A Cowboy For Christmas. Rachel Lee

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СКАЧАТЬ it thoroughly, cleaned the bathroom until it shone, changed the sheets, then left the sanctuary otherwise untouched.

      She drove into town to the library to get some books to read, then found herself unable to concentrate on them. She’d done something stupid, and she wasn’t going to know the outcome until Rory returned. If she had a chance, she ought to apologize. Not for refusing to be a babysitter. She knew she wasn’t adequate for that. But for the way she had said it. For her timing.

      Except the truth stared her in the face. She hadn’t been hired to care for a child, and if that had been mentioned before she accepted the position, she might have looked for something else. As if jobs grew on trees.

      She groaned, being honest with herself. Working at the truck stop hadn’t been quite enough to meet her bills, and soon she would have had no place to go. This job was an unexpected godsend.

      She didn’t have anything against kids. It was just that she didn’t feel adequate to taking care of one, beyond maybe cooking and cleaning. She’d never had a younger sister or brother to practice on. She’d never babysat anybody, because she’d always had a job after school. Inadequate, that was what she was, but why should that surprise her?

      On the other hand, she knew perfectly well she couldn’t find another job that paid as well as this one. A generous salary with room and board included. If she could hang on for a year, she’d be able to save enough to resume her college education.

      But instead of thinking of that, she’d had an utterly selfish and ugly reaction to a man’s joy. Job or no job, she needed to straighten that out as soon as he came back.

      Two days later the hour of her reckoning arrived. Rory called, saying they were at the airport but were going to stop at the grocery. Did she need anything?

      A polite, courteous call, utterly unnecessary. She didn’t know how to judge this man at all. “I’m fine. Just whatever you and Regina need.”

      “Okay. I hope you don’t have a problem with dogs.”

      “Dogs?”

      “Regina brought her Great Dane with her. Thank goodness he’s a good flier is all I have to say.”

      “A Great Dane?” She almost squeaked.

      “Yup. I figure I need to buy all the dog food at the feed store before we come back.” Then he surprised her with a laugh. “Don’t panic, he’s a gentle giant.”

      A dog and a kid. After hanging up the phone, Abby sat at the table. A huge dog and a troublesome kid. Oh, this could get interesting.

      A couple of hours later, she found out. The truck pulled up and almost instantly a coltish girl with her father’s dark hair and blue eyes bounded out of the passenger side, and right after came a dog that was bigger than she was. A Harlequin Great Dane, Abby guessed, given that he was white with black spots. Beautiful.

      Big.

      Regina went tearing off over the open landscape, the dog racing along with her. Rory stood watching for a minute, then went to the back of the truck and began unloading.

      Abby decided there’d never be a better time to apologize to him, so she hurried out. “Can I help?” she asked.

      “Groceries, if you don’t mind. Apparently certain foods are necessary to the survival of ten-year-olds. As for the dog food, unless you want to heft forty-pound sacks, leave that to me. I guess I can keep them out in the barn.”

      “Didn’t she bring anything for herself?”

      “A duffel. The rest will be shipped.”

      She reached for some of the cloth grocery bags, then said quickly, “I’m sorry for how I reacted when you told me Regina was coming. I know you must be thrilled.”

      He paused as he reached for a sack of kibble. “It’s okay, Abby. You weren’t hired to be a nanny, and frankly from what I’ve been hearing, that’s not what she needs. I think those nannies got run off because Stella was ignoring her. For a kid, any attention is better than none.”

      Abby, too, paused and dared to look at him. His blue eyes seemed quiet, like deep pools. “That’s sad,” she said finally.

      “I agree. Anyway, she needs me.”

      “Considering you came here to be a hermit, your life could get difficult.”

      “Not because of her. We stopped and signed her up for school. She starts tomorrow. She also understands my work habits. If she wants, she can spend time in the studio with me.” He cocked a brow. “Unfortunately, now she’s talking about getting a horse.”

      In spite of her lingering nerves, Abby laughed. “That’s a job and a half.”

      “No kidding. I used to take care of them. Well, we’ll see. I expect we’ll jolt a while before we all settle in somehow.”

      He looked after his daughter and the running dog. “What I said about your job changing?”

      She tensed again. “Yes?”

      “I meant only that now there’s somebody who has to get regular meals.” Then he flashed a grin at her. “And I don’t mean the dog. General is her job.”

      “His name is General?”

      “Rally for short. And no, don’t ask me to explain. It just is.”

      Abby helped with the groceries, then began stowing them as Rory took the rest of the dog food out to the barn. One forty-pound bag had taken up residence on the floor of the spacious pantry, however. Along with two stainless steel bowls on a stand.

      Shrugging, Abby put the stand in one corner of the kitchen with a rug under it and filled one of the bowls with water. That dog must need a good drink by now.

      She heard the girl and dog burst in through the front door before Rory had finished putting the dog food away. Apparently General, or Rally, knew exactly what he needed and where it was. The clacking of claws on wood alerted her, and Abby backed away to a safe distance. Moments later, the Great Dane skidded through the door and found the water bowl. He was not a neat drinker.

      Regina followed more hesitantly. “Hi,” the girl said. She looked so much like her father but with a heart-shaped face.

      “Hi,” Abby answered. “I’m Abby.”

      “I figured. Lots of people call me Gina, but I like Regina better.”

      “Regina it is.”

      A shy smile. “Rally’s a good dog. You don’t need to be afraid of him.”

      “He looks as big as a horse.”

      “I’m sorry he’s so messy.”

      “It’s just water.”

      Regina gave a little laugh. “He drools, too. Lots of big dogs do. But it’s my job to clean up after him.”

      “Is he allowed on furniture?”

      Regina СКАЧАТЬ