Maverick Holiday Magic (Montana Mavericks: Six Brides For Six Brothers Book 5)

by Teresa Southwick

  “Yes.”

  A man would have to be crazy not to be attracted to the woman. Merry desperately wanted to take over the interrogation and find out, but that would be inappropriate. She pressed her lips together before more words escaped that would embarrass her.

  “Did you go to the movies?” Wren asked him.

  “No,” he answered. “Why?”

  “Merry said you wanted to meet ladies so you could take them to movies I can’t see.”

  “We just had dinner at Ace in the Hole.”

  Not especially romantic, Merry thought. Although there were booths in dark corners. If sparks flew, you didn’t need amped-up atmosphere. You could be sitting on the sofa in front of the TV and fall asleep with your head on his shoulder and—

  “Are you gonna take her to the movies?” The hostility returned to that small face with a vengeance. “A movie that’s not a cartoon?”

  “I don’t think so.” He took off his sheepskin-lined jacket and hung it on a hook by the door.

  Before he turned away, Merry thought he glanced at her and wondered what the funny look on his face was all about.

  “Why don’t you think you’re gonna take her to the movies?” Apparently, Wren wouldn’t be put off.

  He walked back to the table where the little girl was still kneeling on the chair. Instead of answering, he studied the baking paraphernalia. “I’m pretty sure I don’t have a rolling pin.”

  “That’s mine. Or rather my mom’s.” Merry thought he didn’t look much like a man who’d had a sparks-flying kind of dinner with a woman. He looked more like a man who would bring up ownership of a rolling pin to get out of talking about his evening. “I figured Wren and I would do some baking so I packed up some things and brought them over. Is that a problem?”

  “No. I just wondered where it came from.” He looked at her then. “Any action on the house?”

  “I got an offer about a week ago and accepted it. Guess I forgot to tell you. And the couple want a short escrow so they can be in by Christmas.”

  “Is it a good offer?”

  “Full price. My agent says the terms are good and fair.” The loan would be paid off with not much left over after escrow costs. But as long as she was working for Hunter, she would have a roof over her head. Now she needed this job more than ever.

  “Daddy?”

  “Yeah, kiddo?”

  “Did you kiss the lady?”

  His brief reprieve was over and he looked acutely uncomfortable again. “I’m not sure that’s something you need to know about.”

  “I think it is.” Wren stood up on the chair but he was still taller. “Cuz if you did kiss her, we need to talk. And I need to meet her.”

  “Oh?” He glanced at Merry then back to his daughter. “And why is that?

  “Because Merry said if you like her I have to talk about my feelings. And if you go out with her again, I should give her a chance before I decide I don’t like her.”

  Hunter looked as if he wanted to both laugh and run for the hills. The courageous man stood his ground. “Okay, then. We don’t have to talk because I didn’t kiss her.”

  Wren’s gaze narrowed and she put her hands on her hips. “Did she kiss you? Girls do that sometimes, kiss boys first.”

  “I don’t want to know how you know that. And no. There was zero kissing. We had burgers and she left.”

  Merry hoped the huge grin she was rocking on the inside didn’t show on the outside. She was unreasonably pleased that there was no chemistry with the woman. At least that was her guess. If there had been he wouldn’t be home so early. And thanks to Wren, she knew no one had been kissed. She wanted to do a triumphant arm pump, then it occurred to her how self-centered she was being.

  During the season of hope and giving, she was celebrating that her boss hadn’t connected with someone. She couldn’t have him but didn’t want anyone else to have him either. What a horrible person she was.

  A horrible person with a crush on her boss that didn’t show any signs of going away. Her house was sold and she needed a place to live and extra income. This job was perfect and she couldn’t do anything to mess it up.

  Hello, rock and a hard place, she thought. Might as well introduce herself because she was stuck firmly between them.

  Chapter Nine

  Following church services the next day Hunter drove back to the ranch with Wren and Merry. This felt a lot like a family and when he’d walked in the door last night after being at Ace in the Hole with a woman, he’d felt a lot like a cheater. His daughter’s questions didn’t pull any punches either. Did you kiss her?

  Heck, he’d never once even wanted to kiss her. But he had to give the woman credit. She was the one who’d told him it wouldn’t work. And she didn’t know the half of it.

  He turned onto the road leading to the Ambling A, then glanced into the rearview mirror at his little girl secured in her car seat. “I have some work to do in the barn, kiddo. What do you and Merry have planned for this afternoon?”

  “I want to go to the barn with you.”

  Words that he heard way too often and made his blood run cold. “Honey, we’ve talked about this—”

  “But, Daddy, I want to see the barn cats and the goats and the horses,” she pleaded. “Merry, tell him it’s okay.”

  “Is there a problem?” the nanny asked.

  He glanced at her in the passenger seat beside him, so pretty in a royal blue knit dress and knee-high black boots. Wren was looking to get the nanny on her side. But he’d bet she wouldn’t bite the hand that signed her paycheck, or something like that.

  “The barn can be a dangerous place for a curious little girl,” he said.

  “I’m not curious,” Wren piped up.

  Merry smothered a laugh. “Curious is her middle name.”

  “Tell me about it.”

  “But how is the barn unsafe?” she asked.

  “Ranch tools. Pitchfork comes to mind. Also leather tools for tack and saddles’ care and repair—knives, cutters, scissors and splitters.”

  “I won’t touch anything,” Wren promised. “Except the cats and goats.”

  “What about the horses?” he asked. To Merry he said in a voice meant for her ears only, “She’s so little. The animals are big enough to crush her like a grape.”

  “I’m not that little.” Wren had really good hearing. “And Merry is here. She can watch me if I get curious.”

  “She has a point.” Merry shrugged. “Not taking sides here, but I could channel her natural curiosity in a safe way.”

  “Please, Daddy.”

  “It is what you’re paying me for,” Merry reminded him.

  True enough. But he’d forgotten all about the boss/employee dynamic that night they’d fallen asleep watching a movie. He’d wanted so much to kiss her then and now still felt the ache of not doing it.

  He glanced in the mirror again and the drama princess had her hands together in a prayerful, pleading way. Spineless, that’s what he was where this child was concerned. “I guess that would be all right.”

  “Thank you, Daddy.”

  When they got to the cabin, everyone changed out of their church clothes. After a quick lunch, of which Wren ate very little in her excitement, the three of them walked to the barn. His brother Knox was there helping his wife, Genevieve, trim a horse’s hooves and shoe them.

  “Aunt Gen—” Wren started to run over to the woman but Merry put a hand on her shoulder.

  “Careful, sweetie, you don’t want to startle the horse.”

  “Hi, pumpkin. Merry’s right. Give me a second.”

  Genevieve Crawford wasn’t much over five feet tall and her wavy blond hair fell to the middle of her back. But she confidently hammered nails into the U-shaped metal shoe on the horse’s hoof, then let the leg down into the hay. The
woman straightened, then removed her gloves and tucked them into the back pocket of her worn jeans. She moved away from the animal to stand by the stall’s open gate.

  “Can I hug her now?” Wren asked the nanny.

  “Yes.” Merry removed her hand.

  “Hi, Aunt Genevieve.” The little girl threw herself into the other woman’s arms. “When I grow up I want to give horses new shoes like you do.”

  Knox stood beside his wife and tugged playfully on the child’s pigtail. “How does your dad feel about that?”

  “He doesn’t like me to come to the barn at all cuz there’s sharp stuff. And he’s afraid a horse will step on me.”

  “You saw the way she was rushing in just now,” Hunter said in his defense. “If Merry hadn’t stopped her—”

  “She’s six and that was normal,” the nanny assured him. “But if she was here more often and learned appropriate behavior around the animals, that would minimize any risk.”

  Genevieve looked at her husband and they both nodded. “Merry’s right.”

  Merry’s expression was earnest. “She’s a ranch kid. She lives here and there are animals. Teach her about them. Has she ever been on a horse?”

  “No.” Wren shot her dad a hostile look. “He won’t let me. I keep asking and he keeps saying no.”

  The three adults stared at him as if he’d just lit his hair on fire. “It’s my job to keep her safe. If anything happened to her—”

  Merry put her hand on his arm. “You know better than anyone that life doesn’t come with a guarantee. But it also needs to be lived. If you keep Wren from participating, she might be safe, but how happy will she be? What if Max had kept you and your brothers out of the barn and away from the horses?”

  “Ouch.” Knox made a nervous face. “That’s a scary thought.”

  It was, Hunter admitted, if only to himself. “What if she gets hurt?”

  “Teach her,” Merry said again. “Make her barn safe and animal smart. Show her the right way to do things. Put her on a horse.”

  “Please, Daddy?” Wren clasped her hands together and gave him puppy dog eyes.

  He hated puppy dog eyes because it worked every time. Along with Merry’s common sense advice. Not to mention Knox and Genevieve giving him pitying looks. He was badly outnumbered. “Okay. But, Wren, you have to listen and do as I say.”

  “I promise, Daddy. Can you show me now?”

  He wanted to say no but didn’t think he could hold out against the peer pressure. Or maybe it was the reassuring touch of Merry’s hand that made the decision feel right. And the encouragement and approval in her pretty hazel eyes. “I guess repairing the tack can wait.”

  “Yay!” Wren wrapped her arms around his waist in a spontaneous hug. “Thank you, Daddy.”

  “I know just the horse for her,” Gen said to Knox.

  He nodded. “That little pony. Charlotte.”

  Hunter knew which one his brother meant. A sweet, gentle, even-tempered animal. “I agree. Let’s get her saddled. I’ll show you how, kiddo.”

  “I’ll help,” Merry said.

  Hunter led them to Charlotte’s stall, then showed Wren the pad that went under the saddle.

  “Pull it forward over her withers,” Merry instructed, “then back where you’ll be sitting. That will make sure the horse’s hair is flat underneath the pad.”

  “Then lift the saddle onto the horse.” Hunter did that.

  “Place it gently like your dad did,” Merry said. “You’re not big enough yet to do this but when you are, don’t slam it down. That could surprise Charlotte and spook her.”

  “Okay.” Wren’s eyes were big as saucers in her little face.

  Hunter showed her how to take the cinch at one end and pull it through the buckle.

  “Do it in stages,” Merry added. “Loosely at first, to see what’s right for Charlotte. You want the saddle secure but any tighter than that is an unnecessary discomfort for the horse.”

  Hunter showed her how to hold her hand out, palm up, so the horse could get her scent and become acquainted but not leave her fingers vulnerable. Then he demonstrated how to take the reins and walk slowly outside into the corral. Lifting the little girl, he coached her to put one pink-sneakered foot into the stirrup and swing her other leg over. And not to sit down too hard and startle the animal.

  “Look at you on a horse.” Merry smiled up at the little girl. “Way to go.”

  A huge grin lit up her face. “I want to ride now, Daddy.”

  “Let your dad show you how to hold the reins first, sweetie. And how to use them to make her stop, go and turn from side to side.”

  Hunter was impressed. There was more to Merry Matthews than just working in the classroom. She had some experience with horses and riding. Her knowledge showed again when she diplomatically reminded him not to overwhelm Wren with advanced techniques or too much information. He agreed and let her slowly walk the horse around the corral with him on one side and Merry on the other.

  “You’re doing great,” he told her.

  The little girl leaned forward and gently patted the horse’s neck. “Good job, Charlotte.”

  After a few minutes he began to relax. He looked across the horse’s rump and met Merry’s gaze. “Is it just me, or is she a natural?”

  “Not just you.”

  “I appreciate your help. It’s hard not to keep giving her pointers.”

  “There’s a readiness component to learning,” she said. “You have to be comfortable with basics before moving to the next level.”

  He nodded. That made sense. And it occurred to him that his daughter might have gotten her curiosity gene from him. He couldn’t resist saying, “And you’ve been holding out.”

  She looked surprised. “Oh?”

  “I know you’re good with kids and your dad was an electrician. But you know a lot about horses. How did you learn?”

  “Oh. That.” Suddenly Merry didn’t look so merry.

  “What?”

  “My boyfriend works at one of the local ranches. He showed me some stuff.”

  Hunter didn’t like the idea of her with another man, but that was none of his business. The only thing that should concern him was keeping her a happy employee who would stay on as the nanny and take good care of his daughter.

  “You never mentioned a boyfriend. I’d have made sure you had time off to see him. Just let me know if you have plans.” The words nearly choked him and the idea of her with a guy showing her “stuff” about horses or anything else made him want to put his fist through a wall. It was hard to file this intense emotional response under employer responsibility.

  “I don’t need time.” Her mouth twisted with disapproval. “I should have said ex-boyfriend. I broke up with him. When caring for my dad took up more and more of my time, the jerk flat out said if he didn’t come first he was gone.”

  “So you beat him to it.” He nodded. “Sounds like a good move.”

  “Yeah. My dad never liked him.” She smiled a little sadly. “He had an opinion on every boy I’ve liked since I started liking boys in the fifth grade. And he was always right.”

  “I don’t want to even think about Wren liking boys. Ever.”

  “Ew,” came the little girl’s voice from above them. “Boys are weird. And gross.”

  “They won’t always be, sweetie.” Merry grinned at him, then studied the child, who was starting to squirm in the saddle. “Is your tush getting tired yet, Wren?”

  “A little.”

  Hunter took the hint. “You need to go easy the first time on horseback. Should we stop for today?”

  “Good idea, Dad. Charlotte might be getting hungry.”

  “She might not have eaten very much lunch,” Merry interjected.

  “Yeah. We’ll go in now. This probably isn’t a good time to
show you how to take care of Charlotte after you ride her.”

  “Can you show me next time?” Wren asked eagerly.

  “Sure.” He walked them back into the barn and tied the reins inside Charlotte’s stall. He lifted Wren down and she hugged him tight.

  “Thank you, Daddy. I can’t wait to ride again.”

  “Okay.”

  That made him feel pretty great, but Merry looked at him as if he’d hung the moon. And he wanted her to look at him like that again. He watched the little girl put her hand into the nanny’s and chatter happily as they left the barn.

  “Well, well, well...” Knox rested his arms on top of the stall fence. Genevieve was beside him looking like a cat who just caught a bird and dropped it at his feet.

  “What?” he demanded.

  “There’s a spark between you and the nanny.” His brother was grinning.

  “Genevieve,” he said, looking at his sister-in-law and doing his best to work up a teasing tone, “did you let your husband get kicked in the head by a horse?”

  “No,” she answered. “But even if he did have a head injury, he’s not wrong. I saw it, too.”

  “Then both of you need your eyes examined. And maybe your heads, too. There’s nothing between Merry and me except what’s best for Wren.”

  “You do realize that when you bury your head in the sand, you leave your ass exposed, right?” Knox pulled his wife close and kissed her lightly on the lips. “Trust me, I know all about these things.”

  Knox and Genevieve were seeing romantic sparks where none existed. They were dead wrong.

  * * *

  “But, Daddy, Merry said the whole town goes to see the Christmas tree light up. What if I’m the only kid in my class who isn’t there?” Wren gave her father a pathetic look.

  They were eating dinner and Merry had casually mentioned the tree lighting tonight. The little girl latched on to the idea like a dog with a bone. Merry watched him squirm and felt a little sorry for him. The poor man had been up in the middle of the night with a pregnant cow, helping her through a difficult birth. He’d said both mother and baby were fine, but he looked like the wrath of God.