The Rancher's Christmas Promise Page 8

  “She didn’t mention seeing you.”

  “She didn’t.”

  He didn’t elaborate, and Greer stomped on her impatience as though she were putting out a fire.

  “I’ve already made some job postings for another nanny. It’s only a matter of time before you find the right person. Here.” She handed Layla to him. “I have briefs I need to prepare.” She’d even brought her case files with her, thinking she might have time to make some notes while Layla napped. But since Greer had napped right along with her, clearly that had been a silly notion. And even though she did have work to do, it was the sudden need to escape from Ryder that was driving her now.

  “Briefs for a job that’s not everything you’d hoped for.”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “You didn’t have to.” His gaze pinned hers and she felt uncomfortably like a witness about to perjure herself before the court.

  She dragged her soda-moist shirt down around her soda-moist shorts. “I’ll let you know when there are a few candidates—nanny candidates—for you to interview.” She waved her hand carelessly. “But by all means, don’t let that stop you from putting out word that you’re wife-hunting if you’re actually serious about that.”

  “Maybe I’ll do that.”

  “If you do, I hope you’ll look beyond the pool of cocktail waitresses at Magic Jax.” The second she said it, she felt terrible. “I’m sorry. That was in poor taste.”

  “At least it was honest. You can let me know if you want to toss your name in the pool, after all.”

  She wasn’t falling for that again. She snatched up her purse and her briefcase where she’d stashed them out of Layla’s reach and hurried to the front door. “I’ll be in touch about your will.” She didn’t wait for a response as she stepped outside and yanked the door closed.

  She stood still for a moment and exhaled shakily. It was that time of day when the sun cast its rays beneath the covered front porch. It shone over her shoes. Her legs.

  Marry Ryder.

  She blinked several times, trying to ignore the words whispering through her mind.

  Marry Ryder.

  Try as she might, the thought would not be ignored.

  “Get real,” she whispered. He’d been no more serious about that than he had about naming her as Layla’s guardian in his will. She stepped off the porch and strode decisively toward the car.

  Marry.

  Ryder.

  * * *

  Greer heard the front door open. “In the kitchen,” she yelled, where she was putting the final touches on the tray of cold veggies and fruit. The heavens had finally smiled on her and her sisters’ calendars, and Monday dinner was actually under way. She picked up the tray and carried it into the living room, where Maddie was struggling to lower herself onto the couch.

  “Hold on. I’ll help you.” She set the tray on the coffee table, but Maddie waved her off.

  “It’s so hot,” she grumbled, pushing her dark hair off her forehead.

  “I’ve got lemonade or iced tea ready.”

  “Can you throw in some vodka?” Maddie made a face when Greer hesitated. “I’m joking.” Even though she’d just sat, she pushed to her feet again and rubbed the small of her back. “Maybe.”

  The door opened and Ali blew in. “Have you heard Vivian’s latest?”

  Greer met Maddie’s gaze before they both warily looked toward their sister. Where their paternal grandmother was concerned, anything was possible. Vivian Archer Templeton was nothing if not eccentric. And the fact that she was enormously wealthy thanks to Pennsylvania steel and several dead husbands meant she usually had no obstacles standing in the way of exercising those eccentricities.

  “No,” Maddie said cautiously. “What’s she done now?”

  “She went out on a date with Tom Hook!”

  Greer stared. Tom Hook was an attorney. And a rancher. And a good twenty years younger than their eighty-ish grandmother. “Are you sure it was a date?”

  Maddie let out a wry laugh. “Better a date than a marriage.”

  True enough. Their grandmother had already buried four husbands. “Vivian’s always saying she has no interest in another husband because she’s already had the love of her life in dear Arthur,” Greer needlessly reminded them. He’d been the fourth of their grandmother’s husbands. The only one who hadn’t been rich. And Vivian made no secret of the fact that she would be happy to join him whenever the good Lord saw fit. After a life riddled with mistakes for which she’d been trying to make amends during the last few years, she maintained that Arthur was the one thing she ever did completely right.

  “I’m guessing she’s not looking for the love of her life,” Ali said drily as she dropped her keys on the little table by the stairs. “Maybe she just wants some male companionship.” She wiggled her eyebrows, looking devilish.

  Greer made a face. “Don’t be gross, baby sister.”

  Instead of getting Ali’s goat, the reminder that she was the youngest of the triplets just made her laugh. “I’m a married woman now,” she retorted, waggling her wedding rings. “Maybe I like thinking that I’ll still be interested in that sort of thing when I’m Vivian’s age.”

  “I’m even less eager to hear about your sex life than Vivian’s.”

  Ali’s eyes were merry. “Admit it, Greer. You’re jealous. You need a date way worse than Vivian.”

  She rolled her eyes, ignoring the accusation that was too close to the truth. “So we can suspect why Vivian’s dating Tom, but what’s Tom up to?”

  “Greer,” Maddie chided. “Vivian’s an intelligent, stylish woman.”

  “She’s loaded,” Ali said, ever blunt.

  “Tom’s not seeing her for her money,” Maddie argued. “It doesn’t jibe with his personality at all. He’s a good guy. Tell her I’m right, Greer.”

  “He’s a good attorney,” Greer allowed. “I always thought he had a lot of common sense. But to date Vivian? I don’t know about that.” She was as fond of their eccentric grandmother as her sisters were, but Tom and Vivian dating? “What if he’s after her money?”

  “You think if he were that she’s too feeble to know?” Ali smiled wryly. “Fact is, he’s the one we should probably be worried about. Vivian’s pretty wily.”

  “It’s just a date!” Maddie objected. “It’s certainly not the craziest thing that’s ever happened around here. And it doesn’t have to mean marriage is afoot.” She was still rubbing her back as she waddled into the kitchen. “Even for Vivian.”

  “Watch out for the two loose floorboards,” Greer called out to her. What would her sisters say if she told them about Ryder’s ridiculous wife idea? “I put a chair over them.”

  Maddie reappeared in the doorway. She was carrying a second tray and her cheek bulged out like a chipmunk’s. “I wondered why it was sitting in the middle of the room,” she said around her mouthful of food. She bent her knees enough so that she could slide the tray of cheese and crackers onto the coffee table without spilling the contents, then worked her way back down onto the couch. “When did we start having loose floorboards?”

  “When did we not have them?” Ali responded. She sat down in the chair across from Maddie and pulled the trays closer, selecting a cluster of fat red grapes. “Are we having anything hot, or just cold stuff?”

  “Just cold.” Greer grabbed a fresh strawberry from the tray. “I have cold cuts and rolls, too, if you’re interested.”

  “Much as I love sandwiches, it’s too dang hot.” Ali propped her sandaled feet on the edge of the couch. “Heard your esteemed colleague got Anthony Pyle off in court last week.” She dangled her grapes in the air before plucking one from the stem. “Must feel good to know your department has put another little punk back on the streets.”

  Greer’s nerves tightened. Anthony’s verdict hadn’t come in unt
il evening on the day that she’d babysat Layla. But instead of being in the courthouse as she should have been, she’d been pacing around her house trying to forget everything that Ryder had said. “It does feel good. Particularly since your department neglected to arrest the right person in the first place.”

  “Come on,” Maddie said tiredly. “No arguments about work, okay?” She winced a little and rubbed her hand over her massive belly.

  Greer peered at her. “When are you going to start your maternity leave from Family Services?”

  “End of the week. I’m not due until next week, of course, but it’s just starting to be too hard to get through—”

  “—the doorways?”

  Maddie elbowed Ali. “Ha ha. Soon enough you’ll be in the same fix.” She looked back at Greer. “The days,” she finished. “Linc’s been on my case to stop working for the past month, and my obstetrician for the past two weeks. Arguing with them both is too much work when—” She winced again and blew out a long breath.

  “When you’re this close to popping,” Ali interjected. She closed her hand over Maddie’s and squeezed. “You know you don’t have to justify anything to us.”

  “Ali’s right.” Greer sat on the arm of the couch next to their pregnant sister. She rubbed Maddie’s shoulder, left bare by the loose, sleeveless sundress she wore. “I’m just looking forward to meeting our new niece or nephew.”

  Maddie’s lips stretched into a smile.

  “Speaking of nieces and nephews...” Ali looked at Greer over Maddie’s head. “Grant wants to know if there’s anything we can do legally to ensure access to Layla. Are there visitation rights for uncles or something?”

  Maddie made a sound. “Surely that’s not necessary.”

  “It’s been nearly six months,” Ali said quietly. “Ryder hasn’t made any attempts—”

  “Has Grant?” Greer asked. She read the answer in Ali’s expression. “Nothing will be accomplished if you and Grant take what Ryder will see as an adversarial angle.”

  Ali’s chin came up. “And you know so much about Ryder’s mind-set, do you?”

  “I know that unless there’s a custodial issue, a parent pretty much has the right to determine who has access to their own child!”

  Ali looked annoyed.

  “Remember that if it weren’t for Ryder, Layla would have been adopted by now and off living in Florida where there would be no possibility at all for any of us to have some part in her life.”

  “That’s right.” Maddie was nodding. “Everyone just needs time. Things will work out for everyone. I know it will. We just have to have a little more patience. Meanwhile, I know there’ve been some problems with keeping a nanny, but Ray’s last report to the court was positively glowing where Ryder’s care of her is concerned.”

  “That’s because Ryder is good with her. I’ve seen it for myself.”

  Both her sisters looked at her.

  “I babysat for him last week. I filled in for Mrs. Pyle so she could be at court with her grandson.”

  Maddie’s mouth formed an O. Ali looked annoyed.

  “It was a last-minute decision,” she added.

  Ali held up her hand. “Thursday, Friday, Saturday.” She ticked off on her fingers. “Sunday. Monday.” She held up her hand. “Five days, Greer. It took you five days to tell us? What other secrets are you keeping?”

  Greer pushed off the couch arm. “I’m not keeping secrets.”

  “What would you call it then?”

  “Okay, fine.” Ali had a point. “So I’ve...I’ve had a few encounters with Ryder lately.”

  Maddie’s eyebrows rose. “A few?”

  “How few?” Ali demanded. “And when?”

  “Last week!” Greer hated feeling put on the hot seat, but knew she had only herself to blame for not telling them sooner. “I ran into him and Layla when I was on a break during court on Monday. It was just a coincidence.” Though her chasing him right down the street hadn’t been.

  “So you think there’s no reason to mention it?”

  “No! I just—” She broke off. “I offered to help him find a nanny.”

  Maddie had closed her eyes and was breathing evenly. Ali, on the other hand, was watching Greer as though she’d committed a federal offense. “Why?”

  “Because I wanted to help! You know that he was the one who got me to Maddie’s shower.”

  “And why did he do that? He showed up just like that?” Ali snapped her fingers. “Out of the clear blue sky?”

  “For God’s sake, Ali. You’re always suspicious. Yes, out of the clear blue sky! Maddie’s been coaching us since you found Ryder not to push ourselves into his life until he gave some hint he’d welcome it. Well, he gave a hint! I didn’t deliberately flag him down when I was stuck out by Devil’s Crossing. But he helped and so I offered to help him in return. I’m not going to apologize for it. In fact, I would think you’d be glad for it!”

  “Glad that you’ve been seeing my husband’s niece without telling us a word about it? You know how important that is to Grant! Considering how estranged he’d been from Karen?”

  Greer propped her fists on her hips. “I’m telling you now! Look, I know your husband is still dealing with his grief where his sister is concerned. But if he’s been so concerned about Layla, why hasn’t he gone banging on Ryder’s door demanding to see her?” She waved at Maddie, who was looking pale. She’d always hated it when Greer and Ali went at it when they were kids, and things hadn’t changed much since then. “Don’t pretend that a man like your husband will follow anyone’s advice if he doesn’t agree with it! He blames Ryder and we all know it!”

  “He doesn’t blame Ryder! He blames himself!” Ali’s raised voice echoed around the room. She was breathing hard. “And judging by Ryder’s attitude these past months, he blames Grant, too.”

  The wind oozed out of Greer’s sails. “Of course Grant’s not responsible for what his sister did. Any more than Ryder is.”

  “I know that. And you know that. And my husband knows that, too. In here.” Ali touched her forehead. “But in here,” she said, tapping her chest, “it’s still killing him.”

  Greer pushed aside the fruit and veggie tray and sat on the coffee table in front of her sisters. She grabbed Ali’s hands and squeezed them. “It’s not just hot monkey sex, right? The two of you are okay all the way around?”

  Ali smiled slightly. She squeezed Greer’s hands in return. “All the way around,” she said huskily. “Grant is everything to me. I just want to be able to make this better for him.”

  “You will,” Maddie murmured. “Just tell him about the baby.”

  “The baby,” Greer echoed. “You think having another niece or nephew will make him less concerned with Layla?”

  “Of course not,” Maddie replied.

  “She’s talking about my baby.”

  Greer startled, looking at Ali. But Ali was looking at Maddie. “What I’d like to know is how you knew? I haven’t told anyone yet that I’m pregnant!”

  “I could just tell.” Maddie blew out another audible breath as she scooted herself forward enough to push off the couch. “Now do me a favor, would you?” She pressed her hands against the small of her back and worked her way around the two of them. “Call my husband and tell him it’s time.”

  Alarm slid through Greer’s veins. “Time?”

  “What d’you mean, time?” Ali looked even more alarmed.

  “I mean baby time,” Maddie exclaimed, thoroughly un-Maddie-like. “Now move!”

  Chapter Six

  The hands of the clock on the hospital waiting room wall seemed like they had stopped moving.

  No matter how urgently Maddie had entered the hospital six hours earlier, time seemed to be crawling now.

  Greer’s dad was pacing the perimeter of the room, his steps measured
and deliberate. Her mom, Meredith, was curled up in one of the chairs, her long hair spread over her updrawn knees. Vivian was sitting next to her, dozing lightly over the Chronicle of Philanthropy magazine on her lap. Archer was on his way from Denver, where he’d been consulting on a case, and Hayley and Seth had left only an hour ago, because it was long past time to put baby Keely to bed. Then there were Ali and Grant. Greer’s brother-in-law wore the broody sort of expression that never really left his darkly handsome face. But there was still tenderness in his face as he looked down at Ali’s tousled head on his shoulder. She was asleep.

  “How much longer d’you think it will take?” Carter finally stopped in front of Meredith.

  “I left my crystal ball at home.” She looked amused. “It’s a baby. It’ll take as long as it takes.”

  Her dad made a face. “What if something’s gone wrong?”

  Meredith smiled gently and took his hand. “Nothing’s gone wrong,” she assured him.

  “You don’t know that. Things go wrong all the time.”

  “Carter.” She stood, wrapping her arms around his waist and looking up at him. “It was only a few months ago that Hayley had Keely. That all went perfectly. And things are going to go perfectly with Maddie, too.”

  He pressed his cheek to the top of her head.

  Frankly, Greer sympathized more with her dad. Things did go wrong all the time. Her career proved that on a daily basis.

  What happens to Layla if something happens to me?

  “I’m going down to the cafeteria,” she said, pushing away the thought. “Get myself a coffee. Can I bring back anything?”

  Grant raised his hand. “Coffee here. I’ll go, though.”

  Greer waved away his offer. “And wake Sleeping Beauty?” In the commotion of getting everyone to the hospital, Greer couldn’t help but wonder if Ali had told him yet that they were expecting. She suspected not.

  “Your dad’ll take some coffee, too, sweetheart.”

  “I don’t suppose there’s a chance for a cocktail here?” Vivian commented, opening her eyes.

  Carter grimaced. He didn’t have a lot of affection for his mother, but since she’d moved to Wyoming in hopes of making amends with him after years of estrangement, he’d at least gotten to the point where it wasn’t always open warfare with her whenever they were in the same room. “It’s a hospital, Mother, not a bar.”