The Cowboy Texas Ranger's Unexpected Love (The Cowboy Texas Rangers Series Book 3), page 4
Lily whimpered and said, “S-getti, Daddy.”
He went over and gave her a kiss. “Just a minute, honey. We need to let the spaghetti cool a little bit.” He got out the box of Cheerios and poured some onto her high-chair tray. “Here, eat these while you wait, sweetheart. I know you’re hungry.”
Lily eagerly put one in her mouth and then followed it with another.
Emily got up and diced part of an apple and put it on her tray. “Try some of these, too, little one.”
Lily immediately put a piece in her mouth and began to chew.
Jack smiled. “Good idea. Sometimes I forget to add fruit or vegetables to her meals.”
“Two heads are better than one. We’ll tag team it, and I’m sure you’ll remember things that I forget, too.”
Jack’s smile made him even more handsome.
She looked down and grimaced. What was with her today that she was noticing him like this?
A couple of minutes later, Jack took the bowl from the freezer and stirred up the contents before suctioning it to the tray in front of Lily.
She immediately grabbed the spoon and said, “S-getti!”
Emily laughed. “She really does love spaghetti, doesn’t she?”
Jack sat down at the table and opened the pizza box, serving himself two slices. “That she does. Her mom makes a mean spaghetti, and Lily’s always loved it.”
At the mention of Sarah, Emily said, “Is it okay if I talk about Sarah with Lily? I thought that might help her remember her mother. And maybe she should have a picture of her in her room, or, at least, here in the living room. I noticed that there weren’t any.”
Jack stopped chewing and met her gaze. “Hm, I hadn’t thought of that.” He chewed some more and took a swallow from his longneck. “I guess you’re right. I have a key to Sarah’s place so I can keep an eye on it while she’s gone. I’ll ask her if she minds if I bring a picture over here of the two of them.” His gaze sharpened. “You’ve put some thought into this.”
“Yeah, I have. I just think it’s important that Lily grows up feeling close to her mother and remembering that she loves her. A lot of a child’s self-esteem comes from their feelings about their parents and how they sense their parents feel about them.”
“Sarah and I talked about Skyping before she left. As long as she’s in a place with a good internet connection, that’s what we plan on doing when she can.”
“I’m really glad that Lily will be able to see her mom when they talk.” Emily served herself a slice of pizza and took a bite. It was good. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until the rich, spicy aroma had risen from the open box.
“I expect her to call any day now. I knew it would take her a while to get settled in on this new assignment, but she should have some free time soon.”
Jack took another bite, a rather large one, and got pizza sauce at the corner of his mouth.
She grinned and handed him his napkin. “You have some sauce right here.” She pointed to her own mouth.
Jack chuckled and dabbed at his face. “Thanks. I’m starving. I just had a quick lunch because of a surprise meeting my boss called this afternoon. This pizza really hits the spot.”
“It does, doesn’t it? When you said you were picking it up, my stomach immediately started to growl.”
Jack grinned. “So we have loving pizza in common, huh?”
“It would appear so. Does Lily like pizza?”
“I’m sure she would love the taste, but I think the crust is a bit much for her right now. I mean, she could eat it, but would she get enough nutrition from it by the time she chewed it long enough to get it down? I just want her to be a little bit older before I start her on this stuff.”
She nodded. Jack had a good point. The guy really was a good daddy.
Jack ruffled Lily’s hair. “I sure love you, baby girl.”
Lily, her face covered in spaghetti, grinned at Jack. “Love you, Daddy.”
Jack looked at Emily. “God, that melts my heart. She just learned how to say that clearly a few months ago. Sarah and I were worried that she’d never speak clearly. She talked baby talk for so long.”
This was her opportunity. “I was reading up on that—”
“You’ve noticed her language delay?” Jack asked before she could finish speaking.
Emily’s heart began to pound at his worried tone of voice. “Well, I don’t know if I’d call it a real delay. All children develop speech at their own pace. But I did wonder why she wasn’t using more short sentences.”
“That’s what I’m talking about. Sarah and I are worried, too, but her doctor told us not to worry about her language skills for at least another six months. What do you think?”
Pulse racing, she said, “First of all, I’m not an expert. I just know what I’ve observed in other children. I agree with your doctor. Give Lily time to progress. She’s still a baby and has a long way to go to develop more structured language. And we certainly don’t want to make her self-conscious by correcting her all the time.” She paused for a moment and considered his concerned face. “I’m looking into it right now, and I’ll share with you what I find out, okay?”
He reached across the table and squeezed her hand. “Thanks, Emily. I’d love to hear whatever you come up with.”
It was time to change the subject. That handclasp had her heart racing. “Hey, I was thinking that I could start dinner in the afternoons before you get home from work if we can agree on what we’re having beforehand.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” he said quickly.
“I don’t mind, really.”
He paused and took another bite of pizza. After a moment, he said, “How about you start it, and we’ll finish it together when I get home? I don’t want you shouldering the responsibility for dinner yourself. But if you, say, do the prep work, that might be a good thing.”
“Great! Maybe we can decide in the mornings what we’re having so I know when to start the prep work in the afternoons.” She was glad that he’d agreed. Working with him on dinner would be fun, and they could eat earlier, which meant that Lily wouldn’t get so hungry. It was a win-win.
“I like that idea.”
When they’d finished eating, Jack said, “I’ll give Lily her bath tonight. You’ve had her all day. Go and have some time to yourself.”
That sounded nice. She was exhausted. It was going to take a while to get her body used to entertaining a toddler all day long. “Thanks, Jack. I’ll take you up on that.”
Within an hour, Lily was sound asleep. Emily met Jack in the living room. “How about a glass of wine? I’m going to have a beer.”
“That sounds great. Thanks.” She smiled as he walked toward the kitchen, glad that he wanted to spend some time talking with her. She sat down on the couch and leaned back, letting herself relax.
When he came back in with their drinks, he said, “Now that you have your car seat, what are your plans for tomorrow?”
She took a sip of wine and considered her options. “I think I’ll take Lily out to buy art supplies so we can do some projects together.”
“That’s wonderful. I’ll pay for them, of course.”
She shook her head. “That’s not necessary.”
“Of course it is,” he said forcefully. “Lily’s my child, and you’re caring for her. I’ll always pay for whatever you need to do your job, Emily.”
Taken aback by his vehemence, she said, “Okay, that’s fine.”
As if sensing her discomfort, he said, “Look, I just don’t want you incurring any out-of-pocket expenses because you’re taking care of my daughter. That’s not fair. Just tell me what you spend on the supplies, and I’ll reimburse you. I can get a prepaid card and you can use that for any future expenses.”
They chatted some more, mostly about Lily’s day. Then he told Emily a bit about his workday. She warmed even more to him while he shared personal details with her.
When he grew silent, she took the last sip of her wine and set her glass on the table.
He motioned to the television. “You’re always welcome to watch TV in here. I have one in my bedroom.”
She had too many thoughts and feelings whirling through her mind tonight. “That’s really nice, Jack, but I think I’ll go to bed and read.”
He got up. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”
He turned and headed for his room. As he walked down the hall, a sense of loneliness wormed its way through her chest. She frowned. What was that about? Jack was her boss and, though he was a nice guy, that’s all he could ever be.
She went to her bedroom and got ready for a shower, disturbed at a deep level.
When she returned to her room fifteen minutes later, her romance novel couldn’t hold her attention.
She set her Kindle on her nightstand and took a sip from her water bottle. Maybe it just wasn’t a romance night. She scrolled to the mystery she’d wanted to start for weeks and snuggled down against her pillows. Three pages into it, she frowned in disgust. That was a bust, too. A vision of Jack’s face appeared before her as she set the Kindle on the table beside her.
That was the issue. She couldn’t get her new boss out of her mind, and it was becoming a real problem.
Friday afternoon at three o’clock, Jack had an idea that made his heart race. He immediately texted Emily:
Will you go out to dinner with Lily and me? Your first few weeks have been great, and we should celebrate. Please?
A few minutes later, she sent back:
That sounds really nice. Thanks, Jack.
He smiled and texted:
Would you like Mexican food or a steak?
She sent right back:
I love both, so you choose. When would you like to leave?
Hm. Would she like time to herself to clean up? Probably. He texted:
Why don’t I take over with Lily when I get home so you can get ready? We’ll leave when you’re done.
She texted back:
That’s really sweet of you. I’d like that. I’ll have Lily all ready to go.
He grinned. This was going to be fun.
See you when I get home. And thanks.
He texted Rico, who was at his desk on the other side of the room:
I’m taking Emily out to dinner to celebrate her first few weeks as our nanny. Don’t worry, I’m taking Lily along as a chaperone.
He saw Rico check his phone, read the text, and then turn and give him a smartass grin. Then his friend gave him a thumbs-up and bent to his phone. A moment later, he sent:
WTG for taking the bit between your teeth, bro. Good for you! You deserve a little fun in your life. I don’t know if Lily has the chops to chaperone you, though. I might need to go along. I want to meet this Emily.
Jack grinned and texted:
I don’t trust you, man. You’re not getting within a mile of Emily. She’ll be married to you and off my nanny gig in a heartbeat.
Rico laughed silently and sent:
Come on, bro. You know marriage isn’t for me. I’m a confirmed bachelor. But I may still steal her from you!
Jack grinned and texted:
That’s what I’m worried about. Stay away from my nanny, buster!
Rico laughed softly and sent:
Let me know how it goes. Have fun.
Jack nodded at his friend and put his phone down. He had some more work to do on that situation building on the border. There was a team already working on it, and they were looking for the information he was gathering. He’d be able to complete it before going home today.
His thoughts returned to dinner again. He not only wanted to reward Emily for her work, but he’d been dreading the thought of spending the coming weekend alone. He’d become so accustomed to Emily being there with him that the thought of rattling around the empty house all weekend again filled him with a mild sense of dread.
On the plus side, the swing set was supposed to be delivered Saturday morning. He could put that together as long as Lily allowed him to. That should make the time pass more quickly.
He returned his attention to his computer screen. Two more hours and he’d be home. He smiled. Two more hours and he’d see Emily again.
Chapter Five
Friday evening, Jack pulled back Emily’s chair at the Longhorn Steakhouse in Weslaco. Then he took Lily from her arms and settled his daughter in the wooden booster chair between them.
As he took his seat, a waitress approached.
“Do you all know what you’d like to drink?” she asked with a bright smile.
He looked at Emily. “I’m going to have a beer. Would you like some wine or a margarita? Order anything you’d like.”
“I think I’d like a frozen margarita. Hold the salt, please,” Emily said.
“That sounds good.” He leaned down and took Lily’s sippy cup from the diaper bag. “Here, honey.” Lily immediately took several swallows. He said, “She sure does love milk.”
“That’s a good thing. When did you take her off formula?”
“When she was a year old. We weaned her from her bottles first. She was already using sippy cups by then. We quit giving her water in her cups and only offered milk. She began to like it pretty quickly.”
Emily stroked Lily’s hair and smiled. “She’s such an intelligent little girl.”
“She takes after her mother.”
“I’d say she takes after her daddy, too,” Emily said, looking into his eyes. “Don’t sell yourself short, Jack. With Sarah’s frequent absences, I think you’ve had the most impact on Lily’s development.”
The waitress appeared again with their drinks, so he just gave her a lopsided smile.
The young woman said, “Are you all ready to order, or do you need a few minutes?”
Jack raised his brows and nodded at Emily.
She glanced at their waitress. “I need some more time, please. Just a couple of minutes.”
“Okay. I’ll be right back.”
“What do you like here, Jack? I can’t decide.” Emily turned a page on the menu, her eyes quickly scanning top to bottom.
“I’m having my usual, the Outlaw Ribeye, but their meat’s pretty good here. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with anything you order.”
She smiled. “I like how they name their steaks.” After a moment, she said, “I looked at the filet, but I think I’ll have the Fire Grilled T-Bone. It all sounds so yummy, though.”
The waitress returned a few minutes later, and they gave her their orders. He ordered Lily a chopped sirloin patty with mashed potatoes.
They chatted quietly as they sipped their drinks. Jack noticed that Emily seemed to be enjoying herself. She kept touching Lily, either stroking her head, or taking Lily’s hand in hers. The sweetness of it touched him deeply.
His phone rang. He glanced at Emily. “It’s Lily’s mom. I’ll take it outside.”
Emily’s brows drew together for a fraction of a second, and then she said, “Of course. I’ll watch Lily.”
He rose from the table. “Thanks. I won’t talk long.” He answered the call. “Sarah? Is everything okay?”
As he headed for the restaurant entrance, Sarah said, “Yes, I’m sorry this is the first chance I’ve had to call. I tried Skype but couldn’t raise you. Things have been kind of crazy here. How’s Lily?”
“She’s doing great. I’d let you talk to her, but we all went out to dinner. I’ve stepped outside so I could speak to you. We wanted to celebrate Emily’s first few weeks as our nanny and how great it’s going. Lily loves her—and Sarah, she’s really good with her.”
“You took Emily out to dinner?”
Sarah’s voice sounded dubious, as if he’d overstepped a boundary.
“Sure. She deserved it. She’s really done an awesome job. She’s already doing art projects with Lily. She has an art degree, you know. And she’s taking her to the park, and they’ll be going on other outings as well. She’s amazing, Sarah. We’re so lucky to have found someone like her.”
“She sounds wonderful, Jack. You’re right, we’re lucky to have her.”
Sarah’s voice sounded more normal this time, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t need Sarah giving him flak over Emily. Not when she was so perfect for Lily. “Listen, why don’t you call before Lily’s bedtime tomorrow, and you can talk to her? I always keep the laptop ready to Skype.”
“I’ll try. Things are pretty fluid here right now. If I don’t call tomorrow, I’ll make it soon. Tell Emily I said ‘hi’, and thank her for taking such good care of Lily.”
“I will. Take care of yourself, Sarah.”
He turned back to the entrance as she ended the call. It was too bad Sarah hadn’t called earlier when Lily could have spoken with her. Hopefully she’d be able to call tomorrow.
He strode to the table and smiled at Emily as he sat down. “Sarah says ‘hi’ and wants me to thank you for taking such good care of Lily.”
Emily smiled. “That’s nice. I look forward to meeting her. You’ve both done such a wonderful job of raising your daughter.”
The waitress had delivered their meals while he was gone, and Emily was feeding Lily. She said, “We forgot to pack her bowl and spoon.”
Damn. He was the one who’d packed Lily’s bag. “What a pain. I’ll help her eat now. Why don’t you hand me the spoon while you start on that T-bone of yours?”
“Thanks.” Emily handed it over, and he scooped up some potatoes as Lily opened her mouth. Mashed potatoes were one of her favorite foods.
He and Emily tag teamed feeding Lily so they were still able to enjoy their meals. He couldn’t help but wonder, though, what it would be like to invite Emily to dinner without the distraction of having Lily around. He wanted to get to know Emily better, even though having dinner alone would be pushing the professional boundaries between them.
Lily finally refused a bite of potatoes. She was obviously full.
Emily wiped Lily’s face and hands and took her out of her highchair. “You can sit on my lap now, honey. You’re such a good girl, do you know that?” She kissed her cheek and sat down again with Lily facing her.
