The Nanny And The Reluctant Rancher. Barbara McCauley

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ vaulted ceiling, hardwood floors and a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace. The furniture was large and masculine, like the man himself, and the few pieces of art were a blend of American Indian and the Old West. It was a warm, comfortable room, not like the man himself.

      A movement from a doorway across the room caught Katrina’s attention. “Hello?”

      There was no answer. With her violin and hat still in her hand, Kat moved toward the doorway. “Hello?” she called again. “Is someone there?”

      Again, no answer, but there was a sound, a soft, swooshing sound. Kat stopped, then watched as a young, blond child in a wheelchair appeared in the doorway. She was a beautiful little girl with pale, smooth skin and enormous gray eyes. In her plain brown jumper and white blouse, the child almost blended in with the room.

      “Hello.” Kat smiled. “I’m Kat.”

      The child said nothing, just stared at the violin case and hat in Kat’s hand.

      “What’s your name?” Kat moved in front of the little girl and knelt down.

      “Anna,” she answered quietly.

      “Nice to meet you, Anna.” Kat put her hand out Anna stared at it, then slowly put her small hand in Kat’s.

      “I’m your new nanny,” Kat said. “But I’d rather you just thought of me as one of your friends, if that’s okay.”

      “I don’t have very many friends,” Anna said softly.

      Anna’s statement didn’t surprise Kat. A disabled child living on a ranch outside a small town raised by nannies probably didn’t get to meet a lot of other children. Neither did a child prodigy living in New York with well-meaning, but ambitious parents.

      “I don’t have very many friends, either,” Kat said warmly. “But we each have one new one, starting right now.”

      Anna smiled shyly. “You don’t look like a nanny.”

      Kat laughed. “Thanks, I think.”

      “Is that a violin?” Anna stared at the case in Kat’s hand.

      “Why, yes it is, would you like to—”

      “Miss Delaney.”

      Kat jumped up at the sound of Logan’s voice behind her. She had no idea why he would be, but she could have sworn he sounded angry.

      Logan’s tight expression softened when he looked at his daughter. “Anna, I’ve asked Sophia to make you some lunch. Why don’t you go on in the kitchen and say hello to Punch while I speak with Miss Delaney.”

      Anna looked from her father to Kat, then nodded reluctantly and left the room. When Logan turned to her and frowned, Kat felt a tremor of apprehension low in her stomach.

      “You have a beautiful daughter, Mr. Kincaid.”

      “Thanks.” Logan sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Look, Miss Delaney—”

      He’d called her by her formal name three times in the past two minutes. Something was wrong, she realized. Very wrong.

      “—I know you came a great distance to get here. It’s not an easy drive to Harmony, and riding with Punch was no picnic, either, I’m sure.”

      Something told her he wasn’t about to discuss the discomfort of her transportation here. She drew in a slow, deep breath to steady herself, certain she wasn’t going to like whatever it was he was going to say. “Why don’t you just get to the point, Mr. Kincaid.”

      “I’m afraid you aren’t going to work out, after all.”

      Her heart sank. He knew. That had to be it. He knew she’d never been a nanny, maybe even figured out somehow what she really did do, and that while she hadn’t lied on her application about anything, she had withheld information about herself that he might consider important.

      She struggled to keep her voice even and her shoulders straight. “And may I ask why?”

      “It’s my fault completely,” Logan said with obvious difficulty. “There were some streaks in the fax transmission you sent, and I misread the application. I thought you were older.”

      He was letting her go because she was too young, not because he knew who she was? Relief washed through her, then disbelief.

      “Let me get this straight,” she said, struggling to keep her voice even. “I fly hundreds of miles, wait three hours for a bus that I ride on for almost four hours, then hire Wildman Wilkins to drive me here, and you’re telling me you’ve changed your mind because I’m too young?”

      “Look, Miss Delaney, I’m sorry about this. I’ll pay for any expenses you’ve incurred, and give you a week’s salary. That should take care of any inconvenience I’ve caused you.”

      She couldn’t believe this. After all she’d gone through to get here, everything she’d planned, he was firing her? “You’re sorry?” she repeated. “A week’s salary?”

      His eyes narrowed. “All right, then, two weeks’.”

      She had to choke back the hysterical laughter bubbling in her throat. “Are you saying you’d rather pay me off, than give me a chance?”

      “I’ve admitted I made a mistake,” he said stiffly. “Anna needs someone older, with more experience.”

      Of all the stubborn—Katrina took a calming breath and leveled her gaze with his. “Was there anything else you misread on my application or credentials? Something that you find objection to?”

      He hesitated. “No.”

      “Do you have someone else for this job?”

      A muscle jumped in his jaw. “Not at the moment.”

      “Then who’s going to take care of Anna until you find someone?”

      Logan had already been asking himself that very question. He did need someone. Now, not next week or the week after. But he had no intention of hiring someone as young as Kat Delaney, and certainly not someone as pretty.

      He surprised himself by that thought. It wasn’t as if he didn’t know that he could control his baser instincts...he could. But he’d been busy with the ranch and Anna, and he’d been without female companionship for a long time. A woman who looked like Kat might be a distraction. A distraction he didn’t want, and he sure as hell didn’t need.

      He could hardly tell her that, though. Gee, Miss Delaney, I can’t hire you because I’d like to drag you to my bed.

      “I have a part-time housekeeper. We’ll manage until I find someone else.” They might starve to death, he thought, but somehow he would manage. “I’ll have Punch drive you back to town,” he said evenly. “I can give you a check now or send it to the address on your application.”

      Her green eyes darkened as she lifted her chin. “Don’t bother. I don’t want your money, and I have no intention of going home. I came here to Harmony to work СКАЧАТЬ