Page 39 of Nanny for the Single Dad Cowboy
But even with my guard up, the sight of Tessa laughing, wind catching her hair, Daisy beside her—I feel strangely light. This is fun.
We find a quiet stretch along the creek, and I let Tessa take the lead for a moment, watching her glide over the trail withsurprising ease. Daisy whoops behind her, and I catch her glance back at me, wide-eyed with pride.
“Looks like you’re having fun,” I say, letting the praise slip out without thinking, when I catch up to them.
Tessa blushes, tugs at her reins nervously. “I am. You two are the experts, though.”
“Yeah, but you’re keeping up. That’s what counts.” I give her a brief, approving nod.
By the time we circle back, laughter has replaced tension, and even the horses seem calmer. I glance at them both—Tessa relaxed, Daisy grinning from ear to ear—and I realize something I didn’t expect: maybe getting tangled up in their truce wasn’t a mistake.
Maybe this chaos, this mess, these little victories, is exactly what I need. And maybe, just maybe, I’m starting to like having her around.
I hop off my horse, stealing glances at Tessa. Her hair’s tousled from the ride, cheeks flushed, eyes bright with that mix of triumph and relief. She’s smiling, really smiling, and it hits me harder than I’d like to admit.
Daisy hops off her horse, running to hug me around the knees. “Thanks, Daddy! That was the best!”
I ruffle her hair, hiding the grin that’s threatening to creep across my face. “Glad you had fun, Bug.”
Tessa watches us quietly from her horse, still holding the reins, still poised but softer somehow. My chest tightens as I realize just how much I enjoyed seeing her here, on the trail, laughing with Daisy, learning something new, and doing it well.
I force myself to look away, to keep the distance I know I should maintain. But the truth I can’t ignore sits heavy in my chest: this truce, this ranch life—maybe it isn’t so bad after all.
And Tessa? She’s not just surviving here. She’s starting to belong.
I swallow, straightening my back. One thing’s for sure, I’m going to enjoy watching it happen. Even if it drives me crazy in the process.
17
TESSA
From the elevated view of my bedroom balcony, I catch myself staring at him again. Not overtly, or enough for him to notice, but long enough that my heart flutters and stomach does that ridiculous flip I’ve been trying to ignore. Jace, out by the corral, sitting majestically on his chair, with that impossibly perfect smirk, brushing a stray lock of hair back as he watches Daisy chatter on and on.
God, I’m falling for him.
I clamp down on the thought before it can grow, forcing my shoulders back and focusing on the feel of the warm sun on my arms, the soft smell of hay, and whatever the cooks are whipping up downstairs. I can’t. Not here, not now. I’m supposed to bethe nanny, the tutor, the girl who keeps Daisy safe and occupied until I can leave. Jace is a distraction I can’t afford.
Inhaling deeply, I make a silent promise to step back and keep it professional with him. I’ll only smile when necessary, but I won’t linger, flirt, or let myself get caught in this—whatever this is.
It’s easier said than done.
Even as I tighten my resolve, I can’t erase the memory of our small touches during the horseback lesson, the way his hands lingered just a second too long on my waist, the way his eyes watched me like I mattered more than I should.
No, Tessa! Remember, boundaries. Step back.
I grab my phone from the table in front of me, thumb hovering over Sienna’s name. I need to hear a friendly voice, someone who can remind me that I’m not losing my mind, though judging by how flustered I feel around Jace, I might be.
“Hi, Tess?” She answers immediately, as if she’s been waiting for me.
“Hey,” I mumble, trying to sound casual.
“Hey! How’s the newest cowgirl in Wrangler Creek, Texas, doing? Broken any cowboy hearts yet?” She teases, her voice laced with amusement.
More like he’s breaking mine.
I groan into the phone, covering my face. “Si! I swear, you’re impossible.”
“Impossible? Me? You’re the one who sounds like you’re dying over there,” she shoots back, teasingly.
