The Nanny's New Family (Caring Canines) Read Online Free PDF Page B

soon.”
    “How soon?” Annie asked him, hoping to change the subject.
    Joshua peered at his father.
    “Two weeks. The twenty-seventh.”
    “You act like a baby. Look at what you did today. You could have
died
today.” Jade shoved back her chair, whirled around and ran from the room.
    Annie’s first impulse was to go after the girl, but she didn’t know her yet. Jade must have been the one who’d screamed at the bottom of the steps earlier when Joshua was on the railing.
    Instead, Ian stood. “Keep eating.” Then he left the room.
    Wide-eyed, Joshua looked at Jeremy, then Jasmine and finally Annie. “I won’t die.”
    The pounding in her head increased. “Jade was just worried about what you did today. Standing on the railing is dangerous.”
    “Yeah, dork. You have a death wish.” Jeremy snatched a roll and began tearing it apart.
    “Death wish?” Confusion clouded Joshua’s eyes. Tears filled them. “I don’t wanna die.”
    “Then, stop doing dumb things.” Jeremy tossed a piece of bread at his younger brother.
    Joshua threw his half-eaten roll at Jeremy. It plunked into the milk glass, and the white liquid splashed everywhere.
    Grabbing for a roll in the basket, Jeremy twisted toward Joshua.
    “Stop it right now.” Annie shot to her feet. “The dinner table is no place for a food fight. If you don’t want to eat peacefully, then go to your rooms.”
    Jeremy glared. “I don’t need a nanny telling me what to do.”
    Annie counted to ten, breathed deeply and replied, “Apparently you do, because civilized people don’t act like this at the table. It’s your choice. Stay and eat politely or leave.” She returned his intense look with a serene one while inside she quaked. She might be fired after tonight.
    Jeremy took the roll and stomped away from the dining room while Joshua hung his head and murmured, “Sorry.”
    “Apology accepted.” Although her stomach was knotted, Annie picked up her fork and took a bite. “Delicious. Your dad is a good cook.” If only she hadn’t walked around the yard enjoying the beautiful flowers before coming inside, she wouldn’t be contending with a headache. In spring she limited her time outside because she had trouble with her allergies.
    “One day I’m gonna be a good cook, too.” Jasmine continued eating.
    “Jasmine, I can teach you a few things. I especially enjoy baking.”
    “I’m Jade.” The girl lowered her gaze. “Sorry about that. We were just playing with you.”
    “I understand. I have a twin sister.”
    “You do? I have a girlfriend who has a twin brother. They don’t look alike, though.”
    “They’re fraternal twins. You and Jasmine are identical, like I am with my sister, Amanda.”
    “I’d like to meet your twin.” Jade—at least Annie hoped that was who she was—took a gulp of her milk.
    Ian reentered the dining room with Jasmine. “I’d like to meet your twin, too.” He scanned the table. “Where’s Jeremy?”
    “He chose not to eat.” Annie took another bite of her spaghetti as the knots in her stomach began to unravel.
    Joshua huffed. “He threw food at me.”
    Ian’s eyebrows rose. “Why?”
    “He’s mean.”
    Ian swung his attention to Annie, a question in his eyes.
    “Jeremy chose to leave rather than calmly eat his dinner,” she answered while her head throbbed.
    Ian nodded then said to the children, “Tell Annie about what you’re doing this week in school.”
    * * *
    Later, contrary to what Ian had asked, Annie finished putting the dishes into the dishwasher. She had to do something while she waited for Ian to return from upstairs.
    He came into the kitchen after putting Joshua to bed. “He fell right to sleep. Thankfully he usually does, while Jade and Jasmine rarely do. Often I’ll find one of them in the other’s bed in the morning. They shared a room until a year ago when they decided they should have their own rooms like their brothers.”
    “I shared one with Amanda until I went to