Amy J. - Wife For Hire

However, she never expected him to go straight into Michelle’s arms.

Michelle had had her sights on Nash the instant he and Hayley had started dating. Hayley had known that, but she’d just never believed her own sorority sister would betray her or that Nash would fall for Michelle’s helpless-Southern-belle bit. But that was only part of it. Hayley wasn’t good enough for him. She didn’t have the social graces, the impeccable background that Michelle Criswell had. Michelle was a socialite; she traveled in Nash’s social circles, possessing all the proper qualities a man like Nash needed in a wife. Hayley, on the other hand, was nearly poverty-stricken, on scholarships and working two jobs to survive. She could never measure up to the Rayburn two-hundred-year-old lineage.

Michelle had flashed her indecently large engagement ring in her face and victoriously said just that.

Hayley sniffled and swallowed, reaching for a napkin to dry her tears. Then, she couldn’t have made plans till she had her MD, and she couldn’t now.

Nash’s deep voice rumbled through the distance to the kitchen, making her heart skip and she looked up at the wall separating the kitchen and dining room. It’s too late to go back, she thought.

“Calm down, Hayley.”

“Calm down?” she said into the phone. “I swear, Kat, if I was there, I’d—”

“Beat me senseless about the head and shoulders?”

Hayley’s lips curved in a smile and she sighed. “Yeah. But that would ruin your hairdo.” She sank onto the bed, rubbing her forehead. “How could you do this to me?”

“Sugah, it was fate, I swear it. He called and you were next on the list, available.”

“Didn’t you consider the position you put me in?”

“You can handle him. You’re a strong woman, Hayley.”

“And his former lover.”

“It would have been rude to mention that.”

“He doesn’t want me here.”

“How do you know that?”

Hayley scoffed. “I’m a bad penny turning up, Kat, and the fact that I’m inches from residency is just one reminder of why we split.”

“And Michelle didn’t have a thing to do with it, right?”

Hayley didn’t want to talk about Michelle. She was dead, part of the past, unchangeable. No one, not even Kat, knew the details of Nash’s marriage. It was as if he’d shut out the world then. And it was too painful a subject to approach, especially with Nash. “Michelle didn’t tackle him till he and I argued. Besides, she had all the right qualities, obviously, and—”

“That’s bunk.”

“—it wouldn’t have worked,” Hayley said as if Kat hadn’t spoken. “He wanted a wife and mother. I wanted a career. I still want that. Besides, I don’t have time.”

“You have two weeks.”

Hayley didn’t bother to comment on that. “Fine, be that way.” Kat paused and then said, “So, how’s he look?”

Smiling at the purely feminine interest in Kat’s voice, Hayley shook her head and flopped back onto the pillows. “Well, you know how fine wine gets with age.”

“Oh, lawd, he must be devastating.”

“An understatement.” Wealthy, commanding, handsome, strong-willed and, as she recalled, a great kisser. What more could a girl ask for?

Kat’s voice broke back into her thoughts. “His daughters?”

She smiled. “Beautiful. Sweet, well behaved.”

“You’re falling in love with them.”

“Anyone with a heart would.”

“And their daddy?”

“That is a dead subject, Kat. But…”

Kat jumped on her hesitation. “But what?”

“Nothing…it’s nothing.”

“Dag-gummit, Hayley Ann!”

Hayley smiled. Let her stew, she thought. Kat deserves to be left out in the cold. Not that there was anything to tell. “You know, Katherine, what goes around comes around.”

“Hah! I wish something long-legged and slow talkin’ like Nashville Rayburn would come calling around me.”

Nashville. She’d forgotten about that little secret. “Careful what you wish for, you tart.”

“Pest. Always were. Worst little sister I’ve ever sponsored.” The love in Kat’s tone was unmistakable.

Hayley heard voices, and frowning, she walked to her bedroom door and opened it, peering into the hall. It was coming from the girls’ quarters upstairs. “I’ve got to go. I can hear Nash hollering, and he sounds like he’s going to bust a vein or something.”

“Well, you just go to him, then, sugah.”

Distracted, Hayley didn’t recognize the smugness in Katherine’s voice before she cut the line and tossed the phone on the bed.

Had she, she might not have gone upstairs.

“Kimberly Grace Rayburn, open this door!”

“I can’t, Daddy!”

“I promised not to come in, but you promised not to lock the door.”

“We’re fine, Daddy. We’re not babies.”

“But you’re my babies.” They just giggled. “I can get it open, you know.”

“No!” the twins wailed.

Nash sighed, falling back against the wall and rubbing his hand over his face. They’d been at this for ten minutes and he didn’t want them bathing without supervision. Why were they so shy around him lately?

“It’s normal.”

He opened his eyes to find Hayley standing nearby, a stack of towels in her arms. “I’m their father,” he said.

“You’re a male to them right now and they don’t want you to see them naked.”

“But I’ve seen them every day for five years!” He made a frustrated sound, then said, “They could drown!”

Hayley stepped close, knocking softly. “Hey, girls, can I come in?”

There was a bit of discussion in there and Hayley offered Nash a weak smile. Then the door lock clicked. Nash scowled. Hayley stepped inside. Nash started to move in, too, but Hayley waved him back, leaving the door open a discreet crack.

“What, no bubbles?”

“Bubbles?” The twins looked at each other and smiled. “Mrs. Winslow never let us have bubbles. She makes us hurry.”

Nash scowled at that and he leaned against the wall, out of sight.

“Well,” Hayley said, settling to the floor and taking up the washcloth and soap, “sometimes it’s necessary, but a lady needs to soak in a bathtub of bubbles once in a while. It’s a luxury we are allowed.”

“Why?” Nash said from the hall.

“Because we are females, Nash. It’s that time when we paint our toenails, ponder world affairs, pretty gowns, handsome men—” she winked at the girls, shampooing their hair “—soothe broken hearts and plan our futures.”

“Broken hearts” clung to his mind and his throat tightened. Her voice was soft, her Southern accent refined and cultured, like his mom’s. “I don’t see the point of it,” he said. “Get in, get out. Turning into a prune is a waste of time.”

Hayley rolled her eyes and the girls copied her. “That’s why you are a man and we are women. You will never understand.”

“A girl thing,” he said.

“Yes. Okay, ladies, time to rinse.”

This was the hard part, Nash thought. Kate was scared to death of getting soap in her eyes. The water ran, but he didn’t hear the usual complaints, and he peeked inside the room. Kate had a washcloth pressed tightly over her eyes and Hayley was doing her best to keep it from getting wet. Well, heck, he did that all the time, but got nothing but screams. When Kate was done, Hayley wrapped her head in a towel, then focused on Kim. Nash darted back when they stepped from the tub.

A few minutes later Kate said, “Okay, Daddy, you can come in now.”

Nudging the door open, he swung around the door frame and smiled. “I knew my babies were under all that dirt.” He kissed each twin, then reached for the comb. Kim winced before he even started.