I almost laugh. The way she purrs my name. Also, I’d love to see someone get Luke to sit still long enough to handle two pointy sticks and create something.
She smiles over at Summer now, my little brother’s fiancé, before adding, “You know how it is. We all need some sort of feminine hobbies, don’t we?”
I hear my dad, Harvey, chuckle from where he’s seated in the room’s corner. Hiring a nanny has turned into a full-on family affair.
And also, a full-on nightmare.
Summer’s lips roll together, and she offers a small, fake smile. “Yes, of course.” I almost snort. Summer’s idea of feminine entertainment is squatting heavy plates at the gym and torturing grown men in the name of “personal training.” She’s lying through her fucking teeth, but maybe she’s still new enough in town that Lucy doesn’t know.
Or maybe Lucy is being a snarky bitch to my future sister.
“Alright.” I stand. “Well, thanks. We’ll get back to you.”
Lucy looks a little taken aback by how swiftly I’ve changed the conversation, but I’ve heard and seen all I need to.
And bedside manner isn’t my strong suit. I’m more of a rip-the-band-aid off type.
I spin on my heel, drop my chin, and walk out before it’s too obvious that I saw her outstretched hand and just didn’t care to shake it. Practically stomping to the kitchen, I prop my hands against the butcher block counter that buts up against the window and let my eyes trace out over the open range and across the peaks of the Rockies that jut up toward the heavens.
This view, wild and craggy, is bursting with color in the early summer. Grass a little too green, sky a little too blue. Sun bright enough to wash everything out a bit and make you squint.
After tossing some coffee beans into the grinder to make a fresh pot, I press down on the top to fill the house with the sound and try not to think about what I’m going to do with my kid for the next couple months. It just leads me to beating myself up. Feeling like I should od more for him. Be more present for him.
Basically, it’s not productive.
The sound has the added benefit of drowning out the pleasantries that my dad, Harvey, and Summer are exchanging at the front door.
Not my house, not my responsibility. We’re at the main farmhouse, where my dad lives, to do the nanny interviews because I don’t like letting random people into my house. Especially not ones who look at me like this is their ticket into completing some weird little pre-made happy family fantasy with me.
Harvey, on the other hand, would run a bed-and-breakfast out of this place and enjoy the hell out of taking care of people. Ever since he got injured and handed the ranch over to me, it’s like he just wanders around socializing 24/7.
I watch the small grains tumble into the white paper filter in the top of the coffeemaker and then swivel to fill the pot with water at the sink.
“Kinda late in the day for a pot of coffee, don’t you think?” Harvey strides in, with Summer not far behind.
They have no idea. I’m full up on coffee today. Almost jittery. The grin I give barely touches my eyes. “Just pre-making it for tomorrow morning for ya.”
Summer snorts and my dad rolls his eyes. They both know I’m full of shit.
“You weren’t very nice to her, Cade,” is his next comment. And now it’s my turn to roll my eyes. “In fact, you’re being a challenge with this entire process.”
Crossing my arms, I lean back against the countertop. “I’m not very nice. And I’ll happily be a challenge about protecting my kid.” I swear my dad’s lips twitch, and he sits down at the table and crosses a booted foot over his knee. Summer just stands, hip propped against the door frame, staring at me. She does this sometimes, and it’s unnerving.
She’s smart. She doesn’t miss a beat. I swear I hear the gears turning in her head, but she doesn’t have a big mouth, so you never quite know what she’s thinking.
I really like her and I’m glad my little brother was smart enough to put a ring on it.
“You’re nice,” she says thoughtfully, “in your own way.”
I clamp my teeth onto my lips because I don’t want to give them the satisfaction of seeing I’m amused by that comment.
She sighs. “Listen, that’s everyone we’ve interviewed. I went out of my way to weed out the applicants who seemed less interested in spending time with Luke and more interested in spending time with . . . you.”
“Hoo boy,” my dad slaps the table, “and there were several. Who knew women would willingly sign up to endure your scowls and bad moods? The pay isn’t that good.”
I scowl at him before turning my attention back to Summer. “You didn’t weed thoroughly enough. I want someone who has zero interest in me. No complicated shit. Maybe they could be happily married?”
“Happily married women aren’t looking to live in your house for the summer.”
I grunt. “What about someone from another town? Someone who doesn’t know our family. And all my shit. Someone who hasn’t slept with one of my brothers.” My nose wrinkles. “Or my dad.”
Harvey makes a little choking sound, almost a laugh. “I’ve been single for decades, son. Mind your business.”
Summer’s cheeks pinken, but I don’t miss the smile on her lips as she turns to look out the window.
“I could just do it, you know,” he adds. And not for the first time.
“No.”
“Why not? He’s my grandson.”
“Exactly. That’s what your relationship should remain. You’ve done enough helping with him for his entire life. Your back, your knees, you need a rest. You can still have your fun days with him—any time you want. But you don’t need to get run into the ground with long hours, early mornings, and possibly late nights. It’s not fair, and I’m not taking advantage of you that way. End of story.”
Then I turn back to my future sister-in-law. “Summer, can’t you just do it? You’d be perfect. Luke loves you. You don’t like me. You already live on the ranch.”
I see her jaw pop. She’s definitely getting sick of me asking her. But I don’t want to leave my boy with just anyone. He’s a handful. More than one handful. And I can’t do everything I need to do on this ranch this summer without someone here to take care of him. Someone I can trust to keep him safe.
“I’m also a new business owner, and these summer months are my busiest. It’s not an option. Stop asking. It makes me feel bad. Because I love Luke and I also like you. But we’re getting tired of bending over backwards interviewing people just to make zero progress with you.”
“Okay, fine,” I grumble. “I’ll settle for someone just like you, then.”
Her head quirks in response to that, her body stilling. “I might have an idea.” She brings a finger up to tap it against her lips and Harvey turns to her, eyes full of questions.
He looks so damn hopeful. If I’m tired of the saga that is finding a new nanny for the summer, then Harvey must be downright exhausted.
My eyebrows knit together. “Who?”
“You don’t know her.”
“Does she have experience?”
Summer stares at me, wide dark eyes giving nothing away. “She has experience with handling rowdy boys, yes.”
“Will she fall in love with me?”
Summer snorts in the most unladylike way. “No.”
I should probably be offended, but I’m not. I push off the counter and twirl a finger around. “Perfect. Let’s do it up,” I tell her as I march out the back door toward my house and away from the clusterfuck that is finding a capable nanny for a five-year-old boy.
I just need someone to get in and get out. Someone professional and complication free.
It’s only two months. It shouldn’t be that hard.
#
I count in my head the last time I had sex.
Or at least I try.
Two years? Three years? Was it that one time in January when I spent a night in the city? How long ago was that even? What was that chick’s name again?
The woman in front of me shifts, one hip popping out, full ass rounding out her skinny jeans in a way that should be illegal. The under-cheek crease is almost as alluring as the swing of her auburn hair as it swishes across her slender back.
She’s distracting. Tight shirt tucked into tight jeans. Every fucking curve on display.
I lose count entirely. It’s the sight of her in front of me in line for coffee that has me counting anyway.
The takeaway here is I had sex so long ago that I don’t even remember. But there’s no forgetting why I haven’t even let myself consider a woman for this long.
A kid I’m raising on my own. A ranch I’m running on my own. A million responsibilities. Too little time. Not enough sleep.
Time for myself hasn’t been a thing for a long time. I just didn’t realize how long.
“What can I get you, ma’am?”
The woman in front of me laughs, and it reminds me of the chimes on my back porch when the wind dances through them—melodic and airy sounding.
What a laugh.