforting touch swept through her.
Blowing out a deep breath, he ran a hand down his face and then turned to everyone. “You guys ready for a country breakfast?”
Kayla danced around him. “I want to gather eggs.”
“Fine by me,” Ethan said, tousling her hair. “Try not to break more than you collect.” He pulled the overnight bags from the suburban and handed a small duffel to Kayla.
“I’ll get mine.” Haley started toward him.
“Not necessary.” Ethan hoisted one suitcase under an arm and grabbed the other two.
Dottie returned to the open front door. “Am I the only one hungry this morning?”
“Why don’t you let Kayla and me fix breakfast?” Haley suggested, picking up Ryan, who’d fallen down, and dusting off his bottom.
“Sounds good to me,” Ethan said. “I’ll go do a quick check of the quail pens while breakfast is cooking.”
“Ethan has a pair of ostriches out here, Haley. Ryan would get a kick out of them.” Dottie grinned. “We could have ostrich eggs for breakfast. Now there’s a real egg.”
Ethan bounded onto the porch with the luggage and led the way into the house and across a large, open living room. He set the suitcases down just as a piercing screech greeted them. Haley and Ryan practically jumped out of their skin and Ryan clung to her like a monkey.
“Looks like Hank’s been rescuing critters again.” Ethan eased up to a large cardboard box. A reddish-brown screech owl with a splinted wing hovered in the corner. It looked up at him, flapped its one good wing, and fluffed out its feathers, making itself look twice its size.
Haley held her son tight as he stretched his neck and peered with rounded eyes into the box. Kayla stepped toward the owl, but Ethan held out a hand and stopped her. “That’s close enough. He’s scared. That’s why he’s all puffed out.”
A Home for Haley Page 2
