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

brush out of her pocket. “I got this, too, for you. Between the two you should be able to manage.”
    Jasmine looked stunned. “When did you get this?”
    “This morning at the twenty-four-hour drugstore.”
    “For me?”
    Annie smiled. “No sense pulling your hair out. If you need any help, I’ll be downstairs eating breakfast. We leave in fifteen minutes.”
    The child stood still as Annie left. She hoped this helped Jasmine because she would have more important battles to fight with her.
    When she reentered the kitchen, the kids and Ian were halfway through their breakfast. Ian saw her first. “How did it go?”
    “We’ll see.” Annie sat, dished up part of the casserole then scanned the nearly empty plates at the table. “Do you want me to make this again sometime?”
    All of them, even Jeremy, said yes.
    “Great. It’s easy because I make most of it the night before.”
    Jade finished first and hopped up.
    “Jade, don’t forget to take your plate to the sink.” Annie ate a bite of the casserole.
    “But I never—”
    Ian scooted back his chair and picked up his dishes. “That’s a good idea. Isn’t it, kids?”
    A few mumbles followed his question. Each one took his or her plate to the counter next to the sink and shuffled out of the room while Ian poured some more coffee.
    “It was almost civil this morning except for a couple of outbursts from Jeremy.”
    “Is he concerned about going to school?”
    “Hopefully when I talk to his teacher, he’ll feel better.”
    “I hope so.” Annie noticed Jasmine standing in the doorway, dressed, her hair pulled back in a ponytail. “You have a little time for something to eat.” She remembered the child complaining all the way to school the second time yesterday that she was starving. “Five minutes.”
    Jasmine hurried to the table and looked at the casserole. “It’s cold.”
    “There’s fruit if you don’t want to eat it cold. You should have been here on time, when the casserole was hot,” Ian said.
    While his daughter stared at the slices of fruit, Ian went to the intercom and announced they were leaving in four minutes. Suddenly she stuck a fork into a slice of pineapple and scooped up some grapes, then began stuffing them into her mouth. She never sat but started toward the hallway.
    “Jasmine, please take your plate to the sink.” Ian took a sip of his coffee.
    “It’s practically clean. All I put on it were some grapes.”
    “It will still need to be washed.”
    Jasmine snatched it up and rushed to the counter, then into the hallway to get her backpack and jacket.
    “I haven’t seen her move that fast in a long time. Did she let you do her hair?”
    “No, but I gave her a couple of things to help with the tangles, and they obviously worked.”
    “Why didn’t I think of that? Aunt Louise used to sit patiently and work her way through the tangles, but once, when she drove the kids to school, she got a ticket for speeding.”
    Annie chuckled. “They’re girlie products—a detangler spray and brush. Most guys don’t have hair long enough to tangle like hers.”
    “Jade’s hair never tangles as bad as Jasmine’s, but then Jasmine is a restless sleeper. I should take her to get it cut. Jade’s been talking about cutting hers.”
    Typical of a man to think of the practical solution. “I wouldn’t advise you to do that. Jasmine loves her long hair. All she needs to do is learn to handle it.”
    “That’s why it’s good to have a woman around. My solution would have been taking her in for a cut.”
    “Kicking and screaming all the way.” Annie chuckled.
    Ian finished his coffee and set the mug on the counter. “Why can’t she be more like Jade? Jade isn’t nearly as dramatic as Jasmine. My biggest concern for her is getting a sports injury.”
    “I notice Jade’s going to softball practice this afternoon.” She pointed to the schedule she had put up on the kitchen wall. “You might take a look at that and make sure