Page 67 of Nanny for the Cowboy

You will fix this, Clover. Clock’s a fucking ticking, and I’m losing my patience.

Nausea swirls, and then I hear the horn, jumping as my dad’s attempt to get my attention rocks me. I jog to the car and get inside the passenger seat.

“You okay, hun?”

No.“Yeah, of course. Just distracted. Let’s go.”

“Okay.” He grins over at me before turning the ignition. “I’ll drop you back at the ranch.”

“Sounds good, Dad.” I chew on my lip, my stare going distant out the dash. “Sounds good.”

TWENTY-FOUR

Brooks

“Please be careful. You’re still recovering from a broken arm.”

Clover glares at me, the expression too damn adorable on her face. I spin the hammer in my grip and offer a grin.

“Eh, I’m fine. Besides, this is mostly my right arm’s job.”

Raising the large mallet over my head, I swing down with everything I’ve got and am pleasantly rewarded with the sound of the little weight hitting the bell.

“Woo! Go, Dad!” Darby cheers, and Clover rolls her eyes at me. “Ooh, so do we get a prize?”

I glance over at the attendant who’s running the hammer game this evening, and he nods with an impressed expression.

“That you do. Take your pick, kid.” The guy gestures to his wall of stuffies and silly prizes, and Darby runs over to choose one. “Then, maybe take your dad over to the duck range. I’ve got customers to woo.”

“I swear if you break that arm again because you refuse to listen to the doctor, I’m not helping you take care of it.”

Clover shakes her head at me, but her dower mood is quickly swept away when Darby comes up with a massive eight-bit-looking thing that I think is supposed to be some type of monster or something.

“Look! From Minecraft!”

He shouts, and all I can do is shrug while Clover actually offers a response because she knows what the hell Darby is talking about.

“A creeper! Cool!”

A creeper? What is this weird game?

“Alright, you two. I’m hungry. Want to go get some snacks?” Darby tucks his giantcreeperunder his arm and shrugs. “Maybe some…ice cream?”

The stuffed block man goes flying into the air as Darby jumps up and down, pumping his arm to celebrate.

“Yes, yes, yes!”

I can’t help but laugh, Clover doing the same, which just serves to make my nerves sing. She looks too damn good in those shorts she’s always wearing, and the flowy white tank top wafts in the warm breeze.

God, this is a fantastic night.

“Pick up your creeper, dude. You don’t want to step on him.” Clover pats Darby on the shoulder, and he scoops up his prize. “Thank you. Now, let’s get some ice cream.”

“Yay!” Darby continues to holler, and we walk over to the group of picnic tables that have been set up near all the food vendors.

With the two of them seated, I scan the food options, looking for something a little more akin to dinner in addition to the ice cream.

“Alright, so I’ll go get us some food. Looks like…oh, okay, want to do corn on the cob and some blackened chicken?”

---