by Jill Limber
When she pulled open the door, she felt her stomach quake.
There stood her father, Richard Haywood Carleton. He didn’t look very happy.
“Hello, Daddy.”
“Jolie.”
When he scowled at her, Jolie always felt eight years old and in trouble.
She looked past him to a limousine in the front yard. The engine was running.
He looked her up and down, and his disapproval deepened. “Jolie, get your things,” he said curtly.
“Daddy, come in.” Her stomach quivered. She hated it when her father was unhappy with her.
What a picture she must make, in her jeans and T-shirt, clutching a pair of yellow rubber gloves.
He flapped his hand at her. “Just get your things, Jolie. I’ll give you five minutes.”
She stalled, trying to work up some courage. “How did you know I was here?” Surely Aunt Rosie hadn’t told him.
“I hired a private investigator.”
How typical of him, she thought, and her anger sparked. “Dad, come in. I need to close the door.”
Reluctantly he stepped into the living room. She gestured to the couch.
He set his jaw and remained standing by the front door. “This defiance has gone on long enough. My plane is at the airport, and we’re cleared back to Seattle as soon as we get aboard.”
Is that what he thought she was doing? Defying him?
She straightened her shoulders. Be brave, Jolie, be brave. “Dad, you should have called and saved yourself the trip. I’m not leaving. I’ve made a commitment here.”
He looked at her as if she’d grown a second head right in front of his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off, plunging ahead while she had the courage.
“And then I’m going to go on to Aunt Rosie’s for a visit.”
Jolie watched her father’s face turn red. “Exactly what kind of commitment did you make?”
“I’m taking care of a baby. I’m the nanny.”
He gestured to the gloves she clutched in her hand. “And the maid?” He spat out the words as if they left a bad taste in his mouth.
“Yes.” She put her hands behind her back so he wouldn’t see them shake.
“I didn’t raise you to be someone’s housekeeper!” He shouted at her.
Jolie held her ground and took a deep breath. When he raised his voice, she always ended up in tears and gave in. Not today, she vowed. Today I live with courage.
Jolie cleared her throat. “Actually, Dad, that’s exactly what you raised me to be.”
He stared at her as if she had lost her mind, and he opened and closed his mouth twice without uttering any words.
She’d never stood up to him before, and he didn’t seem to know what to do.
She took a bit of reassurance from his loss for words. “I suppose you thought I would have maids and nannies to do the work for me, but all you really ever expected from me was to get married and be someone’s wife and housekeeper.”
“That’s different!”
“Not really. This is just a little more honest. I’m doing the work myself. Making my own way.”
And proud of herself for holding her own in the face of his anger, but she doubted her father would want to hear that little bit of news.
His expression changed and his voice softened. “I need you to come home. I miss you.”
She felt her defenses weaken, then realized he was changing tactics. Intimidation wasn’t working so he was taking another route to get to her. She smiled.
“Dad, between your schedule and mine we sometimes went a week without having a ten-minute conversation. You’ll be okay until I come home.”
He suddenly seemed uncharacteristically hesitant. “I haven’t told you the most important reason you need to come back.”
His new demeanor worried her. She studied him as he paused. He did look a little thinner to her. Was he having health problems?
“Charles has listened to reason. He wants to get married.”
“Charles?” With a jolt she realized she had given her former fiancé no thought for the past two weeks. “Charles who left me standing in the back of the church? That Charles?”
The scowl was back. “Don’t be smart with me, Jolie.”
He spoke to her as if she were a rude child.
She wondered what her father had used to bribe Charles. The thought was so embarrassing. “If Charles has changed his mind, why are you here instead of him?”
He actually sputtered. “Because I’m your father!”
“Dad, I’m not a little girl. I’m not going to come home because you yell at me, or because Charles changed his mind. And when I do come home, I’m not going to marry Charles.”
“Why not?”
“Because he was your choice, not mine. I let myself get pulled along because I didn’t want to disappoint you. But I’ve discovered something in the past few weeks. I need to not disappoint myself.”
“You’re acting like an irresponsible teenager.” He was back to being stiff and angry.
And it’s about time she went through some good healthy teenage rebellion, Jolie thought. She’d needed to grow up.
Impatiently her father pulled back the sleeve of his suit coat and glanced at his watch. “I have to go. I’m due in New York for a meeting tomorrow.”
“I thought you said you were going back to Seattle.”
“If you refuse to be reasonable, I might as well go directly to my meeting.”
Jolie suspected if she’d agreed to go with him, she would have ended up in New York. Her father didn’t mind inconvenience as long as it wasn’t his own.
“I hope it all goes well. I’ll call you when I leave for Aunt Rosie’s.”
His face tight with anger, he turned and left without saying goodbye. She watched him get in the limousine. He never glanced back.
She closed the door. Trembling, she leaned against it.
Her father always got what he wanted. In business and with her. He would consider this afternoon to be in the loss column because he didn’t get what he came for.
She sighed and wondered how long he’d remain angry. She’d always buckled under to him because she was so scared he would…
What?
Stop loving her?
She felt shaky and plopped down on the couch, dropping her spinning head between her knees.
What a light-bulb moment.
All her life she’d obeyed him instantly out of fear. But she knew he loved her. Her thoughts were so jumbled that she didn’t hear Griff enter the room.
She jumped when he knelt in front of her and put both his hands on her shoulders. He pushed her upright and studied her face.
His angry expression made her jerk back against the couch.
He searched her features. “Did the bastard hurt you?”
“No!” Her father would never hurt her.
“Was he the man you’re running from?” He gentled his hold on her and ran his big hands up and down her arms in a soothing way, distracting her.
What was he talking about? “I’m not running from anyone.” She’d preferred to think she was running toward something, but just now she wasn’t sure.
He gave her a skeptical look. “Who the hell was he?”
“My father. He just stopped by to say hello.”
And wonder of wonders, she’d stood up to him.
Griff let go of her and stood up, then turned and sat beside her on the couch, pulling her into his arms.
“You’re shaking. Are you sure you’re okay?” he whispered into her hair.
She looked up into his incredible blue eyes and saw the concern there for her. Jolie put her hand on his cheek.
“I’m really fine. He’s angry with me, but when he has time to think things over, I’m sure he’ll understand.”
He stared at her for a minute, then lowered his head until his lips brushed against hers.
Her heart thumped in her chest and she turned into his arms.
“Jolie—”
Whatever he was going to say was cut off by a wail from upstairs.
Riley had learned to let her know when he woke up. Today his timing was lousy.
Griff let her go and stood up abruptly. He shoved his hands deep in his pockets. “I’ll get him for you.”
She wanted to reach out and grab him and tell him Riley would wait. Instead she watched him take the stairs two at a time. He was trying so hard with Riley. The baby was really starting to respond to him, too.
He came back down with Riley perched on his hip. Griff swung him around until the baby squealed, then handed him to Jolie.
“Time to get back to work.” He turned and walked out the back door.
Jolie nuzzled Riley as she watched Griff go, wondering what he had been about to say before they were interrupted.
It seemed to Jolie both the Price men were cursed with bad timing.
Chapter Nine
After lunch Jolie sat down to plan the week’s menus. She had the newspaper, full of ads for specials on holiday turkeys, spread all over the kitchen table.
Griff walked in the kitchen and glanced at what she was doing. “I usually spend Thanksgiving with the Morgans.”
The Morgans owned the ranch next to the Circle P. Jolie nodded at Griff’s comment, not knowing if he was telling her he would be leaving her alone and going by himself, or if she would be included in the holiday celebration.
Thanksgiving. She’d never been away from family for the holiday. Some of the hands would probably be around. She could cook a turkey and have whoever was here join her.
“Jolie?”
She realized he had been saying something to her. “What?”
“I asked if you wanted to go with me.”
“Oh, yes I would,” she said, relieved and pleased to be included.
“Fine.” He studied her for a long moment, his sky-blue eyes giving no hint of what he was thinking, then left through the back door.
She stared after him. He always seemed about to say something, then he’d stop and leave. Not only did his habit of staring at her intently leave her flustered, it sent chills up her spine.
She was far too aware of the man. That alone told her she needed to make plans to leave.
Jolie hadn’t intended to be here this long. Her car had been repaired for over a week, and she still had plenty of money to make the drive to Aunt Rosie in New York.
She and Griff hadn’t discussed finding a new nanny. She’d pushed away the thought of turning Riley over to a stranger. He was making so much progress with her and with Griff.
And then there was Griff. She tried to tell herself she was staying because of the baby, but the man had become a powerful draw. Too powerful.
She knew she walked a fine line with him.
The longer she stayed, the harder it became to resist him. And resist him she must.
He’d been hurt so badly by his wife and brother. Jolie knew he’d welcome a casual affair with no strings. She’d been hurt too, but it had affected her feelings a different way. When she found the right man, she wouldn’t settle for less than a total commitment.
She wanted a family, a solid marriage. Griff wasn’t ready for that. He might never be ready again for that.
Sadness for him swamped her. He was too hurt to try again for happiness.
Griff hollered up the stairs. “Are you almost ready? We’re late.”
What was she doing up there? She’d said she was almost ready before he’d brought the truck around to the front of the house and transferred the baby seat from her car.
There was no way he was going to try to fold his long legs into the passenger seat of her car and let her drive.
What the heck was taking her so long? He didn’t want to miss the kickoff for the game. He rarely took a day off, but he planned to enjoy every minute of this Thanksgiving.
“I’ll be there in a minute.” Her voice drifted down the stairs.
He rested his elbow on the banister as he waited for her, thinking how nice it would be to spend the day with her. And the baby. He was actually getting used to being around the little guy. Riley’s antics amused him.
Somewhere along the way he had stopped seeing the kid as a symbol of Jake and Deirdre’s betrayal. He needed to mention that to Jolie and thank her. In fact, he had a lot to thank her for. Unfortunately, he had a hard time finding the right words.
When they were alone, he thought much more about getting her in his bed than he did about talking.
“Okay, we’re ready.” She appeared at the top of the stairs, dressed in tailored slacks and a soft pink sweater that clung to her curves. She held the baby in her arms and had a huge bag slung over her shoulder.
He recognized the bag. It matched the luggage he’d dragged into the house the day she arrived.
Was she leaving? He felt the bottom drop out of his stomach. He took the stairs two at a time, until he stopped on the step below where she was standing.
Eye-to-eye, she gave him a wary look, but held her ground as he slipped the bag off her shoulder. It weighed a ton.
“What is this?” He held the bag up.
She gave him a puzzled look. “Things for the baby. Diapers, blanket, a change of clothes. Why?”
He felt a surge of relief that he had no intention of investigating closely. “How can one little baby need all this stuff?”
She laughed. “Oh, you’d be surprised.”
The warm scent of her perfume made him want to lean in close and nibble on her neck. He shifted his body, and Riley picked that moment to reach out and grab his nose.
Griff laughed, pulled back and carried the bag down the stairs.
He waited while she grabbed her jacket out of the hall closet, and held the front door open for her. He stowed the bag in the back seat of the cab of his truck.
She had one foot on the running board and was trying to hoist the baby up into the high cab. He hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her back down, liking the feel of her up against him.
“I’ll do that.” He lifted Riley out of her arms and settled him into his seat.
Jolie had scrambled into the front seat and turned around to watch him.
Keeping one hand on the baby to anchor him in the seat he asked, “How does this rig work?” The car seat had a bar and a series of straps and buckles.
“I’ll buckle him in. You watch.” Jolie leaned over the front seat and brought the straps across the baby’s chest, explaining the process.
He watched, all right. As she moved, her sweater pulled taut against her breasts. Dry-mouthed, Griff stayed where he was for a moment, admiring the view until he felt a definite change in the fit of his jeans. If he didn’t get his mind off her he was in for a very uncomfortable drive to the Morgans’.
He closed the back door and walked around the back of the truck, stopping to check a tire to give himself a little more time. He opened the driver’s door and slid into the seat with just a minimum of discomfort, congratulating himself on his control.
She certainly was a fine-looking woman. With a little coaxing he just might be able to get her into his bed. She wasn’t immune to him. He knew that from the way she reacted when he kissed her. His mouth curved at the thought, and once again his jeans got too tight.
“Griff?”
Her soft voice jerked him away from his pleasant thoughts. “What?”
“How far is it to the Morgans’?”
He glanced over at her. “By the road it’s ten miles.”
She smiled and looked out the windshield. “And you’re next-door neighbors.”
What a city girl she was. Her neighbors in Seattle were probably only yards away. She was unsuited to Montana and out of her element. That thought reminded him of the incident with the snake and he swallowed a chuckle. The hands were still laughing over that one in the bunkhouse.
“Does it bother you, being out here?” He hadn’t really given much thought to what it must be like for
her.
She looked surprised and didn’t answer for a moment. “No. I guess I’ve been so busy I…”
Her voice trailed off, and he got the impression she had decided not to say what she really thought. The city girl was being polite. He reminded himself to not ask that question again because he had a feeling he wouldn’t like the answer.
They pulled up in front of the Morgans’ and he parked next to another truck he recognized. He hadn’t seen Vince Morgan since last Thanksgiving, and he missed his best friend from high school. Vince must have driven down from Boise.
Griff got the baby out and handed him to Jolie, then grabbed the bag from the floor and led her up the wide steps of the Morgans’ house. This home had been built at about the same time as his, but in a completely different style. Made out of stone and logs, it sprawled on the top of a knoll and had a 360-degree view of Morgan land.
Griff had spent a lot of time here after his mother left. Vince’s mom, Kathy, had folded him into her large family and treated him like one of her own. It had made his teenage years a little easier. He’d never told her how much it had meant to him.
Vince opened the door and pulled him into a bear hug, thumping him on the back.
“Griff, good to see you.” He let go of Griff and turned to Jolie, letting his eyes run down her form. “Welcome. Come in.”
Griff didn’t like the way his friend was smiling at Jolie. He’d seen Vince turn on the charm before and knew women had a hard time resisting him.
“Vince, this is Jolie Carleton, Riley’s nanny.” He helped Jolie out of her jacket.
Vince raised an eyebrow and nodded, a big smile spreading over his face. “Pleased to meet you.”
Griff felt the need to pull Vince’s attention away from Jolie. “When did you get in?”
“Late last night.”
“Did you bring Sally?” Griff remembered his girlfriend from last year.
“Old news. She took a job on the East Coast.” He gave Jolie another look.
She smiled up at Vince. “Thank you for inviting me.”
Vince returned her smile, then turned to Griff and, in a low voice, said, “I heard about Jake. I’m sorry for your loss.”