The Texan Quartet (Books 1-4) Omnibus Read online

“Where did you learn to make this?” Libby asked.

  Kate’s smile disappeared. “It was my mama’s recipe.”

  Was. Past tense. Libby checked Adrian’s reaction, and there was sadness in his eyes. “Well, that makes your mama awesome too,” she told Kate.

  Kate took a sip of her drink. “I guess so.”

  Libby cast her mind about for something else to talk about. “So, do you think you’ll be a plotter or a pantser?”

  Kate ran her tongue over her top lip to lick up the cream smeared on it. “Maybe a plotter. I know what’s going to happen and I’m scared I might forget.”

  “Then you’d better write it down.”

  Kate placed her mug to the side and pulled the laptop toward her. She started typing.

  The only sound was the clack, clack from the keyboard.

  Libby took another sip of the delectable drink.

  “What’s your day job?” Adrian asked.

  Startled by the change in conversation, Libby took a second to catch up. “I do temp work, mainly in administration roles.”

  “Is that a bit risky?”

  It was proving so at the moment, but Libby shrugged. “There’s plenty of work around, and it gives me time to write when I need to.” She just wished it paid better.

  “I don’t think I could be stuck in an office all day.” Adrian shuddered.

  “It’s not so bad, especially when the weather’s bad,” she said. “What did you do before you became so successful?”

  “I worked for my brother, Kate’s dad, as a laborer with his construction company. We built houses.”

  “They were the best houses, weren’t they, Uncle Ade?” Kate looked up from the laptop.

  “They still are,” Adrian agreed. “Daniel’s best friend still runs the business.”

  Kate’s parents must both have died. Libby’s heart went out to the young girl. To be orphaned at such a young age was tragic. At least she had an uncle who cared for her.

  Adrian’s cell phone rang and he excused himself to go and answer it.

  “How’s it going?” Libby asked as she sipped the last of her delicious drink.

  “Slowly,” Kate complained. “I can’t find the keys.”

  “Maybe you should learn to touch-type.”

  “What’s that?”

  “It’s when you can type without looking at the keys. Shall I show you?”

  “Yeah.” Kate slid the laptop over to Libby.

  Libby shifted the cursor so it was a couple of lines below where Kate had been typing. “It’s like this.” She kept looking at Kate while she typed a couple of lines of text.

  “That’s cool. How long did it take you to learn?”

  “A few months. I practiced each day until I learned where all the keys were and then it was a matter of getting faster.”

  “I want to do that.”

  “There are lots of free typing lessons on the internet,” Libby told her. “Maybe your uncle can download one for you.”

  Adrian came back into the room.

  “Libby says I need to have touch-typing lessons,” Kate said.

  Adrian raised an eyebrow.

  “Hang on a second.” Libby raised her hands, palms facing outward. “I suggested you might like to learn – I didn’t say you had to.”

  Kate grinned at her and then turned to Adrian. “Can we download something?”

  “I’m sure we can find something for you, kiddo.” He paused. “George was on the phone. We need to head in a bit earlier tonight.”

  Kate pouted. “Do I have to go? I’m busy writing.”

  “Afraid so, kiddo. You can’t stay here by yourself.”

  “Libby can look after me.” Kate turned to Libby, her eyes pleading. “Can’t you?”

  Libby was torn. She had writing she had to do. She should go back to her room and spend a few hours on her own work, but she was enjoying spending time with Kate and Adrian. If Kate wanted to write, perhaps Libby could use the time to write too, especially considering how slowly Kate was typing.

  Maybe Adrian would offer her the job if she proved herself.

  “Kate, why don’t you go into your room and let me talk to Libby?” Adrian’s voice was mild but there was something in his tone that cautioned against refusal.

  “Yes, Uncle Ade.” Kate saved her work and left the room.

  Adrian turned to Libby. “I’m sorry she keeps putting you on the spot like this.”

  “No, it’s fine.” Libby braced herself. “I don’t mind taking care of her tonight – as long as you don’t have a problem with it.” She paused. “Kate is a delight, and I was only going to spend the night writing.” She glanced at Kate’s laptop. “I can probably do that here, or wait until Kate goes to bed.”

  Adrian rubbed his palms against his thighs. “I’m not sure.”

  It was better than a flat-out rejection. Perhaps he wasn’t sure whether he trusted her yet. “I have a couple of friends you can call for character references,” she said. Just not childcare references.

  “No, it’s not that.” He sighed. “Kate is getting attached to you. I’m worried she’ll be hurt when you leave tomorrow. She’s still really fragile after her parents’ deaths.”

  “What happened?”

  “Car accident, a year ago.” His voice was flat. “Truck driver had been on the road for eighteen hours and drifted to the wrong side. Killed Daniel and Penny instantly. Kate was trapped in the back seat until emergency services pulled her out.”

  Libby gasped and brought a hand up to her throat. “I’m so sorry.”

  Adrian had pain in his eyes. “Kate still has nightmares.”

  The poor girl. To have so much tragedy at such a young age. Libby couldn’t even imagine what it would be like. It would have been so difficult for Adrian as well, having to cope with the deaths and help Kate through her mourning.

  She glanced down at the words Kate had written on the laptop. Perhaps writing the story would be a form of therapy for her. Maybe Libby could help her heal.

  “Would it help if I became Kate’s nanny?” The words came out of her mouth before she could think about it.

  Adrian stepped back and Libby rushed to explain, the slight panic at what she’d just said speeding up her heartbeat. “I have a month before my next job starts – I could tour with you and Kate. We can work on her story and it might be good therapy for her. It’s about a superhero who can save people.”

  Adrian cursed quietly and rubbed a hand against his face.

  Oh, God, she sounded desperate. “Why don’t you think about it?” she said. “I can look after her tonight and then you can decide.”

  He was silent for a long moment. He was going to refuse.

  “All right.”

  Libby had been expecting a no and quickly regrouped. “What time do you have to leave?”

  “In an hour.”

  “I’ll go now to give you some time together and be back in an hour.” She had to work out how she would manage her writing if he actually said yes to her offer, but she reminded herself that she was flat broke and might need more money for a bond. It was a sensible plan and would benefit them all.

  “That’s fine,” Adrian said and Libby gathered up her things. He walked her to the door, and as she stepped out, he put his hand on her arm.

  It was warm and sent a jolt through her.

  “Thank you.”

  Libby couldn’t speak. She smiled, nodded once and headed for the elevator.

  Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all.

  ***

  Adrian turned away from the entrance and sighed. He was torn. The pain of his brother’s death crept up and blindsided him, making him vulnerable. Was that why he was considering hiring Libby as Kate’s nanny?

  It was true she was good with Kate. Buying her the notebook had been a lovely gesture and she was patient and attentive. But he saw Kate gravitating toward her in a way she never had with Emily. Emily had been all business – friendly enough, for sure
– but always slightly stand-offish. Libby was just Libby, interesting and kind.

  And that was another problem. He couldn’t deny he was attracted to her and he had to add that to the equation. The nanny he hired had to be the best for Kate’s wellbeing and nothing to do with him. He’d promised himself he wouldn’t hire anyone he was attracted to. But he also didn’t have a lot of choice.

  He went to Kate’s bedroom and poked his head in. “You can come out now.”

  Kate jumped off the bed and raced out, looking around. “Where’s Libby?”

  “She’s gone to her room to get ready. She’s going to come back and look after you tonight.”

  “Yes!” Kate did a little happy dance.

  Adrian smiled. “Kiddo, we need to have a talk.”

  “Uh, oh.”

  He led her over to the couches and they sat down. “I need to find you a new nanny.”

  Kate slouched down in the seat. “Yeah, I know.” She peered up at him. “Can we make sure she’s not like Emily?”

  “What didn’t you like about Emily?” Adrian asked.

  Kate shrugged. “She was a bit boring. She didn’t really like to play games or do anything except shop.”

  The guilt was sharp and hot. Adrian pressed his lips together. He should have noticed. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “It didn’t really matter. You and I do all the fun stuff.”

  In other words, when he wasn’t around Kate was unhappy. God, it had been a mistake bringing her with him. He’d thought it was for the best – she’d get to see the world, and being in a different place might help her forget for a little while – but maybe he’d been wrong. Maybe Susan had been right. The doubt that was never far away hovered over him. “What’s on your nanny wish list then, kiddo?”

  “What?” She squinted at him.

  “If you chose your nanny, what kind of person would she be?”

  Kate sat up straight, screwing up her face as she thought. “She’d have to like to play games like cards and board games.”

  Adrian jumped up and took her notebook from the table. “Games.” He wrote it down.

  Kate grinned. “She needs to like to go out and do stuff – but not shopping. Go exploring.”

  “Exploring,” he said as he added it to the list. “Got it. What else?”

  “She should be able to cook. Emily wasn’t very good.” Kate twisted her hands together. She did that when she wanted to say something else but she wasn’t sure she should.

  “Spit it out, kiddo.”

  “Well, it would be cool if she knew about writing.”

  Adrian’s hand paused for a second on the notepad. “Writer. Okay, is there anything else?”

  “She should be fun and kind too,” Kate added in a rush.

  “All right. I think I’ve got it all. I’ll see what I can do.”

  Could he ignore his attraction to Libby for the good of Kate?

  He had some thinking to do.

  ***

  Libby took her time getting ready. She’d done it now. She’d offered to care for Kate and now she had to wait for Adrian to decide. She wasn’t sure what would be worse – if he agreed or if he refused.

  She fired up her laptop before she headed to the shower and afterward she checked the rest of her emails. The one from the realtor hadn’t magically disappeared as she’d hoped. She flagged it and ran through the rest. At the bottom there was one from George with the tour itinerary and the contract.

  Her heart jolted. Did that mean Adrian had agreed?

  She checked the time it was sent. He’d sent it this morning, before she’d seen Adrian, like he said he would.

  She opened the contract first and worked through the legal speak. When she got to the part about remuneration, her jaw dropped. Even though she had a new deadline, being Kate’s nanny definitely made financial sense. She’d be able to afford the bond on a new place and replace her fridge if it died. She wouldn’t have to go to her parents for help. She just hoped the hours would work in her favor.

  Mentally crossing her fingers, she opened up the itinerary and scanned it. Adrian had four concerts in Melbourne, four in Sydney and three in Brisbane before heading west to her home state for two concerts in Perth. Every couple of nights he had a break and between cities there were several days free.

  Most of his media appointments were on the day of his first concert and of course he had sound checks to sort out as well. Kate only needed care on concert nights and the media day. There would be lots of free time for Libby to meet her writing commitments. She calculated her daily word count and winced slightly. It was still doable.

  The breath she’d been holding whooshed out of her. Her impulsive offer wouldn’t jeopardize her career.

  Besides, she had to wait and see if Adrian and Kate wanted her, and they probably wouldn’t. She shrugged away the thought.

  Now that she’d offered to be Kate’s nanny she realized she didn’t really know anything about Adrian or Kent. Giving in to impulse she did an internet search. Scrolling through several gossip websites, she learned that he was either reported as a recluse or a party animal. One site had been created by a group of concerned parents rallying to stop his music being played on the radio. They thought it was a bad influence on children. Libby found some of his music videos and watched a couple. She didn’t understand what his fans’ parents were so concerned about. The lyrics were meaningful, all about not giving up, fighting for what you believe in and trusting yourself. Libby thought they were inspirational.

  Checking the time, she flagged the emails she had to reply to, then packed up her things and went back upstairs to look after Kate.

  ***

  Adrian let her in. “Kate’s having a shower.” He was slightly tense and his fingers drummed against the door as he held it open.

  Was he regretting his decision?

  Libby walked through and placed her laptop case next to the couch. She had to be professional and allay his concerns. He didn’t need to be worrying about Kate while he was at work. “What does she have for dinner?” she asked.

  “The nanny usually cooks but I promised Kate she could order room service tonight. She’s not allergic to anything and she can have whatever she wants.” He paused. “There’s nothing too unhealthy on the menu.”

  “What time is bedtime?”

  “Eight thirty. She’s still recovering from the late night yesterday and we’re going out exploring tomorrow so I want to make sure she’s not too tired.” His tone was slightly defensive, as if he was expecting her to disagree.

  “Good thinking.” Libby kept her tone light. “Anything else I need to know?”

  He ran a hand through his hair. “Sometimes Kate sleeps with her stars on. It’s a night-light that revolves and projects the night sky on the ceiling. It’s in her room and she knows how to use it. I leave it on all night for her.”

  Kate came out of the bathroom dressed in green flannelette pajamas covered in blue stars and with her hair wrapped up in a turban. “Hi, Libby. Can we do some more writing tonight?”

  “Of course.” Libby was surprised at how keen Kate was. Other children she knew would have lost interest when they realized how much work it was.

  Adrian’s cell rang and he answered it. He listened to the speaker and then said, “Be right down.” He hung up and turned to Kate.

  “I’ve got to go, kiddo.” He shuffled as if he wasn’t sure about leaving.

  “Have fun.” She gave him a hug.

  “You too.” He turned to Libby and handed her a business card. “If you need anything, this is George’s cell phone number.”

  Libby reached for it, but she sensed he was still reluctant. “I’ll take good care of her. I promise.”

  Their eyes met and Libby saw the love and concern he had for his niece. She’d never seen that kind of concern on her parents’ faces. Her insides melted.

  “Hurry up, Uncle Ade. George hates to be kept waiting and Libby and I have work to do.” Kate grabb
ed her uncle’s hand and dragged him toward the door.

  He grinned. “Okay, okay, I’m going.” He swiped his bag and let his niece pull him out of the room. He glanced back at Libby.

  She smiled and waved, not at all worried about his reluctance. It was only to be expected. Kate skipped back into the room. “Ready?”

  “Yep. Let’s get set up.” Libby placed her laptop on the dining table. “What time do you want to order dinner?” she asked. It was still early and Libby was full from her double choc, whipped cream, marshmallow delight, but Kate might be hungry.

  “We could order now for six. Then we don’t have to worry about it.” Kate jumped up and snatched the room service menu from the sideboard. Bringing it to the table, she opened it and put it between them so Libby could read it as well.

  “I’m going to try the Aussie burger. It’s got beetroot in it – that’s so weird.”

  Libby smiled. “Tasty, though. I’ll get a salad.” At Kate’s incredulous look she added, “I had a big lunch. Do you want dessert?”

  Kate flipped to the desserts. “Banana sundae.”

  Libby stood and went to the phone to order. Afterward she turned to Kate. “Let’s get to work.”

  For the next few hours they worked on their stories, stopping only to eat dinner when it arrived. They started with a brainstorming session that had them in fits of giggles, but then there was silence, broken by the clack of keys as they wrote.

  Checking the time, Libby sighed. “Time for bed, Kate.”

  “No, I just have to finish this bit.” Kate didn’t look up from her typing.

  Was Kate going to be difficult? “Five minutes.”

  She knew how long ‘just finishing a bit’ could take.

  Kate grimaced but continued to peck out the words.

  Libby stood and tidied up the dinner dishes, putting the tray outside to be collected by hotel staff.

  She stretched, reaching her hands above her head and standing on tiptoes. Writing was such a sedentary job – she felt stiff if she sat for any length of time without getting up.

  “Time’s up,” she said.

  “Finished!” Kate said with a flourish.

  Libby was surprised. She’d expected to have a fight on her hands. “Make sure you save it.”

  A few minutes later, Libby tucked Kate into bed.