Page 1 of Curvy Nanny for the Cowboy

Chapter1

Molly

Iwas so excited that my body literally shook with it; having a new placement felt like a lifeline just when I needed one. My cousin was at work, and she’d be so excited to learn that I was getting off her couch that I decided I would give her the good news later, once I was all packed. My first call was to the only real friend I’d made since moving to Texas. “Hey, Toni. Guess what?”

There was a long silence and then a sigh. “Um, the Highlanders have a nude calendar coming out?”

I frowned at the phone. “What?”

“You know, sexy team full of hunky hockey players with big, rippling muscles? They have a nude calendar coming out?”

“They do?”

Toni sighed. “I don’t know, Molly. I thought that was the news you’re calling with. What’s going on?” she asked with a laugh. Toni was all red hair, curves, and badassery. She was also sweeter than she let on.

“I got a placement!” As a professional nanny, you wouldn’t think I’d be so excited about getting another placement, but the past year had been the worst of my life. Between a terrible relationship that ended six months too late and a string of insecure wives, stepmothers, and girlfriends who cost me placement after placement, I needed some good news. “Toni?”

“I’m here, Mols, and it’s about damn time. Where is it?”

“Up in the boonies,” I confirmed, even though I had no problems with the far-out location. “It’s a ranch, Toni. An honest-to-goodness ranch. The parent is a single dad, and I’m hoping there’s no woman in his life. Damn, that sounds bad, doesn’t it?”

Toni barked out a laugh. “Not at all. After the last few placements, I can’t say that I blame you. But a ranch?”

I laughed, shaking my head because of course Toni had that question. She was the quintessential urban queen in her leather jackets and stylish clothes. “I grew up in a small Louisiana town, growing veggies and flowers with my folks.”

“Yeah? How did I not know this?”

I shrugged. “Don’t know. Thought for sure the accent gave it away.” Most Texans I came across knew for sure that my twang wasn’t Texas-born, but non-southerners thought all accents sounded the same.

“I just figured you were from Texas.” I laughed again, happy to have a friend like Toni this past year.

“Nope, not from Texas. Louisiana. I really hope this placement works out.” The hope, the desperation in my voice was a dead giveaway, and I knew Toni wouldn’t miss it. “Anyway, what’s going on with you? How’s the baby? How is wedding planning going?”

“The baby is kicking my ass, or more accurately, my bladder, and wedding planning is a mess. But don’t try to distract me. What else is going on?”

I sighed and rolled my eyes; my heart felt heavier instantly just thinking about whatelsewas going on. “Nothing. Not really. I mean, Travis isn’t takingwe’re overfor an answer.” My ex-boyfriend has spent more months trying to win me back than we actually spent together, which is odd because he never treated me like he was all that happy to have me around.

Toni was silent for a long time, which was never a good sign. “That rat bastard. If you want, I can hire someone to break his legs.”

“Thanks for the offer, but I’d rather he just go away. But,” I sighed, and I physically felt the weight being lifted from my shoulders, “getting away from the city and from Travis is just what I need.”

“I’m going to miss having you so close, but I really hope it works out. And please, to the heavens above, let the cowboy be hot, hard, and ready.”

Another laugh exploded out of me at Toni’s crass wishes. “Thanks for that. I think.” Even if the single dad cowboy is the hottest thing I’ve ever seen, I just want him to have a confident, secure woman who doesn’t care that my curves fill out my clothes a little too much. I knew my worth, and I wasn’t suffering from a lack of confidence, but I also knew I wasn’t a threat to those women. “I’ll settle for a good parent and a good employer.”

“Yeah, yeah, all of that stuff too.” She laughed to herself. “Are you going to wear your new wardrobe?”

“Ugh, no.” I’d spent money I didn’t want to spend just to buy clothes that would make the women feel better about my body and their men, and now I didn’t need them. “The clothes are nice, but they aren’t exactly appropriate for life on a ranch. I’m packing up jeans and t-shirts. And those boots I thought were completely impractical for Texas weather.”

“Progress,” she said with a hint of pride in her voice. “Good for you, Molly.”

“Thanks. I just hope it doesn’t end in yet another disaster.”It won’t, I told myself because if I didn’t go into this with a positive attitude, then what was the point of even trying? “And if it does, I’ll find a way. I look how I look, and I can’t do much to change that, so if this one doesn’t work, I guess I’ll have to consider teaching.”

“Ugh,” Toni growled. “This will work, Mols. You deserve it.”

“Thank you, Toni. I’m happy you’re my friend.”

“Aw,” she sniffled. “You’re getting mushy on me, and I’m too emotional to pretend to be tough.” She laughed again, and even though it was watery, it had that patented Toni sarcasm behind it.

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