by Paty Jager
“I needed a strong cup this morning. I stayed up too late making a list of the things that need done around here.” Brock took a sip and grimaced before continuing. “Maddie we’re going to get that barn fixed up so you can ride in there this winter.”
“Really? You’ve said that so many times.” Her young face glowed with excitement.
“With Carina here to watch Tate, you’ll have more spare time and improving your roping will benefit the ranch.”
The joy on Maddie’s face pushed Carina’s objections aside. How could she ruin the child’s happiness? But seeing Brock was in a generous mood, she decided to broach the riding question again.
“Would you feel better about giving me lessons if I rode inside?” She didn’t know why, but learning to ride had become as desirable to her as staying with this family.
“We’ll discuss it when the arena is finished.” Brock turned to Willie T, and they discussed how the clearing of the roads were going. Carina listened intently. Once the area was accessible Brock believed the social services would pay them a visit. She hoped it happened before she left, so Brock would get a good report.
“Come on Maddie, we’ve got work to do.” Brock stood. “Willie T let Carina know which day of the week you’ll be joining us for breakfast.”
Carina looked at the old man as Brock and Maddie left the kitchen. “You’ll be joining us one day a week for breakfast?”
“It’s a long story. Brock’s a good man. He helps out those in need.” The searching look in his eyes made her wonder if he knew more about her than he let on.
“He is a good man. Too bad he doesn’t have a wife to help him with his family.” She gathered the dishes, carrying them to the sink. “Did you know his first wife, Beth?” She turned from the sink to see his expression.
“She was a delightful girl. Those two were sweet on each other from grade school.” He looked up. “We all knew they’d marry even though her father fought it.”
“Brock said her father didn’t like him. I don’t understand. Anyone can see he protects those he loves.” Her heart squeezed. If only he’d been her husband when her life fell apart.
“Maxwell Johnson had a tough time of ranching. He wanted more for his daughter. You could see from a young age Brock was bound to this land. He would spend hours herding cattle and camping.” Willie T smiled. “That’s when we met. He was wandering around out there in the middle of the night and came across me.” The wrinkles around his eyes crinkled with mirth. “I was dressed in ceremonial clothes. Like to scared the black right out of his hair.” The old man laughed, remembering the encounter.
His laughter was so infectious, Carina joined in. Tate banged a spoon and laughed along with them.
Willie T wiped the tears from his eyes. “He’s a good man. He deserves a good woman.”
“Like Beth?” Carina asked, not knowing why she all of a sudden felt jealous toward a woman she’d never known.
“No. Someone stronger, who can stand up to Brock and get these kids what they need beyond this ranch.” The challenge in his eyes shocked her. He believed she was the one for Brock. But she had to go back to Chicago. To the life she knew.
Carina returned to the sink, turning the faucet handles, using the water to drown out the need to talk. Her mind raced. Did she truly deserve a man like Brock?
“Thank you for breakfast.” Willie T stood.
Carina glanced over her shoulder. “You’re welcome here anytime. Brock made that clear.”
“What about you?” His dark eyes watched her intently.
“I enjoy your company as well.” She smiled, moving from the sink and extending her hand. “You are a true friend of this family.”
He captured her hand and smiled. “So are you.”
A bolt of warmth surged through her. He turned, leaving the kitchen and the house while she stood in the same spot in the middle of the room. What had transpired between them? And why did she all of a sudden want to confess her problems?
Heaviness settled in her chest. If only she could unburden all the secrets she kept locked inside. Would Brock understand? And could she leave after revealing her soul?
Eleven
Carina stood at the kitchen sink when a small car came up the driveway. It was the first visitor besides Willie T they’d had in the two weeks she’d been at the ranch. Drying her hands, she picked Tate up off the floor where he’d been playing and headed to the front door.
A gush of cold, fall air swept through when she opened it. Tate shuddered and by the warmth on her arm, wet his diaper. A gray-haired woman of ample girth and a dour expression huffed up to the porch steps.
“I’d like to speak with Brock Hughes.” Her voice was raspy as a two-pack-a-day smoker.
“He’s out checking the cattle.” The censure in the woman’s eyes said she had expected as much. “May I help you?”
“I’m Mrs. Corcoran of Social Services. I’ve received a complaint about Mr. Hughes leaving his children unattended for long periods of time.” She eyed Carina. “Who are you?”
“I’m the children’s nanny. And I can assure you, Mr. Hughes does not leave his children unattended.” Carina stepped back to allow the woman to enter. “Would you like a cup of coffee?” she asked, moving down the hall to the kitchen.
The woman appeared flustered at the offer of a beverage and easy access to the house. She scanned every room she passed. “I could use a cup of coffee after that drive.” The woman settled her plumpness on one of the kitchen chairs and pulled a file out of her satchel. “I don’t have any record of Mr. Hughes employing a nanny.”
Carina set the steaming mug in front of the woman and placed Tate in the high chair with a sippy cup. “Cookies?” she offered, picking up a plate of oatmeal cookies she’d made that morning.
Mrs. Corcoran’s eyes lit up and she smacked her lips. “One would be good. It was a long drive.” She took one, looked at the plate, and snatched another one. “A very long drive.”
“Mr. Hughes hired me through the Exceptional Nannies organization. I can get you their card and any other information you need.” Carina knew how to handle this type of person. They were so use to people trying to hoodwink and lie to them that being straightforward always threw them off.
“I’m sure we have their information at the office. How long have you been employed by Mr. Hughes?” Mrs. Corcoran licked her fingers and picked up a pen.
“I’ve been here nearly a month.”
“And who was taking care of the children before that? I understand there hasn’t been anyone other than the father around for nearly a year.” She looked at the plate of cookies.
Carina pushed the plate closer to the woman. “A family friend helped look after the children until Mr. Hughes made up his mind about which nanny service to hire.”
“I see.” The woman took a cookie, dunking it in her coffee and scribbling on a paper. “And how long is your contract for?”
Carina couldn’t look at the woman. She wasn’t sure how long she’d be here. It could be only two more weeks. But she didn’t dare tell the woman that. “It is open-ended, depending on Mr. Hughes satisfaction with my work and if the children and I get along.”
She looked at her shrewdly. “Are you having difficulties with the children?”
“Oh no! I was just stating the terms of the contract. The children are wonderful.” Carina stroked Tate’s cheek, and he smiled at her.
The woman smiled. “He seems smitten with you.”
“Tate and I spend lots of time together. We’ve become very close.”
The woman scanned a paper in front of her. “Where’s Madeline?”
“She’s out checking the cattle with her father.” Carina smiled. The bond between the two grew daily. “They spend a good deal of time together. In the mornings after Maddie’s finished her school work, they work on getting the riding arena in shape, and in the afternoon, Mr. Hughes takes her along with him on his rounds of the pastures.”
“So
they are close?” Again the woman eyed the cookies.
Carina smiled and pushed them closer yet. “Yes. If something happened to come between them, it would devastate both of them,” she said this while staring into the woman’s eyes. She had to make it clear—taking Maddie from Brock was not in the best interest of the child or the father.
“I see.” The woman put her pen down and clasped her hands together over her paperwork. “Do you know why I’m here?”
“Mr. Hughes mentioned something about Maddie’s grandfather wanting to get custody of her.” Carina leaned forward, placing her hand on the woman’s clasped hands. “Do you think taking a child from her father, someone she thinks the world of and loves with all her heart because an old man is lonely, is good for a child?”
The woman shook her head. “But I have to follow up on complaints. As far as I can see, as long as you are here, Mr. Hughes has nothing to fear from Social Services.”
Carina smiled at the woman. As long as she was here. How would Brock pay for her to stay on longer than the month?
Mrs. Corcoran put her papers back in her satchel, eyeing the cookies on the plate. Carina retrieved a sandwich bag from the drawer and filled it with cookies. “It’s a long drive back to Halverton,” she said, handing the bag to the woman.
The smile the woman bestowed on her told her Brock had nothing to fear from Social Services.
The next hour as she prepared dinner, Carina stewed over the prospect of Brock coming up with money for her wages. By the time the truck pulled into the drive she had a plan all formulated.
Maddie burst into the house. “I’m starving!” she wailed, kicking off her boots. She tossed her coat on a hook and washed her hands.
Tate toddled out to the mudroom flinging his arms around his sister’s legs in a greeting.
“Hi Tate. What did you and Carina do while Daddy and I were gone?” She picked up her brother and wandered into the kitchen as Brock came through the door.
“Who was here?” he asked, hanging his coat and hat on a hook.
“How did you know someone was here?” Carina stared at the man. His hair, which needed cut, was flattened from wearing his hat all day, and his face was spattered with mud. And he was still the most handsome man she’d ever seen. Mentally slapping herself for such thoughts, she glanced down at his muddy boots on the off chance her feelings showed on her face.
“There are different tire tracks in the road, and they swung in from the county road side and not the ranch side.”
“Where did you become so observant?”
His eyes darkened and she realized she hit a nerve.
“It’s one of the few things they didn’t have to teach me in the military. Out here it’s something you pick up.”
“Well the visitor was Mrs. Corcoran from Social Services.”
He looked at her with a hint of fear and a lot of rage on his face. “They were supposed to call ahead and let me know someone was coming.”
She put out a hand to sooth the anger she saw boiling up. “It’s okay. She and I had a nice talk. I fed her cookies, and she went away feeling very favorable toward you and Maddie. She said as long as I remained taking care of the kids, she didn’t see you having any problems with her organization.”
He stared at her as if he didn’t believe what she’d just told him. “She went away saying that?”
“Yes. I made a very good impression. Either that or it was the cookies.” Carina smiled, trying to get Brock to do the same.
“We aren’t going to be hounded by them any more?” He scooped her into an embrace and swung her around.
“Brock,” before she could say any more his lips captured hers. She forgot about the woman, the kids, and anything else. The magic his lips possessed sent shock waves of delight dancing from her lips to her toes.
The clanging of dishes brought her sense back. Pushing against his chest, she reluctantly pulled out of his embrace.
“Dinner’s ready,” she said not daring to look at him and headed into the kitchen. That kiss felt wonderful—yet, was inappropriate. She was the nanny and would be nothing more. Couldn’t be anything more.
Brock wandered into the kitchen perplexed and happy. Carina had charmed the social worker. Her pulling out of his embrace puzzled him. She’d just started to melt in his arms, then stiffened and pulled away. It had been the excitement over the news that pushed him to be so bold. Surely she didn’t take it as anything else? Did she? He would never take things to that level. He couldn’t. She was only here as long as he could pay for her.
“I had a thought, well actually you brought it up on the trip to Dutch Springs.” Brock waited for Carina to look at him. “How do I go about selling some of these antiques so I can keep you here longer?”
Maddie flung her arms around his waist. “Daddy, really? We can keep Carina?”
Brock smiled at his ecstatic child and patted her head. “We have a few things around here that only collect dust and don’t mean that much to me. If we sell them, we can keep Carina around a little longer.” He looked up at the woman standing by the sink, biting her bottom lip.
“What do you say? Will you help me sell some things?” His heart pounded with trepidation. The look on her face didn’t reveal the excitement he’d expected. She had to stay. The social worker required it for him to keep his daughter.
“I’ll help you sell some furniture and I’ll stay, but we have to set some ground rules.” From the look in her eyes and the steel in her voice, he knew one of them was going to be no kissing. The prospect wilted his male ego, but he knew it was for the best. He shouldn’t have come on so strong, but lately the pain of the past had blurred.
“We’ll work on the rules later. What do I need to do first?” He grabbed a pad of paper from the drawer of miscellaneous items and sat down at the table.
“Make a list of the items you don’t mind parting with.” She hesitated and winced slightly. “I’ll call my mother, and see what she says. She’ll know who to contact about the different pieces. Once a sale has been made, we ship it directly to the buyer—with them paying the shipping.”
“It can go that smoothly?” He stopped writing. “How much do you think we can get?”
“It depends on the items. My mother would be a better judge of that.”
“Here’s what I have so far.” He pushed the list across the table. She approached the table and paper as though it were a bomb. “It won’t bite.” How could one innocent kiss have her acting like her staying on was a death sentence?
“It…” She looked over her shoulder at Maddie. “Sweetie, why don’t you take Tate upstairs for his nap?”
Brock saw the light go on in his daughter’s head. She knew Carina had something she didn’t want to say in front of her.
“Sure.” Maddie scooped up her brother and marched out the door, winking at him as she passed.
Brock snickered. Carina turned to him. The agony he’d witnessed moments before in her eyes, snapped to anger.
“You find this funny? That you have to sell your family heirlooms to keep a nanny.”
“No. I’m laughing at my daughter.” He rubbed the back of his neck. Damn. This wasn’t the time to get another headache. He needed a clear head.
She moved behind him. He turned to see what she was about when her small hands massaged his tense neck muscles. The heat of her fingers kneading and smoothing the muscle relaxed his whole body. He closed his eyes and dreamed of a time when he had little on his mind. Before the damn war and Beth’s death.
Her scent drifted to his slow breathing. Beth’s scent, Beth’s hands. He grasped the small hand in his and pulled it down to kiss the magic fingers. Her hand trembled when he kissed each finger. His loins flamed with need. Turning her hand palm up, he kissed the small, soft pad. Where were the rough calluses he remembered?
Brock opened his eyes and stared down at the small hand he held. It wasn’t Beth’s. He dropped her hand and stood, scooting the table forward.
&
nbsp; “I’m sorry. I—” He turned and stared into the eyes of a woman other than the one he’d imagined. The confusion in their blue depths turned to embarrassment.
“No, I…I was just trying to help.” She turned to leave.
“Use the phone in my office to call your mom.” He picked up the list of furniture, holding it out to her.
Carina didn’t know what to do. She’d seen the pain on his face as he rubbed his neck and knew she could help. When her hands touched his body, she lost all sense of time and place. All she wanted was to continue to touch and sooth him. When he kissed her fingers—God help her, her insides clenched. She wanted him.
“I don’t think staying here longer than a month is a good idea.” She stepped away from the extended paper.
“You’re right. We need to set ground rules.”
“No. I need to leave when the month is up.” She saw the rage building.
“No! I’ll not touch you again.” He paced to the sink, crumpling the paper in his clenching fist. “You can’t leave. You yourself said the social services will leave us alone as long as you’re here. And I get more done with you watching Tate and Maddie.” He stalked back and shoved the paper in her face. “You call and find out how to get the money to pay the agency. I promise I won’t lay a hand on you if you stay.”
The rental car sat by the barn covered in dust. She could leave any time. Carina watched the man looming over her. He didn’t scare her. She knew he wouldn’t physically hurt her, and he wouldn’t forcefully make her stay. So walk out the door.
She took the paper and turned on her heels. The children needed her. She wouldn’t let some vengeful man take these children from a loving father. That was the only reason she didn’t put the key in the ignition of the dusty sports car.
Yeah, keep telling yourself that .
Twelve
After dinner, Carina took a deep breath and dialed her mother’s number. Their last conversation had been filled with weeping and pleading on her mother’s part. The phone trilled in her ear. Maybe she wasn’t home? She could leave a short message and get a better grip on her emotions before she talked to the woman.
