Chapter Fifteen

“The employment agency called this morning.” Birdie poured fresh coffee into a red mug. “Seems they’ve found a possible nanny.”

Jessie flinched at the dreaded words. She bit her lower lip and sank her weary bones onto a hard kitchen chair. What had she thought? That this day would never come? Wishful thinking, indeed.

Focus, Jessie.

She dipped a tea bag into her own cup of hot water and tried to hide her disappointment. Her pleasant little cocoon was unraveling. “Have you mentioned this to Chase?”

“Not yet.” The housekeeper leaned back against the sink. “Look, I’ll be honest. I don’t want you leaving. You’re the perfect solution for us, in every way. And I can see Chase is smitten with you. Just give it more time. Don’t leave and force us to start over with someone new. He doesn’t need that complication. His sister dumping the twins on him has been difficult enough without losing you now.”

Chase? Smitten? Those two words hardly seem to go together. She blinked, scrambling for an appropriate answer. Could she make this work? “I’m here because I want to help. I wouldn’t do anything to make life harder.”

“I happened to hear you wrapping up a phone conversation the other night with your old boyfriend.” Birdie took a drink of her coffee and then placed the cup on the counter. “A call like that can’t be good news for anyone around here.”

Jessie was too surprised to do more than nod. How much had Birdie heard? “It…it wasn’t important,” she stammered. “We’re not reconciling. Not a chance.” If the housekeeper knew much, she’d likely say so. Jessie focused on the tea in front of her, added a teaspoon of sugar, and stirred. “But I am an attorney who needs to make a living. I can’t stay here indefinitely.”

“But we could sure use your help for a while. Say…until the kids graduate high school?” One corner of her mouth turned up. “Think about it. It could be a good arrangement for you, too. Win-win, as they say. Suggest it to him, if he doesn’t suggest it to you. It could work. You need his help as much as he needs yours. I mean, you’re not going to have time or energy to get moved into a new place and start up a law practice in town, what with your own little one on the way.”

Jessie choked on her first sip of tea. She suddenly felt ill-equipped to deal with this subject.

But, ready or not, here it is.

“I’m not blind or deaf, sweetie.” Birdie switched off the gurgling coffee maker. “And you’ve been hanging out in the bathroom a long time most mornings. Then nothing but tea and crackers for hours? It’s not hard to figure.” Pulling out a chair, she plopped down. “I realize I’m impossibly nosy, but any chance this baby belongs to Chase?”

Jessie’s heart ached, but she barely shook her head. If only.

“Is that why the old boyfriend called? Wants his woman and kid back home?”

“His new romance didn’t work out.” She reached for a napkin to wipe up drops from the teabag. “He doesn’t want children. It’s a concession. He’d accept the baby, if he must, to have me.”

“Hmpf! Not a happy beginning for a new family. You and that baby deserve better.”

I couldn’t agree more.

Jessie relaxed into the chair, her shoulders sagging just as a comforting, warm hand covered hers.

“I don’t know what to tell you about your ex, honey. But this ranch is a great place to raise kids. And Chase is a good man. It might take him a while to commit to something, but once he does, that’s it. No turning back, no changing his mind. Like he is with those babies sleeping in there. He’ll raise them up right or die tryin’. Kind of hard to find a guy who is that devoted to anything these days. You can build a life with a man like that.”

I could, couldn’t I?

She caught her lower lip between her teeth and attempted to suppress the small smile tugging at her mouth. A life with Chase…

The kitchen timer beeped, and Birdie moved to the oven and pulled out a pan. Jessie sniffed. Lemon bars. Again. Ugh. Not even crackers sound good right now.

“Not everything has to be based on love and romance, ya know,” Birdie insisted. “Partnerships can be formed, arrangements made. I’ve seen it work more than a few times in my years. Sometimes those marriages make better matches than some so-called romantic ones.”

An arrangement? Jessie buried her face in her hands. Is Chase even remotely interested in such an idea? Am I?

If she was meant to be with him, she wanted love in the picture. But was Birdie right? If she gave him time, maybe he would learn to love her? Could she be that patient? Wait for it?

This whole scenario seemed difficult to wrap her mind around. It was hard to even imagine. It seemed too fragile, too amazing to hope for.

She raised her gaze to meet the older, wiser woman’s optimistic expression. “I don’t know. He hasn’t even hinted at anything like this. I doubt it’s crossed his mind.”

“I doubt it hasn’t.” Birdie chortled. “He’s a man, honey, and you’re a pretty gal. You two match up pretty well, as far as I can see.”

Propping her chin on one hand, Jessie pondered possibilities. Could it work? Maybe? There’s always hope, isn’t there?

“I’ve seen many relationships of convenience turn into deep and abiding love,” Birdie said matter-of-factly. “Don’t tell me there aren’t sparks flying between you two. Stay to see it through.”

Chase was, at least, somewhat attracted to her. She could sense it. As for her, chemistry was not going to be a problem with the handsome rancher. And oh, how she loved those babies. Without them in her life, nothing would ever be the same. Add Peanut and a dose of homegrown love? Voila! A family.

“If only it could be that easy,” she murmured.

“You won’t know until you try.”

The housekeeper reached into the cupboard and noisily pulled out two plates, reining Jessie’s wandering thoughts back in.

“Now, you could use some protein for lunch, little mama. How about a turkey sandwich with a slice of cheddar?” Birdie whipped open the refrigerator door and peered inside. “Pregnant women still like dill pickles?”

“Not this one.” A wave of nausea washed over her at the sour thought, but it faded quickly. She’d skipped the crackers that morning and barely touched her tea, she realized as her stomach growled loudly. Maybe a few bites of a sandwich would taste good.

Her new confidant reached for a gallon of milk. “How about hot chocolate with marshmallows?”

“I’d like that,” Jessie admitted with a forced smile as her main concern still nagged at her. “Birdie, I haven’t told Chase about my baby yet.”

“No problem. That’s all you, girl.” She set a plate of sliced meat and cheese on the table, along with a slab of apple pie. “Seen a doctor? Taking prenatal vitamins?”

“Yes, I saw an OB/GYN before I left Seattle, and I stopped in the twenty-four hour care clinic when I was in town the other day. I’m going back in two weeks, but everything is fine.”

“Well, you’re eating for two now. Let’s chow down before the twins wake up from their nap. It’s gonna be a long afternoon, considering their moods. Seems like those frozen teething rings are too hard on their gums, but the refrigerated ones aren’t helping much either.”

“So true.” She smoothed her brow with both hands. “It could be a very long day.”

“Poor Barlow’s been hiding out underneath the dining room table. All the crying is wearing on the old fella. If it wasn’t so dang cold outside, he’d probably run away. And Chase has never seen the girls this riled up before. Wait until he gets home.” Birdie grinned. “This will be a whole new experience.”

Jessie looked down at her stomach. “Yes, a whole new experience. Several of them, in fact,” she added as a strange, quiet comfort settled over her. With Birdie in the loop, she’d have someone to share her pregnancy ups and downs, and that sounded very good.

Now, if we can just survive the trials and tribulations of teething…