Free Novel Read

A Nanny For The Cowboy Billionaire (Brookside Ranch Brothers Book 5) Page 2


  Jett had always loved his mother’s cooking—great Texas barbecue, mashed potatoes, brisket, oatmeal cookies, pecan pie, chicken-fried steak, and one amazing chili. She’d made all of his favorites for Mel-Anna’s celebration of life, but Jett couldn’t bring himself to touch any of it.

  Standing around with a plate full of food seemed wrong. After all, the food wouldn’t have been there if Mel-Anna had been alive and standing around stuffing yourself because of a death seemed like some otherworldly action to Jett.

  So he went without for the day.

  Even now, looking down at the plate of baked macaroni, he couldn’t seem to find his appetite. This had been the case for Jett since Mel-Anna died. Food was meant for enjoyment and there was nothing enjoyable about a life without her.

  But he wanted to set a good example for Justin. He wanted his son to follow his lead and continue as if nothing was wrong.

  The two of them sat on the couch watching cartoons, and the only time Jett’s heart didn’t feel heavy in his chest was when Justin would laugh at one of the jokes on the screen in front of them.

  “Did you have a good day today, buddy?” he asked, admiring the strength and courage of his son and envying the ignorance of being three years old.

  “Yes, it was fun. I got to play with uncle Jax,” Justin said, not looking away from the TV.

  “Good, I’m glad you had a good time,” he said.

  “Can grandma stay with us?”

  Since Mel-Anna’s mother was known as ‘Nana,’ Jett knew Justin was speaking of his mother, Shannon. Jett tussled his son’s hair and shook his head. “No, sorry, buddy. They only have the weekend in Arizona and then they’re going back to Texas. Besides, we have to get back to the ranch and to our city, too, okay?”

  It was four hours north back to Desert Springs, Arizona, where their ranch was. The drive was long, and Justin did not appreciate being cooped up.

  Justin stared forward. His tone didn’t change, but Jett could tell his boy as disappointed as he squeaked out, “Okay.”

  The two continued watching television for some time as they ate. Jett had a gnawing feeling in his gut that he knew wouldn’t go away until he had a proper conversation with his son about how their lives would move forward once they got back to the ranch.

  “When we get back, I was thinking I might hire someone come live with us for a while,” he began hesitantly, biting his lip after the words left his mouth. He didn’t know what Justin would think of the idea. From his silence, he didn’t think much of it. “Someone to help take care of you for a bit,” he clarified.

  “A babysitter?” Justin asked, frowning.

  “Yeah, kind of like that. Someone nice and fun who can play with you and help feed you while daddy’s at work.”

  Justin looked up at his father with curious brown eyes and nodded in acceptance. “Okay,” he said.

  Hiring professional help wasn’t something Jett ever thought he would have to do. He and Mel-Anna had been hands-on parents. After Justin was born, Mel-Anna took the first eight months off of work, and when she returned, she returned with Justin by her side. They didn’t want to be parents who relied on babysitters or nannies to help them raise their child. At least not until Justin was in school. They wanted to enjoy the time they had with him while he was little.

  But now Jett wasn’t seeing any other option. He was going to have to seek out a nanny, and based on Colt’s horror stories of incompetent help, he had a challenging few weeks ahead of him.

  Chapter Two

  Paige

  “I can’t believe you’re getting married!” Paige shouted to her best friend, Alissa.

  The olive-skinned Italian beauty was outfitted with an updo of curls and a vintage ivory tea-dress.

  Paige Ramsay had known Alissa for eight years. She’d seen her through her single years, bad dates, bad boyfriends, good boyfriends that didn’t work out, and two pregnancy scares.

  In turn, Alissa had seen Paige through breakups, fights with friends, and six unforgettable nights in the rainforest of Peru.

  Paige loved that Alissa was always pushing her to do new things. Any trips Paige had ever taken in her life were all thanks to Alissa, a self-confessed travel bug. In fact, it was in Italy on an architectural tour where Alissa had met Nicola—her soon-to-be husband

  “Forget getting married!” Alissa exclaimed, grabbing Paige by the shoulders. “I can’t believe I’m moving in with a guy!”

  “Girl, you are not just moving out. You are moving across the world!” their friend Harmony said enthusiastically.

  “You’re moving to Naples,” Paige added, then paused for dramatic effect before announcing, “Italy! It’s crazy!”

  The five women, Alissa, Paige, Harmony, Julia, and Misty, were gathered in an oversized hotel room, just two hours away from taking the elevator down to the lavishly decorated hotel ballroom where Alissa would be getting married.

  “Oh my goodness,” Alissa said, shaking her head in disbelief. “I know, it’s crazy.”

  “You guys are like BFFs. Misty and I were joking that you and Nicola were going to invite Paige to come and live with you once you were married. You’d be like this weird little thrupple,” Harmony giggled.

  “You guys are joined at the hip!” Misty added as Julia helped zip her into the champagne-colored lace bridesmaid gown.

  Alissa took a sip of champagne, finishing off the glass and eating the strawberry that sat at the bottom of the bubbly. “Hey,” she teased, “if Nicola would have agreed to it, I mean...” she trailed off, as though considering it, and the girls all laughed.

  “Are you nervous?” Misty asked.

  “To get married?” Alissa clarified, then shook her head. “Nah. Nicola is amazing. He’s my best friend, tied with Paige, obviously! Marrying him feels so right. Am I nervous about moving to Italy? Yes. Am I nervous about tripping on my train and falling on my face while I walk down the aisle? Heck yes. But marrying Nicola? No way. That’s a no-brainer.”

  “You guys are so lucky,” Paige said breathlessly as she watched her graceful friend move around the room.

  Harmony raised her brows with gentle envy and exchanged a glance with Paige. “I’d kill to feel that sure about somebody,” she commented with a snort.

  “What about Adam?” Alissa asked.

  Harmony shrugged. “Adam and I are having fun. I love him, kinda? But it’s nothing serious like you and Nicola. You guys were the real deal from the first date.”

  “That’s not true,” Alissa said.

  “It is!” Paige said. “You guys met, and it was like, bam! You had this end goal of marriage and moving and making all of these big changes.”

  “Speaking of big changes,” Harmony said, handing Paige a glass of champagne. “What are you going to do now, Paige?”

  “Aside from taking endless trips to Italy to bug the newlyweds?” Paige grinned.

  “Well, I mean, that goes without saying,” Alissa snickered.

  “No, what about Devansh?” Harmony asked. “Alissa said he’s in summer school and you’re basically out of a job.”

  “And a place to live,” Paige added with a hint of cynicism. She had been working as a live-in nanny for the last ten years for various clients. Her latest was an Indian family with a little boy named Devansh. They were the most loving, thoughtful people she had ever lived with. She’d gotten close with Devansh, but with the mother deciding to put him in summer school and then pre-school in the fall, she was officially out of a job. She had been living with Alissa for the last few weeks, which was only making Alissa’s departure that much harder.

  “I hate leaving my kids,” she pouted.

  “How many have you had now?” Julia asked.

  “This is my third!” she said in disbelief. “Those school years are so hard. Once they hit about four, you’re basically biting your fingernails, hoping they won’t leave you.”

  “Oh my goodness, you’re like a mom sending her kids off to college and worrying about an empty nest,” Misty laughed.

  “That’s the thing; the nest doesn’t stay empty for long. I usually find a new job pretty fast; it’s just starting over is just, so, bleh. You know? I have to get to know a new family, their habits and everything, and then you get attached,” she explained.

  “It’s like having a hamster,” Harmony said, snapping her fingers. “You fall in love with the little guy, and then it’s dead within a few years.”

  Paige frowned. “That’s a pretty morbid comparison, but I see what you’re going for there,” she said, and the girls laughed.

  “Do you have any leads on a new job?” Harmony asked.

  “Yes, she does! She’s been talking to this single dad for like two weeks now,” Alissa said. “Paige, read them the ad he posted!”

  Paige smiled bashfully and drew the ad up on her phone. “Single parent looking for a live-in nanny for a three-year-old boy,” she read aloud. “Must be willing to relocate to a bustling ranch in Desert Springs, Arizona. Must be able to work from 7:30 to 6:30, Monday to Friday. The ideal nanny can drive, is comfortable cooking and cleaning, loves to be outside, and has prior experience caring for young children. Competitive salary for the right candidate. Please contact me with some information about yourself.”

  “Arizona?” Harmony said with a groan. “So Alissa abandons us and then you take off out of state?”

  “And you’ve been talking to the dad?” Misty asked.

  Paige nodded. “Yes. It’s a single dad, recently lost his wife, and he runs a ranch there.”

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa, let’s be clear. This isn’t just any ranch! This is Brookside Ranch!” Alissa said.

  “What? Don’t we have one here run by that country guy?” Harmony asked.

  “Phoenix Broo
ks! Yes! They’re like, a chain of these luxury dude ranches,” Alissa continued to explain.

  “His name is Jett, and his little guy is Justin,” Paige said. “We’ve talked on video chat a couple of times and it seems like a pretty good deal.”

  Misty drew her brows together in a concerned frown. To her, the idea of living out of someone else’s house was incomprehensible. “Yeah? You wouldn’t be worried about moving in with some guy you don’t know?”

  “I mean...I have no reason to think he’s a serial killer,” Paige snickered.

  “Your Spidey senses didn’t go off for that one?” Harmony laughed.

  “He just seemed like a nice guy, and the pay is...” Paige trailed off, unsure if it would be rude to finish her sentence.

  “Worth moving your whole life for?” Harmony asked.

  “Alissa’s moving,” Paige shrugged. “And besides, that puts me within four hours of my parents’ place in Barstow.”

  “I didn’t know your parents lived in Cali!” Misty called out excitedly.

  “Yeah. That means I could leave after work Friday and be able to spend the whole weekend with them for once. It would be awesome to be closer to them. Plus, I need a change. I’ve done my damage here in Utah. Ex-boyfriends, friends moving away, little kids raised.”

  Harmony shifted. “So, you’d seriously consider taking the job?”

  Paige bit her lip, then smiled. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

  Paige wasn’t sure what she wanted. She wasn’t afraid of adventure. She wasn’t afraid to move, especially now that Alissa was leaving. Maybe Arizona was just what she needed.

  The girls continued to talk and reminisce in their little room—sharing stories, laughs, and then tears as Alissa was called downstairs to present herself to the man of her dreams.

  The wedding was amazing. It was simple but tasteful. Modest.

  Paige blubbered like a baby through both vows. She apologized to Alissa for what a mess she was going to look like in the wedding photos, and her best friend hugged her, laughed, and said, “You’ll look beautiful no matter what.”

  Everyone at the wedding was so beautiful and, the more she talked to the guests at the reception, the more she realized they were all so put together, too.

  Paige was not a jealous person. She was a supportive friend who couldn’t have been happier for Alissa to have met her forever person. But weddings were a natural time for singles to reflect on their lives.

  Harmony leaned in close at the bridal table, grabbing Paige by the arm as she said, “Can you believe we’re going to be losing her?” and then nodded toward Alissa.

  Paige wasn’t the only one who was doing some introspection about how much was changing in her little corner of the universe.

  “I feel like everyone we know is getting married or moving off to do something amazing,” Paige agreed.

  “Or both, in wonder girl’s case,” Harmony said with a sigh.

  The two of them watched Alissa as she stood arm in arm with her new husband, charming their guests and getting ready for the rest of her life to start—babies, curating at an incredible museum, fantastic pasta. Her future was looking bright.

  “Seriously, though,” Harmony continued. “Julia’s moving to Seattle, Misty is getting married next year, and Alissa’s moving away. I would hate Nicola for stealing her away if I didn’t love the stupid guy so much.”

  “I know, right?” Paige laughed. “Maybe it’s time for me to join the club.”

  “Don’t you dare leave me here alone,” Harmony said playfully.

  The reception was even better than Paige could ever have imagined it. She and Alissa had spent months planning it, and never in her wildest dreams could she have envisioned a more perfect evening. The venue played great music, served mouth-watering food, and guests offered speeches that ranged from funny to tear-jerking.

  Paige was having more fun than she’d had in years, but as Alissa and Nicola did their final bow and bid their guests adieu—or in their case, ‘ciao,’ Paige couldn’t help the knock of adrenaline that rushed through her stomach.

  She needed a change. The truth was, there was nothing left tying her to Utah.

  Her only hesitation about continuing her job as a nanny was the desire to plant her feet and start a family of her own. She’d spent the last ten years living with other families and never getting a space of her own. She had no living room to decorate, no space to entertain friends, no freedom—just a white-walled bedroom and a whole lot of love to give.

  If she accepted the job in Arizona, she would be committed to at least another two years. It would be difficult to date and to make friends in a new area. But then again, she would be brought to a beautiful ranch with a new family to help.

  She sat alone at the bridal table; half the guests had gone home for the evening. Paige pulled her cell phone out from her purse. She held the phone under the table, getting a sneaky look at the messages she had been exchanging with Jett Brooks, and smiled. She didn’t know what her life in Arizona might be like, but she was more than willing to find out.

  Chapter Three

  Jett

  There was a time when Jett enjoyed nothing more than coming into work first thing in the morning and spending the day dreaming big about how to better the ranch, how to make customer’s happier, and how to build a bigger, better reputation for Brookside.

  But these days, Jett was lucky if he got into work by eleven and didn’t fall asleep at his desk for the majority of the day.

  He was so burnt out, he could practically smell the smoke.

  He’d been sitting at his office desk for the last two hours, dozing in and out of sleep. It was the kind of overwhelming exhaustion that caused his eyes to roll back without warning. His only savior was Eric, who jolted him from sleep as he entered Jett’s office.

  “Problem,” Eric said.

  “A problem that I need to know about?” Jett asked, straightening in his chair in hopes that his assistant wouldn’t realize he had been dozing off.

  “You’re the only higher up here, so, yeah, I think so,” Eric laughed.

  “Shoot.”

  Eric looked down at his phone, then up at Jett. “We accidentally booked two families for the same pickleball court tomorrow morning, and there are no other time slots left to give them a spot.”

  “How did that happen?”

  “Weston,” Eric said as though that should explain everything.

  “New guy?”

  Eric nodded. “Yeah, he’s still training but I guess he was left at the desk alone the other morning and double-booked.”

  “Call the second family who tried to reserve the court and explain the misunderstanding to them. Ask them if they would like to reserve another sport. If not, offer them any one of our activities for the afternoon and get them a voucher for the spa.”

  “Can we do that?” Eric asked, his brows flicking up in surprise.

  Jett looked around the room curiously, then laughed as he said, “It’s my ranch. I’m pretty sure I get to make up the rules.”

  “Will do,” his friend said evenly.

  “Pickleball,” Jett repeated, narrowing his brows. “Remind me again how that’s a real sport?”

  Eric laughed. “It’s like a mix between badminton, tennis, and table tennis. You know, sort of like whiffle ball?”

  “I love sports,” Jett said in playful defense. “You know that. Everyone knows I do, but I am telling you, I had never heard of this before in my life.”

  “You haven’t lived until you’ve played,” Eric said with a wink.

  “Is that really what people say?”

  His friend shook his head, amused. “No.”

  “I didn’t think so.”

  Jett inhaled a long breath and stood up from his desk. He grabbed his laptop and slipped it into his bag, and Eric asked, “Are you heading home?”

  “Yeah, I have someone coming in today to meet Justin.”

  “You’re finally getting that nanny?” his friend asked.

  “Yeah, looks like it.”

  “Best decision you’ll ever make. Kendra hired a nanny last year and she’s never been happier. She works seventy hours a week at her job, you know? Now she gets to come home and be with the kids without worrying about taking care of the house or rushing around to make dinner. It’s just quality time.”