Page 18 of Wounded Cowboy
Spring’s eyes widened slightly.“Uh, I hadn’t really thought about it. I just need someone to keep Abby and April out of trouble. Maybe make them breakfast and lunch? I’ll handle dinner and everything else.”
“Sounds good,” Kelsey said, her thumbs flying over her phone screen as she typed in notes. “Now, what are the girls’ usual daily schedules, including meal times, nap times, and playtimes?”
“I’ll write all of that down for you tonight,” Spring promised.
Kelsey pressed on.“What’s your parenting style, and how do you approach discipline? Are there any specific rules or routines you want me to follow?”
That question seemed to take him aback.“I, uh, yeah, I have rules. And they definitely have a routine. I’ll have all that info for you in the morning.”
“Okay, it’ll be helpful to have all that in writing. The last thing I’d want to do is undermine your parenting.” She made a couple of quick notes, and continued,“Do the girls have any allergies, medical conditions, or special needs?”
He shook his head.“No, nothing like that.”
“In case of an emergency, do you have a first aid kit and an emergency contact list readily available?”
“If something happens, you call me.” He reeled off his cellphone number and Kelsey gave him her number in return.“You know about the first aid kit under the hall bathroom sink, and there’s another one in the kitchen pantry cabinet. I’ll write you a list of emergency contacts.”
So far, he seemed impressed with her questions. Good.
“What else do you need to know?”
“Will I be responsible for driving the children? If so, what vehicle should I use? Are there any summer school classes or activities the girls attend regularly? And how would you prefer we communicate about their day and any issues that might arise?”
“No driving them around unless it’s an emergency,” Spring growled.
Kelsey wanted to protest, then remembered what Jenna had told her.“All right.”
“They don’t have any classes or anything else going on right now. And I’ll take them to church on Sunday. You can call or text me if you need to get in touch. We have decent cell reception out in the pastures, and I’ll let you know whenever I go out of cell range.”
“Okay. I’ll organize some fun activities for them here on the ranch,” Kelsey promised.“I noticed that there’s a pool in the guest area. Would it be okay for me to take the girls swimming?”
“Sure, if there aren’t any guests using the pool,” Spring said.“Just don’t let the girls sit in front of the TV all day. One movie a day, that’s all.”
Kelsey wrote it all down.
“I’ll put together a set of instructions for you tonight and have everything waiting for you when you arrive tomorrow morning. Have a good evening.” With that, Spring stepped off her porch and strode away, leaving Kelsey standing there.
As she watched his retreating backside—damn, she hated herself for noticing the way her new employer’s jeans hugged his tight ass and muscled thighs—Kelsey debated whether she needed to tell him about her plans to move to L.A.
Nope, she decided.This was a just a summer job.
After Spring disappeared from sight, she entered her cottage. When Nick, Winnie, and Kegan moved into their newly renovated Craftsman home in town, Kelsey had debated whether she should move into town, too.
But Bob and Priscilla Snowberry had offered her a great deal on renting this cottage, and Kelsey had decided that living a twenty-minute drive from downtown was worth it because of all the money she was saving on rent.
The cottage interior was typical of a vacation rental—modern but generic furnishings, cool neutral colors on the walls, and minimal decor. It was comfortably furnished, yet lacked the personal touches that would have made it feel more like home.
But Kelsey didn’t mind. This was just a short-term place to stay before she moved to California. Thanks to her years of working as Kegan’s nanny, she’d lived all over Montana in short-term rentals of various kinds while Nick worked on restoring historic buildings.
She settled onto the plush sofa, her iPad cradled in her lap, and pulled up a website listing the top“you can miss this!” attractions in L.A.
She imagined herself at the Griffith Observatory, looking out over a vista of L.A.’s sprawling urban landscape stretching to the horizon. Downtown L.A.’s skyscrapers would rise prominently in the distance, their glass and steel façades glinting in the sunlight. To the west, the Pacific Ocean would be a line of glittering blue water. And to one side, she’d see the famous Hollywood sign, perching on the hills.
A smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she continued browsing through the list of must-visit places. Thanks to Mrs. Snowberry’s generous pay, she’d be able to live her dream at last.
I can put up with one grumpy cowboy for the summer if it means I can finally move to L.A. in September.
Chapter 5
