The Rancher's Bargain

by Joanne Rock

  “I’d need to figure out a way to pay my bills in the meantime.” It was true she was between nanny jobs right now, but she had hoped to devote the extra time toward working on her house, doing some of the simpler labor she didn’t want to pay a contractor for.

  James tucked the blanket more securely around the baby’s feet, a gesture that touched her all the more now that she knew he wasn’t the baby’s father. He was simply a man trying to do his best taking care of a child he hadn’t been ready for.

  “And I can’t put a price on what it would mean to me to have qualified help with Teddy.” He nodded at a gray-haired cowboy walking into the club. Then, once the man had passed, James turned to Lydia again. “Forget about Gail and the charity money. The universe is smiling on me by having a nanny walk into my office at a time in my life when I’m hanging on by my fingernails. Consider this a job offer for whatever you usually charge. I would have sought you out before this if I’d known about you.”

  “I couldn’t possibly—”

  “Please.” He cut her off, his tone laced with an urgency—a need—she hadn’t anticipated. “Just think about it. Start with the trial period and sign on for two months. See how it goes. If things don’t work out, I’ll understand.”

  Swallowing her protests, she nodded. “It’s a very generous offer and I will consider it.”

  He seemed to relax then, a tension sliding away from him as he exhaled. “Thank you. I’ll be working from the main house at the Double H tomorrow. If you’d like to stop by, I can show you around. You could see what the job would entail and take a look at the nanny’s quarters before you decide.”

  “The Double H is your ranch?” She knew the property. It was close to the Clayton family ranch, the Silver C. The portions of the Double H she could see from the main road were all beautifully manicured. The stables and ranch house were both painted crisp white with dark gray trim, and the window boxes were refreshed year-round with red flowers.

  “It is.” His smile was warm. “I never knew how easy ranch work was until I tried my hand at child care. I’m very ready to return to my cattle full-time.”

  The idea troubled her, given that his responsibility to his nephew wasn’t going to end when he filled the nanny position. But she couldn’t afford to feel any more empathy for this man than she already did. She had some tough decisions ahead of her where he was concerned.

  “I’ll stop by tomorrow. Does after lunch work for you?”

  “That’s perfect.” He laid a protective hand on Teddy’s back. “You can repeat the trick you did today of getting him to fall asleep for his nap.”

  She’d been given similar compliments many times from happy clients. She was good with children. Period. And yet, somehow the thought of putting the child to sleep with James Harris looking on filled her with a whole host of fluttery sensations.

  “I’ll see you then.” Nodding, she backed away fast, needing refuge from the strong pull of desire. Retreating to her car, she forced her gaze away from James and shut the door behind her.

  She locked the door for good measure. And then felt like an idiot if he’d heard her flick the locks. She wasn’t trying to keep anyone out as much as she was trying to keep herself in check around the too-handsome rancher with golden-brown eyes.

  Switching on the ignition, she pulled out of the parking lot fast, hating herself for thinking that if it wasn’t for James’s blatant sex appeal, she probably already would have accepted the job he’d offered.

  That wasn’t fair to him. And it definitely wasn’t fair to the innocent boy who’d just lost both his parents.

  She could help Teddy and James. And no matter what she told herself about not getting involved in her sister’s mayhem, Lydia felt a responsibility to repay James in whatever way she could. By covering Gail’s debt, he’d ensured both Walker women would be able to run their small businesses in Royal without censure from locals knowing that Gail had cheated the Pancreatic Cancer Research Foundation.

  Lydia would just have to find a way to do the job while avoiding the hot rancher as much as possible.

  * * *

  Shouldering the pole pruner he’d been using to trim an apple tree, James squinted in the afternoon sunlight to check his watch at half-past noon.

  Based on the number of times he’d glanced at the vintage Omega Seamaster timepiece that had belonged to his grandfather, James couldn’t deny that he looked forward to a visit from Lydia Walker today. And as much as he wanted to credit his anticipation to the possibility he’d found a solution to his nanny problem, he knew that accounted for only part of it.

  He wanted to see her again.

  Taking his time to wipe down the blade on the pruner—an important step to prevent spreading disease—James needed to be sure Lydia agreed to his bargain. And frankly, that need was at odds with how fiercely he was attracted to her. She’d invaded his thoughts constantly since their last meeting. During the daytime, he shut down the visions as fast as possible. But during the night? His dreams about her had been wildly inappropriate and hot as hell.

  Securing a nanny was his number one goal right now, and had been for the past three months. He couldn’t afford to let an undeniable hunger for her confuse the issue that should be a simple business arrangement. Her sister’s overbid aside, James needed Lydia. He’d spent time the night before researching her credentials and had been thoroughly impressed. Not only had she served as a nanny for two TCC members who spoke highly of her—he’d messaged them both to check—but Lydia also had an intriguing connection to the popular childrearing blog House Rules.

  The blog was written by her mother, Fiona, but had often featured Lydia even as a teenager. There was a whole video library of Lydia, showing her mother’s followers how to do everything from making organic baby food to refreshing vintage nursery furniture to meeting modern health codes. Simply put, she was incredibly qualified. But the most convincing fact for him was that he’d seen how quickly she could turn Teddy’s stormy tantrums into full-fledged smiles.

  That alone made her services necessary. And he’d be damned if he allowed his unbidden desire for the woman to get in the way. Besides, if his divorce had taught him anything, it was that chemistry between people could fade fast, and made shaky ground for any relationship.

  Heading toward the potting shed to stow the garden tools, James heard the crunch of car tires on gravel. Turning, he recognized Lydia’s vehicle from the day before. He made quick work of putting away the tools and washed his hands at the shed’s utility sink before stepping outside again.

  He had almost reached her car when she stepped from it. Her long legs were clad in tall boots and dark leggings. A gray sweater dress and long herringbone-patterned coat were simple, efficient pieces. Definitely nothing overtly sexy. And yet, he found his gaze wandering over the way the sweater dress hugged her curves. But it was her smile that drew him more than anything. From her light brown hair streaked with honey to the sun-warmed shade of her skin, she seemed to glow from within. Today, like yesterday, she wore little makeup that he could see. A long golden necklace glinted as she straightened, the charms jingling gently as they settled.

  “Welcome to the Double H,” he greeted her, arms spread wide. “Home of the Harris family since nineteen fifty-three.”

  He and his brother had been born here and he took immense pride in the place, the same as his father had before his death. His brother had planned to move back to Royal one day and help expand the ranching operation. A plan that would never happen now. Strange how many ways grief could find to stab him when he least expected it.

  Still, James continued to think about expanding on his own, to give Teddy the future that his father had dreamed for him.

  “Thank you.” She let him close the car door behind her while she spun in a slow circle to view the closest buildings. “I’ve always thought this was a pretty property when I’ve driven
past here.”

  He couldn’t help the rueful grin. “I don’t know how thrilled my grandfather would be to hear that I’ve turned the place ‘pretty.’ But I’ve toyed with the idea of expanding the horse sales side of the business after we’ve had some success with recent yearlings. And traditionally, horse farms have more curb appeal since potential clients often come through the barns.”

  “You’ve done a great job.” Lydia walked toward the small grove where he’d been working. “Are these fruit trees?”

  He nodded, pleased she’d noticed. “I’ve got a dozen apple trees, a few peaches and pears. Just enough to make the ranch hands grumble about the extra work at harvest time.” Although no one complained about taking fresh fruit home at the end of the day. “I was pruning these before you arrived.”

  “I hope I didn’t catch you at a bad time.” She stopped her trek through the grove and peered back at him. “I know I’m a little early, but I wasn’t sure how long the drive would take.”

  “I had just quit when you pulled in. Your timing is perfect.” He waved her toward a side entrance to the main house. “Come on in. Can I get you something to drink?”

  “No. Thank you.” She waited while he opened the door, then stepped inside the mudroom. “Where’s Teddy? I brought him a gift.” She tugged at the sleeve of her coat and he moved behind her to help.

  Her hair brushed the backs of his knuckles, the silk lining of her coat warm from her body. He tried to move quickly—to keep himself from lingering too long—but he wasn’t fast enough to avoid a hint of her fragrance. Something vanilla with a trace of floral.

  With effort, he turned away from her to hang the coat on one of the metal hooks from the rack.

  “That’s very kind of you. My housekeeper took Teddy for a couple of hours while he naps so I could get the trees sprayed and pruned. I’ve been falling behind on every conceivable chore.” He led her deeper into the house, pausing outside the kitchen. “Besides, I wanted to give my sales pitch for the nanny gig without any distraction.”

  Shaking her head, she gave him a half smile. “But he is the job, James. Your best selling point.”

  Skeptical, he figured he’d hedge his bets on showing off the house first. “Your three predecessors didn’t seem quite as charmed by their charge.”

  Lydia crossed her arms as she studied him. “They don’t sound worthy of the task, then.”

  Her defensiveness on Teddy’s behalf was a credit to her character, yes. But she’d been with the boy for only a few minutes. She hadn’t seen the long crying jags or the stormy rages that had caught the other nannies off guard.

  “That makes me all the more eager to sign you on,” he told her honestly.

  After taking her on a tour of the kitchen and great room, he took the main staircase up to the nursery where his housekeeper, Mrs. Davis, all but bolted from the room when she spotted them. Her greeting was brusque at best.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Davis.” James knew the housekeeper wasn’t happy with the added babysitting responsibilities, but he’d shown his gratitude in her paycheck over the last two weeks. “This is Lydia Walker. She’s here to discuss the possibility of taking over child care duties full-time.”

  “In that case, I won’t keep you.” She gave an abrupt nod and hurried on her way, her white tennis shoes squeaking on the hardwood in the hall as she stalked off.

  “The household staff is overburdened,” he explained, hoping Lydia wouldn’t be put off by the woman’s cool reception. “Mrs. Davis has helped me out more than once, and I’ve also got temporary help from my foreman’s daughter. But the extra work is taking a toll.”

  “Understandable,” Lydia murmured softly while she peered down into the crib at the sleeping baby. “Caring for a child is a huge life adjustment. Expectant parents have nine months to prepare themselves, and most of them are still overwhelmed by the transition.” She smiled up at him. “You’re doing well.”

  No doubt she intended the words to be reassuring, but the effect on him was anything but.

  “You can’t possibly know that,” he told her flatly, refusing to accept a comfort he didn’t deserve. “I can’t help but think that my brother would have been far more involved with his son’s upbringing than I can afford to be right now. I’ve reached out to Teddy’s maternal grandparents to try to involve them more.” He’d written to them twice, in fact, and hadn’t heard back. “Maybe their home will be a better place for my nephew.”

  Lydia chewed her lush lower lip, looking thoughtful. The gesture distracted him from the dark cloud of his own failed responsibilities, making him wish his relationship with this woman could be a whole lot less complicated.

  “You’re thinking about asking his grandparents to raise him?” She stepped away from the crib, her boots soundless on the thick carpeting as she moved.

  His gaze tracked her movements, lingering on the way her sweater dress hugged her curves. But then, thinking about Lydia was a whole lot more enticing than remembering all the ways he’d fallen short in his sudden parental role.

  He’d had the nursery assembled in a hurry. The room contained all the necessary furniture but hadn’t been decorated with much that would appeal to a child.

  “Definitely. I can’t even keep a nanny for him, let alone be a meaningful part of his life right now.” He wasn’t sure any of this was helping his cause to convince her to take the job. But something about Lydia made it easy for him to talk to her.

  A sensation he rarely experienced with anyone.

  “But that doesn’t mean you’ll always be too busy for him.” Her hazel eyes took on a bluish cast in the baby’s room with azure-colored walls. “And your brother and his wife must have trusted you a great deal if they named you as his guardian.”

  Frustration and guilt fired through him.

  “I’m sure they never believed it would come to that.” He couldn’t bear the weight of failing Teddy. Failing his brother. Unwilling to argue the point, James gestured toward the door. “Come this way and I’ll show you the nanny’s quarters. Because no matter what happens with Teddy’s future, I can’t escape the fact that I need a solution for his care right now.”

  And that meant not letting his guard down around this beautiful, desirable woman.

  Three

  “I can’t accept these terms.” Back in the ranch’s great room, Lydia stared down at the neatly typed offer James had passed her inside a crisp manila folder.

  After a tour of the Double H Ranch main house, with special attention to the nursery, nanny’s quarters and a potential playroom she could equip as she saw fit, James had briefly outlined very generous compensation for retaining her services. Not only was room and board included—useful for her while her contractor outfitted her home for a child care facility—but James also offered a salary, health care benefits and a recommendation if she stayed in his employ for six months. Gail’s debt would be partially forgiven after the two-month trial period, and fully after one whole year.

  Furthermore, there were additional pages that spelled out potential budgets for renovating the playroom and nursery, as well as a spending allowance for toys, books, equipment, outings and anything else that she thought Teddy required.

  “What do you mean?” James frowned, stepping closer to glance over her shoulder at the formalized offer he’d given her. “Are there things I’m overlooking? It’s all up for negotiation.”

  Closing the folder, she passed it back to him as they stood in front of the huge stone hearth where a fire crackled. “You haven’t overlooked a thing. This is far too generous.”

  She’d never heard of such a well-paid nanny. And it made her heart hurt to think he was so eager to give over the boy’s care that he would pay someone such an inflated fee. Especially when he was debating relinquishing the child to Teddy’s maternal grandparents.

  “Honoring my brother’s wishes mea
ns everything to me.” His jaw flexed as raw emotion flashed in his eyes, but he folded his arms, as if defying her to argue that statement.

  “I understand that.” Truly, she did. “But the whole reason I came to see you yesterday was to discuss options for repaying your generosity toward my sister. I can’t let you give us anything else.”

  He was shaking his head before she even finished speaking. “You can’t sacrifice your own income for the sake of your sibling. I won’t hear of it.” Before she could argue, he continued, “I read about you online, Lydia. You’re extremely qualified.”

  His words pleased her. Or maybe it was the knowledge that he’d spent time thinking of her, if only in a professional capacity. Warmth crawled over her that didn’t have a thing to do with the fire.

  “Thank you. I already have a health care plan, so I don’t need that. But if you cut the salary in half, I would be amenable.”

  “Half?” He shook his head. “I couldn’t look myself in the mirror if you took a nickel under three-quarters of that.”

  “Half,” she insisted. “And I’ll find a way to put my sister to work for me so she’s making up the difference.”

  Gail needed to learn that there were consequences to her impulsive actions.

  He scrubbed a hand through his close-cropped dark hair. “I don’t know.”

  She suspected he would have continued to argue the figure if a wail from the nursery hadn’t sounded at that precise moment. James’s gaze went to the staircase.

  “I could start immediately,” she offered, sensing his weakening on the salary issue.

  He extended his hand. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

  Lydia slipped her small palm into his much larger one, seized with the memory of their brief contact the day before when he’d taken Teddy from her arms. Just like then, an electric current seemed to jump between them, hot to the point of melting. Her gaze met his, and she would swear he was aware of it, too.