Curvy Nanny for the Cowboy (Curvy Nannies for Single Dads #4)

1. Molly

Chapter 1

Molly

I was so excited that my body literally shook with it; having a new placement felt like a lifeline just when I needed one. My cousin was at work, and she’d be so excited to learn that I was getting off her couch that I decided I would give her the good news later, once I was all packed. My first call was to the only real friend I’d made since moving to Texas. “Hey, Toni. Guess what?”

There was a long silence and then a sigh. “Um, the Highlanders have a nude calendar coming out?”

I frowned at the phone. “What?”

“You know, sexy team full of hunky hockey players with big, rippling muscles? They have a nude calendar coming out?”

“They do?”

Toni sighed. “I don’t know, Molly. I thought that was the news you’re calling with. What’s going on?” she asked with a laugh. Toni was all red hair, curves, and badassery. She was also sweeter than she let on.

“I got a placement!” As a professional nanny, you wouldn’t think I’d be so excited about getting another placement, but the past year had been the worst of my life. Between a terrible relationship that ended six months too late and a string of insecure wives, stepmothers, and girlfriends who cost me placement after placement, I needed some good news. “Toni?”

“I’m here, Mols, and it’s about damn time. Where is it?”

“Up in the boonies,” I confirmed, even though I had no problems with the far-out location. “It’s a ranch, Toni. An honest-to-goodness ranch. The parent is a single dad, and I’m hoping there’s no woman in his life. Damn, that sounds bad, doesn’t it?”

Toni barked out a laugh. “Not at all. After the last few placements, I can’t say that I blame you. But a ranch?”

I laughed, shaking my head because of course Toni had that question. She was the quintessential urban queen in her leather jackets and stylish clothes. “I grew up in a small Louisiana town, growing veggies and flowers with my folks.”

“Yeah? How did I not know this?”

I shrugged. “Don’t know. Thought for sure the accent gave it away.” Most Texans I came across knew for sure that my twang wasn’t Texas-born, but non-southerners thought all accents sounded the same.

“I just figured you were from Texas.” I laughed again, happy to have a friend like Toni this past year.

“Nope, not from Texas. Louisiana. I really hope this placement works out.” The hope, the desperation in my voice was a dead giveaway, and I knew Toni wouldn’t miss it. “Anyway, what’s going on with you? How’s the baby? How is wedding planning going?”

“The baby is kicking my ass, or more accurately, my bladder, and wedding planning is a mess. But don’t try to distract me. What else is going on?”

I sighed and rolled my eyes; my heart felt heavier instantly just thinking about what else was going on. “Nothing. Not really. I mean, Travis isn’t taking we’re over for an answer.” My ex-boyfriend has spent more months trying to win me back than we actually spent together, which is odd because he never treated me like he was all that happy to have me around.

Toni was silent for a long time, which was never a good sign. “That rat bastard. If you want, I can hire someone to break his legs.”

“Thanks for the offer, but I’d rather he just go away. But,” I sighed, and I physically felt the weight being lifted from my shoulders, “getting away from the city and from Travis is just what I need.”

“I’m going to miss having you so close, but I really hope it works out. And please, to the heavens above, let the cowboy be hot, hard, and ready.”

Another laugh exploded out of me at Toni’s crass wishes. “Thanks for that. I think.” Even if the single dad cowboy is the hottest thing I’ve ever seen, I just want him to have a confident, secure woman who doesn’t care that my curves fill out my clothes a little too much. I knew my worth, and I wasn’t suffering from a lack of confidence, but I also knew I wasn’t a threat to those women. “I’ll settle for a good parent and a good employer.”

“Yeah, yeah, all of that stuff too.” She laughed to herself. “Are you going to wear your new wardrobe?”

“Ugh, no.” I’d spent money I didn’t want to spend just to buy clothes that would make the women feel better about my body and their men, and now I didn’t need them. “The clothes are nice, but they aren’t exactly appropriate for life on a ranch. I’m packing up jeans and t-shirts. And those boots I thought were completely impractical for Texas weather.”

“Progress,” she said with a hint of pride in her voice. “Good for you, Molly.”

“Thanks. I just hope it doesn’t end in yet another disaster.” It won’t , I told myself because if I didn’t go into this with a positive attitude, then what was the point of even trying? “And if it does, I’ll find a way. I look how I look, and I can’t do much to change that, so if this one doesn’t work, I guess I’ll have to consider teaching.”

“Ugh,” Toni growled. “This will work, Mols. You deserve it.”

“Thank you, Toni. I’m happy you’re my friend.”

“Aw,” she sniffled. “You’re getting mushy on me, and I’m too emotional to pretend to be tough.” She laughed again, and even though it was watery, it had that patented Toni sarcasm behind it.

“You’re the toughest broad I know,” I told her honestly. “In my dad’s book, that’s the highest of compliments.”

“I love your dad, and I am a tough broad who expects you to call the minute you have word on the sexy cowboy.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, I’ll catch up with you soon. Don’t forget to sing to the baby.”

“I am. They love classic rock and nineties pop, and I’m not sure if I can love a child with such poor musical tastes.”

“You are absolutely ridiculous, and I love it. Try R maybe your baby will come out soulful.”

“Good idea. I gotta go; time to go do mom shit.”

“Send the family my love.”

“Will do. And if you need a place to store some of your things, my place is available until I decide what to do with it.”

“Thanks for the offer. I may take you up on it.” My cousin’s welcome was wearing thin, and even though she’d never say it, having my belongings clogging up her small apartment wasn’t a long-term solution. “Talk soon.” I tossed the phone on the coffee table and looked down at my belongings, most of them still packed in boxes, bags, and a couple of suitcases.

I spent the rest of the morning packing enough to last for the sixty-day probationary period. The McCall Ranch was a little over one hundred miles outside of the city of Houston. It was too far to drive if I forgot something important, so I checked my list—twice—and started to pack up my little green hatchback. A quick look at the clock told me I had just enough time to call my cousin, drop off my leftover boxes at Toni’s place, and get on the road to make it to the ranch by lunchtime.

I had enough time even if there was a little bit of traffic, and I was determined that I wouldn’t show up late. I’d given Serenity, the owner of Elite Nanny Services, my word, and I intended to keep it because she’d gone above and beyond in finding me placements, even though none had panned out. Yet.

“Molly.”

I froze at the sound of Travis’s voice, but I shook off the shock and kept going toward my car.

“Molly,” he called me again. “Don’t ignore me.”

I shoved the last two boxes into the car, slammed it shut, and turned to face him. “I wouldn’t have to ignore you if you’d stop showing up where you shouldn’t be.”

His lips curled into that smile I once found so sexy. “It’s a free country.”

“You’re right. And I’m free to ignore you. Have a nice life, Travis.” I slid behind the steering wheel and grabbed the door, but he held it open.

“We’re not over.”

“Wrong,” I yanked the door harder. “We’ve been over for a long time. Go find another woman to torment, or better yet, work on yourself.”

His nostrils flared because he was incapable of hiding his anger. It was only a matter of time before he really exploded. “You used to love me.”

I never loved him. “I used to find you charming until you grew tired of pretending. Goodbye, Travis.” I slammed the door and peeled out of the parking spot so quickly he had to jump out of my way.

My heart raced as I hauled ass away from Travis because I wouldn’t put it past him to follow me. I stopped answering his calls and text messages, so I wasn’t that surprised he’d shown up at my cousin’s place, but his presence had thrown me. As I got on the road toward McCall Ranch, I was more determined than ever to secure this job beyond the sixty-day period.

I had never lived on a ranch before; hell, I’d never met a real-life cowboy either, despite living in Texas for the past five years—four for college and one working as a nanny. Now that Toni had put the idea of hot cowboys in my head, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Cowboys were a fantasy, right? Maybe not.

Then again, I’d be too far from civilization to date, which was probably a good thing. After things ended with Travis, I was gun-shy about getting involved with anyone. Travis had begun to grow impatient with my refusal to sleep with him, and it had turned ugly. I couldn’t do anything right after turning him down, and I had no desire to put myself through that again.

The signs for McCall Ranch appeared, and I felt my heart lighten almost instantly. A long dirt drive ended with a sign that looked to be made of copper roping twisted into a lasso around the iron words, McCall Family Ranch. Serenity said the ranch raised bison, sheep, and goats, so I didn’t know what to expect. But as the beautiful pale yellow ranch house came into view, it took my breath away.

It was a beautiful two-story home with a wraparound porch. The sides were fenced in, but the structure somehow looked homey yet imposing in its grandiosity. The front windows were sheltered by royal blue shutters and flower boxes that were in desperate need of tending. Rocking chairs sat on the front porch on either side of a table, and I couldn’t help but smile. It was large, sure, but it was so damn charming I felt right at home already.

I vibrated with excitement as I stepped out of my car and spun in a circle, inhaling the fresh air mixed with the scent of hay, grass, and some flowers off in the distance. With a smile, I climbed the porch and pressed my index finger against the bell, laughing to myself when a sweet melody played for several seconds.

But there was no answer.

I rang the bell again and waited with my heart in my throat. When there was still no answer, I pulled out my phone calendar to double-check the time, the date, and the address to make sure I hadn’t mixed them up. Nope, I’m where I’m supposed to be at the right time.

The door opened, and I looked up and up at six-plus feet of hard, lean muscle encased in dark wash jeans. His stomach and chest were covered with a dusting of ebony hair, just light enough that I could see his six-pack abs and rock-hard pecs that gave way to broad shoulders and lean, corded muscles in his arms. His body was absolutely beautiful, but his face? Holy smokes, that face should’ve been carved into a mountain. A five o’clock shadow did nothing to hide the dimples or rugged jawline, and it didn’t distract from the full mouth pulled into a slightly amused grin. Sun-kissed skin pegged him as a cowboy, and those searing hazel eyes were hypnotic.

Speak, Molly. I opened my mouth to say something, but only a squeak followed by a strangled noise came out.

That’s me, folks, queen of making an excellent first impression.