Read Online The Cattleman's Special Delivery by Barbara Hannay - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Barbara Hannay
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unsmiling nod as he made short work of bacon and eggs and hot buttered toast. ‘Don’t get too fancy, mind you. Just serve up good plain tucker and you won’t hear any complaints from me.’
Reece rolled his eyes and Jess suppressed a smile.
‘Well, I’m afraid you won’t be able to have bacon and eggs every day,’ she warned Michael.
‘I’ve given Jess the list of foods your doctor recommends,’ added Reece.
Michael scowled. ‘Bloody doctors.’
‘Oh, I wouldn’t worry too much. There are ways and means,’ Jess said airily. Already, she was getting used to Michael’s grumbles. She could see they were more a habit than genuine gripes and she was actually looking forward to the challenge of winning him around with tasty, healthy offerings.
Once the breakfast dishes were done and Rosie was down for a morning nap, Reece offered to show her the rooms where she and Rosie would sleep. ‘I’m afraid they haven’t been used for quite a while.’
In fact they were in a part of the house that was locked up and Reece had to wrestle with old-fashioned heavy keys to open a door at the end of the passage that led to them. This done, he hurried forward and opened shutters and windows, letting sunlight stream in to reveal a vast space as well as plenty of dust and cobwebs.
‘Hmm...it’s worse than I feared,’ he said, grimacing.
‘But the room’s huge.’ Jess didn’t care about the mess. It would be gone after a day’s hard work. More importantly, this bedroom was as large as the entire living area in her previous flat and it had wonderfully high ceilings that made it feel even more luxurious and spacious. Against one wall stood an old-fashioned iron and brass double bed with a mattress swathed in dust sheets, and along another wall stood a matching pair of old-fashioned wardrobes with long oval mirrors on the doors.
Reece pushed open white-shuttered doors. ‘And this area needs a thorough clean too, but I thought it might be suitable for Rosie.’
Jess followed him to find a section of veranda that had been closed in with floor-to-ceiling shutters. It was a perfect spot for catching a cooling breeze, or blocking out the sun, and it was also fully fly-screened, which meant she wouldn’t have to worry about flies or mosquitoes or nasty creepy-crawlies.
She grinned with delight. ‘It’s perfect. Actually, it’s better than perfect. It’s like something out of my deepest fantasy.’
‘And the bathroom’s this way,’ Reece said, leading the way into an old-fashioned bathroom with black and white tiles on the floor, a separate shower cubicle and a claw-foot bath. Here, sunlight made green and rose window panes glow despite their grime, and there was also a deep cream washbasin set into a marble-topped silky oak dresser.
By now, Jess was practically turning inside out with excitement. ‘I can’t believe this, Reece. I love it all. Love, love, love it.’
She skipped towards him. There was only one thing to do when she was this excited—give the man a great big hug of gratitude. But as she flung out her arms, she heard the sharp intake of his breath, and she stiffened, snatched her hands back just in time.
Yikes. What was I thinking? Reece was her boss and she was a recently bereaved widow. There were boundaries to be kept. Reece had invited her here because he felt sorry for her, not to start something. No wonder he was looking grim and tense, almost angry.
‘This is very exciting,’ she said instead, and she felt a pang as she wondered what Alan would think if he could see her now. ‘When everything’s cleaned, these rooms will be gorgeous—like something out of a magazine. I can’t wait to get started.’ Then she laughed. ‘And that’s saying something. I’m not usually fond of cleaning.’
‘I’ll help you.’
‘Oh, no, you mustn’t.’ She wouldn’t dream of asking for Reece’s help. ‘You’re far too busy. You have all your cattle to look after.’
His eyes glinted as
Reece rolled his eyes and Jess suppressed a smile.
‘Well, I’m afraid you won’t be able to have bacon and eggs every day,’ she warned Michael.
‘I’ve given Jess the list of foods your doctor recommends,’ added Reece.
Michael scowled. ‘Bloody doctors.’
‘Oh, I wouldn’t worry too much. There are ways and means,’ Jess said airily. Already, she was getting used to Michael’s grumbles. She could see they were more a habit than genuine gripes and she was actually looking forward to the challenge of winning him around with tasty, healthy offerings.
Once the breakfast dishes were done and Rosie was down for a morning nap, Reece offered to show her the rooms where she and Rosie would sleep. ‘I’m afraid they haven’t been used for quite a while.’
In fact they were in a part of the house that was locked up and Reece had to wrestle with old-fashioned heavy keys to open a door at the end of the passage that led to them. This done, he hurried forward and opened shutters and windows, letting sunlight stream in to reveal a vast space as well as plenty of dust and cobwebs.
‘Hmm...it’s worse than I feared,’ he said, grimacing.
‘But the room’s huge.’ Jess didn’t care about the mess. It would be gone after a day’s hard work. More importantly, this bedroom was as large as the entire living area in her previous flat and it had wonderfully high ceilings that made it feel even more luxurious and spacious. Against one wall stood an old-fashioned iron and brass double bed with a mattress swathed in dust sheets, and along another wall stood a matching pair of old-fashioned wardrobes with long oval mirrors on the doors.
Reece pushed open white-shuttered doors. ‘And this area needs a thorough clean too, but I thought it might be suitable for Rosie.’
Jess followed him to find a section of veranda that had been closed in with floor-to-ceiling shutters. It was a perfect spot for catching a cooling breeze, or blocking out the sun, and it was also fully fly-screened, which meant she wouldn’t have to worry about flies or mosquitoes or nasty creepy-crawlies.
She grinned with delight. ‘It’s perfect. Actually, it’s better than perfect. It’s like something out of my deepest fantasy.’
‘And the bathroom’s this way,’ Reece said, leading the way into an old-fashioned bathroom with black and white tiles on the floor, a separate shower cubicle and a claw-foot bath. Here, sunlight made green and rose window panes glow despite their grime, and there was also a deep cream washbasin set into a marble-topped silky oak dresser.
By now, Jess was practically turning inside out with excitement. ‘I can’t believe this, Reece. I love it all. Love, love, love it.’
She skipped towards him. There was only one thing to do when she was this excited—give the man a great big hug of gratitude. But as she flung out her arms, she heard the sharp intake of his breath, and she stiffened, snatched her hands back just in time.
Yikes. What was I thinking? Reece was her boss and she was a recently bereaved widow. There were boundaries to be kept. Reece had invited her here because he felt sorry for her, not to start something. No wonder he was looking grim and tense, almost angry.
‘This is very exciting,’ she said instead, and she felt a pang as she wondered what Alan would think if he could see her now. ‘When everything’s cleaned, these rooms will be gorgeous—like something out of a magazine. I can’t wait to get started.’ Then she laughed. ‘And that’s saying something. I’m not usually fond of cleaning.’
‘I’ll help you.’
‘Oh, no, you mustn’t.’ She wouldn’t dream of asking for Reece’s help. ‘You’re far too busy. You have all your cattle to look after.’
His eyes glinted as
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