“I’m fine.” She waved him away.
Worry began to burn in his gut. Erin didn’t look real well this morning, now that he really took the time to look at her. There were dark circles under her eyes. She looked tired and slightly haggard.
When he was certain she wouldn’t topple over, he left her long enough to grab a clean dishtowel out of the kitchen drawer and dampen it with cold water. Returning swiftly to her side, he laid the damp cloth on her forehead. “Just hold this while I get you some water.” It had been really hot the past few days, even for August. Perhaps she’d gotten a bit dehydrated. When he’d filled a tall glass with water, he made her take small sips until half of it was gone.
“You need to go home and rest. Or maybe you should stay here and lie down. Obviously, Abel isn’t taking good care of you. What the hell were you thinking to let yourself get dehydrated in this heat? You know the dangers of that.” Erin’s eyes widened as his tirade continued. He knew he should shut his mouth, but he couldn’t seem to stop. He’d practically reared Erin, as their father hadn’t been much of a parent.
She placed her hand over his mouth, stopping his rant. A tiny smile played at the corners of her lips. She looked for all the world like she used to when she was just a kid and she’d had a secret. “I’m not dehydrated, Jackson.”
“No? Then what’s wrong with you? You’re pale and you’ve got dark circles under your eyes.” He crouched down beside his sister. “Honey, you look a mess.”
She laughed. “Thanks a lot. You know how to make a girl feel good.”
The back door opened and a large man stepped inside. Jackson slowly stood and glared at his best friend and brother-in-law. “Where the hell have you been?”
Abel cocked his eyebrow as he sauntered into the kitchen. “Good morning to you too. Did Erin tell you the news?”
“Yeah, she did.”
“You don’t look very happy about it.” Abel scowled, his pale green eyes narrowing in anger.
“I’m not.”
Abel’s hands fisted at his sides. “We’d hoped you would be,” he all but growled.
“Umm, Abel.” Erin tried to get her husband’s attention, but he ignored her for the moment, all his attention focused on Jackson.
“How the hell would you feel if it were some strange woman coming into your home?” Jackson’s patience was at an end. He was already behind in his work and every minute he wasted with this foolishness was putting him further behind.
Abel stared at him like he had two heads. “What are you talking about?”
“The damn housekeeper that your wife hired for me. Without asking me, I might add. What the heck did you think we were talking about?”
Abel glanced over at Erin who just shrugged. “I haven’t had the chance to tell him yet.”
“Tell me what?” He propped his hands on his waist and glared at his younger sister. “I don’t have all day. If you have something to say to me, then just say it.”
“I’m pregnant,” she blurted out.
Jackson felt as if he’d taken a hit to his solar plexus. Staggering back, he hit the counter and knocked into a stack of dishes. They crashed to the floor, shattering into dozens of tiny pieces. He ignored them. “What did you say?”
A huge smile broke out on Erin’s face, making her appear absolutely radiant. As she stood, her husband went to her side and wrapped his arm around her waist. There was no mistaking the pride and love in his face as he stared down at her. “I’m pregnant.” She laughed as she leaned against her husband’s chest. “We’re pregnant.”
Jackson swallowed hard. His baby sister was going to have a baby. Jeez, he needed to sit down. He looked at her and could see the happiness in her eyes. This was what he’d always wanted for her, but it was still hard to take in. “When?”
“I’m three months along so it should be late January or early February.” He knew he had to say something, do something, but he was at a loss. Her smile slowly faded as she stared at him. “Jackson?” She left her husband’s arms and came toward him. “I’m going to be a mother. You’re going to be an uncle.”
He felt the corners of his mouth tipping upward. An uncle. He liked the sound of that. Giving a whoop, he lifted her off the floor and swung her around. When he realized what he was doing, he stopped immediately. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. Are you all right? Is the baby okay?”
Erin laughed. “I’m fine. I’m just tired is all and mornings aren’t the greatest these days.”
He scowled at Abel. “She’d been working too hard. She almost fainted this morning.”
Abel’s indulgent smile disappeared and was replaced by a scowl. “What happened?”
Erin pushed away from Jackson and went to her husband. “I’m fine. I just got up too quickly is all.”
“You need to rest more.”
“You’re damn right she does.” Jackson was still trying to wrap his brain around the fact that Erin was going to be a momma. “Does Nathan know yet?”
She shook her head. “I wanted to tell you first.”
He swallowed back the lump of emotion that welled within him. It meant the world to him that she’d told him first. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. But if you really want to make me happy, you’ll give the housekeeper I hired a chance.”
Oh, his sister was slick. She’d maneuvered him right into that one. There was no way he could refuse her now. She stared at him expectantly, a smug look on her face. “All right.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “A one-week trial run.”
“Two,” she countered.
“Ten days,” he fired back.
“Done.” They all heard the sound of a vehicle pulling up beside the house. “That should be her now. Her name is Emerald Jones.”
“What the hell kind of name is Emerald?” He envisioned a skinny, pampered blonde with cool green eyes and a ton of jewelry.
“A very pretty one,” his sister snapped. “Now be nice.”
“I’m always nice,” he muttered as he followed his sister and Abel out of the house. It was time to meet the stranger who would be sharing his home for the next ten days.
Emerald pulled the car to a stop and turned off the ignition. Since there was no one around, she took a deep breath. She could do this. Her stomach was doing flip-flops and had been all morning. She’d stayed at a quaint B&B last night and had shelled out sixty dollars to pay for it this morning. Her cash was quickly dwindling.
She hated the fact that she’d lied to the woman she’d talked to on the phone about her name. She’d started to give her real name, but at the last second had given the false surname, Jones. They probably wouldn’t recognize her name, but she hadn’t wanted to take any chances. Still, it left her feeling like a complete fraud.
“What’s done is done,” she muttered as she clicked off her seat belt, opened the door and slid out of her compact car, smoothing down her skirt. It was early morning, not yet seven o’clock, but it was already heating up outside. It was going to be another scorcher of a day. She looked around at the place that was to be her home for the foreseeable future. She’d been honest with Erin Garrett about not wanting a long-term job. But the other woman had assured her that the position of housekeeper and cook was only a temporary one, eight weeks tops.
The back door popped open and a tall redheaded woman stepped out onto the porch. “You must be Emerald.” She held out her hand as she strode forward. Emerald liked her on sight.
“I am. And you must be Mrs. Garrett.”
“Please call me Erin.” She turned to the massive man who was close on her heels. “And this is my husband, Abel.”
The guy was huge and very intimidating with his dark hair and piercing green eyes. Still, Emerald met his gaze squarely. “Pleasure to meet you.”
Abel nodded and said hello, but before he could say any more than that, the back door slammed open, drawing all their attention. Emerald froze on the spot. The world around her receded, narrowing to
the man striding determinedly toward her. And what a man he was.
He looked to be at least a half a foot taller than her, if not a bit more, and she was five foot eight. It was hard to tell exactly how tall he was because he had a very muscular build. His gait was fluid as his long legs ate up the distance between them. The denim of his jeans outlined his thick thighs and she watched, fascinated by the play of muscles as he moved. The tight, faded material also cupped his male attributes. Emerald’s mouth went dry as her body began to tingle.
His wide shoulders were encased in a faded blue T-shirt that brought out the color of his incredible blue eyes. They were almost the same color as the summer sky and right now they were focused on her. She tried to swallow, but it was impossible. Her breasts felt heavy and, the closer he got to her, the more she could feel her nipples tightening. A low ache began between her thighs and she had to force herself not to fidget.
His face was too rugged to be called good-looking, but it had something even more important—character. His brown hair had reddish highlights that glinted under the morning sun. It was cut short in the back and brushed away from his forehead in the front, framing his face. His eyebrows were severe slashes that were the same color as his hair. Thin lines radiated from the corners of his eyes. Emerald imagined that they were a result of working outside in all weather his entire life. His skin was burnished a light gold from the sun and it emphasized the blue of his eyes. His eyelashes looked almost too long and thick for a man’s, but it was the only softness on his face. His cheekbones were high, his chin firm and stubborn and his nose hawkish.
At the moment, his full lips were pursed in a severe line. They looked soft though. Emerald wondered what they would feel like against her mouth. Or maybe lower as he nibbled on her breasts, teasing the tips. She barely swallowed back a groan. She had to get a grip on her wayward libido. Ignoring the fact that her panties were now damp, she plastered a smile on her face.
Uh-oh, Mr. Hottie wasn’t pleased about her being here. Emerald wondered who he was even as she turned back to Erin. The other woman was smiling at the man. Emerald got a sinking feeling in her stomach.
“Emerald, I’d like you to meet my brother, Jackson Connors. It’s him you’ll be working for.”
She’d just known that this wouldn’t be easy. Still, she needed this job worse than she’d ever needed anything in her life. She could bury her burgeoning desire for her new boss. Besides which, she wouldn’t be here long enough to really get involved with the man. His life was here and hers was back in New York. She was just tired, and like any woman, she could appreciate a fine male specimen. It didn’t mean anything.
“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Connors.” She held out her hand and his large, tanned one quickly swallowed it up.
“Might as well call me Jackson since you’re going to be living with me.” His voice was low and raspy, sending shivers running down all her nerve endings. His hand was strong, but he held hers gently. This was a man who knew his own strength and controlled it. Would he show that same control when he took a woman to bed? She suspected so. And she had to get her mind back on the business at hand. She had no time to indulge in sexual fantasies, no matter how much fun they might be.
“Jackson, then,” she agreed and tugged her hand away from his, needing to break the contact which felt very intimate in spite of the two other people standing next to them. She turned back to Erin. It was easier to talk to the other woman. “I assumed I would be working for you.”
Erin shot Jackson a mischievous grin. “I don’t need a keeper.”
“Erin,” he growled.
She laughed, totally unconcerned. “Come on, Emerald. I’ll show you around and get you settled.” She gave her brother’s arm a squeeze as she planted a kiss on his cheek. “Go to work. I’ll take care of this for you.”
Jackson looked as if he might say something, but he gave a curt nod and headed toward a large barn about fifty yards from the house. Emerald couldn’t take her eyes off him. The man had buns of steel and, boy, did they fill out a pair of jeans. She felt a trickle of sweat roll down her back and knew that not all the heat she felt came from the sun.
He turned before he’d taken more than a few steps and glared at his sister. “You take it easy today.”
“I will.”
He smiled then and Emerald’s breath caught in a gasp. She’d thought his features too rough for him to be good-looking and she was right. He was devastating. His smile changed his face totally. She could stand there and stare at him all morning. He glanced her way and the scowl returned. It was just as well. She didn’t need this attraction that was obviously one-sided.
Emerald forced herself to turn her back on Jackson and face Erin and her husband. Abel was leaning down to kiss his wife. Emerald could see the love in his eyes and it made him seem not so intimidating. “I’ve got to run,” he murmured. “You take it easy, okay?”
“I’m pregnant, not sick.” Still he waited until she sighed and nodded. “I promise I’ll take it easy.”
“Nice to meet you, Emerald. I’m sure we’ll see more of one another if you last here.” Then he was gone, striding across the yard and into a stand of trees.
“Don’t mind either one of them,” Erin told her as she linked her arm in Emerald’s. “Leave your stuff for now. We can get that later after I’ve shown you the house.”
“I don’t think your brother wants a housekeeper.” Her words were blunt, but Emerald knew that there was no polite way to phrase it.
Erin laughed. “He does, but he’s just too stubborn to admit it.”
They walked up three steps that led to the wraparound porch. Emerald took the time to have a better look at the house. It was a snug, two-story farmhouse that looked to be in good repair.
Erin opened the back door and ushered her inside. “I got married last year and moved out. I live just next door, by the way, so I’m close if you run into any problems.”
“Good to know.” Emerald took in the state of the kitchen. She had her work cut out for her.
“I know it’s a mess,” Erin cut into her thoughts. “Jackson’s working the place by himself now, and this time of the year he’s busy from dawn to dusk. Now that I’ve got my own home, and I run my own blueberry farm as well, I just don’t have time to help out.”
“Not to mention you’ve got a husband,” Emerald added dryly. She’d seen the way the big man had stared at his wife.
Erin chuckled. “There is that. Abel does keep me busy. And now that there’s a baby on the way, I just can’t manage it all.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thanks.” Erin rubbed her stomach with her hand. Emerald tried to find some evidence of pregnancy but couldn’t see any. “I’m almost three months along and I’m not doing so well in the mornings. Anyway,” she continued briskly, “my brother needs a housekeeper.”
“I have to agree with you there.” The kitchen was lovely with its hardwood floor and large wood trestle table. The cabinets were a crisp white and the walls were the same color as a café au lait. It felt welcoming, homey. Except for the pile of broken glass on the floor and counter.
Erin noticed her staring at the broken dishes. “Jackson had a slight accident just before you drove up.”
Emerald nodded, not asking what had happened even though she was dying to know.
Erin grabbed a broom out of the utility closet and began to sweep the glass into a neat pile. “The place had gone downhill this past month. I’ve been busy with my own business and Jackson’s been flat out in the fields. He also grows alfalfa to sell to local farmers, along with running the apple orchards. It’s a lot of work and he does the bulk of it himself. Our brother, Nathan, helps out when he can, but he’s married now and living in town. He also works as a deputy sheriff, so his time is limited. You’ll probably meet him and his wife, Carly, in a day or two.”
Emerald tried to commit all the names to memory. “So what am I responsible for beside the house and meals?”
Erin leaned the broom against the counter. The glass was in a neat pile ready to be removed. “That’s pretty much it. Once you get the house back in order, it will be more maintenance than anything else. Jackson’s not a real messy soul, he’s just been too busy to cope. He’s also a guy, so he doesn’t always notice that the laundry is piling up or that the living room is dusty.”
Emerald nodded as she followed Erin into the living room. The room was neat but dusty. Again, it was a comfortable room, but a decidedly masculine one. A floor-to-ceiling wall unit dominated one wall. It was filled with books, stereo equipment, a flat-screen television and a DVD player. A stone fireplace stood in the center of another wall, the dark wood mantle filled with family photos. The furniture was a comfortable mix of old and new. The leather sofa was obviously new, but the faded brown easy chair was not. A book was facedown on the coffee table as if waiting for its owner to come back. She was surprised to see it was a true-crime book by well-known author A. B. Garrett.
“That’s your husband,” she blurted out.
Erin smiled and wrinkled her nose. “Yes, it is. That’s his latest true-crime book.”
“Wow. You must be really proud of him.”
“I am. But I’m also glad that he’s switching to writing mysteries.”
“That’s a big change.” Emerald knew how hard it was to switch, even within a profession where you were already well-known. Especially then. Her parents hadn’t been able to make the switch when music changed in the Seventies and had retired instead.
“It is, but Abel can do it. Now, as for meals,” Erin continued as she showed Emerald the office and laundry room before leading her upstairs. “Breakfast needs to be on the table by six—Jackson usually leaves the house before seven and comes back for lunch at twelve. Soup and sandwiches are fine for then. Supper is at six in the evening. That gives him time to get home and grab a shower. He’ll want something substantial then. I’ll leave you a list of meals that he likes.”
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