Page 11 of The Cowboy Takes a Nanny
“Ahhh, yeah … Go ahead and use the downstairs, it makes sense. Just tell Mia and Benny to go easy on the bourbon. It’s a top shelf; they probably wouldn’t appreciate it.”
Not breaking concentration from her task, she shot back just as dryly, “I don’t know how you can even joke about that. Quite shocking, actually. Everyone knows a child must first be introduced to wine. Their palates are far too undeveloped to be subjected to hard liquor this early. It’s a gradual process. Surely you know that? I have bottles of Babychamps all ready and waiting in the refrigerator—already fitted with nipples for Mia.”
His snicker reached her first. “Always good to be prepared.” He’d moved to the other side of the island, his eyes scanning the platters, obviously intent on sneaking a taste, and neatly avoid eye contact. “Though if that’s the truth, my mom has some serious questions to answer. I figure she also owes me a whole heap of alcohol she denied me in childhood.” His hand darted out. “Is that lemon under that meringue thing?”
A sound from the entry saved his hand from receiving a sharp slap and he grinned and strode in that direction, returning a moment later with his nearly three-month-old niece, Ruby, snug in the baby carrier. He placed it on the island between them. Joey followed, hauling a bulging bag, rosy-cheeked from the effort and the cold.
Both Leo and Ella fussed over the baby, earning a gummy grin in return. Then Leo lifted both Benny and Mia in turn so they could greet Ruby.
Joey was more intrigued by the elegantly laid platters on the island, turning wide eyes on Ella. “Wow, when you messaged that you had this covered, you weren’t kidding! This looks amazing!”
“Thank you! And if you’re thinking I’m blatantly showing off, you’d be quite correct. It’s been a while since I had the opportunity to do anything like this, and I happily hijacked this occasion for my own selfish purposes.” She shrugged. “Not just so you’d think I was awesome.”
Joey’s laughter rang through the vast space. And without looking over, Ella knew Leo was chuckling as well.
Moving to her side of the island, Joey threw an arm around Ella’s waist. “But we already know you’re awesome, don’t we Leo?”
Leo looked at them, his expression amused, but he caught and held her gaze for just that fraction too long. “Sure do.” Then confusing her by pulling back to an expression so bland that it left her wondering if it had been her imagination.
Oblivious, Joey added, “And as I told her, despite how cute it is, she also deserves a break from all that constant baby babble.”
Determined to prove to him she wasn’t affected by any lingering glances, imagined or not, Ella’s eyes immediately found her employer. “But it’s okay, Leo, I explained how it’s not all bad, that you’re almost managing words of three syllables now.”
Eyes dancing with laughter, he stared straight back at her. “Aww, and to think I’ve been holding back so you wouldn’t get lost in a language perhaps more developed than you’re accustomed to. And by the way, in case you missed it, that sentence contained two three-syllable words.”
Ella barely blinked. “I can think of more appropriate ones.”
“Ella, Ella.” Both eyebrows rose to meet that rich cocoa-colored hair and he tsked loudly. “With three children present?”
“I don’t think they’ll object to philistine.”
His roar of laughter startled Benny, who scrambled to clutch at Ella’s leg. Bending to pick him, she saw Leo’s little sister had been chuckling along with them, but Joey’s laughter had faded away somewhere between quips. Now the woman stood there, mouth open, her eyes wide and sliding across from Leo back to Ella.
Uncomfortably aware of the flush that clearly signaled her awareness of Joey’s intent interest, Ella rushed to busy herself, grateful when Mia lifted her arms to her, so she scooped her up as well.
Leo reached for his daughter at the same time. Was he embarrassed too? And if he was? Served him right for being so irresistibly distracting; she mentally sidestepped the fact that it had been she who’d begun their banter. An exchange, that admittedly could be misinterpreted.
Ella scrambled to put her own attraction aside, as she silently reminded herself that she and Leo were building a friendship. They were living under the same roof, endeavoring to create a stress-free, stable environment for the children—and if they’d found they shared a sense of humor? Surely that wasn’t a bad thing. It was natural that they would develop some kind of rapport. Wasn’t it?
Leo cleared his throat. “I need to get back to work on the corral. Why don’t you girls go on downstairs with the other kids, and I’ll bring Mia and then lug all this stuff down. Is this all, Ella?”
She pointed toward a tray loaded with everything required for tea, noting that despite his outwardly calm nod, he barely glanced at her. Which she noticed despite avoiding looking at him just as fiercely. Thankfully Evie and Liberty arrived, and the subsequent hustle of greetings and gushes over small children who allowed the fuss with their usual, tolerant, oh-so-cute sense of entitlement, and blatant enjoyment of the grown-ups vying for their attention.
Downstairs the gushing continued as Liberty and Evie drooled over the morning tea she’d set up, asking questions about life in the United Kingdom that she answered, though she kept her responses non-specific.
Joey, on the other hand, was very quiet. Unable to avoid eye contact with Leo’s sister any longer, Ella lifted her chin, not at all surprised at all by Joey’s directness.
“So, you and Leo …”
“Yes, it’s … it’s working out well. Mia’s settled. The children are getting along famously. It’s so cute to watch Mia follow Benny, copying his every move. And so heartwarming to see how Benny protects her—like it’s instinctive somehow. I know from my short experience with daycare facilities that two-year-olds are not always so perceptive, so of course I’m very proud of him.”
As she’d listened, Joey sucked in her top lip, obviously trying to hide the grin that was desperate to escape. “That’s great. But how about you and Leo? How’s that going? Seemed to me that you pair have really hit it off.”
Intently deliberating over a ribbon sandwich that she didn’t even want, Ella feigned a calm she also didn’t feel, acutely aware of the questions in the eyes of the other two women as well. “We’re getting into a routine. Leo is very considerate of Benny’s and my needs, and we’re making it work. It’s been a big adjustment for us all, but Leo and I are both dedicated to providing a calm, happy environment for the children, we want to make it as easy for them as possible.”
“Well,” Joey said, not even trying to hide her enjoyment, “that’s, um, good, right?”
“Hmm, yes.” Nodding, Ella passed around one of the platters. “But hey, I really want to—”
