A Home for Haley (7 page)

Ethan set their glasses of juice
down on the table, then scooped up Ryan and plopped him in his booster seat.
“Don’t you two ever wear out?”

“I can answer that for you,” Haley
said. “No.”

“Uh, huh. I wear Ryan out.” Kayla
waved her hands in the air to dry them, and then sat down at the table. She
snatched up a piece of sandwich and took a huge bite. “Grandma said Aunt Ashley
is coming to the family thing.”

“She is,” Ethan said with a grin,
as excited as Kayla.

“Yippee. She always brings me a
gift.”

 Ethan winked at Haley. “Guess
what, kids?”

“What?” they responded in unison.

Hank saved the lamb that Lucy got
hold of, so he’ll be there when we go back this weekend. He said you could give
it a bottle.”

“Yay!” Kayla clapped her hands.
“I’m naming him. Can we keep him, Daddy?”

“That’ll be up to his owner, Kayla,
but I doubt it.”

“Then I want a puppy. Susie got a
new puppy. He’s soooo cute.”

“Maybe after Grandma’s surgery.
Right now we don’t need a puppy underfoot. Mom might trip on it.”

Scowling, Kayla plopped both elbows
on the table and rested her chin on her hands. “She won’t trip on it. I’ll keep
it in my room. Pleeeeease.”

“Who’s going to clean up after it?”
Ethan asked. Kayla darted a glance at Haley. “Don’t even go there. Haley has
enough to do. She doesn’t need a puppy to take care of.”

“Puppy, puppy.” Ryan slapped his
hands on the table, a wide grin on his face.

“I’ll take care of it, Daddy.
Really I will.”

“We’ll talk about it after Mom’s
surgery.” Kayla’s lower lip pushed out. Ethan shook his head and pointed a
finger at her, which only made her stick her lip out farther. “Good thing
you’ve swallowed that bite of food,” he said. “You might lose it with a pout
that size.”

Kayla shoved back from the table,
tears filling her eyes. “I’m the only one of my friends who doesn’t have a
puppy to sleep with. I think you’re mean.”

“Your father is not mean, Kayla. He
loves you very much, but a puppy is a lot of work and he’s very busy right now.
I bet most of your friends would love to have a lamb to take care of.”

Ethan smiled at Haley, appreciating
the support.

“I can’t sleep with a lamb,
though,” Kayla whined.

She had him on that
, Ethan
thought. “True enough. But I’ll let you take naps with him in the barn if you
want.”

“I’m too old to take naps.” She
jumped up from her chair and raced out of the room.

“And here I thought that was a
brilliant idea.” Ethan picked up a section of ham sandwich and ate it.

“Me, too.” Haley wiped Ryan’s hands
and face off and helped him out of his booster seat. He raced after Kayla.

Ethan gathered up the plates and
cups and carried them to the counter. “She’ll get over it. Thanks for your
support, Haley.”

“I wasn’t out of line? I worried
about that the minute I opened my mouth.”

“Not out of line as far as I’m
concerned.” He smiled at her, thinking for about the billionth time how lucky
he was that Haley had come to work for him. “You’re a good person to have
around. Even Mother’s more agreeable with you here.”

“Your mother’s wonderful. Ryan
adores her.”

“She’s pretty crazy about him, too.
And you. I hope you like it here as much as we like having you around.
Everything seems to go smoother with you on board. And everyone seems happier.”
Including me.

“I wouldn’t say Kayla’s happy right
now.”

“True, but it could be a lot worse.
Of course if you want to take care of a puppy, we could go find my darling
daughter and give her the good news.”

Haley shot him an evil look. “Will
I get a raise for cleaning up puppy puddles?”

“Absolutely. And even more of a
raise for puppy piles.” She grimaced. “Seriously, no way would I ever ask you
to do anything that might run you off. You’ve spoiled us. We couldn’t get along
without you.” Ethan didn’t even want to think about her not being here. If she
left he would miss her, and not just the convenience of having a good nanny,
but Haley herself—her energy, her love for Kayla and his mother, everything
about her. Plus he’d miss Ryan.

“You can never leave. We wouldn’t
know what to do.” She blushed and it warmed his heart. With sudden clarity, he
realized Haley was more than a nanny to him. She was fast becoming a good friend.

“After Mom’s recovered from her
surgery, we’ll talk again about a puppy, but you have to promise to give me
your honest feelings about getting one.”

She nodded and held up her hand,
palm out. “Scout’s honor.”

“Were you ever a scout?”

“Actually, yes. In the sixth
grade.”

“It must have taught you some good
stuff. You’re one of the most honest people I’ve ever known.” She blushed and
ducked her head. “I can’t believe you blush so easily,” he said with a grin.
“You’re probably the only woman I know who does that.” The flush on her face
deepened and he laughed, something he’d been doing a whole lot more of since
Haley had come here. And for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out why he
laughed so easily at a woman who tended to be serious most of the time.

He’d like to think that living here
had helped lighten her up a bit. “You know what?”

She shook her head and continued to
wipe off the table.

“You’re the best thing that’s
happened to my family in a long time.” Way better than his ex had ever been. He
could trust this lady because she didn’t play games. Before she could respond,
he took hold of her shoulders, turned her around and gave her a slight nudge
toward the hall. “Go upstairs and take a break. I’ll watch the kids for a
while.”

She shook her head. “I can’t do
that.”

“Yes you can. You might even fall
asleep and that’d be a good thing. Now go.”

He watched her walk out of the room
and couldn’t help but notice her curvy hips clad in soft, worn denim jeans. He
turned away, irritated at himself for even looking. But, hey, he was a guy. She
might be off limits, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t alive and kicking. As long
as he never put the moves on her, he had nothing to feel guilty about.

He headed toward the voices of the
children, wondering how long it might be before he got word about Haley’s
husband. He dreaded the news, but it was something Haley needed to know. How in
the world would he ever tell her that her husband was dead, if he were? But
just as unsettling was the possibility that Dale might still be alive, and if
that happened he and Kayla would miss Haley and Ryan more than he cared to even
think about.

“Tilt the bottle so the milk is
covering all of the opening,” Hank instructed Kayla as she fed the lamb, her
face one big grin.

“I think his neck hurts,” Kayla
responded, adjusting the bottle. She patted the side of the lamb’s face, her own
face scrunched up as if she were the one in pain. “It looks yucky.”

Haley couldn’t have said it better.
Seeing the ragged, red incision made her stomach queasy.

“It won’t be near so inflamed once
the stitches are out.” Hank’s big hand rubbed the lamb’s side.

“When will that be?” Haley asked.

 “Tomorrow or the next day. At
least most of them.”

Ryan, who was sitting on Haley’s
lap, pointed at the stitches. “Bad boo-boo.”

“Yes, honey, the lamb has a sore. A
big sore,” Haley amended, glancing again at the stitches that went from the
bottom of the lamb’s right ear down its shoulder to where the cast for his
broken leg began.

“When will the cast come off?” she
asked.

“Not for another four or five
weeks. I’ll take him into Nashville to a friend’s vet clinic and get it x-rayed
in a few weeks. See how it’s healing.”

“Poor little thing,” Haley said,
stroking the lamb’s downy-soft fur. Ryan scrambled off her lap and helped Kayla
hold the bottle. Haley pulled her camera out of its case and took several
pictures of the kids with the lamb before turning her attention to the rest of
the barn. Rays of sunshine streamed in from the open barn door and poured over
the lamb, almost like an angelic halo. She snapped a couple of shots. Dust
moats floated lazily in the sun-filled air as she took one picture after
another.

She used to take pictures a lot
before Dale disappeared, but the only pictures she had taken the last year and
a half had been of Ryan. It felt amazingly good to be enjoying her favorite
hobby again.

“How’s the owl doing?” she asked
after a few more shots.

“Turned him loose yesterday,” Hank
answered.

She smiled, thinking how rewarding
it must feel to heal hurt animals.

Ethan stepped inside the barn with
a blanket, which he’d gone back inside the house to get so Kayla and Ryan could
curl up beside the lamb. The man was an incredible father. Haley wondered if he
would treat a woman he loved as good as he treated the children. If so, whoever
Ethan someday fell in love with would be a lucky woman. His ex-wife had to be
nuts.

She thought of Dale and longing
filled her as she remembered how her life had been with him. She’d always felt as
if nothing could destroy their love. She missed him terribly, but being Kayla’s
nanny and having Dottie and Ethan treat her like one of the family had definitely
dulled her pain.

Ethan spread the blanket beside the
nursing lamb. “Nice to see he’s finally got a good appetite.”

Hank nodded. “He’s a fighter.” The
lamb butted his head against the almost-empty bottle, knocking it out of
Kayla’s grasp.

Hank picked it up. “He’s not really
hungry anymore. He just wants attention.”

Kayla petted the lamb between his
ears. “He’s so soft. Oh, look, he’s licking Ryan’s hand.”

Ryan squealed in delight and held
his palm up, fingers spread, for the lamb to nuzzle. After licking all the milk
off Ryan’s hand, the lamb nudged the boy’s tummy and he fell onto the hay,
laughing.

“He likes you, Ryan.” Hank grinned,
and Haley was amazed how it transformed his face from tough to handsome. She
wondered why he had left his veterinarian practice and moved out here. She knew
he’d lost his son, but she would have thought his work, which he obviously
loved, would have sustained him through his loss.

“Here, let’s help the little fella
lie down.” Hank picked up the lamb and laid him gingerly on his side.

“Can he get up and down with the
cast on?” Haley asked.

“He can, but it ain’t pretty.
Besides, I don’t want him straining his stitches.”

“I can sympathize,” Dottie said,
coming into the barn. ”Two more weeks and that’s me. You going to feed me a
bottle?”

Ethan winked at Haley. “You get an
IV, Mom. Then if you behave, I’ll bring you ice cream.”

Hank wrapped an arm around Dottie’s
shoulders. “Pay no attention to your son. I’ll bring you a bottle—a bottle of
good red wine.”

Dottie grinned. “You know how to
heal more than animals, Hank.”

He snorted. “I know a few people
who’d disagree with that.”

“A few idiots you mean.” Dottie
patted his arm. “I’m right, so no arguing.”

“Look, Grandma, he loves us.” Kayla
stroked the lamb’s soft nose and lay down beside it.

“Nothing sweeter than a baby lamb.”
Ethan ran a hand over the animal’s soft wavy wool, stroking from the top of its
neck to its hindquarters.

He’s as gentle with the lamb as
he is with the children.
Haley watched, mesmerized by Ethan’s gentleness. He
was a good man and incredibly good to her. The day she’d answered his ad for a
nanny had been one of the luckiest days of her life. She breathed deep of the
fresh smell of hay and thanked God for this job. Every day she was with this
family, she felt a little more whole.

Ethan patted the blanket beside
him. “Sit down and join us, Mom.”

She shook her head. “I’d never get
back up.”

“Sure you would. I’d bring in a
crane if I had to,” he replied, holding out a hand.

She slapped his hand away. “Always
a smart ass.”

Grinning, Ethan cocked his head at
Haley. “Have a seat before she changes her mind.”

She sank onto the soft blanket, amazed
at how comfortable she felt just hanging with everyone.

Hank shoved his cowboy hat off his
forehead. “Guess I’ll go over to Riley’s and find out what he wants me to do
with the lamb once the stitches are out. Its mother probably won’t nurse it
now. You kids let the baby have a nap. He needs lots of sleep. Kinda like your
grandma.”

“Too many smart mouths in one
place,” Dottie groused.

Hank laughed. “This smart mouth is
leaving.” He headed for the barn door.

“Let me at least pull up a bucket
for you to sit on, Mom.” Ethan started to shove to his feet, but she motioned
for him to stay put.

“I’m going back inside. Amos is
coming over to take me to dinner. And don’t be going and giving me a hard time
about it, either.” She gave Ethan a pointed look. “Even grandmas need friends
their own age.”

Ethan raised his hands as if in
surrender. “I wasn’t going to say a word.”

“To hell you weren’t.”

“Quit cussing around the little
ones, Mother.”

 “Might as well teach them early
how to let off a little steam,” Dottie muttered as she made her way out of the
barn.

Ethan shook his head and turned to
the kids. “Hank caught a mess of catfish this morning. How does everyone feel about
a fish fry tonight?”

Kayla wrapped an arm around the
lamb’s back, and snuggled closer. “I want hush puppies, too.”

“You have a recipe for that?” Haley
asked, not sure she knew how to make hush puppies.

“In here,” Ethan said, pointing to
his head. “You deserve a night off, Miss Wonder Woman, so consider me the cook
and kid-herder this evening. No arguments.”

“I wouldn’t feel right about that,”
she protested.

“Why? Everyone, especially nannies,
needs a break now and then. Which, by the way, you haven’t had since you
started working here. Believe me, Kayla and I can stumble through an afternoon
and evening without you. Besides, I’d have my favorite little guy here tagging
along,” he added, ruffling Ryan’s hair.

“Since you managed for a year or so
without me, I’m sure you’re right, but I don’t need a break.”

Ethan scrutinized her. “You look
pretty tired to me, so I’m ordering you to take the rest of the day and evening
off.” She started to protest again, but he didn’t let her finish. “No arguing.
Besides, you’ll be begging for a break after Mom’s surgery.”

“You might have a point. Or maybe
Amos will come take care of her.”

“Seriously?” Ethan said in shock.

Haley raised her eyebrows. “Pay
attention, Ethan. Guess you didn’t know she’s invited him to the family reunion.”

“Well I’ll be damned.” He winced.
“Sorry.”

“Damn, damn, damn,” Ryan mimicked.

Ethan winced again. “Ahhh, don’t
say that little buddy. I shouldn’t say bad words and neither should you.”

“He’s right,” Haley chimed in. “No
more bad words.” She turned her attention back to Ethan. “I think your mom has
herself a boyfriend.” Ethan groaned. “You said you wished she’d find someone,”
she reminded him.

“Yeah, but Amos? She’s known old
Amos forever. She met him at some bridge club years ago, and she never gave him
the time of day.”

“Well, she is now.”

Ethan glanced toward the barn door.
“I’ll be damned. I mean darned,” he quickly corrected.

“Daddy,” Kayla admonished. “No
cussing. Only Grandma can cuss, ’cause she’s old and doesn’t feel good.”

Ethan propped his hands behind his
head. “I’ll try and do better.” Ryan scooted closer to Ethan and laid his head on
his chest. Grinning, Ethan stroked Ryan’s back.’

Haley watched as her son snuggled
in and closed his eyes with a sigh of contentment. Happiness filled her. For
the first time in years, her world felt safe and she was content. As she
watched Ethan and Ryan, she wondered what it would feel like to be held by
Ethan. She gasped and snuffed that thought out, ashamed of herself. She shouldn’t
think that about the man who cradled Ryan close as her son drifted off to
sleep, but she couldn’t seem to look away. It was a peaceful sight. Her son had
obviously become very attached to Ethan.

Feeling relaxed and lazy, Haley
scooted down beside everyone. The lamb blew a soft breath into the hay. A horse
nickered in the corral and a Mockingbird’s song filled the air. A deep sense of
contentment settled over her, and she closed her eyes and soaked in the soothing
sounds of nature. Of peace. As she drifted off to sleep, she was barely aware
when a warm hand brushed a piece of hay away from her cheek.

****

Keeping Hayden tucked close, Ethan
watched Haley sleep. He hoped she slept the afternoon away. He’d almost told
her to go back to bed this morning but managed to refrain because he figured
she would never go for that. Too bad, because the dark circles under her eyes
were beginning to rival Rocky the Racoon’s. His nanny obviously hadn’t slept
well in a long time.

He could only imagine what living
in limbo like she’d been doing would do to a person over the long haul. It had
been several weeks since he had called his friend, Chris about Dale Donahue. He
certainly hadn’t expected to hear anything for a while, but he wished they’d
get a move on things and find something out.

Haley moaned and turned onto her
side. Pieces of hay clung to her blonde hair, one of them in her ear. He pulled
it away and she didn’t even stir. The sudden urge to tuck her up against him
overwhelmed him.

Ethan rolled to his back and stared
at the rafters in the barn. Watched as swallows brought in twigs and mud to
build their nests for the eggs they would soon lay and told himself to quit
thinking about Haley in that way. The woman was a friend and employee and could
never be anything else.

Problem was, his mind sometimes
took on a life of its own when it came to this woman. She had been more of a
friend to him than any woman he’d ever known. Way more of a friend than Elisa
had ever been. He enjoyed Haley’s company, respected her opinion, and totally
trusted his daughter to her care—not just Kayla’s physical care either, but her
emotional care as well. He turned his head back toward Haley. She was
beautiful, inside and out, and was everything he wanted and needed in a woman.
And, dammit, she was off limits. Totally off limits.

Gently he eased up, tucked the blanket
around everyone, and went to the back of the house where he had stashed the
fish. Might as well start cleaning dinner. Lying next to Haley was only
inviting thoughts that he had no business entertaining and would do nothing but
mess with his mind.

Lord knows, one of his goals in
hiring a nanny was to free up some of his time and have fun. And maybe even
some romance. He should call an old friend this week and take her for a drink,
then set up a real date for after his family reunion next weekend. Maybe they’d
go have a nice romantic dinner and who knows what else. Just thinking about the
possibility perked him up as he headed for the pail of fish.

Whistling, he pulled the first
wiggling catfish from the water and proceeded to clean it for dinner.

****

Ryan pointed to the horses that
were tied to the corral fence and kicked his legs, trying to get away from
Haley. “Horsies, horsies.”

“Ouch, Ryan. Quit kicking.” Haley
grabbed his legs and held them down.

“Why don’t you let him ride in
front of me so you can ride with us?” Ethan asked. “I’ll get the most laid-back
horse I have for you. You’ll enjoy it,” he added as he cinched up a saddle for
his niece, Chloe.

Francie, his sister-in-law, nodded
her approval. “I’ve done that a lot with youngsters. They love it and that way
you can join us.”

Haley watched warily. The first
thing Ryan had begged to do when they’d gotten to the dude ranch this morning
for the family reunion was ride a horse. She’d bet money Ethan had told him
ahead of time they were riding horses today.

Kayla had stayed in the house to
visit with her Aunt Ashley and fawn over Francie and Matt’s baby.
She was
pretty cute
, Haley thought, wishing she was in the house, too. She was sure
Ethan could tell she was way beyond nervous about climbing up on a horse.

“Come on,” he coaxed. “I’ll put a
lead rope on your horse so he can’t run away with you.”