“How does your sister manage them?”
“Belle?” He wiped his hands on a towel and leaned against the counter. “She’s been real tired.”
She rinsed the first bottle and looked around for a place to set it. “Do you have a bottle dryer? Or dish towel?”
“Yes. Here.” He flicked open a drawer and grabbed two dish towels. Slung one over his arm and spread out the other next to the sink. “I’ll take that. If you wash, I’ll rinse.”
“What about their father? Does anyone else come in to help? A night nurse? Grandmother? Anyone?”
She watched him out of the corner of her eye. The muscle in his cheek leaped.
“No, Raleigh is busy. I wish his mother could have been here to help with the little ones, but she died last year. He inherited Dushane Ranch and has his hands full keeping it going, so he can’t be in here all day with the babies. And Belle and I don’t have a mother anymore. That’s why I hired you.”
He hired her? “I thought the babies’ parents hired me.”
“They’ll be glad you’re here. When Dottie Lavert told me she knew someone who might be willing to help for a while, I asked her to contact you.”
“Dottie made it sound as if your sister—Belle—wanted me to come.” A sense of foreboding spilled over her. If neither parent was stepping up to their responsibilities for these babies, Ainsley could be put in a no-win situation. “I don’t want Belle resenting me.”
“She won’t. Look, Belle was desperate for these children. She’s going through a rough patch, but she’ll be thankful to have you helping with them.” He rinsed the bottles and placed them on the towel to dry.
Somehow, Ainsley wasn’t so sure. Something didn’t seem quite right on Dushane Ranch.
“So let me make sure I’ve got this straight.” She washed the final bottle. “You’re taking care of the babies pretty much by yourself?”
“I wouldn’t say that. I’m taking a break from my ranch duties to be here during the day. Belle and Raleigh handle the babies at night.” His eyes shifted to the side. Was he lying? And what did he mean by taking a break from his ranch duties?
She let the water out of the sink. “I’m sure your sister and her husband will tell me the system that works for them.”
“I don’t think they have a system.” He cleared his throat. “I come over in the wee hours once in a while if Belle texts me.”
“Wait, I’m confused. Where do you live?”
He pointed out the kitchen window, which showed views of frozen pastures and distant mountains. “In the second cabin. Right next to yours.”
“You work here?” She hadn’t expected him to be employed on the ranch. He nodded, but he didn’t look very happy about it. She tried to shake her thoughts into some sort of order. Grabbing the dishcloth, she wiped down the counters.
“Yeah,” he said. “For now.”
“What do you mean?”
Color rose to his cheeks. “Nothing. I’ll be here for as long as Belle needs me.”
“Well, we’d better get on the same page with these babies. You know I’m only here until after the holidays, right?”
His rich brown eyes looked sheepish. “Until New Year’s Eve. We’ve got you for just over six weeks.”
She almost grunted. He wouldn’t have her for even one week if she sensed dysfunction. Growing up with an alcoholic father had soured her on trying to fix other people’s problems. How many times had she tried to save her dad from himself? Too many. Worse, she’d put her own life and dreams on hold for years. And what had it gotten her?
Nothing.
That’s why she relied on herself. If she found a man who put her first and kept his word, she might be interested in starting a family someday, but finding a guy like that was a tall order.
The best thing she’d ever done was wash her hands clean of her father and his addiction. Three years ago she’d moved to Laramie and enrolled in the University of Wyoming to become a nurse. She’d finished her first two years of schooling, but she was still waiting to get into the highly competitive nursing program. Her college adviser had informed her of a position opening at the hospital in January, which would greatly increase her chances of getting accepted.
Ainsley had already applied for the job. She’d find out in a few weeks if she got it or not. In the meantime, working as a baby nurse would pay her bills and, hopefully, help her get one of the coveted spots in the program.
Marshall waved for them to go back to the living room. She sat on one of the couches. He sat on the other.
“I don’t want you thinking you’re here under false pretenses.” His knees were wide, and his elbows rested on them. “I’ve got a cabin ready for you, so you’ll have your privacy. The hours are long, but you’ll only be on days. No nights. Can you be here from eight in the morning until six?”
“Will I be taking care of the quadruplets all by myself?”
“No, I’ll help, too.”
Him? But what about their mother?
“Don’t you think Belle should be involved?” she asked. Six weeks would pass in a blink, and it would be better if Belle was as hands-on as possible. Ideally, Raleigh would be changing diapers and feeding babies during the day, too, but given his ranch duties, she doubted he’d have time. Hopefully when Ainsley left, Belle wouldn’t be overwhelmed trying to care for the children on her own.
“Yes, she should, and if all goes according to plan, I can resume helping Raleigh outside soon.”
Nothing ever went according to plan, not in her life, at least. That’s why she didn’t leave anything she could control to chance. As far as this situation went, she might as well take charge now.
“I suggest we color-code these babies. I’ve got stickers and markers in my car. I’m going to need you to show me where everything—bottles, bibs, diapers—is stored. When I arrive each morning, I’ll make up bottles for the next twenty-four hours and put them in the fridge. All we’ll have to do is warm them up. And we’re keeping track of how much and when each baby eats. Don’t worry. I have charts.”
A sense of empowerment rushed up her spine. Maybe she’d been looking at this all wrong. Instead of seeing the potential pitfalls—like four tiny infants and an absent mother and father—she’d focus on the pluses. No system? No problem. She’d impose her own methods on the quadruplets. She’d get them on a schedule.
When Ainsley left, Belle would be comfortable caring for her babies. A surge of purpose filled her chest.
A shuffling sound came from the hallway.
“What is going on?” A beautiful woman with flashing brown eyes and a mane of long black hair appeared in the archway. “Why is this stranger in my living room, Marshall?”
* * *
Just when he’d been concentrating on the delicious phrases of color-code these babies and don’t worry I have charts, his sister had to go and kill his good mood. He’d told her he was hiring a baby nurse. He’d gotten Raleigh’s approval, too.
“This is Ainsley Draper, the baby nurse we hired. Ainsley, this is my sister, Belle Dushane.” He held his breath, waiting to see how Belle would react. His twinstincts told him not well.
“Your babies are beautiful.” Ainsley sailed across the room to shake Belle’s hand. Her smile brightened the atmosphere. “It’s so nice