Kathryn Springer - Jingle Bell Babies

Was it his fault that none of the nannies he’d hired had been able to do the job properly?

His sweet-tempered sister’s popularity had opened the door to a few favors. But so far, nothing permanent.

He’d been grateful to Nicki for agreeing to watch the triplets over the past few days while they searched for Tommy, but she had her hands full with Kasey, the active toddler she’d recently been granted permission to adopt.

Clay had offered to shoulder more responsibility in the mornings so Jesse could drive the girls to a day care in High Plains, but that was his last resort. And he had to make that decision in about six hours.

Pride stopped him from letting anyone see how desperate he was. Especially the young, brown-eyed nurse who’d managed to coax a belly laugh out of somber little Sasha.

He could still hear the lilt of Lori’s laughter, mingled with his daughter’s, as he’d stood outside the door of the church nursery. It had rolled over him with the warmth of a spring breeze. And the sight of her raining kisses on Sasha’s chubby arm affected Jesse more than he cared to admit.

“That’s right.” The words sounded curt, even to his own ears, but it was the best he could do.

Small talk was simply beyond his capability at the moment.

Three days of searching for Tommy, in addition to keeping up with his regular chores and getting up with the triplets during the night, had begun to take its toll. His limbs felt as if they’d been replaced with wet concrete.

Lori Martin lingered in the doorway and Jesse wished she’d go away. And not because his gaze strayed to the soft tendrils of sunset-red hair that had escaped from her braid. Or because Sasha looked perfectly content to remain in the woman’s arms.

Nope. Because he was practically dead on his feet and didn’t need any witnesses to the fact. Someone who would report back to Nicki. Who’d report to Clay. Who’d report to Maya….

He had an idea. As much as Lori Martin obviously loved children, he knew exactly what would make her beat a hasty retreat.

“I didn’t realize you were interested in the position. When can you start?” Jesse injected just enough sarcasm to scare her off. And let her know exactly what he thought about people gossiping about him.

Lori Martin met his gaze. And smiled sweetly.

“Right now.”

You’re hired.

Those two simple words echoed in Lori’s mind as she reached the end of the long dirt road, and the car’s headlights illuminated a turn-of-the-century two-story house with a stone foundation.

Jesse’s house.

Maybe she should leave the engine running.

Lori hadn’t expected Jesse to turn cartwheels at her impulsive offer the night before, but his cool response had her questioning her decision. And her sanity.

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

The verse in Philippians she’d read during her devotional time that morning filtered through her panic and calmed what some people would have called “the butterflies” in her stomach. To Lori, it felt more like a herd of mustangs had taken up residence there.

She took a deep breath and turned off the ignition.

The front door opened and Jesse stepped onto the porch, his lean, broad-shouldered frame backlit by the soft glow from the window.

He’d been waiting for her.

Lori got out of the car, tempted to leave her suitcase in the trunk. Just in case.

I can do all things through Christ, Lori reminded herself. All things.

She’d made a promise to the girls—and to God—and she intended to keep it.

Scraping up her courage, Lori popped the trunk and wrestled her suitcase out. She took a step back and smacked into something warm and solid.

“I can take this.” Jesse’s fingers closed over the handle and brushed against hers as he took control of the suitcase.

The chilly morning air was making her shiver. Had to be that….

“Thank you.” The mustangs had multiplied, but Lori forced a smile.

“Is this all you have?” She sensed a scowl in the darkness.

“I packed what I needed to get me through the next few days.” If she lasted that long. “My rental came furnished, but I plan to pick up the rest my things later in the week.”

Jesse acknowledged her words with a curt nod as he retraced his steps back to the house.

Did the man know how to smile?

All things…

The verse dissolved like sugar in water as Lori followed Jesse inside and caught her first glimpse of her new home.

“You can go on in.” Jesse’s gruff prompt encouraged her to take another step forward.

A reluctant step forward.

It was obvious that two bachelor ranchers and three babies equaled chaos.

Jesse coughed as he ushered her into the living room. “The place is a little…neglected. I had a housekeeper. Up until last week.”

So. He’d fired her, too.

Which explained why the room looked as if the tornado had gone through his house the day before, instead of five months ago.

Bright plastic toys were scattered like confetti from one end of the room to the other. Laundry—men’s faded chambray work shirts mixed in with tiny, colorful sleepers—lay draped over the three infant swings lined up in front of the window.

And what was that smell?

Lori took a few more steps forward and something crunched beneath her foot. Glancing down, she saw the remains of a pretzel ground into the carpet.

“The housekeeper did most of the cooking, too.” Jesse discreetly swiped up a sock and crossed his arms to hide it from view.

Not that they’d had much time to talk about her specific duties yet, but it would have been nice if Jesse had mentioned she would be in charge, not only of the triplets, but of the entire household.

“I started asking around to find someone else, but…” His voice trailed off and Lori filled in the blanks.

Your former nannies spread the word about you.

The former nannies he’d apparently fired without a qualm.

But Madison, Brooke and Sasha needed her, so Lori was determined not to start off the day—let alone the first fifteen minutes—on the wrong foot.

“Don’t worry about it. I don’t mind cooking,” she said cheerfully. “I make the best eggplant Parmesan you’ve ever tasted.”

“Eggplant…” Jesse frowned. “I don’t think I’ve ever tried that.”

“Oh, I’m sure you’d remember if you had. It’s delicious. In fact, it’s considered a staple in a vegetarian diet.” But probably missing from the menu of a certain cattle rancher.

“Vege—” Jesse choked on the rest of the word. “You’re a…vegetarian?”

Lori waited a beat, hoping he’d realize he was being teased. It would prove a sense of humor lurked somewhere below that serious demeanor. “No.”

Jesse frowned.

Apparently not. “I was kidding.”

“Kidding?” Jesse repeated the word suspiciously.

“Making a joke….” Never mind.

“Right.” Jesse continued to stare at her, and Lori wondered if, in spite of her best intentions, she was going to break her predecessor’s forty-eight-hour record. Abruptly, Jesse turned away. “I’ll show you to your room. The girls are still asleep, but I guess that’s not a surprise, considering how late they went to bed last night.”

Lori envied them. She’d stared at the ceiling for hours, asking God if she’d made the right decision.

It wasn’t as if she were a risk-taker by nature. And considering Jesse Logan’s track record with the triplets’ former nannies, one might argue that taking the job definitely put her in that category.

After she’d helped Jesse bundle the girls into their snowsuits the night before, Lori told him that she’d be there by six-thirty the next morning. She didn’t know much about ranching but assumed Jesse’s day started at sunup. The mixture of relief and gratitude in his eyes told her that she’d guessed correctly.