Like her children. Jessie shuddered and ran a hand across her stomach.
Chase placed the slippers on the floor. As she attempted to angle her foot into them, he bent low, placing a warm hand on one ankle. Her breath hitched in her throat at the unexpected contact as he guided first one foot in and then the other.
“They will keep you from being cold in that hallway.” He moved a step back, not quite meeting her gaze.
Jessie rubbed her arms, a little confused by the tremor that ran through her. She’d known this guy for years and, yet, barely knew him at all. And now, all of a sudden, she was sharing a house with him—an incredible ranch, the likes of which she’d never seen.
And she was pregnant.
Her head spun. “I…I left my things outside.”
“Your luggage is still in the back of my rig. Dammit, it’s probably soaked.” He turned toward the staircase. “Make yourself at home. I’ll be right back.”
Returning to the hallway, Jessie moved to her designated room, finding it tastefully decorated in an array of muted blues and greens. “Well, Peanut, this is where we’ll be living for a while.” She touched her midsection as she glanced into the full-length, antique mirror in the corner, startled at her reflection. No visible weight gain yet, but…
“My hair…my, oh, my!” The wind and snow had left her looking more disheveled than she’d imagined. Running her fingers through her bangs and mussed scarlet curls, she groaned. “Pretty much hopeless.” She tugged open her handbag and found a brush and a clip to pin up her hair. That’s when she saw the run in her hose and a streak of dirt on her skirt. “Wow, I’m falling apart.” Kicking off the plush house shoes, she quickly wiggled out of ruined pantyhose and stuffed them into her purse. Then she returned velvety slippers to her cold feet. “Hmm…feels even better on bare skin.”
“Plenty of things do.”
She jumped at the sound of the masculine voice.
Chase and the luggage filled the doorway. “Where would you like these?”
Deep furrows creased his cheeks as he gave a smile that sent her pulse racing. This good-looking rancher irritated her and put her on edge, all at the same time. She didn’t care for the feeling. And she had a suspicion he knew exactly what he was doing.
Clearing her throat awkwardly, she pointed across the room. “Over there on that throw rug is fine. Thanks. I guess I need to stop talking to myself.”
“I hope not. Your quiet comments offer a little insight into your soul.” He placed the suitcases by the dresser.
She stared wordlessly as she pushed aside the shivers.
It’s just the cold weather getting to me, that’s all. Not Chase Tanner. Not again.
If he noticed her reaction, he didn’t let it show. “I wiped down these bags, but they’re still damp. Birdie has the twins downstairs in the kitchen, and I’m heading out to the stables. You should change into something not so nice before you go near the babies and any type of food.” He chuckled. “Their eating experiences are pretty messy.” Then he was gone as quickly as he had appeared.
Jessie put her hands on her hips. “Okay…first things first. Wet luggage. Ugh.” She popped open a suitcase. “But dry on the inside? Amazing.” Digging through the bigger bag, she pulled out a pair of black leggings and a long, dark green sweater. “I guess these will do for now. Although I’m going to need some new clothes soon, aren’t I, Peanut?”
Several minutes later, she was padding down the stairs in those sinfully soft slippers, not ready to exchange them for shoes of mere mortals just yet.
“I feel a bit like a princess.” She grinned. “Plus one.”
Chapter Six
“Milo just texted again.” Birdie tipped her head toward the back door. “He’s waiting in the stables. I told him you’d be along directly.”
“On my way.” Chase reached for the winter jacket on the hook in the entryway. “Hey, I realize this arrangement with Jessie is only temporary. She wants to practice law, not be a nanny. But coming from a big family, she really knows what she’s doing with the twins.” He watched for a reaction. A flinch. A frown. Anything readable. “The way I see it, however long we can keep her, we’re lucky.”
This seems to be the solution to our difficulties for a while, at least. Though Birdie’s blessing would mean a lot.
“What do you think?”
She snorted. “It’s not my first rodeo. I get it.”
“Get what?” he asked, bewildered by the sharp remark.
“You’ve brought your share of good-looking women through that front door over the years. And none of them stuck ’cause you’re not ready yet.”
“Ready?”
“To settle down.”
Was she saying he was shallow? Chase scratched his head. “I’ve only ever brought a few women here. And what’s that got to do with anything?”
“Everything. This gal is here for business. Not pleasure. Yours or hers. She needs a job; we need a babysitter. A book-smart lawyer who’s got plenty of practical experience with kids could be a godsend. Or not.” Birdie’s brows knit together. “It’s up to you. Think you can keep from getting involved with her? And costing us a desperately needed nanny in the breakup?”
“Quit worrying.” He chuckled.
Leave it to Birdie to see this as a potential problem.
Chase yanked open the door and cold wind poured over him. But her comment bothered him. He couldn’t resist. “So…what makes you think we’d break up?”
She gave an offhanded shrug. “What makes you think you wouldn’t?”
“Fair enough.” He grinned. “We should probably let the agency keep looking.”
Birdie nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”
He wasn’t so sure.
****
Jessie no more than stepped inside the wonderfully warm kitchen when little Daisy raised both arms, demanding attention.
“Hi, sugar.” She walked over, kissed the baby on the forehead, and guided the sippy cup that had fallen over back into tiny hands.
“The girls sure have taken a shine to you quick, fast, and in a hurry.” Birdie wiped smashed banana from the trays of their high chairs. “Lit up like a couple of Christmas trees when you broke the plane of that doorway.”
“I like them, too.” She smiled at the adorable babies. How good it felt to be there, helping out. These precious souls deserve better than life has handed them. At least I can make a bit of a difference. For now. “By the way, thanks for the boots. I’ll make good use of them until I can buy a new pair of my own.”
“If they fit, keep ’em.”
“Thanks, Birdie.” Jessie sniffed the sweet, heavy scent in the air. Some kind of dessert. A bit of queasiness settled over her, something she was, unfortunately, growing accustomed to.
“Want a snack before lunch? Lemon bars. Fresh out of the oven.”
“Sorry.” Ugh. Morning sickness strikes again. “I’m not really a fan of lemons.” She pressed her lips together and swallowed hard. Thankfully, the moment passed.
“Neither is Chase. But the ranch manager really likes these. So once in a while, I bake a batch.”
“That’s thoughtful of you.” She gathered up a squirming Daisy and carefully placed the child inside the large, bright blue playpen in the corner. “Are you wet, sweetie?” Sticking a finger inside the diaper, she decided against needing a change. “Nope, all dry. Although that probably won’t last for long.” Then the smaller white playpen off to the side caught her eye.
“I usually put them both in the bigger one,” Birdie was quick to explain. “Something about twins. They’re not too happy when separated.”
No doubt about that. “It’s a good thing Poppy has curly hair while Daisy’s is so straight and fine. Otherwise, I’d have trouble telling them apart.” She leaned over, reaching for a dropped cracker abandoned on the floor. Barlow beat her to it and crunched away.
“Ooh…not for long. Daisy’s temper is sure to flare up.” Birdie placed a cloth o
n the dish rack. “A bit too much like her mother, I fear. Hard to please. Temperamental. But her twin? Easy-peasy, most of the time. Happy to be cuddled.”
Jessie washed her hands quickly and then gathered Poppy into her arms. The child buried her warm little face in a shoulder, snuggling close.
It won’t be long until I’m holding you like this, Peanut.
She kissed sweaty curls. “Such a good girl, aren’t you? And sleepy, too.”
“She’ll let you hold her like that for the longest time. She’s a lover, not a fighter.”
“I can see that,” Jessie agreed. “Are they a year old yet?”
“On the fourteenth of February.”
“Valentine’s Day babies.” She tousled the silky mop of blonde hair. “Perfect for these sweethearts.”
“We’ll have paper hearts and red balloons for the special occasion. I’ve already bought a few decorations and stashed them away in the cupboard in there.” She nodded toward the doorway to the left of the refrigerator. “Just so you know, that leads to the mudroom and laundry.”
Jessie glanced at the tall safety gate blocking the entrance. Good idea. We probably could use more of those.
“There are two steps down, so that baby gate is an absolute must.” Birdie retrieved a pitcher of iced tea from the counter and poured the liquid into two glasses. “I can’t wait to bake that big birthday cake and write their names in the icing. Then we’ll cut a chunk of dessert for each of them, put it right there on their high chair trays and let them have at it. Ought to be fun watching them dig into that pink frosting with their fingers.”
Jessie grinned, envisioning the scene Birdie described. “I like the details. Sounds like you’ve been planning this for a while.”
“Can’t help it. I just love those babies. And they need all the affection they can get nowadays without their mama around.”
Without their mama. Those three words made her eyes sting.
Okay, okay, get a grip. No tears right now. No way to explain that to Birdie. The emotional roller coaster of pregnancy wasn’t something she wanted to discuss. Who knew it would make me so weepy?
“You ready for some lunch?”
A welcome change of subject. “Love some.” Her on-again, off-again queasiness had passed. Surprisingly, food actually sounded good.
Reaching for the stuffed tiger, Jessie held it up for Poppy to grab. Then she eased the preoccupied child into the playpen with her sister and checked her diaper. “You’re dry, too, sweetie.” She kissed a tiny blonde head, and then turned to the housekeeper. “Do you think their mother will come back for their birthday?”
“Highly unlikely,” Birdie replied, followed by a snort of derision. “I’ve known Charlotte since the day she was born. Doesn’t have a maternal bone in her body. Never did. Chase has spent too much of his life trying to keep his sister out of trouble. He’d take a bullet for that girl—and she wouldn’t turn around to thank him when he did.” She plunked mustard and a loaf of bread on the table near the pitcher. “Now, she’s run off and left her babies to be his responsibility as if they were a litter of kittens she’d grown bored with. If it weren’t for their uncle, those little girls wouldn’t have a soul in this world to count on.”
“They’d have you,” Jessie differed with a shoulder shrug.
“True enough, for what it’s worth.”
“It’s worth plenty.” Walking to the kitchen sink, Jessie turned on the faucet to wash her hands again. Charlotte’s gone, but is Chase the only answer for these little souls? “What about the bio dad? He’s not involved? Does the guy even know he is a father? I mean, maybe if—”
“Listen, Charlotte knew how to pick ’em. And not in a good way. Losers. All of them. And we don’t need some hooligan showing up, coming in here, complicating things, threatenin’ to take those babies away. If Charlotte wants to keep that secret, it’s her business. Not ours. And it’s best for everyone concerned.” Birdie whipped open the refrigerator and pulled out a small meat and cheese platter. “I know the law says the guy has rights. But, morally, I don’t see it that way. And I’m hoping, even though you’re a lawyer and all, you’re not going against us on this.” She plopped the tray on the table. “Otherwise, you being here might not be such a good idea.”
Startled by the sudden chilly tone, Jessie glanced up. With arms crossed and leaning back against the counter, Birdie gave the glare of a lifetime. Like a mother bear protecting her cubs.
Mrs. Claus would never have been quite so direct.
Jessie blinked, a bit stunned by Birdie’s reaction. “You’re right. I’m here to help with the twins, not to meddle in personal affairs,” she replied in all honesty.
“Let’s keep it that way. I don’t want these babies going anywhere. And I think losing them would just about kill Chase. They’re the only family he’s got left. Fact is, I can’t stand to even think about letting go of those li’l darlings.”
That logic couldn’t be argued. The twins belonged here with people who loved them.
She suddenly felt ill, but it had nothing to do with morning sickness. It was fear of the unknown. Would her ex have second thoughts and reappear one day, hoping to build a relationship with their child? In fact, she didn’t even want to think of the baby as theirs. Brian didn’t want kids; he never had. But she did.
Her hand moved instinctively to cover her tummy. This was her little Peanut. At least, that’s what she was clinging to, preferring comfort over clarity. But a nagging reminder of reality was never far from her thoughts. She knew the law. Brian was the biological father, like it or not, and she couldn’t wish away the truth.
“Now we got that settled…” Birdie eased a glass of iced tea across the table toward Jessie. “A toast to well kept secrets, eh?”
Jessie raised her drink. More than you know, Birdie. More than you know.
Chapter Seven
“I thought I heard a noise.”
Jessie’s voice, hoarse and groggy, drew Chase’s gaze her way as she stepped inside the nursery.
“It’s three in the morning. Why are you in here doing my job again?” she asked.
“Shhh…” He scooped a whimpering child into his arms and held her close. The warm tears from wet cheeks felt damp against his neck as the babe snuggled close. Motioning toward the hallway, he moved silently through the doorway. “Daisy started crying. I’m taking her downstairs so she doesn’t wake her sister. You can go back to bed.”
Jessie tugged the white robe closed over a crumpled nightshirt. “If you leave her in there and give her a few more minutes to settle down, she’ll be fine. We’ve been over this already. The girls are accustomed to noises from each other. There’s more chance you’re going to wake the other one by going in there. I realize you prefer a more lax approach to child-rearing, but please, just give my ideas a chance.”
He soothed Daisy’s hair and silently counted to ten—an old trick from Birdie.
Time to cool down.
Jessie’s new way of doing things downright irritated him sometimes, but he couldn’t lose her. She was the glue that held the place together most days. And her affection for the girls ran deep. Even now, her concern for what was best for Daisy and Poppy fueled her argument, not grouchiness. There she stood, caring about his nieces, in the middle of the night, all sleepy, disheveled, and looking oh, so forgivable.
“You know, when Charlotte was here, we’d always take whichever baby was crying downstairs, so they both didn’t end up in tears. It just made sense. Otherwise, no one would get any more sleep.”
“But Daisy is learning how to get her way in everything. She makes a little noise, someone comes running.”
He chuckled. “Not someone. Me. I haven’t seen you swayed by tears or temper tantrums yet.”
She crossed her arms, a hint of a frown tugging at the corners of her lips. “Do you want me to do this job right or not?”
“Your definition of right and my definition of it may not be the same. I want to make
her happy, Jess. It’s no big deal if I bend the rules a little here and there.”
“You work hard all day running this ranch. You don’t need to deal with this.” Sliding the hair band from her wrist, she tugged her tousled hair up into a messy ponytail. “Don’t worry about little bumps in the road with the girls. I’ve got this. Honestly. It’s what you pay me to do.”
“I want to be here when they need me.” If he’d given more to his sister, would things have been different? It wasn’t a mistake he wanted to make with Poppy and Daisy.
“And you are here when they need you. You play with them every night, no matter how tired you are. We all have dinner together, you read bedtime stories to them, you help with their baths. And how far you’ve come these past couple weeks with your parenting skills? Amazing! Night and day difference. It’s obvious you adore these kids. But responding to every whimper? That’s just not going to work. You’re spoiling them, and you’ll pay for it later. We all will.”
He shrugged it off. “Maybe I don’t see the big picture. Maybe I just want my baby niece to stop crying. Pretty simple stuff.”
Daisy grinned, her eyes still glistening with fresh tears. She reached up with both hands, patting her uncle’s face.
Reward enough. Chase felt a bit stunned all over again at the swell of love in his heart for this child.
“All better?” He kissed a tiny forehead. “She’s calmed down and can go back to bed now.”
Jessie tapped her foot against the floor impatiently. “You’re only creating more problems for yourself down the road.”
He gave a slight shrug. He couldn’t help it. “If comforting them when they’re sad is spoiling them, then that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
Daisy rubbed her eyes with both tiny fists.
“See?” He nodded toward the child who had quieted. “She’s sleepy. She’ll be out in a few minutes.”
A loud cry came from the nursery. Peeking in the door, he saw Poppy standing up in her crib, wailing away, both hands shaking the railing. “Di-Di! Di-Di!”
The Cowboy's Twin Surprise Page 4