Page 10 of Nanny for the Cowboy

Clover stumbles over her own feet and I’m choking on my own attempt to swallow.Where the hell did he get that idea?

Clearing my throat, noticing how pink Clover’s cheeks are, I reply, “No, son. She’s not my girlfriend. Remember I talked to Leo? This is his daughter. She’s just here to be our nanny and help out.”

Darby slumps slightly, and when I flick my eyes back toward Clover, she stares at me for a moment, that flush in her cheeks spreading all the way down her neck and disappearing behind the fabric of her blouse.

Okaaay. What’s that all about?

FOUR

Clover

The house is quiet,sodamnquiet. This is nothing like NYC. Even when everything in your home is off, there’s always the constant din of everythingoutsideyour house—or apartment, in my case.

Car horns, sirens, conversations, music, hell, even the occasional sexcapades of neighbors, New York is not quiet.

Darby was such a treat earlier, full of energy and questions about my life, but he’s asleep now, and I am far too restless to lay in bed for another moment.

The tour wasn’t really comprehensive…you could go check things out…

Throwing the covers off, I slide out of the unfamiliar confines and exit my room to take a stroll around the ranch. I’m curious what I didn’t see, especially if it’ll help me understand Brooks a bit more.

He’s such an incredible tight-ass, not to mention the tight ass. And I need to get out of my head if I want to keep it from going down a road that it should absolutely not travel.

The sheer size of the ranch and home is enough to distract me, and I’m truly impressed with how well-maintained it all is. Imean, the house is immaculate, and that’s with Brooks’s broken arm.

And all by himself.

Well, Brooks mentioned a few members of staff that he has helping out, particularly now. But it’s all outside with the animals and stuff. The house? That’s all him.

Raising a child alone while running a farm, ranch, or whatever must be incredibly difficult. And from what he made it sound like—and my dad’s input as well—Brooks has been taking care of Darby without help since the beginning.

Something about his fiance leaving him, which is so terrible. Talk about a low blow.

And that face Brooks made.

“She…left. Right after Darby was born.” Brooks is quiet, answering while Darby is washing his hands for dinner. “So it’s just us that you’ll have to worry about.”

My lips part slightly, and I’m ready to go bury my head in the bushes for making such an ass of myself.

“Sorry, I didn’t…I’m sorry.”

Brooks just nods, but damn. For as deadpan as he is most of the time, I can see the unmistakable flicker of pain in his hazel eyes.

I know I’ve stepped in it something fierce, and I kick myself. I have no idea what to say around this guy, but I know that making him dwell on his shitty ex is not it.

“Ready!”

Darby launches into the room with his usual flair, or at least what I’m guessing is his usual flair.

“Alright, buddy. Let’s sit down.” Brooks leads the way to the table where the plates are set before disappearing into the kitchen. “And leave that bread be!”

I look over to see Darby pulling his hand back from the basket of rolls and struggle to hide my giggle. I’m tempted to try them myself, but Brooks is very clearly “the boss.”

When Brooks returns, he brings out a heaping bowl of mashed potatoes and a plate of steaks. The classic meat-and-potatoes dinner isn’t one I’ve had in a long ass time.

And it smells incredible.

Slipping away one more time to fetch a bowl of broccoli, Brooks finally sits down. He smiles at Darby, who I entertained with my awful video game skills while he cooked.

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