by Carol Ross
“Genevieve bit the hygienist and Abby knocked over a cart of instruments.”
That explained a lot, Lydia thought. “I can go back with them, right?”
“Yes, of course. We prefer that.”
“I can assure you that neither of those things will happen today.”
Nell heaved out a relieved breath. “Great.”
An hour later, dental appointments complete, the girls were in the waiting room rummaging in their goodie bags, excited about their new toothbrushes and stickers. Lydia was checking out when Nell and the hygienist appeared beside her.
Tara, whom she’d learned was the Gen bite victim, reached out and squeezed her arm. “Thank you. I can’t believe the transformation. Whatever you’re doing, keep on doing it.”
The receptionist whispered, “Are you from one of those nanny emergency shows?”
Nell grinned. “Does Jon know how lucky he is? If he isn’t paying you a million dollars a year, you need to ask for a raise.”
“Thank you, ladies, but I’m the lucky one. They’re really wonderful kids.”
After stowing their bags in the car, they walked up the street and crossed to the drugstore, before venturing back to Brewster Ranch Supply.
A wide porch stretched across the front of the building. An elderly man with the craggy face of a windswept cowboy lounged in one of the four wooden rocking chairs arranged there. A chessboard sat beside him, midgame from the look of it.
“Hi, Blackwell twins,” he said, the fondness in his eyes immediately winning her over. If Lydia had time to kill she’d settle in for a chat.
“Hey, Pops,” Gen and Abby answered.
Keen eyes shifted to Lydia. “You must be Jon Blackwell’s new nanny. I heard you’re working out real well and that you can cook like a professional.”
“Yes, sir. I’m Lydia. Word travels fast around here, huh?”
“Pleased to meet you, Lydia. My name is Pops. And hurricane-force winds don’t blow as fast as gossip in this town.”
Lydia laughed.
Pops grinned before turning serious. “But the important question is, do you play chess?”
She’d learned at Hatch House and she and Tanner played often. “As a matter of fact, I do.” With a deliberate lift of one eyebrow, she reached out and moved a knight.
Pops studied the board for a moment before looking up and winking his approval. “’Bout time Jon Blackwell was blessed with a good woman in his life.”
Lydia grinned. “I agree, Pops. Thank you.”
“Intriguing move. Come on back and play some time.”
“I’ll do that.”
“See you later, Pops,” Gen said. “We’re going to look at the saddles.”
Abby squeezed her hand. “Lydia, can we look at the bunnies, too?”
A trio of bunnies was featured on the sign hanging in the window. Bunnies are here! Just in time for your Easter celebration. Abby stared up at it. “I mean, please, if we have time?”
Lydia wondered if Jon realized that he’d invited her to church on Easter Sunday? Yet another reason she needed those packages to arrive.
“Of course, we’ll see everything while we’re here.” Might as well. Because if she’d learned one thing on her first trip to Falcon Creek, it was that there was no point in trying to hide in this town.
* * *
“I HAVE THAT exact same pair.”
Lydia glanced up from the bench in Brewster’s surprisingly large shoe section, where she was trying on boots. A woman smiled down at her, pointing at the boot on Lydia’s right foot.
Long, loose, dark curls framed a pretty round face. Lean and trim in a pair of snug blue jeans and a formfitting T-shirt, she had the look of a person who, unlike Lydia, regularly skipped dessert and never blew off morning boot-camp class. She’d noticed her earlier by the chicken feed, flirting with a cowboy whose curly blond hair was nearly as long Lydia’s.
“Do you?” Lydia looked down. On her left foot was the rubber boot hybrid Tom had recommended; high-topped, waterproof, but not nearly as stiff as a typical rain boot, plus they had a nice comfy insole with a thick fleece lining. Lydia was already sold and felt like wearing them out of the store. The one on the right didn’t fit nearly as well and cost almost twice as much.
“Yep, that one on your right foot is the way to go.”
“What about cowboy boots?” Lydia asked, noting the gorgeous pink-and-gray leather boots gracing the woman’s tiny feet.
“Cowboy boots are good for dressing up and for riding. But those ugly old things you’ve got on are the only ones I wear for barn chores. You need some traction when it gets muddy.”
“That’s a fact about the traction. No way to get an all-purpose ranching boot, huh?”
The woman laughed. “I’m afraid not. I don’t even ride in these because they’re too fancy. These are my dress-up boots. For riding, you need a smooth-soled boot that will fit in the stirrup and come up higher than the hobble strap. A regular old cowboy boot is best.” She pointed at a plain brown pair Lydia was considering.
She frowned thoughtfully. “You’re not from around here, are you?”
“Um, no.”
Stepping closer, she reached out a hand. “Marilee Compton. Oops, sorry, that’s Marilee Inez. Recently divorced and took back my maiden name.”
“Lydia Newbury.”
Marilee’s eyes went wide to match the “ohhh” that escaped her lips. Lydia bit back a laugh as yet another person pieced together who she was.
Gen and Abby appeared with the salesgirl, Belle, who’d graciously offered to show the girls a batch of new chicks while Lydia tried on boots.
“You’re Jonathon’s new nanny?”
Jonathon? Lydia hadn’t heard anyone call him that, which made her wonder about this woman’s connection to her rancher boss.
“Yes, ma’am, she is,” Gen answered, coming over to stand next to Lydia. She placed her tiny hand possessively on Lydia’s knee. “She’s the best nanny ever.” The gesture and the words stirred the affection already firmly planted inside of her. Lydia covered Gen’s hand with her own. Abby positioned herself next to Gen and took her sister’s hand.
“Hello, girls. How are you?” Marilee’s voice sounded chipper, but her gaze roamed over them for so long Lydia began to wonder what she was looking for.
Abby answered flatly. “We’re fine, Marilee. Thank you for asking. How are you?”
Lydia smiled inside at Abby’s recitation of the manners lesson they’d reviewed that morning. But her tone and stance told Lydia she didn’t like this woman. Confident, talkative Gen stood tense and silent beside her.
Marilee seemed caught off guard. “Well, I’m good, Abby. How sweet and so polite. And don’t you girls look...pretty?”
Abby stared up at Marilee, her stony expression so much like her father’s that Lydia felt something catch in her chest. Gen’s hand gripped Lydia’s fingers even tighter as a fierce protectiveness gripped Lydia’s entire body.
Lydia slipped the boots off her feet. “Well, we’d better get going. Nice to meet you, Marilee. Thanks so much for the boot advice.”
She boxed up Tom’s recommendation and handed the boots to Belle. “I’ll take these.”
Marilee appeared to be watching her carefully. Voice overly friendly, she said, “It was nice to meet you, too, Lydia. And you’re welcome. Maybe we can get together sometime after you’re all settled in?”
“What a nice offer,” Lydia replied, purposely keeping it noncommittal. The girls didn’t like this woman and that had Lydia’s alarm bells ringing.
Marilee beamed. “Consider it a date then. Abigail, Genevieve, we’ll see you girls in church,” she said, and sauntered away. The girls didn’t relax until the woman was well away.
Lydia added a pair of cowboy boots to the cart already loaded with o
ther items on her list and the list Tom had given her. Between what she’d found at the drugstore and here at Brewster’s, she could get by until her orders arrived, as long as they were here by Easter.
She crouched in front of the twins. “Thank you, girls, for being so good. I’m so proud of you I can barely stand it.”
They beamed at her. Gen gave her a hug.
“Now, let’s go take a peek at those bunnies.”
CHAPTER TEN
WHERE WAS EVERYBODY? Jon and Trout entered a quiet kitchen. Evidence of a craft project littered one end of the table—macaroni, string, bits of fabric and what looked like Mason jar lids. A cursory check of the living room, family room and the girls’ bedroom revealed no hints of their whereabouts, either.
He’d wanted to spend a few minutes with the girls before he headed out to the Blackwell Ranch. A note on the edge of the counter caught his eye.
Jon, the girls and I headed into town for their dentist appointments. We also need to pick up a few things in addition to what was on the list Tom gave me. We’re hoping we’ll be back in plenty of time that you won’t even have a chance to read this note.
P.S. Abby wants me to add that we made cherry pie for dessert. Gen wants me to remind you that you promised to take them out to see the calves again tonight.
Lydia had signed it but his throat went tight when he saw the two signatures scrawled under hers across the bottom—Genevieve Dorothy Blackwell and Abigail Louise Blackwell. He’d never seen Gen write out her entire name before. Smiling, he considered tucking the paper in his pocket.
Picking up the pen, he added a message of his own:
Lydia, Abigail, Genevieve; Sorry I missed you girls this afternoon. Had to run out to Big E’s again. That pie looks like perfection. I’ll try to be home for dinner to help you eat it. Love, Dad
He added a Jon in parentheses. He’d just slipped his boots on when he heard the doorbell ring. Instead of removing them or tracking mud through the house, he went out the back door. He made it to the front in time to watch a delivery truck pulling away.
Climbing the porch steps, he discovered the packages had his name on them. He hadn’t ordered anything. Could this have something to do with Big E? A surprising bout of concern chased the question. The front door was locked, so he carted the packages around to the back and deposited them in the mudroom. Using his pocketknife, he slit the top of one box open. Pink velvet and satin glowed ominously from the depths. Lydia. He closed the box.
Jon’s blood went cold. Memories coursed through him, leaving him tense from a potent combination of latent anger and fresh disappointment. Ava had nearly brought him to financial ruin with her shopping habits. She’d used secret credit cards and drawn money from his savings accounts, and he was still digging himself out of the hole she’d left. He’d been honest with Lydia when he’d said the cable bill was an unnecessary expense. He just hadn’t told her how tight his budget was. Anxiety churned inside of him as he thought about the interview marching closer by the day. He needed it to go well.
Jon told himself this was another good reminder of why he couldn’t keep her on. Not only was Lydia not interested in the ranch, but she also loved to shop. Irritation bubbled inside of him. It was not a habit he wanted her teaching the twins.
* * *
LYDIA UNLOCKED THE front door, noting once again the absence of her packages. She was going to have to go online and see if she could track them. But that would have to wait. Right now, she needed to finish dinner. In addition to making a cherry pie, she’d put soup in the slow cooker that morning. She wanted to make a batch of biscuits to go with it.
“Girls, please take your bags to your room. Then meet me in the kitchen, okay?” Lydia had learned not to give Gen too many tasks at a time. She tended to get distracted and forget, which is when mischief happened.
Lydia dropped her bags in her room and headed to the kitchen, where she spotted the note Jon left. Reading the words made her insides go warm.
Gen and Abby joined her.
“Hey, your dad saw our note. He left one for you guys, too. You want to read it with me?”
They climbed their stools. Lydia asked them if they recognized any words on the note. Gen picked out Dad and Abby spotted pie. Then Lydia slowly read the message, pointing to each word as she read.
“Does that word say ‘love’?” Gen asked when she’d finished.
“Yes, it sure does.”
“I love Daddy.”
“He loves you, too. I bet you could write that now, couldn’t you? You know how to write all of those letters. All you have to do is put them together.”
Gen looked up at her, gray-blue eyes shining bright and clear. “I love you, too, Lydia.”
The words pierced her heart so forcefully that tears sprung into her eyes. And for the first time, she truly comprehended the painful truth of this situation. In the beginning, she’d been so focused on being safe, and then on convincing Jon to keep her on. Teaching and caring for the girls felt like second nature. She’d failed to see the reality underlying it all. She was, in fact, going to have to leave someday. Not at the end of these two weeks, hopefully, but no matter when, it would be way too soon. How cruel that she’d finally found a job she could imagine doing for the rest of her life and it could only be temporary.
Reaching out, she gathered the girl for a hug. “I love you, too, Genevieve.”
“We wish you could be our mommy,” Abby chimed in with another slam that stole her breath.
Oh, boy. She had no idea how to handle this. She wasn’t prepared for this emotional attachment to happen so quickly. It felt like her heart had been taken apart and then reassembled, with the girls solidly at the core. Lydia couldn’t think of a single thing she wouldn’t do for them.
Throat thick with emotion, she gave Abby a tight hug, too. “Well, I might not be your mom, but I love being your nanny. And I love you girls, too.”
There weren’t any rules about nannies loving the kids they cared for, were there?
* * *
LYDIA WAS REMOVING the biscuits from the oven when the phone rang. She allowed Gen to answer it because she recognized Jon’s cell number on the caller ID. She told her dad a little about their trip to town and answered questions about the dentist appointment. Then she listened for a moment and said goodbye. She turned to Lydia. “Daddy told me to tell you not to wait on dinner. He’s stuck out at Big E’s.”
Lydia pondered the interesting mix of disappointment and relief this news evoked but hid it from the girls. They were so excited about the evening schedule of checking out the calves with her, it wasn’t difficult. On one hand, she wanted Jon to show her the ranch he was so proud of. But on the other, she was nervous that it would illuminate what he already disliked about her—that she didn’t know anything about ranching. She’d been doing research and had a hundred questions about cattle and raising beef. She’d even prepared herself for the harsher aspects, so she wouldn’t act like a novice when faced with the hard truths of the industry.
“Okay, girls, let’s go ahead and eat.”
Lydia dished up their food and carried it to the table.
When they were almost finished Gen asked, “Are we still going to go out to see the calves? We want to show you the horses, too.”
“I’d like to. But since your dad’s not here I’m not sure we should.” Although she didn’t know why not, the girls went out there every day, but either with Jon or Tom. She assumed she’d count as an acceptable chaperone, but the trouble was she didn’t know the rules.
“We can call Tom,” Gen suggested.
Lydia looked at Abby, who nodded like this was a viable option. Lydia didn’t want to bother him, but it suddenly seemed like the answer she’d been looking for. She could quiz Tom and add to her knowledge without reminding Jon of the extent of her ignorance. Plus, she had the items he and Jo
n had requested from Brewster’s. She headed to the phone. Tom picked up on the third ring, which Lydia thought might be a good sign. At least he wasn’t helping with a delivery. She briefly explained without revealing her personal motives. He sounded cheerful and told her he’d meet them in front of the barn.
“Okay, girls, we’re all set. Let’s gear up.”
After fetching her new boots, she found the girls waiting in the mudroom gathered around a stack of boxes.
“Lydia, look, it’s your packages!” Abby said when she joined them.
“Finally!” she exclaimed. “What a relief. You haven’t put your boots on yet. You girls each grab a box and I’ll take two and we’ll stash these in my room.”
“What’s in them?” Gen asked shyly.
Lydia flashed her a grin. “School supplies and other important things. You’ll see.”
* * *
FOR THE SECOND time that day Jon and Trout entered to an empty house. But this time there was no note. The oven was still warm and the slow cooker was set to low. Lydia’s SUV was in the driveway, so he knew they’d returned from town. The packages had disappeared from the mudroom, too. Maybe she was in her room trying on her expensive new clothes, he thought cynically. A quick trip down the hallway coupled with Trout’s disinterest told him no one was inside.
He tapped out a text to Tom: Have you seen Lydia and the girls?
Jon paced in the kitchen and waited for a response, which came two minutes later: They’re out here looking at the cows.
Did he mean Lydia was out there, too? He must have, because where else would she be? Yesterday, he’d asked her to go out with him and the girls and she’d refused the offer. What had changed?
“Come on, Trout. Let’s go see what the girls are up to.”
He could hear them all laughing before they ever reached the pasture. Trout ran ahead. The girls’ enthusiastic greetings made hiding his sour mood easier.
Tom said, “Hey, Jon, look who came out here to fall in love.”
Lydia said, “It’s true. You were right. There’s nothing cuter.” When she turned those bright blue eyes on him there was so much eagerness reflected there he could almost believe she meant it. But the problem here was that he didn’t believe her. And that was partially his fault, he realized. He never should have pointed out that she hadn’t seen the ranch. He was forcing her to do things and lie for this job that he never intended to let her keep, anyway. Disappointment, anger and guilt mingled inside of him.