Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 137077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
“Oh, hi. I’m Riley, Grace’s new nanny.”
Tipping his hat, he says, “Nice to meet you, Riley. I’m Miller, Grace’s coach.”
“Nice to meet you too. She should be right back with Pegasus. She was very clear that getting him ready for her lesson was part of her job.”
He chuckles as he glances toward the barn. “That it is.” When his eyes find me again, he says, “I’ve been on vacation but heard Grace had family bringing her for lessons. Guess another nanny bit the dust?” There’s a cynical tone to the question, like he’s seen it all before.
“Seems so,” I answer, “because I’m here now.”
He licks his lips slowly, a smile blooming on one side of his mouth. “That you are. Too bad those Harringtons go through hired help faster than I can go through a six-pack of beer on a Friday night.” He pats his flat stomach, and despite the complete lack of a beer belly, I get the sense that he can put a six-pack down.
“So I’ve heard,” I say, good-naturedly acknowledging the truth of their previous hires and fires.
“Miller! You’re back!” Grace yells, grabbing both of our attention.
She’s dressed similarly to Miller except in place of a hat, she’s wearing a helmet. She’s beaming as she leads Pegasus by a leash. Okay, I’m sure that’s not what it’s called, but I don’t know its actual name. The horse now has a blue blanket and a brown saddle on his back and matching brown leather straps over his nose and around his head.
As I have these thoughts, I realize that I have a lot to learn about horses if they’re this important to Grace. I didn’t know a thing about volleyball before Jordan made the team, but there was no doubt I was going to be her loudest cheerleader, so I put in the effort to learn, and I will do the same for Grace.
Even if it’s only for a few months.
Grace starts to run and Pegasus follows her direction, trotting alongside her. “Did you meet Riley?”
Miller flashes me a bright smile. “I did. She’s already better than Beatrice. Didn’t ask for my birthday” —he drops his voice, talking out of the side of his mouth— “May seventeenth.” Back in his normal tone, he says, “Or how much a cowboy makes? And if I’m single?” Lower again, he mumbles, “Not enough. And as a Pringle if you want to grab a beer Friday.” He tacks on a practiced wink to the nonchalant invite before turning to Grace. “Maybe try to keep this one around a little longer? I like pink.” He lifts his eyes to my hair, and unconsciously, I reach up to push it behind my ear.
I fight not to smile, but he’s easily charming me and Grace simultaneously. She even laughs outright as she promises, “I’ll do my best. Come on, I want to show you what Shana taught me while you were gone. Wait till you see my canter.”
I have no idea what a canter is, but if Grace wants to show it off to her coach, I want to see it too.
“Well, get in there and warm up then,” Miller instructs, gesturing toward the ring.
And though Grace goes in the ring, Miller stays by me, both of us watching as she begins making slow loops around the fence line.
“What do you think so far?” When I tear my eyes away from Grace, glancing at Miller in confusion, he clarifies, “About the Harringtons.”
This feels like a loaded question, but I’m not sure if he’s a spy gaining intel for Cameron or a fellow Harrington employee wanting to dish about the boss. It could go either way, but honesty is always a good policy. So is humor, though…
“Grace’s aura is blue and sparkly, like her eyes. Cameron’s is more charcoal gray, like a staid suit.” Even with his hat pulled down, I can see Miller’s eyebrows climb high, and I chuckle. “Gotcha. I don’t know a thing about auras, but I heard the last nanny was a star sign girl.”
“Thank fuck. I thought you were a Beatrice 2.0 there for a second.” He laughs, good-natured about the tease. “She tried to give me a piece of rose quartz one time, said it was a symbol of love.” He pauses dramatically, making sure I’m ready for this, and then grins. “Only problem was, it was a chunk of one of the horses’ salt licks, not a crystal or rock at all. She wasn’t too happy when I told her that.” He shakes his head, feigning sadness but not doing a very good job of hiding the grin lifting his lips.
“Probably because she was trying to flirt with you. I mean, you don’t go around giving rose quartz to just anyone. Well, I presume not, anyway. I wouldn’t actually know.”