Chapter 12
“I’ll get it,” Kade called. “Now who in the hell is disturbing my Sunday? Better not be a bunch of religious do-gooders telling me I’m hell bound,” he muttered under his breath.
Throwing down the newspaper, he vaulted from the leather recliner, and stepping around Maddy’s discarded doll and doll bed, headed for the front door.
Kade had to smile at the disorder one small girl could create. In the two weeks since Maddy’s arrival, the house had taken on a different personality. Gone were the all-male, everything in its place, rooms. Gran simply couldn’t keep up with the more active Maddy. Actually, none of them could.
On their shopping trip, he and Declan had bought a two-wheeled walker. Baby Go Round, it was called. And go round, Maddy did. Sit her in its canvas seat, stick her legs through the two holes, and her little feet would start pawing the floor, gaining momentum as she flew from one interesting item to another. Nothing was sacred. Maddy had arms like an octopus. She was blossoming in the love surrounding her.
“I’ll get it, Kade,” Gran hollered, meeting him at the door.
“Expecting a caller?” Kade teased.
“Go on with you. I just thought I’d spare you having your few minutes of relaxation spoiled. Seems as though since Declan’s arrival, you’ve been busier than ever.”
She patted the arm of this tall grandson with the perpetual look of distrust on his face. She’d give anything to ease some of his burdens. But Kade wrapped his hurt and wariness around him like a shield. He’d let it slip more with Maddy’s arrival, and for that, she was grateful.
Kade pulled the heavy door open and glared at the woman standing there, three boxes of Girl Scout cookies in her hands.
“Oh, for God’s sake,” he growled. “Aren’t you a little old to be selling Girl Scout cookies?”
Hope took an involuntary step back at the appearance and words of the cold, forbidding man facing her. Granted, he was one prime hunk of masculinity. She swallowed and clutched the cookies tight to her chest. A man that handsome shouldn’t be allowed out among unsuspecting females.
“Well,” he demanded, “aren’t you?”
“Aren’t I what?” Hope stammered.
“Too old to be peddling Girl Scout cookies door to door?”
“Oh.” Hope looked at the boxes as if she had no idea how they had gotten there.
“Oh,” she repeated and smiled.
Kade felt the beauty of that smile hit him. Unconsciously, he leaned closer to the woman as though seeking her warmth. Then he jerked back.
His eyes, now cold as a mountain lake, cut into Hope.
“I . . . I think I must have the wrong address,” she fumbled the words. “I’m looking for 717, County Road 115.”
“You’ve found it,” Kade said tersely.
“Good,” Hope deepened her megawatt smile. “I’m new here, and the county roads aren’t all that well marked. I would have missed . . .”
“Look.” Kade didn’t give her a chance to finish her sentence. “I don’t care about the county road’s signage. I don’t care about the trouble you’ve had finding your way. And, I don’t care about your trumped-up reason for standing here, wasting my time.” He gave a derisive sneer at the cookies.
“Well, excuse me, Mr. High and Mighty. Here,” she thrust the cookies against his chest. “For some reason, my sister, Elsie Jones, asked me to deliver these to this address. She’s a Girl Scout leader,” Hope added lamely.
Kade was jostled out of making a reply by Gran pushing him to the side.
“You must be Hope Jackson. Your sister said you’d be coming by in response to the ad.” Gran reached out and, grabbing both of Hope’s hands, pulled her past a rigid Kade.
“Just a minute, Gran. “Hold on. What ad?”
“Why the one I put in the paper,” she innocently replied.
Hope stood there like a statue absorbing the byplay between the two. She couldn’t help noticing the softness in Kade’s voice when he spoke to his ‘Gran.’
“I think you’ve got some explaining to do,” Kade said. “What ad? What paper?”
“I have questions, too,” Declan joined the threesome. “Come on, Gran, ‘fess up.”
Heaven help me, Hope thought. Another handsome male. Do they grow them around here like a hay crop?
“Excuse me,” Hope said softly.
“What?” Kade barked at her.
“I’ll be leaving now. I’ve delivered the cookies and,” she gave him a cold look, “stepped on a hornet’s nest. Which, I might add, doesn’t concern me. I’m just the innocent delivery boy.”
“You’re right on one count. It doesn’t concern you, delivery boy.” Kade snapped, his eyes boring into hers.
And before Hope could question her action, one shapely finger darted out and jabbed him in his chest, knocking the cookies out of his hands.
“You are rude. Disgustingly rude, Cowboy.”
Kade couldn’t help admiring the fire leaping from Hope’s eyes. And in that moment, he was overwhelmingly aware of the beautiful spitfire standing before him. A red tinge of anger dusted her high cheek bones, and where in the hell did eyes that emerald green come from?
“Rancher,” he said, a hint of pleasure in his voice. Darned if he wasn’t enjoying lighting her fire.
“Ill-mannered,” she snapped back, turning on her heel.
“Now just a minute. Hope, you wait right there. I’ll set these two lummoxes straight, and then you and I will go into the kitchen and discuss that job.” When Gran used her don’t give me any sass voice, no one defied her, and Hope was no exception.
“Kade, Declan, I will explain but not because I have to. Understand?” Gran gave each man a stern look.
Both nodded.
“I’m seventy-eight years old. And while I think I’m younger, I’m not. And having our precious Maddy around has brought that home in a vengeance.” She held up one wrinkled hand forestalling the mutters coming from both men.
“Hush. You wanted an explanation, now you’re getting one.” Gran sighed. “I put an ad in the paper—in the help wanted section,” she said defiantly. “I said we were looking for someone to help care for our baby girl. Apartment furnished.”
“Help?” Declan asked.
“Apartment? What apartment?” Kade threw out.
“The one you’ll be making out of those two storage rooms next to your office. Join them and they’ll be large enough for a kitchenette, a bedroom, bathroom, and small living room. Declan will help.”
Declan looked at Kade and shrugged feebly.
“Now, to answer your question, Declan. We need help with Maddy. Every day she’s getting stronger, braver, and more determined—as she should be. She’s becoming an active eighteen-month-old, little girl. The fool contraption she races around in has made her legs stronger. That, along with good food, is working magic. She’ll be walking before we know it, and then heaven help us. As much as I love taking care of her, I, we, need help.”
“Gran, I didn’t realize . . . I’ll do better,” Declan protested.
“You’re a wonderful dad and big help, Declan. I’m not saying you aren’t. But you need to have time to build that house you’ve been talking about. And, Kade could use your help around the ranch. We need a live-in babysitter.”
Neither man said a word. Gran had decreed.
“Ma’am,” Hope said into the silence. “There’s been a misunderstanding. I’m not applying for the job.”
“Of course, you are.” Gran grabbed her arm, propelling her past two silent, open-mouthed men and into the kitchen.