The Forest Ranger's Husband. Leigh Bale

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ show her that he was a better man now. A man who loved her more than he loved life.

      He picked up the remote and flipped on the TV, listening absentmindedly to the news. So far they’d had an extra-dry winter with a weak snowpack in the mountains. In the summer, they’d have a heavy fire season as a result. Already he’d started planning the fire school they were scheduled to host in early May to train summer wildfire fighters. He had no doubt they’d need many before summer ended.

      After thirty minutes, Matt tossed the ice pack aside. He changed out of his forest service uniform into some sweats and climbed on the treadmill, hoping the exercise might ease the pain in his leg. It didn’t. Even with the special ointment the doctor had given him, the tight skin grafts on his left thigh throbbed unbearably.

      “Come on, Cutter,” he spoke aloud to himself. “Just one more mile. You can do this. You don’t need to stop.”

      As he forced himself to walk, he gripped the handrails. He briefly considered taking a pain pill, but tossed that idea aside. He didn’t need an addiction to deal with right now on top of everything else.

      When he finished walking, Matt guzzled a glass of water. His body shook and he lay down on an exercise mat, going through the stretching exercises his physical therapist had taught him.

      “One, two, three.” He counted off the repetitions, pushing himself to do an extra set of each exercise. The pain eased, but persisted. The hope of walking without a cane kept him from giving in.

      When he finished, he sat on the couch and gave a mental shout of victory. It’d been agony, but he’d pushed himself through the pain. He was not going to be a cripple the rest of his life.

      Before he could stop himself, he reached for the phone and dialed Andie’s number. He’d memorized it, even though he’d never called her yet. It was time they talked.

      “Hello,” a man’s voice answered.

      Matt tensed, his mind running rampant with confusion. It never occurred to him that Andie might have someone else in her life. Just because they were still married didn’t mean she couldn’t have met and fallen in love with someone else. The thought made him feel strangely territorial. Though he had no right, he didn’t like the idea of another man usurping his place with his wife and son.

      “Is Andie there?” He didn’t know who this man was, but he was prepared to fight for his wife.

      Oh, please. Please don’t let her have someone else in her life. Not now.

      “Sorry, but she’s in the shower.”

      Cold dread gripped Matt’s heart. Maybe he’d lost her for good. She deserved to be happy. No matter what, Matt intended to be there for her and Davie, in any way they needed him. But what if Andie wouldn’t forgive him? What if he could never make up for what he’d done?

      “Is Davie there?”

      A pause. “Yeah, one moment.”

      Matt didn’t expect to speak to the boy. He just wanted to know if his son was there, in the same room with another man trying to take his place.

      But he didn’t really have a place in Andie’s life anymore. He didn’t have a right to resent another man for loving her the way she deserved to be loved.

      The stranger didn’t give Matt a chance to say anything else. An awkward moment ensued while the man called for Davie. Butterflies swarmed in Matt’s stomach as he waited for the sound of his son’s voice.

      “Hello.”

      Such a grown-up voice. Matt loved this boy already.

      “Hi, Davie.”

      “Who’s this?”

      Matt didn’t expect the heavy breathing from the boy. He’d never been around kids much and wasn’t used to their ways.

      “My name’s Matt. You and I met in your mom’s office about a week ago.”

      “Yeah, you liked my new Rocketman.”

      Matt felt the urge to laugh, the first time in months. “Yes I did. I was calling your mom to find out when I might come over and visit you.”

      “You can come over now.”

      “I can?”

      “Sure. We’re not doing nothing special. Mom’s got lasagna in the oven.”

      Homemade lasagna. Andie’s specialty. Nothing better in the world. Matt’s mouth watered at the thought of sitting down to eat dinner with his wife and son. But he wasn’t foolish enough to invite himself without Andie’s say-so.

      “It sounds like you’ve already got company,” Matt said.

      “Nah, Aunt Sue and Uncle Brett are leaving now. You can come over.”

      Uncle Brett. Susan’s husband.

      Matt’s skin prickled with relief. For a moment there, he’d been shaking with fear.

      “You better check with your mom first.” Matt knew better than to get permission from a five-year-old.

      “Okay.” The phone rattled as Davie set the receiver down.

      Matt waited several tense moments, listening to the background noise of the TV set. The evening news, if he heard right. Finally Davie returned.

      “Mom doesn’t mind.”

      “Really? You’re sure she said it’s okay?” Matt couldn’t contain his surprise.

      “Yeah, I asked her. Do you know where I live?”

      “I do.” Matt had found that out even before he’d secured his own apartment. He’d driven down Andie’s street a couple of times, usually in the middle of the night when he couldn’t sleep. He longed to confide in her about the fire. To get the guilt off his chest. But he figured she’d just laugh at him. After the way he’d hurt her, she couldn’t possibly care about the demons haunting him.

      Most nights, he noticed a light on in the front bedroom of her house. Matt wasn’t sure whose room it was. When they’d first married, Andie had suffered from insomnia and usually sat up reading when she couldn’t sleep. But Davie was a wild card. Maybe the boy was scared of the dark and needed a light on while he slept. Matt longed to get to know his little son. Was the boy shy or brave? Was he athletic or a bookworm? It didn’t matter one way or the other. Davie was his, and Matt loved the child unconditionally for no other reason.

      “See ya.”

      The boy hung up before Matt could say goodbye. He felt a buzz of excitement. He’d been invited to dinner at Andie’s house. Thank goodness she wasn’t going to fight his visitations of Davie. He’d take it slow and easy, trying to soften Andie’s heart. The last thing he wanted was to upset his wife and cause a scene in front of their son.

      Matt cleaned up and dressed in faded jeans, a blue polo shirt and tennis shoes. He used to wear cutoffs or shorts when he worked out, but no more. The scars on his legs weren’t pretty.

      After СКАЧАТЬ