Rancher's Twins: Mum Needed

He set his empty glass on the coffee table. ‘There wouldn’t be any point in hiring a nanny they didn’t like.’

‘No. It will need to be the right person.’

Holly looked away quickly as if she didn’t want him to see her eyes, but Gray was sure he’d caught a glitter of tears and his throat tightened. He’d expected her to be anxious to be free of his kids, but was she upset at the thought of saying goodbye to them?

It was so difficult for a family to span two hemispheres. There was always someone who missed out.

She turned to him again, her eyes extra-wide. ‘So will Anna and Josh be involved when you choose their new nanny?’

‘They’ll be consulted.’ Gray thought this was only fair. ‘Do you have any advice?’ he added, trying to be diplomatic.

‘I … I’ll give it some thought.’ She shifted her position, uncurling her legs.

He couldn’t help watching. Her legs were long and shapely and her toenails were painted a deep sexy red. In her Oriental dressing gown, with her dark hair shining in the soft light, she made a charming picture. Like a painting.

Girl at Midnight.

He thought how perfect it would be—from his children’s point of view, of course—if Holly could continue on as their nanny. She understood them so well, far better than he did, and they clearly loved her. Added to that, she had teaching skills and, with her help, the transition to Australia would be almost painless.

It would never happen, of course. Holly had already told him she was about to start a new career in the US. Why would she give that up and go all the way to the Australian Outback?

She was a city girl. She was his ex-wife’s cousin, for crying out loud. She was educated and cultured, just as

Chelsea had been. If she hated his place the way Chelsea had, her attitude could rub off on his kids.

Gray realised that Holly was already on her feet.

‘Thanks for the wine,’ she said.

‘Would you like another glass?’

She shook her head. ‘I need to hit the sack. Tomorrow is another day and all that.’

Her voice was tight, so tight it almost cracked. Without another word, she set the wine glass on the kitchen bench and hurried away.

She was upset. Had she been able to tell what he was thinking?

In bed, Gray lay wide awake, his thoughts running amok, trailing through the events of the day, and inevitably through the dizzying highs and lows of his romance with Chelsea. He’d met his children’s mother while she was travelling in North Queensland with a touring American dance troupe, but he’d made so many mistakes … so many wrong turns …

He’d never seen a girl so delicate and fair, so perfectly beautiful in every way. He’d never looked into a woman’s eyes and fallen from a great height.

It had been a classic case of love at first sight, with all the usual symptoms—the thunderbolt to the heart, the obsession.

With the recklessness of youth, Gray had followed Chelsea back to America. In New York he’d courted her with the single-minded passion of a young man desperately in love. A hasty engagement, a wedding in Central Park and a blissful honeymoon in Paris.

Then back to Jabiru Creek Station. To the Outback.

Within the first month, Chelsea had realised her mistake. She’d loved Gray—about that there had never been any doubt—but in the Australian Outback his precious bride had wilted like a flower without water.

His throat ached now as he remembered the tears streaming down her face as she’d confronted him.

We’ve made a mistake, Gray, haven’t we? Don’t you think we should separate now, before this gets too complicated? You’re a good man. I should have been more honest. I didn’t want to hurt you.

Of course, he should have given in then. It was so easy now to look back and to see how foolish and blinded he’d been—how he’d kissed her tears and begged her shamelessly.

You must stay, Chelsea. Please, please give it a go.

It was only a few weeks later that she’d realised she was pregnant so, of course, she’d stayed.

‘You wake him up.’

‘No, you.’

Childish giggling penetrated Gray’s sleep. Damn. Was it morning already?

It had taken him hours to fall asleep and he felt absolutely stuffed, unable to move, like an elephant paralysed by a stun gun. Perhaps, if he lay very still, his children would creep away again and leave him to sleep.

Not a chance. Already small hands were poking and shaking him.

‘Dad! Dad!’

He groaned in a low protest.

‘Daddy!’ That was Anna’s voice, now suddenly panic-stricken.

His eyes snapped open, then he cringed from the bright daylight flooding the room. ‘Good morning,’ he groaned. ‘What time is it?’

‘It’s really late,’ Josh told him. ‘We had breakfast ages and ages ago.’

Gray struggled onto one elbow, yawned and rubbed a hand over sleep-bleary eyes.

‘Are you all right, Daddy?’ Anna still sounded worried.

‘Yeah, chicken. I’m fine.’ He yawned again. ‘Just sleepy. My body thinks it’s still in Australia.’

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat for a minute, elbows propped on his knees, holding his dazed head in his hands. Jet lag was taking its toll.

‘Holly said to tell you she’s made a fresh pot of coffee,’ Josh announced.

Bless Holly. Coffee was exactly what he needed. As soon as he’d had a shower.

Gray ruffled his kids’ hair. ‘So what have you two got planned for today?’

‘Packing!’ they chorused.

‘You’re kidding?’ How could they look so excited? ‘Don’t tell me packing’s fun?’

‘Sure, Dad. It’s great fun. Holly’s playing a new game with us. We’re putting all our toys in a magic rocket box, and it’s going to take off for Australia all by itself.’