Chapter Five

Jessie looked from the sprawling main house, all drenched in glistening snow, with its wide, welcoming front porch, to the stables, horse corrals, and several large red barns off in the distance. “It looks like a Christmas card!”

“It kinda does,” he agreed. “Let’s take the girls inside out of this weather, and then I’ll come back for everything else.”

She slipped her purse over her shoulder and shoved the door open hard against the fierce wind.

Nearly blinding snow swirled around them as Jessie gathered Daisy into her arms, covering the child’s face as best she could. She headed toward the front door, stepping carefully in unsteady heels through the icy accumulation. Gradually, she made her way up to the porch. Chase was right behind her, carrying Poppy Jo. Within moments, he passed her to push open the front door, granting entrance.

The wonderful warmth of the room immediately flowed over her as she hurried inside. Daisy, completely awake, started squirming and wiggling her way to the floor while Poppy seemed quite content in her uncle’s arms.

Loud barking startled Jessie as a shaggy brown and white collie suddenly appeared, jumping up on her legs and knocking her a bit off balance.

“Whoa!” She grabbed for the wall, but Chase’s strong grip caught her arm, steadying her.

“Down, Barlow,” he commanded. “We’re coming through. Watch out, buddy.”

They made their way into the living room and began removing snowy coats and messy boots and shoes. As Jessie bent to unzip Daisy’s pink jacket, the baby’s eyes welled up with tears. “What’s wrong, sweetie? Still sleepy?”

“Nana, nana.” Outstretched little fingers reached for her.

Jessie raised the adorable tiny hand to her lips for a quick kiss. “It’s okay, baby.”

“Banana. She’s hungry. That’s one of her few words,” Chase explained. “It’s way past snack time.”

“Barlow! Get down and leave them be! Move it, little doggie.”

Jessie flinched at the sound of the authoritative, female voice resonating behind her. She turned to find a short, older lady, a bit on the plump side, with wire-rimmed glasses, and long silvery hair pulled up loosely into a bun.

Has to be the housekeeper. The gal looked much as Chase had described her—like she’d worked there forever.

“Land sakes, I was worried about you and those babies! That snow is coming down like crazy, and there’s plenty more on the way.” Smoothing the front of her bright green apron, a wary gaze landed on Jessie. Both hands settled on her hips.

To trust. Or not to trust. That is the question. Jessie could sense caution in the air.

“Hello,” she offered quietly. Then, pulling off Daisy’s damp knit hat, she knelt to wipe moisture from the little girl’s cheeks.

“Welcome.” The gray-haired woman turned to Chase. “So, when hope was nowhere near, you somehow found reinforcements, eh?”

“Something like that,” he replied. “Jess, this is Birdie Jones, our right-hand person around here since the beginning of time. Birdie, meet Jessie McKinnon, the new nanny. She’s going to be staying with us to help with the girls for a while.”

Birdie tipped her head to the side. “McKinnon? Local?”

He nodded. “Her parents are Marie and Alan.”

“Oh, the retired couple who bought the little towable yellow house so they could travel the countryside. The two wanderers. Talk of the town, they are.”

Surprised by her parents’ new nickname, Jessie nodded in uncertain agreement. It certainly fit. They had, indeed, purchased an attractive, exceedingly small home—with no guest room. She’d spent a night sleeping on her father’s old recliner and had residual back pain to prove it.

“Jessie and I go way back,” he explained. “We went to school together years ago. She’s a lawyer.”

“A lawyer?” The housekeeper’s eyes widened. “And willing to work as a nanny?”

“For a while,” she answered simultaneously with Chase as he put his hat on the stand beside the door.

Birdie’s expression brightened and a smile slowly formed. “Well, now, that’s one for the ages.”

Jessie smiled back. But if there was anything she did not want, it was everyone thinking her arrival brought a permanent solution to their childcare needs. Was she happy to help temporarily? Definitely. But she had problems of her own to solve.

Chase placed Poppy on the floor. “The trip to the employment agency would have been a complete loss if I hadn’t run into this lovely unemployed attorney, willing to settle for less,” he added as Poppy scrambled toward Barlow.

“Then I’d say it was success all around. We need all the help we can find.” Birdie extended an arm in greeting. “Welcome. I’m glad to be the chief cook and bottle washer around here during the week, but I’m getting too old to dash after scurrying babies.”

Whew! Somehow she’d managed to pass initial inspection. Jessie grasped the housekeeper’s soft, warm hand. “Nice to meet you, Birdie.” She couldn’t resist the woman’s sudden infectious grin and smiled in response.

If there were an open casting call for Mrs. Claus in a Christmas special, this gal would land the part. All she needs is a red hat.

“So, you work several days a week?”

“Yes, here in the main house. I do lunch prep for the ranch hands and a lot of the cooking for guests at the lodge when the season starts up again in the spring. I don’t like to sit around home much, since my husband passed away.”

Eww…maybe not Mrs. Claus. She winced. No one wants to think of her as widowed.

“Nana, nana.” Daisy fell on her bottom and crawled quickly to Birdie.

“Sure, we’ll get you something, cutie pie. How about your sister? Twinny? Are you hungry, too?”

Poppy mimicked her sibling, down on all fours, scampering across the braided rug until the older woman leaned over and bundled Daisy in one arm. She took Poppy’s tiny hand in hers as the little one pulled herself up.

“C’mon, li’l darlings. Time for juice and nanas.” She whistled. “You, too, Barlow. Snack time, buddy-boy. Let’s head to the kitchen.”

Chase gathered up the coats and placed them on the bulky hall tree in the corner. “Up those stairs to the left is the nursery. Your room will be the large one next to it. C’mon.” He stared down at her wet, gray heels. “Why don’t you kick off those shoes? We’ll find some slippers upstairs to keep your feet warm.”

“She’s gonna need something to wear out in the snow. There are those extra old boots—knee high, black ones—in the closet that might fit her just fine,” Birdie offered as she and the kids made their way toward an entrance through which Jessie could see a stainless steel refrigerator.

Chase glanced at his housekeeper with a quizzical expression and then opened the door to what looked like a large closet. Reaching into the far back corner, he retrieved a pair of winter footwear.

Jessie left her soiled shoes on the boot tray just as Birdie kissed a wiggly Daisy on top of the head and disappeared into the kitchen with both babies.

Chase placed the boots near their coats. “A gift from Birdie. C’mon, I’ll show you around.”

“Thanks.” Appreciating the kindness, she grabbed her purse and started up the staircase, stepping slowly and carefully in her stocking feet on the slick wood floor.

At the top, he pointed out her bedroom, various other guest rooms, bathrooms, an office, and a deep linen closet. “Almost anything you need is in there. Sheets, towels, blankets.”

“This place is lovely, and it’s so much larger than it looks from the outside. I especially like the hardwood floors in the hallway.”

“My folks were always having visitors even before we had the lodge, so there’s plenty of space. Six bedrooms. If the weather is bad and Birdie needs to stay over, she has a small private area off the pantry. The library is at the end of the hallway. Dad was a collector. Lots of great books in there. The door is locked, but the key is hanging up high on that hook. I know the girls are too young to find their way in there now. But, some day, they’ll discover those massive bookcases. Too many ways to get hurt.”

He shoved open the door to a cluttered bedroom. The attractive yellow and white comforter tossed carelessly across the bed matched the bright curtains on all the windows.

“This is Charlotte’s room. Is. Was. Whatever.” Motioning toward the tallest dresser, he added, “If you’re looking for extra baby clothes or diapers, there are some things in those drawers. There wasn’t enough space in the nursery after getting two cribs in there, so Charlotte crammed some of it in here.” He slid open the nearest closet door and pulled out a brand new pair of satiny gray slippers. “Here, try these—one of my sister’s Christmas gifts. She left them behind, along with a few other things.”

Like her children. Jessie shuddered and ran a hand across her stomach.

Chase placed the slippers on the floor. As she attempted to angle her foot into them, he bent low, placing a warm hand on one ankle. Her breath hitched in her throat at the unexpected contact as he guided first one foot in and then the other.

“They will keep you from being cold in that hallway.” He moved a step back, not quite meeting her gaze.

Jessie rubbed her arms, a little confused by the tremor that ran through her. She’d known this guy for years and, yet, barely knew him at all. And now, all of a sudden, she was sharing a house with him—an incredible ranch, the likes of which she’d never seen.

And she was pregnant.

Her head spun. “I…I left my things outside.”

“Your luggage is still in the back of my rig. Dammit, it’s probably soaked.” He turned toward the staircase. “Make yourself at home. I’ll be right back.”

Returning to the hallway, Jessie moved to her designated room, finding it tastefully decorated in an array of muted blues and greens. “Well, Peanut, this is where we’ll be living for a while.” She touched her midsection as she glanced into the full-length, antique mirror in the corner, startled at her reflection. No visible weight gain yet, but…

“My hair…my, oh, my!” The wind and snow had left her looking more disheveled than she’d imagined. Running her fingers through her bangs and mussed scarlet curls, she groaned. “Pretty much hopeless.” She tugged open her handbag and found a brush and a clip to pin up her hair. That’s when she saw the run in her hose and a streak of dirt on her skirt. “Wow, I’m falling apart.” Kicking off the plush house shoes, she quickly wiggled out of ruined pantyhose and stuffed them into her purse. Then she returned velvety slippers to her cold feet. “Hmm…feels even better on bare skin.”

“Plenty of things do.”

She jumped at the sound of the masculine voice.

Chase and the luggage filled the doorway. “Where would you like these?”

Deep furrows creased his cheeks as he gave a smile that sent her pulse racing. This good-looking rancher irritated her and put her on edge, all at the same time. She didn’t care for the feeling. And she had a suspicion he knew exactly what he was doing.

Clearing her throat awkwardly, she pointed across the room. “Over there on that throw rug is fine. Thanks. I guess I need to stop talking to myself.”

“I hope not. Your quiet comments offer a little insight into your soul.” He placed the suitcases by the dresser.

She stared wordlessly as she pushed aside the shivers.

It’s just the cold weather getting to me, that’s all. Not Chase Tanner. Not again.

If he noticed her reaction, he didn’t let it show. “I wiped down these bags, but they’re still damp. Birdie has the twins downstairs in the kitchen, and I’m heading out to the stables. You should change into something not so nice before you go near the babies and any type of food.” He chuckled. “Their eating experiences are pretty messy.” Then he was gone as quickly as he had appeared.

Jessie put her hands on her hips. “Okay…first things first. Wet luggage. Ugh.” She popped open a suitcase. “But dry on the inside? Amazing.” Digging through the bigger bag, she pulled out a pair of black leggings and a long, dark green sweater. “I guess these will do for now. Although I’m going to need some new clothes soon, aren’t I, Peanut?”

Several minutes later, she was padding down the stairs in those sinfully soft slippers, not ready to exchange them for shoes of mere mortals just yet.

“I feel a bit like a princess.” She grinned. “Plus one.”