For the next forty-five minutes, Steven went into great detail about the project and the book that it was based on. They only paused briefly when Kelsi delivered their meals. The conversation continued over dessert and coffee.
“The only thing we haven’t nailed down yet is the head writer/show runner position. We have a few people in mind, but the challenge is they are all involved in other projects. So, it’s a matter of timing.”
Ben sipped his coffee, and a thought occurred to him. He was ninety-five percent sure that he wanted to get involved. The project sounded great, and he loved that it was local. That would satisfy his need for occasional people interaction.
“So, what do you think?” Steven finally asked as Kelsi set the check on the table.
“I’m interested. I’ll have to do my due diligence, of course, and check out the book this is based on and the list of people who have committed so far.”
Steven nodded, reached for something on the seat next to him and handed a paperback book to Ben.
“Here you go. I anticipated that you’d want a copy.”
“Thanks. I have another thought, too. A suggestion that would make me more inclined to move forward if it worked out.”
“What’s that?” Steven looked excited and apprehensive at the same time.
“I understand you worked with a friend of mine before, Adiel Bozeman.”
Steven smiled. “I know Adiel. He was great to work with.”
“Would you consider him for your show runner? I asked him about you before I agreed to this meeting and he happened to mention that his current project is winding down.”
“Adiel might be available? Yes, I’d certainly be interested in talking to him about this.”
“Great, give him a call. And let’s touch base after the two of you connect. I should be ready to make a decision by then.”
Anna was exhausted by the end of her first day watching Taylor. Who would have thought that minding an eleven-month-old baby would be so all-consuming? When she wasn’t napping, Anna was getting ready for her to wake up, making sure she had her bottles of formula filled and cutting up finger food snacks for her—pieces of fruit, oatmeal, crackers. She was a good eater, not fussy at all, except when it seemed like her teeth were hurting.
While Betty bustled around the house, getting it in order, and Taylor napped, Anna fired up her new laptop and researched everything she needed to know to be a good nanny. One of the first things she did was to put the teething gel away, in a bathroom drawer. She’d read that the anesthetic was potentially unsafe for babies and a better alternative was a cold teething ring. She found several good candidates among Taylor’s pacifiers and toys and after a thorough wash, filled them with water and put them in the freezer to chill.
By the time she fed Taylor dinner, changed her diaper, read a book to her and settled her down for the night, she returned to the kitchen where the lasagna Betty had put in the oven earlier was starting to smell amazing. Betty was making a shopping list and smiled when she saw Anna.
“There you are. I’m getting ready to head out for the night. The lasagna is ready to eat any time, so just help yourself. Ben usually surfaces from his office around six if you’d rather have some company.”
“You don’t stay for dinner?” Anna felt slightly alarmed at the thought of it just being her and Ben for the evening.
“No. I have a kitchen in my cottage and I’m not a big eater at dinner time. Tonight is bridge night with my girlfriends, so I’ll be eating there. Unless there’s anything you want me to pick up at the store tomorrow, I’ll be off.”
“I can’t think of anything. Have a good night.”
Betty smiled. “I hope your first day went well? I think it’s going to be good having you here.”
The comment took Anna by surprise. “Oh, thank you!”
When Betty left, the house felt oddly quiet. Taylor was sound asleep and the only sound was Anna’s stomach as it grumbled so loudly she wouldn’t have been surprised if Ben could hear it from his office. She smiled at the silly thought. She was starving, but didn’t want to be rude and start eating if she was supposed to wait for him. They hadn’t discussed mealtimes other than the fact that room and board was included in the position. She poured herself a glass of water and found some celery stalks to munch on while she waited. She didn’t have to wait long. Just as she swallowed her last bite of celery, she heard footsteps coming down the hall.
“Are you as hungry as I am?” Ben asked as he walked into the kitchen.
“I could eat,” Anna said casually as her stomach rumbled again.
Ben raised his eyebrows. “I’m sorry to keep you waiting. I should have mentioned before that you don’t have to wait for me. If you’re hungry and I’m not around, please go ahead.” He grinned. “I am glad for the company, though. Shall I plate you up some lasagna? Betty has this on the regular rotation because I love it.”
“Yes, please. I’ll get the salad out.” Anna set the large bowl of salad and the homemade Italian dressing Betty had made earlier on the island.
“We can eat right here, unless you’d rather go to the table?” Ben said. Anna followed his glance toward the formal dining room table.
“No, this is fine.”
He handed her a plate with a large, oozing slab of lasagna and a buttery piece of garlic bread. He set his full plate next to hers and was about to sit down, then turned back to her with a question.
“How about some wine? I like a glass sometimes with dinner. Since today’s your first day, and you’re still here, I’d say we should toast to that.”
“I’d love a glass of wine.”
Ben poured them each some wine, then joined her at the island and helped himself to the salad.
Anna took a small bite of the lasagna and it was delicious. Betty was a good cook. Too good.
“Did you mention something about a workout room? If all of Betty’s meals are this good, I could be in trouble.”
Ben laughed. “I did. And they are. It’s a small room, above the garage. There’s a treadmill and elliptical machine, some weights. Nothing fancy, but enough to counteract Betty’s food.”
“I’ll have to check that out soon, then.”
Ben glanced at her and Anna felt a warm flush. She looked down and focused on her food.
“I think you’re safe for a while. You’re tiny.”
Anna smiled. She wasn’t anything close to tiny, but it was still nice to hear it. She knew she wasn’t overweight, but it was because she was careful. She had to be. She loved food, and it was easy to lose control. She had quickly gained and then slowly lost fifteen pounds her first year in college. The freshman fifteen was a very real thing.
“Thank you.”
“So, how was your first day? I hope it wasn’t too boring for you?” He looked a little worried and Anna reassured him she wasn’t going anywhere. The job had come along at just the right time and she was grateful for it.
“It was good. I didn’t have time to be bored. I was surprised by how fast the time went. How was your day?” She was curious about what he did.
“It was busy. I had a meeting at River’s End Ranch. A lunch meeting, actually, at Kelsey’s Kafe. Have you been there?”
“Yes. I always liked it there, but since the new chef came, the food is amazing. Bob knows comfort food.”
Ben laughed. “Yes. He does. It was a good place for a business lunch. Did you know they are going to be filming a TV show at the ranch?”
“I heard something about that at trivia the other night.”
“Trivia?”
“Every Thursday night they do team trivia at the restaurant at the ranch. A bunch of us play often. Wade told us about it the other night. Well, after Jaclyn asked him that is. She’d already heard some rumors.”
“Who is this Jaclyn? I’ve heard her name a few times now.”
Anna told him all about Jaclyn, though she left out her match-making tendencies. He wouldn’t care about that.
“She is. So, why did they want to talk to you about the TV project?” Anna asked.
“They’re looking for a few more investors and it’s right up my alley.”
“Are you going to do it?” It sounded exciting to Anna.
“I think so. But I haven’t committed yet. I’m hoping they will hire a friend of mine on as show runner. If they do, that will make the project a lot more fun and I’ll probably be over there more often.”
“Well, I hope it works out for you. I’ve read that book, the one they are basing the TV series on, and it’s awesome. I read it in one sitting.”
“Really? Is that normal for you?” Ben looked keenly interested in her answer.
“No. Not at all. I watch more movies than I read books, just because I love movies. For me to read a book in one sitting means the book hooked me instantly and I couldn’t put it down. That rarely happens. But I guess it’s why the book has gone on to be such a huge seller.”
Ben took another big bite of lasagna and thought about what Anna had said. He’d been pretty sure he wanted to get involved with the TV project but wanted to read the book first. Now he realized that he didn’t need to. At least not before deciding. He’d still read it because that’s what he did. He was thorough. But hearing that Anna, someone who wasn’t a huge reader, couldn’t put the book down, set all his alarms buzzing. It meant the book had huge commercial appeal, which was already evident since it was on the bestseller list. But still, hearing from an actual reader made a difference.
“I’m having another slice of lasagna. Do you want some?” He cut a big slice for himself and looked back at Anna to see if she wanted more, too.
“I really shouldn’t,” she said. But it was obvious that she wanted more.
“Give me your plate.”
She handed it to him and he cut a smaller slice.
“Thank you.”
Ben settled back into his seat and in minutes his plate was clean. Anna was still nibbling away at hers.
“So, tell me more about you. You got into law school, which is awesome. What’s the issue with finances? Once you apply for financial aid, I bet you’ll be surprised what is available.”
Anna took a deep breath and Ben sensed that she was debating how much to share with him.
“It’s not that easy. My step-mother informed me that I’m out of the will and she’s not interested in helping me with any financial aid. She says that there’s not much money left, and she admitted that she lied to my father and told him I got scholarships everywhere so I didn’t need his money.”
Ben didn’t like the sound of that at all. “Didn’t your father ask you about it?”
Anna shook her head sadly. “No. He was confused in the months before he passed. His cancer had spread to his brain, which messed with his memory and mobility. It was heartbreaking to see. So, I never talked to him about anything like that. I just focused on happy memories.”
Ben nodded, thinking of his sister and her similar memory issues. He understood totally. But he was furious on Anna’s behalf. Something sounded very fishy about her stepmother.
“Have you thought of fighting the will? I’d be happy to help.”
Anna looked happy about the idea at first but then she shook her head.
“No. I don’t want to go there. I just want to find another way, even if it takes me longer. I have my issues with Elise, but I love her children, Hayley and Tommy, and I don’t want to cause any problems.”
“Okay. Forget I said anything, then. I’m going to head back into my office for a while. Feel free to make yourself at home in the living room if you feel like watching TV.”
Anna yawned. “Thanks. I think I’m going to just go relax in my room for a bit and head to bed. I’m not used to getting up this early,” she admitted.
Ben laughed. “Welcome to my world. I’m glad you’re here, Anna. Sweet dreams.”
Chapter 4
When Anna got up the next day, she was surprised by how quiet the house was. She checked the time and it was almost eight o’clock. She’d expected Taylor to be awake and needing her attention by seven at the latest. She scrambled out of bed, pulled on jeans and a sweatshirt and poked her head in Taylor’s bedroom. Her crib was empty.
Before she reached the kitchen, she heard low voices and the sound of a baby laughing. Betty was buttering toast while Ben was trying to feed what looked like peaches to Taylor, who kept spitting them out.
“I’m so sorry. I meant to be up earlier,” she apologized.
But Ben just smiled. “No worries. I’m happy to have breakfast with my daughter.”
Anna quickly got a soft cloth and cleaned up the peachy mess all over Taylor’s face and the surrounding area. There was even a big glob of it in Ben’s hair, but he didn’t seem to notice.
“Do you want me to get that for you? It looks like she flung her food in your hair.”
Ben ran a hand through his hair and got most of the peaches out of it.
“She sure did. I’ll be jumping in the shower after this anyway, so it’s all good.”
“Do you want me to take over?” Anna asked.
“No, we’re just about done. You could get her bottle ready, though, if you like.”
Anna warmed up Taylor’s bottle of formula and a few minutes later, Ben handed her to Anna. She got her situated with her bottle and didn’t even notice at first that Ben was watching them with interest.
“You’re very good with her. Did you used to baby sit a lot when you were younger? Before you started nannying?”
“Yes, I did. For a while.” She shivered at the thought. If Ben knew the truth about what she’d done and why she stopped babysitting, he never would have hired her. She bit her lower lip, hoping that he’d never find out.
“Oh, why did you stop? Did you find something more glamorous?” he teased.
She took a deep breath and told him the truth—well, part of the truth. “I got a job working the concession stand at the local movie theater. Perks were free movies and all the popcorn I could eat.”
“And you love movies…” he said with a smile. “Oh, I meant to mention this before, but you don’t have to be stuck here all day. Feel free to take Taylor out and about with you. If you need to run errands or want to meet a friend for lunch.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course. I trust you.” He leaned over and dropped a kiss on Taylor’s forehead. “Okay, I’m off to the showers. Have a good day.”
Anna watched him go and thought about his suggestion. She was excited and terrified at the thought of taking Taylor out. What if something happened?
Betty was looking at her curiously. “You really should get out for a while. It will be good for both of you. Taylor could use some fresh air and a change of scenery and I imagine you could, too. You don’t want to be cooped up here all day long, every day.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Her carrier is in the front hall closet. It’s a top of the line model, easy to snap right into your backseat. I can help you with it if you’re not sure.”
Anna smiled. “Thanks. If I get stuck, I’ll come find you. Maybe we will go for a ride later. A friend of mine manages the book store at the ranch. They have a great selection of children’s books and toys.”
“That’s a great idea. Taylor could use some new books. She loves being read to.”
Anna texted Tammy, and they made plans to meet later that afternoon. She could bring Taylor to the store and then take a quick coffee break with Tammy at Sadie’s Saloon.
Once both she and Taylor had eaten lunch, Anna went and found a stroller and baby carrier in the front hall closet and carefully secured first the base and then the carrier in her car’s back seat. Once she was confident that she had it set up correctly, and she’d tested clicking the carrier into it and removing it several times, she brought the carrier back into the house and gently placed Taylor into it. She tucked a soft fl
eece blanket around her and handed her her favorite plush stuffed animal. Anna smiled at the sight of the funny looking toy. It was a miniature Bigfoot, which she’d thought was hysterical when she first saw it.
“Seems an odd choice for a baby,” she’d commented to Betty, who laughed in response.
“I couldn’t agree more. It caught Ben’s eye at the gift shop at River’s End Ranch when he first moved here. Apparently Kelsi, one of the Weston siblings that owns the ranch, is obsessed with finding Bigfoot. Ben said there’s all kinds of Bigfoot paraphernalia in the shop—toys, books, t-shirts, sweatshirts, even pool towels all with the image of Bigfoot on it. He thought it was funny. Joke was on him, though, when it turned out to be Taylor’s favorite toy.”
Anna glanced at Taylor, who was happily sucking on one of Bigfoot’s ears. It was obvious by the worn and faded spots that Bigfoot was well loved.
“Okay, I think we’re off. Maybe I’ll find a picture book on Bigfoot for her!”
“Have fun,” Betty said as she opened the front door for them.
Tammy was at the cash register, ringing up a customer, when Anna wheeled Taylor’s stroller into the bookstore. Tammy waved when she saw them and Anna went to the children’s section. She’d been in the bookstore a few times before but hadn’t had a reason to check out the children’s books. She was impressed by the selection. She recognized a lot of old favorites like Dr. Seuss and some cute newer ones like the Fancy Nancy picture books and one that made her smile, Dragons Love Tacos.
She picked out a few cute ones with just a few words per page and lots of fun pictures and brought them to the counter. Tammy rang them up and approved her choices.
“She’ll love these.” As she put them in a bag and handed Anna her receipt, a woman came out of an office in the back. Tammy introduced her as Melissa, the owner of the store.
“Nice to meet you. Enjoy your coffee break.”
“Do you want me to bring you a mocha?” Tammy offered.
“I don’t really need it, but yes, I’d love that. Extra whipped cream, please.”
“Of course!”
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