probably due for a diaper change,” Coco said, goading him just a bit.
He shot her a dark glance. “I think the smashed pea shooting is enough for one day.”
“In that case, carry her upstairs and I’ll join you in a minute or two,” she said.
“What am I supposed to do for that minute or two?” he demanded.
“Bond with her.”
Benjamin groaned and walked into the hallway.
Coco cleaned up Emma’s messy high chair and counted to three hundred. Carefully, she crept up the stairs to stand outside the nursery. She heard Benjamin talking. Peeking inside, she saw Benjamin pick up one of Emma’s bunnies and move it from side to side in front of the baby.
Emma reached for the stuffed animal and squeezed it for a few seconds then dropped it.
“Oops,” Benjamin said, reaching down to scoop up the bunny. Emma reached for the bunny again and dropped it again. “Fickle little thing, aren’t you?” He caught sight of Coco and gave a nod.
“I see you’ve reached a peace agreement,” she said.
“For now,” he said and handed the baby to Emma.
“You just need to keep spending a little time with her. Soon enough you’ll be giving her horseback-riding lessons,” she said as she put Emma on the changing table and changed her diaper. “Helping her learn to ride a bike, then teaching her how to drive.” She looked up to meet his horrified gaze.
“Driving,” he echoed and shook his head. “Maybe she won’t want to drive.”
Coco laughed. “Now you’re just dreaming.”
“Let’s take this one step at a time. The next step for me is to change out of this shirt that’s covered with strained green peas.” He glanced from Coco to Emma to Coco again. “See ya later,” he said.
As soon as he left, Coco turned to Emma. “Good job!” she said. “You’ll make a daddy out of Benjamin Garner before you know it.”
* * *
The next day, Benjamin rode on horseback to check fences with one of his assistant foremen, Jace. Jace was young, but a hard worker, and both Benjamin and his foreman Hal valued good work ethics in their employees.
“Looks like there could be the beginning of a problem in the northeast corner,” Jace said from his horse.
Benjamin lifted his binoculars and nodded. “Good catch.”
“I should be able to get to it this afternoon,” Jace said.
“That’ll work,” Benjamin said. “Let’s check the other pasture, then we’ll be done.”
“Hal mentioned that we should be on the lookout for strangers coming on the property,” Jace said.
“Have you seen anyone?”
“No. Hal also said it was something to do with the new nanny. She’s not in danger, is she?”
“No,” Benjamin said. “Coco’s fine.”
“Well, speaking of the nanny, she sure is nice,” Jace said.
Benjamin glanced at Jace. “How would you know?”
“I met her when she was going fishing one day. Looked like she was pretty good at it,” he said and laughed. “For a woman. I was wondering if it would be okay if I asked her out sometime.”
“Coco?” Benjamin said.
“Yeah. She’s pretty and nice. She seems like she would be fun.”
“No,” Benjamin said instinctively and without hesitation. He didn’t have to think it through.
“No?” Jace echoed, clearly surprised.
“No,” Benjamin repeated, bemused by the odd gnashing feeling inside him. “We’re trying to get the baby used to living here. Coco is the most important ingredient in that equation. I don’t want her distracted or bothered.”
“I wouldn’t bother her,” Jace muttered.
“That’s right. She’s off-limits. Feel free to spread the word to the rest of the men,” Benjamin said. With no female employees besides his housekeeper, Sarah, dating hadn’t been an issue, until now. Even though Coco was attractive and appeared fun, he didn’t want any additional complications in the picture with her. There were enough with the whole royalty thing. He hoped she would be able to put that on the back burner, but if she couldn’t they would have to work something out. He had to think about what was best for Emma, and what was best for Emma was Coco.
* * *
Coco dressed Emma in a light jacket, tucked her into the stroller and took her for a walk. There was a slight nip in the air, but it was sunny and the time outside would do them both good. Coco headed for the back of the house, where a trail divided two fields. Chatting about the cattle and the trees, Coco alternately walked and ran. Emma let out a giggle when Coco ran.
“So you like a little speed in your stroller, do you?” Coco asked, glancing at the baby. “Your daddy’s not gonna be happy if you feel the same way when you get your first car.” Coco ran and Emma giggled again.
She turned around to return home, alternately walking and running. As she approached the back of the house, though, she noticed that Emma had fallen asleep, her head drooping to the side and her baby lips gently parted. Her heart twisted at the sight of her, so relaxed and at peace. As she rounded the corner to the front of the house, she wondered if she should take her up to her crib for a quick little snooze before dinner.
Three men and a woman immediately lunged toward her. She heard the click of cameras in between their questions.
“Miss Jordan, is it true that you are the illegitimate daughter of the former Prince of Chantaine?”
“Who are you?” Coco asked, shocked by their approach. She instinctively stepped in front of the stroller to protect Emma. “How did you find—”
“Your Highness,” the woman began, “how does it feel to become a princess? You must be so excited.”
Coco shook her head in confusion, distracted by the man shooting photographs of her. “I’m not a princess.”
“Is it true that the Devereau family wishes to deny your place in the royal family?” a man asked.
Emma began to fuss.
“What place?” Coco asked and turned to pull Emma from the stroller. What a ridiculous question, she thought.
“Your rightful place in the royal family,” the man said. “Surely you know you’re due certain rights and privileges.”
“Not really,” Coco said as Emma began to wail.
“But you’re a princess now,” the female reporter said.
“I’m not a princess,” Coco said flatly. “And you’re making the baby cry. Are you proud of that?” she said more than asked and walked up the steps to the front door.
“What I want to know is how in hell four reporters got past my men,” Benjamin said to his foreman.
“We haven’t been policing it 24/7, Ben,” Hal Dunn said. The two had known each other since Benjamin was eight years old and Hal had been a young new worker on the ranch that Benjamin’s father had then owned. Now Hal was Benjamin’s right-hand man. “They could have sneaked through the wooded area in the front of the property.”
“Well, I don’t want to hear about anyone sneaking in anywhere,” Benjamin said. “And 24/7 starts now.”