The Nanny Bargain. Glynna Kaye

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       Chapter Two

      “Welcome, Tori.” Ray Selby smiled as he opened the front door to the imposing two-story stone house at seven o’clock on a Thursday morning. Incredibly, it was only a week after she’d interviewed and been offered the job.

      “You know, though,” he added drily as he motioned her inside the shadowed entryway, “you could use that key Therese gave you. You don’t have to ring the bell. You’re part of this household now.”

      “I know, but I thought the first time I should at least announce myself. You know, before Grady and Luke Hunter come traipsing in behind me with furniture and the rest of my stuff.”

      Ray glanced toward the street where her friend Sunshine’s new husband, Grady, and his older brother were waiting by Luke’s loaded crew-cab pickup. They and Sunshine had gone with her to Jerome yesterday to retrieve belongings stored in a friend’s garage. She’d enjoyed reliving highlights of last week’s wedding and hearing about the newlyweds’ stay at the Grand Canyon’s El Tovar Hotel, right on the rim. She’d appreciated, too, their support as she returned to the town she’d felt compelled to leave some months ago.

      Thankfully, she hadn’t seen her ex-fiancé on the streets that were, by contrast to summer’s bustling tourist season, fairly deserted this time of year. How could she have been so mistaken as to have believed they’d be a good match?

      Ray waved Luke and Grady forward and they leaped into action, lowering the tailgate and carefully unloading her grandmother’s blanket-swathed antique dresser.

      The older man continued to smile at her as the others approached. “I can’t tell you how thankful Therese and I are that you said yes to our offer. Especially after the show Cubby and I treated you to at the Ice Cream Emporium. It was a relief that you didn’t scare easily.”

      “It takes more than an unhappy little boy to run me off.”

      On the contrary, it had won her over.

      With Tori leading the way past a small library on one side of the spacious hallway and what she could only think of as a parlor on the other, she and the men skirted past a sweeping staircase and a darkened dining room. Another hall branched off, leading to a rear corner of the house and what had once been a cook-housekeeper’s apartment, and would now be her new home. At least for a few years anyway, if all went well.

      “This is nice.” Luke sounded surprised as the brothers carefully lowered the dresser to the spot she indicated.

      When given the grand tour following her interview she, too, had been pleasantly surprised to find the apartment featured a kitchenette, sleeping alcove, walk-in closet and its own bathroom. Lots of sunshine-filled windows, as well. Although the space was furnished, Ray had had the bed frame and dresser moved elsewhere so she could bring her grandmother’s antiques.

      They’d barely finished hauling in the remainder of her belongings, reattaching the mirror to the dresser and getting the bed set up and mattress placed, when the chatter of children echoed down the hallway from the front of the house.

      “Sounds like the troops are up and on the move.” Ray gave Tori a wary glance. “Brace yourself.”

      Since tomorrow would be her actual first day on the job, she’d hoped for time to get settled in today. Oh, well.

      “Hey, look what I found!”

      They turned to see Sawyer Banks in the doorway, holding a grinning twin in each arm—no small feat, since they must weigh at least forty pounds each. Tori almost gasped at the resemblance between the threesome. The mussed blond hair. Blue eyes. Matching smiles.

      But what was Sawyer doing here? Checking up on her? Reminding her that she had an obligation to him? If so, he wasn’t going to like what she’d be sharing as soon as the opportunity presented itself.

      “Which one of you boys let this character in?” Ray teased his grandsons. Or maybe that gruffness and the sharp look in Sawyer’s direction wasn’t teasing? When she’d let the Selbys know she’d be working at the Outpost part-time, they’d raised no objections, and Sawyer had told her he had a “decent enough” relationship with his brothers and their grandparents. That was clearly evident in the case of the obviously excited boys, but was it her imagination that there was tension hanging in the air between the two men?

      “He brought us a new game.” Cubby waved a small box in the air as if to legitimize opening the door to him.

      Their big brother gave them a hug, then set their feet on the floor. The pair were dressed in tennies, jeans and sweatshirts, and side by side the resemblance between them was evident, although not identical. Cubby’s face was less rounded than Landon’s and devoid of the few freckles that scattered across his brother’s nose. Nor was his gaze as bold. And whereas Landon’s reddish-tinted bangs fell evenly across his forehead, Cubby’s hair had a definite side part.

      Both thrust their hands into their back pockets, a mirror image of each other—and of Sawyer’s stance behind them.

      “Say good-morning to Tori,” Ray prompted, apparently mindful that she’d soon be an instrumental player in the lives of his grandsons.

      “Good morning, Tori,” all three Banks brothers responded. Landon confidently. Cubby, with his head ducked shyly. Sawyer with mischief dancing in his eyes.

      Why did her heart pirouette when she met Sawyer’s gaze? Not good. “Good morning, boys.”

      “Now that Banks is here—after the work’s done—looks like you’re finished with us.” Luke glanced around the room with satisfaction, then Tori walked the Hunter brothers to the door, reiterating her thanks. When she returned, Ray had vanished, but Sawyer and the СКАЧАТЬ