AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Thelma shook her head. “Maybe we should get Frederick a message,” she said. “Tell him if he tries to enter that place one more time, you’ll file a restraining order, and he can explain publicly why the son of Mr. High and Mighty Opera House chased off his girlfriend.”
The bad publicity threat would work the best, but he could also spin it so I was the bad guy. The crazy ex-girlfriend. If he hadn’t yet, he’d have me blacklisted from the entire entertainment industry. I’d return to California for Mom and figure out the job aspect later. If Frederick destroyed my reputation, I could find work in Las Vegas and be half a day’s drive away.
“I don’t have the power to risk it. He’d twist it to make me look awful.” I couldn’t afford another game of wits with him. “It’s best I lie low, and being on a ranch in the middle of nowhere would help.”
“Hmph.” She puffed her unlit cigarette. “I don’t like it.”
“I’ll be fine. Cody isn’t Frederick.”
“But at least we know what Frederick is.”
I opened my mouth to tell her that I knew what Cody was. He was a devoted dad who was afraid he’d mess up, so he was pushing his kids away. The man was restrained, but it wasn’t because he couldn’t control himself. He wanted to do right by everyone in his life, but by closing off his feelings, he didn’t realize it was those emotions he needed in order to make the right decision—for himself and everyone else.
But I was the nanny, and I’d have to remember my place if I wanted to get back from this trip with my heart intact.
* * *
Cody
Buffalo Gully was less than three hours from Crocus Valley, so the Montana weather was no different. The partly cloudy sky and light wind were stark reminders that I worked in an office after growing up toiling outside every day of my youth. I used to tell myself I was lucky—I could choose my line of work when Barns could’ve flexed his control and put me in charge of the ranch like Eliot was.
Standing in front of my house outside of Buffalo Gully, I wasn’t sure how lucky I was. The desk and chair had chains on them I couldn’t escape.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have some cattle of my own? A way for the kids to experience ranching without the life consuming them?
No. Those days were done.
Wilder leaned against his white patrol SUV with his arms crossed, inspecting me. I’d grown used to seeing him in his uniform of khaki pants with a brown, almost black, shirt and a brown, almost black, felt hat. He’d been parked by a popular speed trap like he’d been waiting for us and followed me in once I hit Buffalo Gully city limits. Tova’s wide gaze had plastered on me until I explained he was one of my annoying younger brothers. She got a quick introduction to Wilder before the kids dragged her into the house.
His presence was the only thing that helped take my mind off the phone call from Sunday. Had she been taking a bath? Doing dishes? Did a person make those noises when washing a plate?
I’d heard a breathy moan. A little gasp. And they weren’t from fucking dishes.
Fuuuck. I jacked off in the shower morning and night, and if Tova hadn’t been home with the kids, I’d have been stroking one out at noon too.
Ever-present desire, more acute since the car ride in a cab surrounded by her rosewater scent, fisted itself hard around my insides. I tightened my abs and willed the feeling to vanish already. I couldn’t take much more of this torture, and now being home, where I had lived with my disgruntled wife, wasn’t helping the flurry of emotions inside my chest.
I met Wilder’s steady gaze. “Something on your mind?” I’d been a dick on our last call, and the feeling he was going to return the favor was strong.
“That’s your fucking nanny?” Wilder asked.
I didn’t appreciate the disbelief in his voice. It wasn’t awe at her beauty or how her tank top was the exact shade of blue as her eyes. He didn’t leer at her legs, which could make a guy drive off the road, or the way her ass filled out her tiny jean shorts. He frankly did not buy that I hired her to watch the kids and no more.
“Yes,” I said tightly. “I know you’re single now but behave.”
His expression darkened. “The divorce isn’t finalized. I can thank Barns for that,” he muttered.
Our father had tied up our inheritance with the Knight businesses, and the process added more time and legal fees to his divorce. Still, I was pleased to hear he wasn’t out hunting for a Sutton replacement and that he wasn’t eyeballing Tova with more than rampant curiosity.
“Sutton’s feeding our cats while we’re gone.” And playing with them. Guilt was a band around my heart when I thought of giving them back to Aggie to find a home when the kids went to live with their grandparents. Each morning, Cheetoh was curled around Ivy’s legs in her bed, and I found Grayson hugging Lilac before he’d get dressed or eat breakfast.
Wilder eyed me, his expression carefully blank, but his question was loud and clear. Why was I telling him?
“Just wanted to let you know she’s in our lives. I don’t think she’ll ever not be my sister.”
He gave a curt nod. “I understand,” he said gruffly. “Glad she’s in your kids’ lives.”
“Me too.”
