Page 9 of The Rogue

Hell, I have a better chance at Aiden hiring me back than his oldest, grumpiest son, Levi.

I toss my phone across the counter with a growl and wince at the sound of a crack.

Bessie jerks and lifts it off the floor. “I’ve got to see this.” She sets her glasses over her eyes. “Oh hey, look at that. That’s somethin’ new.Andyou get a room.” She hands it back to me. “Doesn’t get any better than that. Put me down as a reference. I’ll tell ‘em you used to babysit my niece or somethin’.”

I snatch it back and feel a scrape of cracked glass against my fingers.Ouch.I flip my screen over to her. “Thisis Levi Reeves.If—and that’s a very big if—the grumpy cowboy hires me to watch Wiggles, I’d be sleepin’ with the horses. Not his house.” I shake my head and hit refresh.

No change.

Bessie frowns. “Wiggles? Thought it said nine-year-old boy, not a pet.”

“Yeah. Kid wiggles a lot. It’s kinda cute.”

“Cute? You don’t like kids.” Bessie perks a curious brow.

I shrug defensively, smirking as I remember the ruffle haired small-town boy who just wants to have fun. “This one’s cute. He used to get dropped off at the Inn when Levi was working. I’d make his fries extra crispy. And Aiden taught me how he likes his ice cream sundae; vanilla only, a touch of hot fudge, two cherries.”

Bessie watches me. “You ‘bout done?”

I shake it off. “Anyway, that’s all. Doesn’t mean I qualify to be anyone’snanny.” I say the word with enough disgust to disqualify me immediately.

She oils a pan. “You sure it’s the same guy?”

“There’s only one ranch in that town, and it’s his. I’m positive.”

“Well, who cares? Tess, the man’s offering abed. I’d at least give it a try. Especially since it sounds like you could somewhat stand the kid.”

I hold up the phone to her again. “Look at that last line. What does it tell ya about the guy?”

She scoffs. “That he’s got a sense of humor?”

“That he’s a conceited jackass who will laugh in my face.”

“Tess. Look again. That last line is your ticket!Thatguy—as grumpy as he may be—is looking forexactlyyour type. Get in, do your job, and get out.”

I flip the phone around with a scowl.Huh.

I shake my head. “What ifhe doesn’t, Bess?”

Her tone softens. “Then you get over your infatuation with that town and go to the next one over.”

At this point, I’m not sure what’s more daunting. My life in danger…

Or facing the gorgeous grump who hates me the most.

2

“Tell me again whyyou’re holding interviews for a new nanny at the Inn instead of, say…at the job site—a.k.a your house?” my father asks as I sneak behind his bar refilling my coffee after the first horrendous interview of the day.

I grunt. “Tried that last week. Cuts out the ‘hey, if I’m going to be living here,I’d love a tour’ part of the interview process.”

Dad chuckles. “Look, I’m all for you getting someone to watch over Jackson until school starts, but you need to be a little more open-minded.”

“Dad, she asked if ‘the kid’ had a regular sitter she could leave him with if she had a date or somethin’ better to do.”

Another laugh. “Yeah, heard that.”

The bell above the door jingles and a young woman steps inside, scanning the lobby bar before spotting me. She’s petite and perky with a wide smile as she makes her way over.

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