Colton Family Showdown. Regan Black
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Название: Colton Family Showdown
Автор: Regan Black
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Современная зарубежная литература
isbn: 9781474094429
isbn:
“If you want to go down to the office, I’ll join you when he’s asleep.”
“You think he’ll sleep in the truck?” he asked. “He’s been quiet for two trips so far. We should go out and take care of your car, pick up your things and then the baby stuff, too.”
“That would be fantastic if you’re sure we have the time.”
“We have the time.” He picked up his jacket but didn’t put it on.
They were locking up the front door when she realized her keys weren’t in her pocket. Dang it. This oversight wouldn’t help her prove herself as a competent and efficient caregiver and assistant. “I left my car keys upstairs.”
“No problem.” Fox reached out and took the baby. “Go on and grab them,” he said. “I’ll load him up.”
On a quick apology, she dashed up the stairs and hurried back down again. Fox was walking along, talking to the baby boy in his arms about the sky and trees and the grass.
“Ready,” she said.
Fox swiveled around and her breath caught. He and Baby John made a picture, the sunlight bathing both of them in a healthy glow. He was sinfully handsome with a sharp mind, a kind heart and gentle, capable hands.
She’d spent so much time focused on her independence she’d ruthlessly pruned all fantasies of domestic bliss from her imagination. But this? This vision could become her ideal. Not the specific pair in front of her—she wasn’t foolish enough to set her sights on this particular man and the baby that wasn’t his. She’d come here for a mentor. Better to keep things professional on that front. It had to be the generalities putting this unexpected flutter in her belly.
“We survived an entire minute without crying,” Fox said, a lopsided grin on his face. “I think he’d give you an A+ for teaching skills.”
“As long as you’re more comfortable with him, that’s the real win.” She shoved her hands into her pockets and wrapped her fingers around the car keys before walking over and opening the back door of the truck.
“I’ll let you load him in.” Fox handed her the baby and pulled the cotton blanket from his shoulder, revealing evidence of a productive baby burp. “Just let me grab a clean shirt.”
She smiled to herself as he strode back inside the house.
Fox couldn’t help noticing how effortlessly Kelsey managed everything the baby needed. It was hard not to resent her efficiency, even though that was exactly why he’d hired her. “You make it all look so easy,” he said.
She glanced at him as he put the truck into gear and the flash of confusion in her hazel eyes quickly gave way to amusement. “Practice,” she informed him. “That’s all.”
He liked her calm composure and her gentle, warm approach with the baby. And the horses. He wasn’t looking for her to aim that generous spirit or those wide beautiful eyes at him personally. She was here to do a job. He couldn’t trust himself with a baby, despite the assistance of the internet. It was highly unlikely, if he scared off Kelsey, that another capable nanny would wander up to the house.
Making a decision on the fly was a rare thing for him. He prided himself on thinking things through, exploring all the angles. But last night, he’d gone with his gut and it seemed to be the right call. Only time would tell if she held up to the breeding work, as well.
“Have you done any breeding?” he asked.
She sputtered and her pretty mouth dropped open and snapped closed again as she stared at him. “Beg pardon?”
He replayed the last few seconds in his mind and smothered a curse. “Horse breeding,” he clarified, his face reddening. “Have you done any fieldwork with horse breeding?”
She toyed with the cuff of her jacket. “Only with the big animal veterinarians in college,” she replied. “Most of my recent experience is in the lab, analyzing data, writing up reports.”
“What about not-so-recent experience?”
She twisted in the seat to check on the baby, giving him a big, cheesy smile, but Fox sensed she was stalling. Then again, reading people wasn’t his strong suit.
“I grew up on a working farm in a remote area north of here,” she replied, facing forward again.
If only that narrowed it down. There were miles of remote areas north of the Crooked C ranch. He would’ve pressed, but it seemed rude, since clearly she wanted to drop the subject.
He followed her directions to her car and checked the odometer when they finally found it. “You walked nearly eight miles yesterday?” The Avalanche Killer was still out there doing heinous things.
“I caught a ride for most of the way,” she said with casual ease. “Worth it since I’m working with the famous Fox Colton.”
As a nanny. Which, having reviewed her background again this morning, was a position for which she was vastly overqualified. He’d make it up to her, starting with her car. He trailed behind her as she opened the trunk of a faded blue compact sedan that had seen better days. “We’ll load up your things and then I’ll—”
She slammed the trunk lid, frowned and leaned all her weight on it in a hard push until the latch caught. “Got it.” She smiled. “It’s finicky.”
“Where’s the rest?” He watched her sling a leather computer bag over her shoulder and roll a large wheeled hard-sided suitcase toward the back of his truck. He jumped into action, lowering the tailgate to load the suitcase into the truck bed. She wisely carried her computer to the cab and tucked it behind her seat.
“That’s...everything?” She was thirty years old. Shouldn’t there be boxes or books or gear of some kind?
“Yes. This is it.” Her mouth pulled to the side. “Don’t be so shocked. I’ve lived in dorms and guest quarters for several years now.”
“But—” He’d been in college, worked a few internships along the way. Having stuff was counterintuitive to being comfortable in tight quarters. Still, he’d never traveled this lightly and he was a man.
“You’d be surprised how much I can fit into that suitcase. Less stuff makes it easier to move when I have to.”
“Sure.” Her situation prior to her employment with him was none of his business. “You’re right.” He backed away from her, resisting the strange urge to right some unseen wrong. He took pictures of her car and license plate and called the garage in town.
Once he’d arranged for the tow truck, he gave his phone number and authorized the shop to charge the repairs to his account. He СКАЧАТЬ