Falling for the Forest Ranger. Leigh Bale

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      Chapter Three

      “Jonah, we’re late!” Zoë kept her voice calm as she stood at the front door holding her son’s jacket.

      Though morning sunlight streamed through their living room window, the boy yawned and stumbled down the hallway as if it were the middle of the night. Wearing a pair of blue jeans, a sweatshirt and tennis shoes, he rubbed his sleepy eyes. Zoë handed him his jacket, then bent down to tie his dangling shoelaces. The boy’s blond hair still stuck up in back, despite her best efforts with the spray bottle and comb to flatten it down.

      “Why do we have to go so early?” He slipped his little arms into the sleeves of the jacket.

      Zoë stood and zipped it up. “I told you already. I have to work, but I thought we could make it a fun outing.”

      Not much fun getting up early on a Saturday morning.

      “But I wanna watch cartoons.”

      “We may see some fish and I made us a picnic lunch.” She lifted her brows, trying to coax a smile out of him.

      He didn’t disappoint her. His startling blue eyes widened. “Great! Are we going fishing, too?”

      She shook her head. “Not today, but soon.”

      To make their day a bit more fun for Jonah, she’d tucked a canister of homemade chocolate-chip cookies into their lunchbox for dessert.

      “Where we going?” His fingers tightened around hers as they walked out to the car.

      “I’m not sure. You remember the man whose truck you hit with the shopping cart?”

      “Yeah. He didn’t like us much.” He gave her a dubious frown.

      “His name is Tanner Bohlman and it turns out he’s the man I’ll be working with this summer.”

      “Uh-oh.” Jonah’s eyes widened with worry.

      “Don’t fret about scratching his truck anymore. It’s been dealt with,” she insisted.

      He gave her a trusting smile and she couldn’t resist kissing his forehead.

      She opened the car door and he hopped inside before she helped him with his seat belt. She then pressed a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich into his hand for him to eat along the way.

      Jonah bit into the sandwich and chewed vigorously. “He’s with the Forest Service?”

      “Yes, and he wants to take us out today to show us some of the irrigation ditches where salmon are getting lost.”

      She closed his door, then rounded the car and climbed into the driver’s seat. As she clicked on her own seat belt, she glanced at Jonah and noticed a crumb of bread clinging to his chin. She gestured toward it and he wiped his mouth. She started the engine and put the car into gear.

      “What if he’s still sore with me about what happened?” Jonah said.

      As they backed out of the driveway and pulled into traffic, Zoë lowered her sun visor and tried to reassure her son. “Don’t worry, I think he’s gotten over that.”

      Or had he? Jonah was right. The man didn’t seem to like them very much, and she hoped he wouldn’t hold a grudge. No matter what, she had a job to do and didn’t want anything to get in the way of her work.

      When they pulled into the parking lot of the supervisor’s office thirteen minutes later, Tanner stood outside, wearing the spruce-green pants and drab olive-green shirt of a forest ranger. His bronze shield gleamed in the morning sunshine. Since it was Saturday, she was surprised to see him wearing his uniform. She’d expected casual attire like she was wearing. But then she thought better of it. They were on official business today and Tanner looked the part.

      Leaning against his truck, he folded his arms and crossed his ankles. A deep frown marred his high forehead. If not for his gruff manners, he’d be a strikingly handsome man. And she couldn’t help wondering what had made him so grouchy.

      Barring the door on that thought, Zoë parked her car next to his truck and killed the motor.

      Jonah peered out the window as he unbuckled his seat belt. “He don’t look too happy, Mom.”

      “Doesn’t look happy.” She corrected his grammar. “And his mood might have something to do with the fact that we’re almost ten minutes late.”

      “Sorry, Mom.”

      She got out and opened the back door, leaning over to press a kiss against Jonah’s warm cheek before gazing lovingly into his eyes. “Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. We’re not in a hurry today. Let’s just have fun, okay?”

      “Work can be fun?” he asked.

      “Absolutely. I have fun working all the time.” Which was true. She loved her job. Except for Jonah and the Lord, it was the most important thing in her life.

      “Then let’s go to work.” Jonah returned her smile.

      As she drew away, he zipped out of the car so fast she didn’t have time to stop him. “Jonah, wait.”

      Too late. He was gone.

      With a deep sigh, she reached for the picnic basket and another bag of towels and dry clothes she’d brought just in case she got wet taking water samples. She locked the car and followed as fast as she could.

      Like a stealth bomber, Jonah headed straight toward Tanner. Zoë hurried to follow, unsure of Tanner’s mood.

      The man unfolded his arms and stepped away from his truck. As Jonah approached, Tanner held his hands up as if to protect himself. A flash of uncertainty filled his eyes, then was gone so fast that Zoë thought she must have imagined it. Maybe Tanner wasn’t used to being around little kids. Surely he wasn’t afraid of Jonah.

      “Hi, Tanner!” Jonah called.

      “Mr. Bohlman.” Zoë corrected her son’s rudeness.

      “He can call me Tanner.” Tanner’s voice sounded low and nervous as his gaze flickered over to Zoë.

      “I’m sorry we’re late. My little sleepyhead couldn’t seem to get up this morning. But I told him you wouldn’t mind.” She ruffled her son’s hair and smiled fondly, hoping her declaration would ease Tanner’s tension just a bit.

      It didn’t work. If anything, his shoulders stiffened more.

      Jonah jutted his chin toward the ugly scratches still marring the side of Tanner’s truck. “You’re not mad at me anymore, are you?”

      Oh, the innocent sincerity of a young child.

      “No. СКАЧАТЬ