The Rancher's Nanny

“He wouldn’t want your skinny, skanky ass, especially as he wouldn’t know what he’d catch seeing as you sleep with anything. Now, get out of my way.” She shoved the cart, only using some of her strength, but with the shove she gave, it was a warning. Never had she stood up to her sister. “Paige, sweetie, go ahead and get in the checkout line.” She waited for Paige to be out of sight. Grabbing her sister, she pinned her against the fridge. It was the first time she’d ever laid a hand on Emily. Her anger simmered beneath the surface. “You ever talk to Paige like that, even if you’re not talking to her, we will see who’d win in a little fight today when I’m not taking your punches. Do you understand?”

Emily looked afraid.

“Your days of treating me like shit are over. You’re not my sister, and you can tell Mom and Dad I want nothing to do with them. You’re all done for me. Chad’s welcome to you.” She released Emily, spinning on her heel and forcing a smile to her lips. She accepted Paige, who ran into her arms. Once they had paid, she placed their groceries in the car and they left the parking lot.

Even as her hands shook a little, she was happy she’d done what she did.

When she got home, there was no sign of Caleb. Instead of lingering on what Emily said, she got to work on making his cake. She put an apron on Paige, and they both got really messy.

“Was that your sister?” Paige asked. “The nasty lady at the store?”

“Yeah. That was Emily. She’s not very nice, is she?” Maddie said as they prepared the frosting. The cake was already out of the oven and cooling. A really dark, deep chocolate cake. It smelled amazing.

“No. She said nasty things. Are sisters all like that?” Paige asked.

Maddie handed Paige the bowl to continue working the butter and icing sugar together. “No, they’re not all like that. Some sisters are great.” She’d been unlucky to have one who actually wanted a baby sister. “Emily has never liked me, but you don’t worry about what she said, okay? It’s nothing about you. You’re perfect.”

They finished decorating the cake, and once it was in the fridge, she found Paige staring at her. She was worried that she’d scared the little girl with her anger at Emily. “What’s wrong, honey?” she asked.

“I want a brother or a sister. Do you think you and Daddy could get me one? I asked Nathan at school and he said mommies and daddies have to get them, and you never know what you’re going to get. You’re like my mommy, and I love you, Maddie. I wish I could call you Mommy.” Paige threw herself into her arms, and Maddie’s eyes filled with tears. That had to be one of the nicest things that anyone had ever said to her.

“I love you, too,” Maddie said.

“Will you think about it?” Paige asked.

“Yes,” she said, not knowing what else to say. “Why don’t you go and get cleaned up?”

Paige nodded and left the room.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Maddie pressed her hands against her face and felt totally alone.

She gasped as arms surrounded her, and she saw Caleb staring down at her. “Did you hear?”

“About what Paige wanted? Yes, I heard.”

“She also met Emily today, and I’m so sorry that she heard some things she really shouldn’t have been allowed to hear.” The tears she’d tried to keep at bay spilled down her cheeks. “I stood up to her today.”

“To Emily?”

“Yes. She called Paige a motherless something, and then tried to make out that she’d make a play for you. That you needed a real woman, and I lost it. I had Paige wait in the checkout line.” She told him what happened between her and Emily, and she was trying not to freak out as she told him everything. “Do you hate me? Do you want me to leave?”

The thought of leaving made her sick. She didn’t want to leave Paige or Caleb.

He placed a finger beneath her chin and tilted her head back, so she had no choice but to look at him.

“I don’t want Emily. You’re the only woman I want, Maddie.”

“I know. I know. I’m more worried about what this means to Paige.”

“She wants a baby sister or brother.” He chuckled at that. “I’m wondering how far you’d be willing to go to give our girl exactly what she wants.”

Maddie gasped, but didn’t have time to say anything more as his lips were on hers, silencing any protest.

****

For his birthday Caleb had an amazing meal, a beautiful cake, spent time with his family, and had his woman by his side. It was the perfect birthday. What made it even more so was at the end of the evening he had one more gift to unwrap.