Читать книгу Maverick Holiday Magic - Teresa Southwick, Teresa Southwick - Страница 11

Chapter Two

Merry left the Ambling A just as the sun was dropping behind the mountains. She was in a panic and did what she always did at a time like this. She called her best friend, Zoey Kubiak, who was the other educational aide at the school. Zoey was a semester away from a degree in elementary education and lived with her divorced mother in a little house that had been restored after the Great Flood of 2013. In fact, they’d met when her dad did electrical work for Zoey’s mom, Dora. She and her friend had sort of hoped their parents might click romantically, but that had never happened.

She pulled her dad’s beat-up old truck to a stop at the curb in front of the gray house. Envy, worry and pain twisted inside her and she missed her father so much. If only he was here so she could talk to him. But, as he’d always said, if wishes were horses beggars would ride.

Merry slid out of the truck and walked up the sidewalk to the front door. It was opened before she could even knock.

“I hate it when you declare an emergency over the phone then say I’ll tell you all about it when I get there.” Zoey had long straight blond hair and cornflower blue eyes. She was beautiful, loyal, supportive—like the sister Merry had always wanted.

She hugged her friend. “I have a big problem.”

“So you said. Together we will find a big solution. My mom is out for the evening so we have the house to ourselves. I put a casserole in the oven and a bottle of white wine is chilling. You’ll spend the night and whatever is wrong can be fixed. I promise.”

“I didn’t bring my pajamas,” Merry said.

Zoey shook her head. “Out of everything I said that was your takeaway?”

“I’m overwhelmed.”

“You came to the right place. We’re about the same size so you can wear a pair of my jammies.”

“You don’t happen to have a cocktail dress lying around, do you?” It was a joke, a throwaway remark, a sign of desperation.

“As a matter of fact, I do have a couple.” Zoey studied her face. “What’s wrong, Mer?”

“I think we’re going to need that wine for this.”

“Okay. Follow me.”

They went into the small but cute kitchen with white cabinets and wood floors. Zoey opened the bottle, then poured the golden liquid into two stemless glasses before they sat down at the dinette.

“Now, tell me everything.”

Merry sucked in a breath, then let it out. “I just left a job interview with Hunter Crawford. He needs a nanny for the weekend. His brother is getting married at a fancy resort in Colorado—”

“Rustler’s Notch?”

“Yes.” Merry stared. “How did you know?”

“It’s the new ‘in’ place for weddings. I read an article about it in a bridal magazine. Looks like a gorgeous spot. Romantic.” The excitement level in Zoey’s voice rose as she talked. “And Hunter Crawford is going to pay you to go there with him?”

“His whole family is going and he’s paying me to take care of his daughter for the weekend.”

“Isn’t she the little cutie who gives you a hug every morning at school?”

“Yes. She’s a sweetheart, so smart and loving.” Merry smiled. “Watching her will be a pleasure. Besides, I really need the extra money. It’s an all-expenses-paid trip combined with a paycheck, which makes it kind of a dream job.”

Zoey looked puzzled. “I’m still not seeing the problem.”

“It’s a formal wedding, Zo. I don’t have anything to wear to something like that. And I don’t have the money to buy anything. So it’s a catch-22. What am I going to do? I have to go to the ceremony. Hunter really needs me there to keep an eye on Wren because he’ll be busy with groomsman stuff and family.”

Zoey tapped her lip. “Well, as I said, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve been in friends’ weddings—always a bridesmaid, never a bride, as the saying goes. You and I are pretty close to the same size. Come on. Let’s go play dress up.”

Merry basically had nothing to lose. She followed her friend down the hall to the bedroom. It was a very girlie space with pink bedspread, flowered throw pillows and lace curtains crisscrossed over the window. From the walk-in closet Zoey pulled out four heavy-duty hangers holding long dresses.

While Merry stripped out of her slacks and sweater the other woman removed the plastic protecting the first dress, a black number with long sleeves. It fit, but neither of them was crazy about it. The next was yellow, but an unflattering shade that washed out her skin. Number three was orange.

Zoey took one look and grimaced. “It was a Halloween wedding. I don’t even know why I keep it. Take that off and we will never speak of it again.”

“Thank God.” Merry did as ordered while her friend took the plastic off dress number four—also known as her last hope. “Well, the black one will work although neither of us thought it was a wow. Still it’s... Wow.” She got a look at the pale lavender dress Zoey was holding up. “That color is fabulous.”

“It will bring out your hazel eyes. And, I confess, this one is my favorite. I’ve been saving it for last. And I have shoes to match. I’ll find them.” She disappeared back into the closet.

Merry slid the chiffon over her head and loved the silky feel of the fabric flowing over her body. It was a one-shoulder dress with a floaty skirt, a satin sash and it fit like a dream.

Zoey reappeared with a shoe box in hand and stopped dead in her tracks to stare. “Oh, Mer, that looks fantastic.”

“Really?” She thought so but desperation could skew a girl’s fashion sense. But in her opinion it was definitely fairy-godmother worthy.

“It looks better on you than me and it looked pretty awesome on me.”

Merry moved around the room, then back to the freestanding full-length mirror. “Do you think the slit is too revealing? After all, Hunter hired me as the nanny. I’m not sure if there’s a dress code.”

“It hits you mid-thigh,” Zoey said, studying her critically. “It’s not immodest and your legs are great. I think it’s fine. Is another brother getting married? The last I heard Finn and Avery had eloped.”

“They did. But their father wants a big family celebration for them since the other three weddings were casual.”

“He’s number four out of six to find true love here in Rust Creek Falls. It would seem that the Crawford bachelors are dropping like flies since coming to town. So, tell me about Hunter.” There was a gleam in her friend’s eyes.

Merry should have expected this and had an answer ready, but she’d been preoccupied with her wardrobe crisis. Her reaction to him had been instant and visceral—sweaty palms, weak knees, pounding heart. For some reason she was reluctant to share that. Maybe because he’d been very businesslike and serious, but when he smiled... That was a moment with a capital M. “What do you want to know?”

“Everything. He’s elusive. According to the rumor mill he’s never in town by himself, always with his daughter.”

“Well, I like him,” Merry said. “And don’t start. It’s not in a crush sort of way. He’s a concerned father or I wouldn’t have this job.”

“I talked to Vivienne Dalton who knows all of the Crawfords. Hunter is a widower and she said he’s just as good-looking as the other brothers. Did you get a sense that he’s looking to settle down like the others?” Zoey asked.

“No.” Merry got exactly the opposite feeling. The man didn’t even want to go to the wedding. And her instincts told her that wasn’t just about logistics with child care for Wren. “I think his daughter is the only female he’s interested in.”

“Too bad. Shame for all that hunk factor to go to waste.” Zoey sighed. “But I guess dating is hard when you have a child.”

“Dating is hard when you don’t.” Even Merry heard the bitterness in her voice.

“Oh, shoot. I didn’t mean to remind you of him.” Zoey handed her the shoes to try on.

“You mean Ken? The guy who dumped me when my dad was going through cancer treatment? The one who couldn’t say goodbye fast enough because he didn’t come first?”

“Yeah. Him.”

“You know my dad had very strong opinions on every guy I dated. Not like he hated them all, but he knew the good ones from the bad. And he didn’t like Ken Michaelson from the moment they met.”

“And he was right on the money. That jerk deserted you when you needed him most,” Zoey commented.

“Yet another example that men aren’t especially loyal. Even my brother, Jack.”

“He’s in the military,” Zoey reminded her.

“I know. The thing is he joined right after my mom died when I was just a little girl. Dad and I hardly ever saw him and he barely made it home for my father’s funeral. So he’s pretty much disappeared and that doesn’t meet my definition of loyal.” She stepped into the pale lavender shoes. “They’re a little big.”

“Stuff tissues in the toes. They’ll be fine,” Zoey said. “And I’ve got a strapless bra, so don’t worry about that. I think you’re good to go.”

“You are a life saver. Dependable and true blue.” Merry hugged her. “Unlike most men. Although Hunter’s devotion to his daughter is refreshing. I like that.”

“Oh, really?”

“Please. Don’t start. For crying out loud it’s just a weekend.”

And now that she had a wedding outfit, it was a weekend she was looking forward to.

Hunter slowed the SUV until he found the address Merry had given him and came to a stop in front of her small yellow house with white trim. There was an old truck in the driveway with Matthews Electrical written on the side of it. He’d promised to pick her up for the flight to Colorado that would take them to his brother’s wedding.

“Well,” he said to Wren, “this is the place.”

“Daddy, I’m going to get Miss Merry.” Wren was out of the car before he could stop her.

Hunter turned off the engine, jumped out of the vehicle and followed his daughter up the sidewalk to the porch. He noticed a for sale sign on a sturdy white post prominently displayed in the neatly trimmed front grass. That bothered him a little and it shouldn’t because he barely knew the woman. But Wren liked her and he wasn’t in favor of any changes that could potentially affect her happiness.

The door opened before he could knock and Merry was there, a smile on her face as bright as the cheery yellow paint on her house. Hunter felt a thump in his chest, one hard whack that seemed to jump-start his heart.

“Good morning, Wren. Hunter.”

“Hi, Miss Merry. We’re goin’ on Gramps’s jet. He’s taking the whole family on it. Have you ever been on a jet?”

“Yes. Once. But it was a commercial flight, not private. This is very exciting.”

“I can’t wait.” His daughter was practically quivering with anticipation.

“We’re running late,” Hunter said. “But if you need a little more time, I guarantee they’ll hold the plane for the flower girl. Maximilian Crawford will make sure of that.”

Merry smiled up at him. “I’m ready to go. My suitcase is right here by the door. My dress is in a garment bag. Is that okay?”

Before he could say it was fine, Wren jumped in.

“Daddy and me have that, too. My dress is so pretty. I’m gonna look like a princess. Right, Daddy?”

“Honey, you look like a princess to me no matter what you wear.”

Love expanded inside him when she smiled up at him like that, as if he was her hero. Then he looked at Merry and felt that whack in his chest again. Her blond hair was a mass of curls, and enthusiasm sparkled in her hazel eyes. There was a flush of pink on her cheeks that could be about the chill in the air or the beginning of an adventure. Whatever the cause, he was oddly reluctant to stop looking at her.

“Should we get going?” Merry asked.

That snapped him out of it. They were late. “I’ll get your suitcase.”

“Thanks.” She backed up and let him reach inside to grab the handle of the bag that had seen better days. “I’ll get my dress.”

“What can I carry?” Wren asked.

Merry thought for a moment. “Why don’t you hold my purse while I lock the door?”

“Okay.” The little girl took the big bag. “This is heavy.”

“It is. Set it on the porch, sweetie.” She locked up, then took her purse for the walk to the car.

Hunter hit a button on his key fob and the SUV hatch slowly lifted. He put her bag in the back with the other two, then took her dress and settled it on the rear passenger hook. “Okay, ladies. Let’s roll.”

“I have to sit in the back in my car seat, Miss Merry. Daddy says so.”

“It’s safer for you, sweetie.”

“That’s what he says, too.”

“Do you want me to sit back there with you?”

Wren thought for a moment then said, “No. It’s nice for him to have someone to talk to until I’m big enough to sit in the front with him.”

That settled that. They all got in and buckled up. It wasn’t often there was a woman—a beautiful woman—riding in his front passenger seat. This was different—not bad different, just enough for him to feel a little tongue-tied. Fortunately his daughter picked up the conversation slack.

“We’re goin’ to Billings. That’s where the airport is. I brought my princess bride doll with me.”

“That seems very appropriate for this occasion,” Merry said.

“My dress is prettier than hers. But she has a tiara. I asked Aunt Avery if I could wear one and she said she didn’t think it would go with my dress.”

“It was a diplomatic no,” Hunter said so only Merry could hear. She laughed, then covered it with a cough.

“I wish I could wear one.” Wren sighed and it was loud enough to be heard over the road noise. “Daddy says I’m his princess and everyone knows princesses wear tiaras.”

“That makes sense,” Merry said thoughtfully. “But a princess is always sensitive to the feelings of people around her. And this is going to be your aunt Avery’s special day when she marries your uncle Finn. A princess would never do anything to spoil a bride’s wedding day. Don’t you think so, Wren?”

That got a grudging “I guess so” and Hunter was impressed by the way Merry handled that situation. When they arrived at the airport he parked at the terminal where they would board his father’s Gulfstream jet. The crew met them and took their luggage before Hunter, Merry and Wren walked up the steps and into the aircraft.

Hunter waved to everyone on board and a quick head count indicated they were the last ones to arrive. He started to make introductions but was interrupted by an announcement to take their seats and fasten seat belts in preparation for takeoff. The plush leather and teak-trimmed cabin was configured with individual seats of four with a table in between to form a conversation area. There were also a couple of couches that would accommodate three and only one was left. His daughter plopped herself down on one end. That meant he and Merry would be sitting side by side. Unlike the front seat of his SUV, there would be no console between them.

“Sit next to me, Miss Merry.”

“Okay.”

Hunter took the empty space beside her and their shoulders brushed, their legs touched. He was grateful the stretchy pants she wore tucked into shin-high black boots meant her skin was not bare. When he fastened his seat belt, his fingers brushed her thigh, or more accurately the cream-colored sweater that covered her hips and butt. She smelled disarmingly female and sweet, a thought that sent a tsunami of testosterone crashing over him.

When everyone was secured, they received permission from the control tower to taxi down the runway and in seconds they were off. As soon as the seat belt sign was turned off, Wren bounced up and said she was going to talk to Aunt Avery and tell her she didn’t mind not wearing a tiara.

More than almost anything Hunter wanted to move away from Merry but he didn’t feel right about leaving her alone. They all knew he’d hired a nanny for the weekend but the noisy jet made introductions awkward. So, for the duration of the flight, he felt obligated to stay put and introduce her when they were on the ground.

Merry was looking around the interior, eyes wide. “I wonder where they keep the barf bags.”

“You don’t feel well?”

“I’m fine actually.” She laughed but there was a little uncertainty on her face. “It’s just nerves. When I get this way, I say weird things. Helps break the tension.”

“Okay.”

“In fact they probably don’t even have barf bags. Most likely there’s a rule against getting sick on the expensive leather seats.”

“Let them try to enforce that one,” Hunter said.

“I know, right?” She glanced a little anxiously at the rest of his family, chatting together in groups. “There are a lot of Crawfords on this plane.”

“Yeah. I’m sorry about not introducing you to all of them. I’ll take care of that when we land.”

“No problem. I’m just the hired help, after all.” She was still looking around the luxurious interior with an expression of awe that made her eyes look more green than brown.

“If we weren’t in such a rush, I’d have made sure they all met you. It’s my fault we were running late.”

She looked skeptical. “Something tells me your daughter was responsible for that. I know her from school, remember?”

“Yeah.” It was one of the reasons he’d hired her.

“I feel like I need to pinch myself. Maybe I should be paying you. I can’t believe I’m flying in a private jet. If anyone had told me I’d be doing this, I’d have said they were crazy. People with money really do live differently.”

“I suppose.”

His gaze drifted to his daughter, the child he’d raised alone almost from the day she was born. Money didn’t guarantee you wouldn’t lose the mother of your baby girl. He would give up everything he had in a heartbeat if it could bring Lara back.

“I’m sorry.”

“Hmm?” He looked at Merry.

“That was unprofessional of me. It was tactless to say that.”

He thought her comments were honest and charming. “Why would you think so?”

“It seems as if I’ve heard you should never discuss money and politics.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “Again, I plead nerves. Apparently getting up at the crack of dawn has disengaged the filter between my brain and my mouth. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.”

He smiled, but the movement felt rusty when directed at a woman. It seemed wrong somehow, but he couldn’t seem to stop. “Your unfiltered frankness is refreshing.”

It seemed her condition was contagious because things were popping out of his mouth, too. Was that crossing a line between employer and employee? If Merry was a ranch hand, he would know where the line was. And it wasn’t as if he hadn’t had child care before. When Wren was a baby, he’d hired help from time to time. He had to work the ranch, after all. But with Merry he felt strongly about keeping boundaries firmly in place.

“Calling what I said frankness is generous of you,” she said. “I always thought of the word decadent in terms of dessert. But this experience has broadened the definition for me. However, I will, at some point, get over how special it feels to fly in a private jet.”

“You can thank my dad.”

“I will, of course.”

He laughed. “I didn’t mean that literally. Just that it was important to him that this be a fun family event from start to finish.”

“You can count on me. I’ll take good care of Wren so you can enjoy yourself this weekend.”

He already was. With her. And that realization surprised and bothered him. It was almost a relief when the captain announced they were starting their descent into the airport in Rustler’s Notch, Colorado. The flight time had, no pun intended, flown. Talking to Merry was pleasant. And distracting. More than he’d expected. Definitely more than he wanted.

It was disconcerting and uncomfortable when he realized he was caught between not wanting the flight to end and being grateful that it had been so short. That was the classic definition of conflict. He didn’t like conflict, especially when a woman was involved.