Page 16 of The Cowboy Takes a Nanny
“I … ah …” Her head was whirling, it would be churlish to refuse. After all this was as much for his daughter as it was for her. Making the townsfolk aware of her role in Mia’s life made sense, particularly as he was going away. She pushed back the disappointment his declaration caused. “Yes, of course. That would be lovely. Thank you.” She truly hadn’t meant to deliver those words with such clipped formality, and yet she had.
His one raised eyebrow told her he’d noticed, and though she’d attempted a smile to soften the blow, she knew she’d failed. So she dragged her phone out of her rear jeans pocket. “Goodness, look at the time. I should begin preparing dinner for these two. Do you have things to do? Should I take Mia with me?”
His eyes narrowed, assessing. “No. leave them both. We’ll play a bit more.”
Nodding she rose to go, feeling his gaze on her, only daring to breathe properly when she was out of sight. Later that night she’d get on Google and look up yoga positions to build emotional resilience. Pranayama might be one if memory served. Child’s pose? Leg up the wall? She couldn’t remember any specific moves for suppressing an overactive libido, but that last one sounded eerily appropriate. Or maybe it was the opposite…
Her groan was long and low. Suddenly she felt defeated before she’d even begun.
Chapter Five
Marietta was a really sweet little town. It didn’t have the Old-World traditional beauty of an English village, nor a French one; but it possessed a warmth and sense of welcome that she found precious, and added to its prettiness, was a pure delight. Ella found herself smiling as they walked along the sidewalk under the roof covering that protruded from the strip of stores and cafes that lined Main Street.
Just about every person they met stopped to chat to Leo, coo over Mia and Benny; their curiosity fading when they learned of her role in their lives. Their welcome and offers of assistance in any way, was heartwarming.
They wandered through Crawford Park, admired the old library building, the refurbished movie theater and the elegance of the Graf Hotel. Taking a break in the town square they let Benny have a run, chuckling when Mia loudly protested the unfairness of being forced to watch from her stroller. All the while, Leo led a commentary, pointing out the establishments he deemed most important; like the beauty parlor, bank, and grocery store. Of course, he also figured Rosita’s Diner, Java café, Grey’s saloon, and Sage Carrigan’s Chocolate Shop were also essential for her to be familiar with.
Leo’s suggestion that they get in early to grab a table at Java proved to be a wise move. Snagging a corner table with a view of the street, and with two highchairs, it was good to be able to position themselves out of the way of the lunch crowd—many waiting for takeaway food or coffee.
They hadn’t chosen the position for privacy and it was just as well because, once more, they were regaled with greetings as customers and staff alike beelined to their table.
During a lull, she set down the giant toasted sandwich and took a sip of her cooling hot chocolate. “Is it always like this? Or are you some kind of rockstar to these people?”
He shrugged. “My family has ranched here for over a hundred years. Five generations and,” he added nodding across at his daughter, “Mia, Ruby, and JD and Evie’s baby are the beginning of the sixth. So, I guess it’s safe to say that the Halligans are pretty well known. My parents–especially Mom—and my grandparents were all very involved with the community. Sometimes the folk here are slower to accept someone new, but once you’re in, you are one of theirs—a member of the Marietta family.”
“How slow is slower?” She shrugged. “Asking for a friend.”
He chuckled, leaning over to put a couple more French fries on the tray of Mia’s highchair, checking Benny’s stash before looking back at her. “Maybe a year or two. Why? Worried you won’t qualify for Sage’s frequent customer discount?”
“Well, discounted chocolate certainly would be a reason to be anxious for acceptance. But I was actually comparing Marietta to some villages in Europe where one can still be considered a newcomer even after living there for twenty years! Of course, these villages can be up to eight hundred or more years old, so I suppose it’s all relative.”
“That’s all? Not considering moving on from here?” His tone had changed, and while he’d attempted to keep it light, she sensed the undercurrent of something deeper than curiosity.
She took her time answering, savoring another bite of sandwich. In an ideal world, she would never leave. Of course, in an ideal world she’d be free to make other choices, and while that time would inevitably come, it wasn’t here yet. “I suppose that depends on my employer. Every employed position is tenuous to come degree, dependent on the needs of the employer.”
“Smooth … You sidestep my question by putting it back on me?”
“Is what I said is not correct? That the employer holds all the cards?”
A trio of lines in the middle of his forehead signaled his consideration of her response. “In fact, there are times when they do. Like, for example when the employer’s need for certain skills elevates the employee to a higher level.”
“If we’re talking about you and I—us—I think you just provided me a valid incentive to abuse my position. Perhaps I should start making ridiculous demands; inducements to keep me satisfied and continuing to work for you.”
Satisfied? She actually said the word satisfied? She stifled a groan just as a smile tickled his mouth and she instantly knew why—even if it was infantile on his part to latch onto her poorly worded response.
“Oh yeah? And I wonder what those demands might be?”
“And I hasten to add,” she said, hating the heat burning her face, and knowing it was patently evident to him as well, “I am very content with my situation at the moment, though should any secret desires arise, I shall inform you immediately.”
Damn, she’d just gone and added fuel to the fire.
His roar of laughter, startled both children but only until they caught up joined in. Three against one. It was never going to be a fair fight, even allowing for the fact that two of them had no idea what was so funny.
Leaning back in his chair, he eyed her through lowered lashes. Long gorgeous lashes that cast shadows on his perfectly chiseled features. “You don’t have any secret … desires … at the moment, Ella, or just none you’re prepared to share?” He shook his head, the remnant of his amusement still evident in in the cheeky sparkle in his eyes. “You’re a woman with secrets, Ella Staunton Hawes.”
She didn’t bother denying it. “It bothers you?”
His mouth pulled in at the corners. “I admit it to being curious.”
