Page 29 of Wounded Cowboy
To her surprise, Spring said gruffly,“It’s still raining hard out there. You might as well stay until the storm passes. Besides, it wouldn’t be fair to send the cook home without letting her eat first.”
“Really?” Kelsey asked, raising an eyebrow.Is Spring actually starting to warm up to me?
“Besides, we still need to talk about how today went,” Spring said, dashing her hopes.
Uh-oh. I guess he’s upset about more than just dinner.Kelsey’s heart sank a little as she remembered their lunchtime phone call.
“Sure thing, Spring. I’d be happy to stay for dinner,” she lied, smiling for the girls’ sake.
As they sat down at the table together, Kelsey tried to keep the atmosphere light, engaging the girls in conversation about their favorite parts of the day.
Throughout the meal, she stole glances at Spring, trying to gauge his mood. His blue eyes were unreadable, but she noted the muscles twitching in his jaw, and the way he gripped his fork. It was clear he was still upset with her.
“Ms. Kelsey?” April’s voice broke through her thoughts.“What’s your favorite animal?”
“Hmm, that’s a tough one,” Kelsey said.“There are so many amazing animals out there. But if I had to pick just one, I think I’d say dolphins are my favorite.”
“Dolphins? Why?” Abby asked.
“Because they’re intelligent, playful, and always seem to be having a good time,” Kelsey replied with a grin.“Much like you two!”
And maybe I’ll actually be able to see dolphins in the wild when I’m in Los Angeles.She’d already put a whale-watching trip on her To Do list for Southern California.
As April and Abby giggled, Kelsey caught Spring’s gaze from across the table. For a moment, she thought she saw a flash of warmth in his eyes before he glanced away.
∞∞∞
Kelsey’s spaghetti sauce tasted amazing.
And best of all, Spring hadn’t had to cook after a long, brutally hard day of roofing, sawing downed trees into pieces, and fence repairs.
Spring shoveled down his dinner, aware that everything in Kelsey’s sauce had been grown or raised right here on the ranch.
Italmostmade up for the fact that Kelsey had blatantly ignored most of the plan he’d created for today.
As April and Abby regaled him with tales of their day—most of which involved activities he hadn’t approved—Spring found himself growing increasingly annoyed with his new nanny.
What’s the point of having a daily plan if she’s just going to ignore it?he thought bitterly.Maybe it would be easier to just fire her.
But the thought of facing Grandma Abigail’s wrath stopped him in his tracks.
And as much as he hated to admit it, he needed help with the girls. Especially on days like today when the ranch demanded his full attention.
Besides, the girls are happier than I’ve seen them in a long time. They clearly adore Kelsey.
As dinner drew to a close, leaving behind only crumbs in the basket that held the garlic bread, Spring pushed back his chair and rose.
“All right, girls,” he said, interrupting their animated chatter.“Help me clear the table, and then you can go watch a movie in the living room. Ms. Kelsey and I need to discuss something.”
“Promise you won’t leave without saying goodbye, Ms. Kelsey!” April demanded as Abby nodded vigorously in agreement.
“I promise,” Kelsey said with a warm smile.
She went over to the kitchen sink and began filling the dishpan with hot, soapy water. There wasn’t much to wash since she’d already cleaned the cutting boards, knives, and countertops while the sauce was simmering.
Outside, the clouds parted and the light from the setting sun spilled through the window in long golden bars. In the living room, the music from the television and the girls’ comments provided a comforting backdrop of sound.
It was a charming domestic scene. It bothered him because it felt so right to see her in his kitchen like this.
