The Forest Ranger's Promise (8 page)

It took forty-five minutes to get the dry goods and fresh
produce Alfonso liked. Along with the box of homemade chocolate chip cookies she'd made to satisfy his sweet tooth, he should be happy. As she approached the checkout line, she saw Nina Donaldson working the cash register. What was the woman doing here? Nina never worked the weekend, choosing instead to go out on cattle drives with her husband and sons.

Two other customers stood ahead of Melanie and she took the time to breathe deeply and gain her composure. She would bite her tongue, pay for her groceries and leave.

Fifteen minutes later, it was Melanie's turn. Several people stood behind her as she began to unload her cart. “You don't usually work on Saturdays, Nina.”

Nina leaned her hip against the counter and rested one hand against her thick waist. “We're shorthanded today. I heard you've been tending the forest ranger's kid.”

Caught off guard, Melanie stood there and blinked, holding a box of saltine crackers in one hand, a can of peaches in the other. “I, uh… Who told you that?”

“Is it true?”

Melanie's stomach cramped. Dealing with Aaron's rage had made her hate confrontations. She normally didn't pick fights, but she'd become strong enough not to let people push her around, either. “Why does it matter, Nina? What business is it of yours?”

“We don't provide service to forest rangers.”

Melanie set the crackers down, forcing herself to meet Nina's eyes. “Do I look like a ranger?”

Nina's lips thinned, her nostrils flaring. Melanie almost laughed, thinking the woman looked like a snorting pig rooting for garbage.

“If you're feeding the ranger's kid, it's my business,” Nina said.

“Really? And why is that?”

Nina sneered at her. “Because you're buying food from my store.”

“This food is for Alfonso. You've met my herder. A nice man from Peru. You don't have any prejudice against Peruvians, do you?” She sighed impatiently. “Can we please finish our business? I have a busy day.”

“Not until I know if you're tending the ranger's brat.”

This was getting annoying. And childish. “She's not a brat. She's a sweet little girl, Nina. What harm can she possibly do to you?”

“She's the ranger's kid and we don't give service to rangers. I can understand your wanting a man around. A pretty widow like you, all alone out at your ranch, but you can do better than the ranger, Melanie. Why don't you accept Frank's offer and sell your land to us? Then you and Anne can move into town and you wouldn't have to work so hard.”

Something toxic boiled up inside Melanie, much like a nuclear explosion. “How dare you? Just who do you think you are? You have no right to plan my life for me. To tell me what to do with my ranch. I'll never sell Opal Ranch to you. Never.”

Melanie stepped back from the counter, gripping the strap of her purse as it dropped off her shoulder and sagged to her elbow. “I'll tell you what, Nina. Since you have enough business already, you can do without mine. You don't own me or anyone else in this town.”

And with that, Melanie turned and stormed out of the store. Without looking back, she jerked open the door to her truck, climbed inside, slammed it hard and drove away. She'd made the last stop sign on Main Street and headed out of town before she realized that hot tears of anger ran down her cheeks.

The nerve of that woman! Insinuating that she wanted Scott around her place for anything other than business reasons. Suggesting that she sell her home and the land she dearly loved simply because Frank Donaldson wanted it.

And on top of everything else, Melanie now had no supplies for Alfonso.

When she got home, she burst into the house, glad the girls weren't there to witness her fury. She dug into her freezer and pulled out two loaves of home-baked bread, then started raiding her pantry.

The creak of the back screen door made her turn around, expecting to see Anne.

“Scott! You startled me.”

He smiled at her. “Hi there. I didn't expect you back so soon. How'd it go at the grocery store?”

Her bottom lip quivered and she turned away as more tears spilled down her cheeks. Oh, how she hated for this man to see her cry.

“Mel, are you okay?”

She heard the concern in his voice and felt his warm hands on her shoulders, squeezing gently. She fought the urge to turn in his arms and ask him to hold her. She'd been strong for so long and she wished she could hand some of her burdens over to this kind man. To let him be strong for her.

Then she remembered who he was. And who she was. No, no, no.

She moved away, opening the refrigerator, knowing she was also getting low on provisions for herself and Anne. She needed to buy food. “Nina all but refused to sell me groceries because she found out I'm tending Shelley.”

A long, disgruntled breath of air eased past his lips. “I'm sorry, Melanie. This is my fault.”

She slammed the fridge door and faced him, rubbing at her damp eyes. “It's not your fault, but it is a problem.”

He took a step closer, his hand lifting to tuck a strand of hair back behind her ear. “What can I do to help?”

She looked up into his eyes, so close she could feel the whisper of his breath against her cheek. She opened her mouth to respond, but didn't get the chance. The girls came rushing in, the screen door clapping closed behind them. Scott stepped away.

“Where are the cookies?” Anne's eyes crinkled with disappointment. Her mom had promised to buy chocolate cookies with cream centers.

Melanie bit her bottom lip. She wasn't about to tell her daughter that they could no longer shop at Donaldson's because Shelley was staying with them. No sense in whining about their predicament. Melanie had a job to do and she was determined to do it.

“I didn't get any but I will soon…I promise.” She brushed a hand across her face. “It looks like it's gonna be a long day. Three hours to drive to and from Evanston, an hour or so to buy supplies, another three hours to drive up and down the mountain to Alfonso…anyone want to ride with me? We can make a day of it.” She turned to her daughter. “We can even buy you that new pair of shoes you want to play soccer.”

“Yay!” Anne grinned.

“Can we go, too, Dad?” Shelley asked.

Scott folded his arms and leaned against the wall, looking skeptical. Even though he had chores to do here at the ranch, Melanie prayed he said yes. She wanted his companionship today. His presence made her feel better. Stronger. She felt incredibly vulnerable right now and didn't want to be alone with Anne on this long errand.

“I want Shelley to come with me,” Anne said.

Melanie chuckled. “It's okay by me.”

Melanie felt Scott's eyes resting on her like burning brands. When he spoke, his voice sounded deep and calm. “I owe you for child care this week. I've almost finished repairing the shed and I'd feel better if you let me drive and lift the heavy boxes for you.”

What a relief. Melanie released her held breath. Somehow the work of the day didn't seem so burdensome with Scott by her side.

Anne frowned at this, but she didn't object. No doubt her desire to have Shelley along warred with her desire for Scott to remain behind.

“You sure you're up for such a long day?” She bit her tongue, thinking she was stupid to try to talk him out of what she wanted him to do. And yet, she couldn't bring herself to be completely selfish.

He smiled gently, his blue eyes twinkling. “Yeah, and I'll even buy everyone lunch.”

Lunch! What a nice treat. It was rare that Melanie didn't have to prepare a meal, and this day might just turn out to be fun.

“Did you get the lambs fed?” Melanie asked.

Anne grinned. “Sure. It goes fast now that Shelley knows what to do and helps me.”

“Great. Let's go.”

The girls raced ahead with Scott and Melanie following behind. Melanie locked the front door of the house, then bit her tongue when Scott suggested they take his truck.

“We can drive mine,” she said. When he threw a dubious glance at her rusty old truck, she hurried on. “It doesn't look like much, but it's got a good engine and it's reliable.”

“I just filled my tank with gas.” He headed for his truck, ending their discussion. Funny how he seemed to
get his way so easily just by calmly doing things. Aaron would have been screaming profanities at her by this point, making the issue into a big fight that usually ended with her in tears.

As they piled into Scott's truck, Melanie realized that letting him drive was a smarter option. He had a backseat for the girls and Melanie found the truck cab comfortable and roomy.

Anne sat directly behind Melanie with Shelley sitting behind Scott. As they pulled onto the main road, Scott pointed at the corral and yelled, “Beaver.”

Melanie and Anne stared at him like he'd gone daft.

He chuckled. “What? You've never played Beaver before?”

They shook their heads.

He looked in the rearview mirror at his daughter. “Shelley, do you want to explain the rules of the game to them?”

“Sure! If you see a colored horse, you call out ‘beaver.' That's worth one point. But if you see a white horse, that's worth ten points and you call out ‘white horse.' We keep score as we drive along and when we get to our destination, the one with the most points wins.”

A laugh burst from Melanie's throat. “The things people come up with to fight off travel boredom.”

Scott glanced at her, his handsome mouth curved into a lopsided grin. “So are you in? Or are you afraid I might beat your socks off?”

In response, she pointed at the pristine fields lined by tall, freshly painted white railings surrounding the Donaldsons' ranch. “Beaver, beaver, beaver. That's three points. I'm ahead.”

She swiveled in her seat to look back at the girls, whose
eyes gleamed with determination. They all stared out the windows, trying to spy a horse as they played the game.

By the time they arrived in Evanston, they were all laughing and calling out the horses they saw before someone else could beat them to it. At the last minute, Anne lucked out with three white horses standing together under a lean-to, which pulled her ahead in points.

“I win!” Anne crowed with delight.

“Ah! No fair,” Shelley sulked.

“Yes, my dear, it is fair,” Scott said. “You won, Anne. That means you get to decide where we're going to eat lunch today.”

Anne looked at Scott and Melanie held her breath. Then the girl gave a half smile and Melanie realized they'd just garnered a very small victory. Anne hadn't argued with him. In fact, the girl was enjoying herself. In spite of Scott being a ranger.

“I'd like to eat at the Burrito Shack, please.” She pointed as they approached the restaurant ahead.

And so polite! Maybe having to drive into Evanston was turning out to be worth the effort after all. It had been a long, long time since she and Anne had enjoyed a family outing that didn't entail work.

“Sounds good. I'm starved.” Scott pulled into the parking lot.

They ate their lunch, their conversation animated and happy as they discussed how they could change the rules of the Beaver game for their return trip. The day passed most pleasurably as they bought their supplies and headed back to Snyderville.

They stopped by Opal Ranch long enough to put away the perishable groceries and feed the baby lambs again. It was late afternoon by the time they headed up on the mountain.

“Alfonso will be wondering where I am. He expected me by noon,” Melanie said.

“He'll understand after we arrive and explain it to him.” As they passed Gaylin Canyon, Scott quickly pulled the truck over and shut off the engine without explanation.

“What's the matter?” Melanie asked.

He frowned and seemed distracted as he glanced at the backseat. “You girls can get out of the truck and watch from a distance if you promise to stay with Melanie at all times. Agreed?”

Both girls nodded, not fully understanding what they were agreeing to, but not wanting to be excluded.

Scott got out and they followed, standing beside the truck as he climbed up into the toolbox in the back and retrieved a pair of leather gloves and wire cutters.

“Stay right here. I'll be back.”

He sauntered off the road into the sagebrush toward the barbed-wire fence that flowed over the low hills and disappeared into a stand of scrubby juniper. A movement caught Melanie's eye and she couldn't believe what she saw. A deer stood before the fence, its head slung low with its antlers tangled in the barbed wire. She pointed so the girls could see, then lifted them into the back of the truck so they had a better view. True to their promise, they stood beside Melanie, holding her hands.

As Scott approached the wary animal, he spoke in soothing tones. “You sure got yourself into a big mess, didn't you?”

The deer lunged and yanked, blowing hard, nostrils and eyes flared. With its head down, it couldn't move very well. Careful of its hind legs, Scott circled around on the other side of the fence.

“Oh, the poor deer,” Anne cooed. “Your dad won't hurt it, will he?”

“Of course not. Dad would never hurt an animal. He helps them,” Shelley said, her voice filled with confidence.

“What's he doing, then?”

“His job,” Shelley said. “My dad's a forest ranger. Just watch what he's gonna do and you'll be glad he's here.”

They watched in silence as Scott pulled on his gloves, then reached for the barbed wire. Already exhausted in its fight to be free of the fencing, the deer jerked and heaved, but couldn't release its horns. Scott wrestled to get a decent grip on the wire, then made several clips with the cutters. The more he freed the animal, the more dangerous it became for Scott. The frightened deer had a greater range of movement and almost kicked Scott off his feet several times. Scott fell, landing hard on his back. Melanie gasped, prepared to run to help, but reticent to leave the girls.