Read Online The Nanny's New Family (Caring Canines) by Margaret Daley - Free Book Online

bed. When she began to straighten away from him, his eyes slid open halfway.
    She brushed his hair away from his face and smiled at him. “You were on the floor with no covers.” Then she kissed him on his forehead. “Good night.”
    “Annie, are you gonna leave us?”
    “I don’t have any plans to leave.”
    Joshua sighed and rolled over onto his side. “Good. All the others did.”
    As she backed out of the room, Annie’s heart constricted at the need and longing in his voice. The best thing Ian could do to help his family was to find a wife. The kids needed a mother. As much as she could see that as a solution for him, she couldn’t visualize him with a wife. The thought bothered her.

Chapter Five
    T he next morning, as Annie took the breakfast casserole out of the oven and placed it in the center of the table, Jade and Joshua came into the kitchen.
    “It smells great. What is it?” Jade asked as she sat down.
    “It’s a recipe along the idea of French toast minus the syrup.”
    “Can I put syrup on it?” Joshua took his chair, staring at the dish.
    “Try it first without. If you need syrup, then it’s fine with me.” When Joshua reached for the serving spoon, Annie added, “Wait until everyone shows up.”
    “Jasmine probably won’t be down for a while. She’s having trouble with her hair. I told her we need to shave it off, then she won’t have any problem.” Jade poured milk into her glass and Joshua’s.
    Joshua giggled. “That would be funny.”
    “No, it wouldn’t be.” Annie headed back to the counter. “Jade, could you help me put the rest on the table?” When she handed the girl the pitcher of orange juice, she said, “Jasmine used to let Aunt Louise help her with her hair. Do you know why she doesn’t want help anymore?”
    Jade nodded and took the drink. “The first nanny we had kept pulling her hair. When Jasmine screamed, she didn’t care.”
    “Why didn’t Jasmine say anything to your dad?”
    “We just started pranking her. She didn’t stay long.”
    “If you have a problem, you should tell your dad. I may have something to deal with the tangles.” Annie followed Jade to the table and set down a tray of cut fruit.
    When Ian came into the kitchen with Jeremy, Annie retrieved from a counter a spray bottle and brush she’d brought from her apartment and walked toward the door. “Start without me. I’m going to check on Jasmine.”
    “Jasmine’s not ready. I told her we would be leaving in twenty minutes,” Ian said.
    “I know.”
    Annie found Jasmine in the bathroom, struggling again with her hair. “I got something for your hair. It was great for my sister. She had the same problem.”
    When Annie put the bottle on the counter, Jasmine scrunched up her face as if she wasn’t sure about it.
    “Try it and see. It works best when your hair is wet, but it still helps in dry hair to get the tangles out without a lot of pulling.”
    Jasmine tried brushing the back. She winced and cautiously reached for the bottle.
    “Do you want me to spray the back and make sure it’s all covered?”
    The girl studied Annie in the mirror. “I guess, but I don’t want you touching my hair.”
    “I won’t unless you ask me, but it might make it better if I lift the hair and spray underneath, too. Okay?”
    Jasmine clutched the brush but nodded warily, keeping her stare on Annie in the mirror. “It didn’t used to be this bad.”
    “The longer it gets, the more tangles.”
    Jasmine’s eyes grew round. “I love my long hair. No one is going to cut it.”
    With the patience she’d learned to cultivate as an aunt, Annie said, “I love your long hair, too.”
    “You do? Jade told me I should shave it off.”
    “She was kidding. Each person has to find what works for her. Shorter hair can be easier to manage, but as you see, my hair is long.” She captured Jasmine’s look in the mirror. “So here I go.”
    She sprayed the liquid on Jasmine’s hair then took the detangling