Cowboy's Curvy Nanny (Cowboy Billionaires #1) Read online

  Cowboy’s Curvy Nanny

  J.P. Comeau

  Copyright © 2020 by J.P. Comeau

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cowboy’s Curvy Nanny is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places, and occurrences are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to a person, living or deceased, events, or locations is purely coincidental.

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  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Epilogue

  1

  Bryce

  I clicked my tongue. “Come on, Sky. That’s a good girl. Come on. Got a nice sugar cube for you.”

  Sky shook out her mane as her head swayed from side to side.

  “Come on, girl. We’ve been through this a million times. What in the world is--?”

  A crash of thunder broke right above our heads, and Sky reared up onto her hind legs. I tossed the sugar cubes into her feeding trough before I rushed to her, gripping her swinging lead rope as I started to softly pat her side. And as lightning flashed across the sky, I turned my eyes to the heavens.

  Hell of a day to have a storm.

  I had been training Sky for barrel racing ever since she was a small foal. The runt of the family and a couple of hands beneath the rest of the horses I had, she always did have an attitude that couldn’t be cooped up within her smaller-than-average body. But, today had been the worst of days, and I didn’t need her reluctance to make it any worse.

  Because if I couldn't get her into the trailer, I couldn't get her to the vet.

  “Come on, sweet girl. We gotta get out of here. You want to jump at the thunder, or be soaked by the rain?”

  Sky harrumphed and shook out her mane again. So, I petted down her side a bit more.

  “I know you’re scared. I know you hate storms. But, if you do this for me, there’s a lovely treat in it for you. How’s that sound?”

  She slowly looked back at me, and it made me chuckle.

  “I can’t tell ya the treat, Sky. That ruins the surprise. But it’s gonna be a good one. Whaddaya say?”

  Her eyes narrowed before she finally took a step forward.

  “There’s my good girl. Here we go. Up and at ‘em.”

  I got Sky loaded into the trailer as lightning continued to pierce across the heavens. A thunderous crack pumped blood through my veins, and I felt Sky trembling at my touch. It killed me to feel how scared she was, but I had rescheduled this vet visit twice already. Sky needed her yearly check-up, and I needed to make sure she was primped and primed for the barrel racing event at the local rodeo next weekend.

  After hooking up Sky’s lead rope so she would stay stable on the ride, I inched my way out of the stock trailer. I shielded my eyes from the pouring rain as it battered against my truck. When I heard Sky whinnying in the back, it broke my heart. I knew she wanted to be in the comfort of her stall, but we had one more stop we had to make. I hopped behind the wheel of the truck and cranked the engine.

  Glancing in my rearview mirror, I gave the Rocking R Ranch’s practice arena one last look and headed toward the main entrance to the Remington family’s ranch.

  As I drove slowly along the dirt road toward Dr. Morris’ office, I sighed. I wondered what else was in store for me with this horrific day I’d been having. I mean, just this morning, I’d spilled hot coffee on myself and had to change. Twice. Not to mention, the only thing I’d had to eat was a chili dog at ten in the morning. So, I was starving, yet somehow overcome with heartburn at the same time. I could hear my wife’s voice in my head now once I got home and started sucking down Tums.

  You know your body can’t handle that stuff anymore, Bryce.

  I pushed the thoughts of my wife away, so I wouldn't have to even think about our altercation this morning. At the beginning of our relationship, all I had to do was mention a rodeo, and she was there. But, here lately, it was like pulling teeth to get her to come. She hadn’t been to the last three rodeos, and with her absence came the absence of my daughter, Marie Lee. My two-year-old little starlight loved the rodeos, and every time her mother said she couldn't come, I had to leave the house listening to her squeals and cries of disapproval. It broke my heart. And I had no idea why the hell Patricia wouldn't just let me take her while she stayed behind. I mean, I fed her the argument any way I could. She’d get some alone time. She could go to whatever she wanted while I took care of Marie Lee. She could have herself a spa day, and I’d take care of everything once I got home. Nothing I suggested worked, though.

  It was as if my wife didn’t want Marie Lee to come with me out of spite.

  And I couldn't understand why.

  Something else is going on with her. Or, someone else?

  I shook the thought away from my brain. Just because my wife didn’t want to come to rodeos anymore didn’t mean she was seeing someone else. Because if there was one thing the two of us had in common, it was our dedication to one another. We got together under less-than-ideal circumstances, and somehow we’d managed to make it work with a child involved. That took guts and a great deal of risk. I’d always admire her for that, too. No, no, there had to be something else. And once I could pinpoint what it was, I could take on the task of repairing what I knew was damaged between us.

  After all, rodeos had been my favorite part of growing up. All of my best memories had been from the rodeos I attended with Mom and Dad and my two brothers. And I wanted my daughter to have those memories, too.

  As I steered from the dirt road onto the paved driveway and approached my sprawling ranch house, I pushed all thoughts from my mind. One thing at a time is what I needed, so that’s what I’d do. Once I got to the other side of town, and through this vet appointment, I could come back home and talk with Patricia. We always did our best talking over a milkshake after dinner once Marie Lee got put to bed, and we needed a really good talk now. I felt more distanced from her than ever before.

  But, as I drove past my house, I made the mistake of slowing down to survey my lawn.

  And I saw Marie Lee pressed against one of the front windows with tears pouring down her cheeks.

  “That’s enough,” I murmured.

  I rolled past the house slowly as I dug my cell phone out of my pocket and promptly called Patricia.

  “Yeah?” she asked.

  I heard Marie Lee wailing in the background, and it clenched my gut with anger.

  “Why the hell is our daughter still at the window crying?”

  She sighed. “She’s been going back and forth from that window since you left. I think she’s wa
iting for you to get home.”

  My heart seized in my chest. “Let me take her to this vet appointment. She can sit with me in--.”

  She huffed. “Why in the world do you always assume I can’t handle our daughter?”

  “Patricia, it isn’t anything like that.”

  “Well, every time this girl is upset, you look to me to accuse me of something. I can hear it in your voice right now. Look, she’s fine. She’s not bleeding. She’s not dying. She’s just upset that she’s not with you. She can hang on until you get home.”

  “Why won’t you just let me take her to the vet? What’s wrong with that?”

  She clicked her tongue. “Look, I have to go. You’re going to ruin our dinner tonight if you keep me on the phone any longer. See you when you get home.”

  “Patricia, wait. Give Marie Lee kisses for--!”

  She hung up on me, and for some reason, I wasn’t having it. So, I looked down at my screen as I eased to a stop and called her right back. I sat at the stop sign with my hazard lights on, letting anyone who needed to go around me do as such. And as the phone rang in my ear, Patricia finally picked up.

  “Seriously. This entire dish is time sensi--.”

  “It’s ten in the morning, Patricia. Your roast will be fine. I want to know why you won’t try to calm down our daughter.”

  She paused. “Seriously?”

  “Yes. Seriously.”

  I heard something clatter in the background. “Fine. All right. I won’t calm her down because you spoil her. She’s becoming nothing but a brat that demands things when she wants it and then throws herself onto the floor when she doesn’t get it. You think every time you leave, this house is the only time she cries? I had a knock-down, drag-out fight with a two-year-old over chocolate for breakfast that resulted in her being put in her bed until she calmed down. You want to know how long that took?”

  I shook my head. “There has to be another way to do this.”

  I heard venom rising in her voice. “That’s fine if you want to think I’m a shit mother, but I know damn well and good what I’m doing. While you’re in an office or out rodeoing twenty-four-seven, I’m here at home taking care of our daughter. Doing research. Talking with other moms about what works for their kids. And then you get me on the phone after only seeing your daughter for a few minutes this morning--.”

  “I told you to let me take her with me. And why are you cooking dinner anyway? Where the hell is Maria? The entire reason why we hired Maria was because you felt overwhelmed with motherhood and all of its responsibilities. Remember?”

  “In this rain, Bryce?! Are you crazy!? She’d get sick! I told you the heavens were gonna open up today and to stay home and just not go, but you refused. You didn’t want to do it. Because after working sixty hours in an office or training, you spend your entire weekends at the damn rodeo instead of here with your family. So, as far as I’m concerned? Until you spend more than ten hours a week with your daughter, you don’t get a say in how she’s raised.”

  She took a deep breath before she continued. “And by the way? Cooking soothes me. Can’t have two girls crying and yelling up a storm in the same house.”

  I felt my anger boiling over. “You listen here, Patricia. I’m just as much of a parent as--.”

  She giggled bitterly. “Save your diatribe for some other father who’s never home. But, right now? I’ve got dinner to prepare and a girl to raise. So, I’ll talk to you whenever it is you get home. If I’m still awake by the time you get home.”

  And yet again, she hung up the phone on me. Leaving me sitting there at the stop sign, wondering if her words were true.

  Am I a bad father?

  Am I an absent father?

  Is the solution to all of this simply giving up barrel racing?

  I cursed beneath my breath and tossed my cell phone into the passenger seat of the truck. I didn’t have time to weight the truth and the falsities of our fourth fight this week. I had to get to the vet before Dr. Morris canceled on me again and sent me across town to another vet’s office that charged me twice as much for the same services.

  So, I eased through the stop sign and continued on my way with the sounds of my crying daughter echoing off the corners of my mind.

  2

  Willow

  Thunder cracked outside Dr. Morris’ window as I sat there, my leg crossed over my knee. I’d always felt comfortable in his office. But, then again, I’d spent a lot of time in here as well. I grinned at the memories we’d created in the place. The memories his desk held. The memories his wall held. The memories his carpeting held. I watched as Dr. Morris’ fingers flew across his keyboard. Long, dexterous, nimble fingers that made me shiver from head to toe. I ran my eyes along the parts of him I could see. The sleek blonde hair that contrasted his brooding brown eyes. The sun kissed skin that boasted of the time he spent in the sun and whisking me away to beaches that held even more fond memories.

  I squeezed my thighs together in anticipation of our next encounter.

  But, when Dr. Morris finally looked over at me, the expression behind his eyes gave me pause.

  “Is… something wrong?” I asked.

  He clasped his hands together and settled them on his desk before his eyes roamed my body. A smile slid across my face as I puffed my chest out with pride. A chest that had grown these past couple of weeks and forced me to go up half a bra size. Sure, I’d been eating a bit more than usual. But, it was Dr. Morris’ fault. He kept taking me out to these amazing restaurants for dinner that used way too much butter in their food, and I always walked away with leftovers. Sure, maybe I’d put on ten pounds or so. But, who cared?

  Especially since Dr. Morris kept raking his eyes over--.

  “This isn’t easy for me to say,” he finally spat out.

  My chest deflated. “What isn’t easy for you to say?”

  Thunder crashed outside again as he leaned back into his leather chair. The expression behind his eyes was one of concern and hesitation. I knew that look, though. This was the look of a man who was about to break things off with me. I swallowed hard as the smell of disinfectant wafted up my nostrils. The bright and peaceful white of his office now became cold and hard. Unforgiving, as he sat there, staring at me.

  “Brandon, just spit it out,” I said flatly.

  His eyes found mine. “I can’t continue to let you barrel race my horses.”

  I furrowed my brow. “What?”

  He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Willow. But, I can’t allow you to barrel race my horses anymore.”

  Is that it? “I mean, I have to say I’m a bit relieved.”

  He blinked. “Relieved?”

  I nodded. “Yeah. For a second there, I thought you were about to break up with me.”

  He leaned forward. “Willow…”

  My jaw hit the floor. “Holy shit, you are breaking up with me.”

  “Willow, listen to me.”

  I shot to my feet. “I’ve spent six months with you, sneaking around in the shadows and meeting you in the backs of restaurants to keep us out of view because I’m your employee, and you were worried about how that looked. And I was totally okay with that, right?”

  He slowly stood. “Keep your voice down, Willow.”

  “Oh, like this!?”

  My words echoed off the hardened corners of his office as his stare turned to a glare.

  “This isn’t easy for me to say. I’ve been trying to come up with the words for days,” he said.

  I scoffed. “Days?”

  “Yes.”

  “Days.”

  He sighed. “Willow, please.”

  I took a step toward his desk. “Exactly how many days are we talking? Because if we’re just talking the last two or three days, then you have to understand that we’ve had a date and three separate intimate outings in the last two or three days, Brandon. So, how many days exactly have you been fucking me and not telling me you wanted to break up?”

  His back s
traightened. “Fine. If you’re going to cause a scene, I’ll spit it out and be done with it. I can’t let you barrel race the horses anymore because you’ve put on a bit of weight, and it’s too much of a strain on my horse’s joints. You know a barrel racer has to keep their weight in check. You’ve been doing this your entire life, or so you’ve told me. But, every time I see you, things are a little…”

  “Bigger? Thicker? Please, don’t stop now on my account.”

  His eyes narrowed. “And I knew the second I threw all of this out onto the table for the sake of my horses, you’d take it personally. I like your curves, Willow. They’re amazing. But, they aren’t fit for racing horses. That’s just a practical fact.”

  “So, you breaking up with me is simply a courtesy call?”

  He shook his head. “It’s not like that. I just wanted to--.”

  I pointed at him. “You know, my friends never did like you. Sadie and Luna? They both warned me about you. They both told me you’d do this. That you’d never actually take our relationship public and deal with the ridicule of dating one of your employees. I thought you cared about me, Brandon. Was any of it ever real?”

  As he stared at me with his lips rolled over his teeth, the shockwave of insanity barreled over my body. I heard my best friend’s voices in my head now, chanting away at the mantras that had practically become our only form of conversation when it came to the topic of Brandon.

  He’s just keeping you around because you’re a champion barrel racer.

  He’s not going to have a public relationship with you.