Page 29 of A Rancher's Heart

Chapter Seven

Two days later she and the girls weremaybestarting to fall into what Tamara could consider a comfortable routine. They hadn’t had any more huge blowups, at least. That much was good.

She put the last breakfast plate into the dishwasher then grabbed for her phone, answering her sister’s familiar ring tone with a light tease.

“Tamara’s Pawn shop—what you got to hawk?”

“One older sister and a slightly used dad. I already got rid of the other old biddy who was making my life miserable,” Lisa said saucily.

Tamara blew a raspberry into her phone. “I love you too, little sis. What’re you up to today?”

“Avoiding Dad, helping Karen move stock—the usual.”

Tamara tugged on her coat then took her coffee cup with her out on the porch. It was barely warm enough, but it was sunny, and she couldn’t resist the view. “Pretty typical. But I thought Dad was behaving himself better these days. What’s got him riled up?”

Lisa hesitated before spilling the beans. “Karen made some suggestion about crops and animals for next year, and her lack of Y chromosome smacked him in the face a few times.”

Yeah, that was business as usual. Tamara breathed out her frustration, thankful she was three hundred kilometers away. “You got any great plans for the evening?”

“Saw some of the gang last night at Traders, but stop trying to control the conversation. I called to see how it’s going with you. How’s the nanny business?”

Easy answer. “Better than having to deal with Dad pretending he’s not throwing a hissy fit.”

Lisa wouldn’t let it lie. “You miss the hospital.”

Tamara gave it some serious thought before answering honestly. “You know? I’ve been too distracted to miss the old job.”

A soft chuckle echoed from the other end of the line. “He must be one fine cowboy.”

Good grief. Little sisters were the worst. “Behave. That’s not what I was talking about, and you know it.”

“What? I was making a simple observation. I think you were brilliant to pick a boss who looks tasty in Levis and a Stetson.”

The only way to deal with this was to ignore Lisa’s innuendo, although…her little sister was right.

The man looked damn fine no matter what he wore, or didn’t wear.

Tamara focused on the real question. “It’s going okay. We’ve had a couple of testing moments here and there, but for the most part I think I’m surviving.”

“Of course you are. I bet you’re doing awesome. I actually expected to get your voice mail at this time of day. What’d you do, duct tape them to their beds?”

“Close. They’re cleaning their rooms. Or more accurately, they took off the sheets in Emma’s room so I could wash them, and the two of them are now working on Sasha’s room. I figure they’ll be done a week from Tuesday.”

Lisa laughed. “So they take after you. Awesome. You should be able to offer all the tricks of the trade, like shoving the mess under the bed.”

“It means I know where to find everything if they don’t actually clean.”

“True that. One sec.” Lisa whistled sharply and called for her dog—must be walking outside and chatting on her cell. She was back a moment later. “What else you got going on?”

“We’re making Halloween costumes. A rocket ship, and get this—a cat burglar.”

Tamara had to smile. It had taken more than a couple of pieces of paper plus Emma bringing out a movie and shaking it at them before she and Sasha figured out Emma did not want to be acat. “And now I’m going to be readingHarriet the Spyto them, because Emma is fascinated by the idea.”

“You could have aSpy Kidsmarathon,” Lisa suggested. “Only don’t play the last one—and you only need the first so you can enjoy the second, so you could just watch that one.”

“Yeah, one movie is really a marathon,” Tamara teased.

A clatter rang in the background, and Lisa responded before coming back on the line. “I’m being summoned. Karen sends her love, and big sloppy kisses from all the puppies on the ranch, and I miss you, and call me soon, ’kay?”