snorted, and Lauren shushed him. “Well, older anyway. As much as I don’t like admitting it, things are getting harder for me to handle around here with new people coming to the ranch. I’ve asked Lauren to step in for me as the ranch cook in order to take some of the pressure off me.”
Lauren was smiling, but the guys all looked shaken. Drannon was the first to speak. “Are you okay, Marilyn? I mean, really okay? We can get more help in here if you need it.”
“I can’t believe we haven’t already thought of it,” Vin said, running his nails over his buzzed hair in frustration. “I can ask Amelia and Carly if they know of anyone looking for some part-time work. Maybe someone to help with the housework?”
“No, no. I’m fine. I just needed a pair of extra hands is all,” Marilyn said, waving them away.
“And I needed a purpose,” Lauren said softly. There was a moment of hesitation, but then everyone seemed to absorb the dual purpose of the new appointment and accept it.
“Then it seems like you’ve found the perfect solution,” Vin said, kissing his girlfriend’s head. “And a fantastic chef to take over the reins in the kitchen.”
Marilyn winked at Lauren. “I may sneak in every now and then to make some french toast, but from now on, the kitchen will be Lauren’s domain.”
Without another word, it was accepted and everyone went on about their business as if her words had no further impact on their lives. The sound of a baby crying echoed through the monitor sitting atop the piano, and everyone turned to look toward it. Vin was closest, and he held a hand up. “I’ve got it this time. You keep doing what you’re doing.”
Jeanette’s attention went to Lacy and Drannon who were technically Michael’s parents at the moment, but they both just nodded their appreciation and went back to what they were doing. The phrase ‘it takes a village’ ran through her mind as she realized that, in this family, there were no truer words.
“He’s good with babies, huh?” Jeanette murmured to Marilyn who nodded.
“They all are. There were babies in and out of here all the time. Some for days, some for weeks, and some”—she gestured with her head in the direction Vin had gone—“for a lifetime. Each became a part of the family no matter how long they were here.”
“I admire that,” Jeanette said wistfully. “Not everyone accepts change so easily.”
“Oh it wasn’t all rainbows, trust me. There were plenty of disturbances, but Sera always believed that a child who was acting out was a child who needed to be loved even harder, and she set out to do her best.”
“Were there ever any she wasn’t able to help?” Jeanette asked, wondering at the strength of the woman this family held in such high esteem.
“Plenty of them, but that didn’t stop her from trying.” Marilyn tugged on a wire and grinned when it pulled free. “Finally. I thought I’d never get that one. Here Lauren, get your dang lights up. Jeanette just about has the second string ready, too.”
“Yay!” Lauren cheered, taking the lights and passing them to Hawke who had just reentered the room with a stepladder. “Make sure you leave room for the angel.”
Hawke rolled his eyes. “This ain’t my first rodeo, Lola-brat,” he teased, and she stuck her tongue out at him.
Jeanette couldn’t take her eyes off of the muscular cowboy as he climbed the ladder and began wrapping the tree with Christmas lights. His t-shirt stretched over his wide shoulders like a second skin, and every time he moved, his muscles undulated in a way that made her belly flutter. His snug blue jeans cupped his backside, and she could clearly see the imprint of his wallet in his back pocket. There was no doubt the man had one fine ass, and she promptly envisioned taking a bite out of it before she mentally chided herself. Damn hormones were all out of whack.
“So, how about for Christmas this year we all put our names in a hat and we
Lauren was smiling, but the guys all looked shaken. Drannon was the first to speak. “Are you okay, Marilyn? I mean, really okay? We can get more help in here if you need it.”
“I can’t believe we haven’t already thought of it,” Vin said, running his nails over his buzzed hair in frustration. “I can ask Amelia and Carly if they know of anyone looking for some part-time work. Maybe someone to help with the housework?”
“No, no. I’m fine. I just needed a pair of extra hands is all,” Marilyn said, waving them away.
“And I needed a purpose,” Lauren said softly. There was a moment of hesitation, but then everyone seemed to absorb the dual purpose of the new appointment and accept it.
“Then it seems like you’ve found the perfect solution,” Vin said, kissing his girlfriend’s head. “And a fantastic chef to take over the reins in the kitchen.”
Marilyn winked at Lauren. “I may sneak in every now and then to make some french toast, but from now on, the kitchen will be Lauren’s domain.”
Without another word, it was accepted and everyone went on about their business as if her words had no further impact on their lives. The sound of a baby crying echoed through the monitor sitting atop the piano, and everyone turned to look toward it. Vin was closest, and he held a hand up. “I’ve got it this time. You keep doing what you’re doing.”
Jeanette’s attention went to Lacy and Drannon who were technically Michael’s parents at the moment, but they both just nodded their appreciation and went back to what they were doing. The phrase ‘it takes a village’ ran through her mind as she realized that, in this family, there were no truer words.
“He’s good with babies, huh?” Jeanette murmured to Marilyn who nodded.
“They all are. There were babies in and out of here all the time. Some for days, some for weeks, and some”—she gestured with her head in the direction Vin had gone—“for a lifetime. Each became a part of the family no matter how long they were here.”
“I admire that,” Jeanette said wistfully. “Not everyone accepts change so easily.”
“Oh it wasn’t all rainbows, trust me. There were plenty of disturbances, but Sera always believed that a child who was acting out was a child who needed to be loved even harder, and she set out to do her best.”
“Were there ever any she wasn’t able to help?” Jeanette asked, wondering at the strength of the woman this family held in such high esteem.
“Plenty of them, but that didn’t stop her from trying.” Marilyn tugged on a wire and grinned when it pulled free. “Finally. I thought I’d never get that one. Here Lauren, get your dang lights up. Jeanette just about has the second string ready, too.”
“Yay!” Lauren cheered, taking the lights and passing them to Hawke who had just reentered the room with a stepladder. “Make sure you leave room for the angel.”
Hawke rolled his eyes. “This ain’t my first rodeo, Lola-brat,” he teased, and she stuck her tongue out at him.
Jeanette couldn’t take her eyes off of the muscular cowboy as he climbed the ladder and began wrapping the tree with Christmas lights. His t-shirt stretched over his wide shoulders like a second skin, and every time he moved, his muscles undulated in a way that made her belly flutter. His snug blue jeans cupped his backside, and she could clearly see the imprint of his wallet in his back pocket. There was no doubt the man had one fine ass, and she promptly envisioned taking a bite out of it before she mentally chided herself. Damn hormones were all out of whack.
“So, how about for Christmas this year we all put our names in a hat and we
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