The Cowboy's Twin Surprise

by K. T. Byington

“Hmm… A little creepy, maybe, but interesting.” She’d noticed him there, too. Plenty of times. But this guy did not need a bigger ego. He’d hit on her in the past. No need for him to think it was acceptable behavior.

  “Did your office work with Mr. Taylor tip the scales toward your decision to become a lawyer?”

  He seemed genuinely curious, although he probably wanted her help desperately enough to act attentive to every detail, no matter how boring, to win her over. Not that it was necessary. The two needy little souls in the backseat had already accomplished that, along with her bleak unemployment situation. Working for him could be a good temporary solution for both of them. But she wouldn’t tell Chase just yet.

  “That job did make the difference. I really admired him.” She loosened the blue and white scarf around her neck before looking back over a shoulder to check on the girls. Daisy had one shoe removed and her bright pink sock partway off. Jessie unfastened her seatbelt and leaned to tug the sock back on. “It’s too cold for bare toes today, little one.” She settled back into her place. “I loved everything about that work. And Mr. Taylor helped everyone he could. The whole idea of being a lawyer seemed so purposeful back then. So full of promise.” But that was a very long time ago.

  “And now?” He eased into a parking spot in the grocery store lot.

  She sighed wistfully. “Not so much.”

  “You sound discouraged. What changed your view?”

  “A holiday movie.” Even though it was January, she smiled with a renewed sense of Christmas spirit sweeping over her.

  Chase tilted his head a bit to the side with a mystified look clouding his expression. “Really?”

  “Yes. I watched one of those stories where the main character finally realizes she needs to change her ways completely to make life more meaningful. She does and finds her happy ending. I guess I kind of identified with her. I knew I’d made wrong choices and had to change something. Maybe everything. Drastically.” And, boy, did I.

  Drawing in a quiet breath, she let it out slowly, and then glanced toward the back seat. Could it be fate? Those lovable babies need someone, and I need them, too. This will be good practice for me. A refresher course. A quick one.

  Her cell cut into the moment of silence. Whew. A good diversion. This conversation had become far too personal, far too fast.

  She pulled the phone from her purse and looked at the number. “It’s my sister, Jade. Go ahead. We’ll wait here.”

  He nodded. “I’ll leave the engine running.”

  Chase opened and closed the door quickly, but frigid air still rushed inside. She tugged her scarf a bit closer and turned up the heat as she glanced back at the twins.

  “Jade, how are you?” The sweet jabbering of babies forced her to talk loudly over the noise. “Congratulations on the new husband! What a whirlwind romance! I can’t wait to meet him.” She pressed the phone tighter to her ear. “What did you say? You got a promotion at the agency? That’s wonderful! You always wanted to be a social worker. I’m so glad for you. Yes, sure, I’m fine. No job yet, but I am doing some impromptu babysitting at the moment.”

  “No! No! No!”

  Jessie jumped at Poppy’s sudden outburst. “Hang on.” Leaning over, she adjusted another shoe that had been nearly kicked off a tiny foot. “There you go, little girl. No, Jade, I’m sorry,” she replied quickly into the cell. “I was talking to one of the twins. I’m watching Chase Tanner’s nieces. His sister took off and left her kids with him. And they’re just babies, around a year old, at most. The poor guy is really struggling. There’s no way he’s going to be able to handle them on his own.” Not a chance in the world. She shook her head. “Lunch soon, maybe? Sure, Jade, just give me a call.”

  Jessie slid her phone back into her purse and tucked some hair behind an ear. Her sister sounded genuinely happy. Good news, all around. She glanced back at the babbling babies, considering their plight. “I know your uncle is trying, but he’s really going to need some help for a while.” She blew a soft puff of air, moving bangs from her eyes as she pondered possibilities.

  Serendipity? Or just common sense? She put a hand to her stomach, a smile pulling at her lips. Either way, I think I have the perfect temporary answer for all of us.

  ****

  Diapers.

  Baby food.

  Apple juice.

  Coffee.

  Tea bags.

  Sugar.

  Bananas.

  The list of needed items scribbled on the back of an envelope seemed longer now than it had when he’d jotted things down. As the automatic doors swooshed open, Chase stepped into the warm grocery store, relieved he wasn’t lugging the girls in there with him. Shopping with babies? He hadn’t tried it yet, but he sure couldn’t imagine it ending well.

  Visions of ugly scenarios plagued him. Packages of bread pulled off lower shelves, boxes thrown from the cart by tiny hands, maybe broken pickle jars, juice and glass everywhere. Anything could happen. And, of course, the inevitable dreaded moment would likely arrive requiring…“Clean-up on aisle three, aisle four, aisle five…” The store manager would wish he’d followed the trio around with a mop and bucket by the time they reached checkout.

  Chase cringed. The outing could easily culminate in a total meltdown of two adorable children—girls he’d give his own life for in a heartbeat.

  But, man, he did not want to take them shopping.

  Grabbing a cart, he headed for the primary target: a display of diapers at the front of the store.

  How lucky he’d been to run into Jessie. Unbelievably so. If only he could convince her to sign on with them as temporary nanny.

  Maybe even go the distance until Charlotte returns?

  “Yeah, right,” he mumbled aloud, tossing a box of tea bags into the cart. “I’m gonna invite this woman to move in with me…the same gal who just asked if I was stalking her when we were teenagers.” And they both knew she’d accused him of worse in earlier days.

  What were the odds she’d accept a job working for him?

  Zip. Zero. Nada.

  Chapter Three

  “Sure, I’ll take the job,” Jessie said as she adjusted her seatbelt.

  Had he heard correctly? “You kiddin’ me?” Chase stared at her for a moment, stunned by her answer. Then the first glint of real hopefulness he’d had in a while sparked a smile.

  “To be honest, the employment agency hasn’t found anything for me yet.” She shrugged casually, like it made all the sense in the world. “These babies need someone who knows what they’re doing, which you clearly do not. And, let’s face it, I need a paycheck. I can’t deplete my savings on a hotel room. I need income and a temporary place to stay, so I don’t have to go begging to my siblings for a roof over my head.” She pressed her hands together calmly. “We can help each other out temporarily. At least until you hire a full-time nanny, and I find a house to buy and a real job to hold me over while I try to build up a law practice.”

  Daisy squealed, causing Poppy to join in with happy noises. Chase chuckled as he guided the truck from the parking lot. It was almost as if the babies understood their salvation had arrived. And she just happened to have a law degree, killer legs…and the ability to break his heart. All over again.

  He shook his head. Never underestimate a woman. And never try to understand one. Just when he was sure she’d say no, she accepted his offer. Unbelievable.

  Then he realized he hadn’t responded. “Well, that’s just about the best—and most insulting—thing I’ve heard all day.” He scratched his chin contemplatively. “I’m not doing so badly, am I? I mean, they’re clothed, fed, and fairly clean.”

  “You’ve managed to keep them alive so far.” She shoved a handful of long hair over her shoulder and gave him the thumbs up. “You’re hanging in there. I can’t imagine Charlotte dumping this overwhelming responsibility on you, with no warning, and expecting you to succeed. What was she thinking? Did she even leave necessities for the girls?”
>
  “She was staying with me, so there are clothes, a few toys, and some baby food.”

  “Did she leave baby gates or anything to corral them?”

  “Gates and several playpens. I wouldn’t have survived an hour without them. The girls are crawling everywhere and starting to walk a little, too.”

  A gush of wind blew a small piece of tree branch across the hood of the truck. Chase looked toward the darkening gray sky of winter bearing down on them. A few fat, white flakes hit the windshield. I need to get the babies home.

  “The temperature is dropping, the snow is already starting to fly, and these roads will freeze up fast.” He adjusted the heater. “How about we leave your car here in town? I’ll send Milo and one of the guys to pick it up later. That way, you can ride with us to the ranch, and I’ll know you’re not slipping and sliding on ice. Or worse.”

  “Overly concerned about my general safety?” she asked with the sharp lift of one brow. “Or just afraid you’ll lose me in a ditch somewhere and be back to square one, looking for a nanny?”

  “All of the above.” He pulled in behind the only small, sleek sedan parked in front of the employment agency. “Let’s get whatever you need most. The car might have to sit here for a couple days.”

  Jessie had no more than one foot outside the truck when Poppy started to cry, followed quickly by Daisy.

  “She’ll be right back, girls.” He shook his head as he exited the vehicle.

  They can’t possibly understand this situation. Why are they so finely tuned to react to everything? Some kind of baby instinct?

  Grabbing several pieces of luggage, he placed them into the bed of the rig while Jessie gathered smaller items. She stuffed them onto the back floorboards, fitting things safely around, but out of grasp of, the twins.

  “That’s enough for now.” She locked the car doors, and they quickly climbed back into the truck away from the brutal cold. Jessie brushed her palms together briskly.

  He guided the vehicle from its parking spot and headed out of town, driving through increasingly heavy snowfall. The wiper blades could barely keep up with the precipitation.

  “Hey, here’s a stuffed lion.” Jessie pulled the toy from between the seats and handed it back to Poppy. But Daisy yanked it from her sister’s grip.

  “No, no!” a tiny voice protested.

  Chase adjusted the rearview mirror. “Wrong one. The lion is Daisy’s. The tiger is Poppy’s.”

  “Tiger? I don’t even see…oh…yeah. It’s on the floor.” She rescued the critter, brushed a bit of dust from his ears and placed it in Poppy’s hands. His little niece clutched the stuffed animal, rubbing her face against its furry head. Jessie laughed softly. “Too cute. So, what do you need me to do at the ranch? Babysit, cook, clean house, do laundry? I’ve eaten a lot of take-out for the last several years. I may not remember my way around a kitchen.”

  “No worries. You can spend your time with the girls. I have a housekeeper there several days a week who is a great cook.”

  “Right.” Her mouth quirked with apparent amusement. “Let me guess. The housekeeper is a pretty little twenty-something who is quite willing to flirt with the ranch owner while she prepares meals, washes his sheets, sweeps the floors?”

  “If you know where I can find one of those, sign me up.” He shot her a sideways grin. “And I’ll drop you back at the car.”

  “Ouch.” She laughed lightly. “Guess I kind of had that one coming, didn’t I?”

  “Li’l bit. By the way, I think you’ll like the housekeeper. Birdie has silver hair, and she’s been working there since before I was born—” A toy lion came flying over the seat. He trapped it against his shoulder and then gave it an easy toss back toward Daisy, keeping his attention on the road.

  Man alive. Jessie smelled as good as a handful of fresh summer flowers. But she could still be as sarcastic as ever, just like when they were kids. “Why do you always assume the worst of me?”

  “I apologize.” She paused for a moment, as if reluctant to share. “I’m just stressed. Lots of changes, all at once, tend to do that to me. My parents recently sold the big old house I grew up in. When I made the decision to move back here, I had no idea they wouldn’t have room for me to stay with them for a while in their new place. I know I should have checked first, but still…” She smoothed her brow with both hands. “Maybe it’s childish of me, but I assumed I’d have Mom and Dad’s home to come back to temporarily. It’s kind of disheartening to realize I don’t. Not anymore.”

  “You have siblings to lean on,” he offered, keeping his focus on the slippery road.

  “Not so much. Two of them moved to Florida. Jade just recently remarried and is adjusting to a blended family, so she doesn’t need the burden of a houseguest. Jonas is basically unreliable for much of anything, and Jocelyn’s mother-in-law is staying with her, so I just don’t want to be a bother.”

  “But, if they knew you needed some help—”

  “I’m the person who used to take care of them,” she emphasized. “I can’t be the needy one.”

  A bit too much pride, maybe? For a quick moment, he met her gaze. Nothing about this gal could strike anyone as needy. Especially not when she tipped her chin up slightly, just defiant enough to let you know she’s calm, cool, and in control—whether she was or not, he suspected.

  All that lustrous hair framed her fine-boned features and tumbled loosely around her shoulders. And that smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose and those remarkable green eyes? Stunning. Still. Not that it surprised him. Time worked in this woman’s favor. She looked lovelier now than the day he’d seen her leave for college over a decade ago.

  He remembered it clearly.

  She’d been climbing into her old car in front of the bank just as he’d happened to walk out of the local farm supply store on a hot August afternoon. Her rich ginger hair, pinned up into a haphazard knot, left stray tendrils loose against her neck. The vehicle with a mismatched paint job was packed to the brim, probably with every item she owned. He’d never forget the smile that lit her face with the hope of new adventure, the promise of a better life ahead—Jessie McKinnon had been happily leaving town.

  Chase had kept his boots planted firmly on the ground that day. Forced himself to stand still in the summer heat. Swallowed back words clawing at his throat. After watching her go, he’d glanced down at the shiny gold band on his finger.

  Some things were better left unsaid.

  Chapter Four

  “Chase?”

  A soothing voice snapped him back to the present. “Hmm?” What was he doing?

  Dwelling in the past. Daydreaming about what might have been. Not helpful.

  “You’re very quiet all of a sudden.”

  Those emerald eyes were on him. Looking at him. Through him.

  “I’m good. We’ll be at the ranch soon.”

  “I was wondering… Do you think your sister will come back?”

  “Don’t know.”

  He gripped the steering wheel a bit tighter. Being a big brother to Charlotte had always been challenging. He’d spent most of his life looking after her, getting her out of one scrape or another. His parents had expected it; he’d expected it of himself.

  Hadn’t done a hell of a lot of good.

  But with the twins, he had a second chance. One bright, shining opportunity to give them the good life they deserved, the one Charlotte seemed to scorn for some inexplicable reason. He hoped he was up to the task.

  “Are the girls okay back there? I haven’t heard anything out of them in a while.”

  She turned to check on the babies. “Look at those drowsy expressions. They’re just so adorable.”

  His eyes stung a bit, and he flipped down the visor on a cloudy day. “Yeah, they are something, aren’t they?” He cleared his throat. “The next generation in tow.”

  “How true.” Her voice was soft, almost melodious. “And they’re sleepy. Probably hungry, too.”

/>   “Their juice bottles are in there if you need them.” He motioned toward the big canvas diaper bag on the floor.

  “You know, after all those years of looking after my siblings, I was ready for a break when I moved away. I wanted time alone. Until seeing these two cuties and their melt-your-heart grins, I just didn’t realize how much I’ve missed being around children.”

  “No kids in your world lately?” he asked.

  Jessie folded her hands together and stared out the window for a moment. “Work and more work was pretty much the sum of it. Long hours at the office. Clients, research, meetings, paperwork, trials. I’d usually pick up some dinner and go back to my apartment to eat, pay a few bills, sleep. Then rinse and repeat.”

  “Don’t you like being an attorney?”

  “Very much. But not like that. Not anymore.”

  He hesitated, wanting to understand. “Because of the Christmas movie? Right?”

  “Exactly!” Her laugh bubbled up, throaty and rich, as her mood brightened. “Seeing it was absolutely meant to be. The whole thing was like destiny or something. I mean, one day my boss gave me the rare indulgence of an afternoon off when we settled a big case earlier than expected. So I headed home, stopped at the deli to buy my favorite lunch—”

  “Which is?”

  “Chicken salad sandwich on wheat bread and hot chocolate. My go-to meal. Anyway, I settled in to watch something on TV while I ate. I flipped through the channels and came across that movie. I honestly couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt Christmasy, but then I looked out the window of my high-rise apartment. It was absolutely beautiful. Early December. A light snow beginning to fall. A perfect crisp winter day right there in typically rainy Seattle. So I grabbed a fleece throw, tucked my feet up under me, enjoyed a sip of hot chocolate—”

  He could almost hear the grin in her voice. “With marshmallows, I’ll bet.” He glanced her way.

  “Always. Sometimes I carry a handful in a plastic bag inside my purse, in case the deli runs out.”

  She flashed an endearing smile he wished he could capture in a photo. He’d nearly forgotten how downright enchanting she could be—when she wasn’t being a little spitfire.