The Forest Ranger's Christmas. Leigh Bale

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СКАЧАТЬ To take care of Gramps. To keep others from hurting or taking advantage of him. To be with her family, little that she still had. And a nosy forest ranger would not get in her way of that task.

      “Please, just humor me,” Clint said.

      She narrowed her eyes. “I thought you were his friend.”

      “Believe me, I am.” Clint met her gaze again, the intensity of his eyes unwavering.

      That was just the problem. She didn’t believe him. Not when he dredged up things that didn’t matter, let alone make any sense. Her past relationships had taught her not to trust easily. Especially men. In her life, Gramps had been the only man not to let her down.

      And yet Josie couldn’t deny a feeling of unease. She knew Gramps so well. The crinkle lines that framed his mouth whenever he smiled. The way his bushy eyebrows curved together when he was upset about something. The deep, rich timbre of his laugh. But now her mind sorted through the numerous times during her childhood when she’d asked him to read to her. Bedtime stories. Magazine articles. New books Grandma had bought for her. Gramps had always deferred, telling her a story from his memory or tickling her instead. Silly distractions she’d never suspected before. But that didn’t mean Gramps couldn’t read.

      Or did it?

      No, Josie had never heard anything so outrageous in her life. She refused to believe it. It couldn’t be true. And yet an inkling of doubt nibbled at her mind. It’d be so difficult to hide a handicap like illiteracy. Gramps couldn’t have made it through his long life without knowing how to read and write.

      Or could he? What if the forest ranger was right and Gramps couldn’t read?

      * * *

      Clint stepped back, giving Josie some space. She was visibly upset, with her blue eyes narrowed, her hands clenched. He would rather have this conversation without her present, but she’d made that impossible.

      He considered leaving right now, without another word. He hated causing these people any more distress, especially after he’d accused Frank Rushton of tree theft. But he couldn’t leave. Not now. Not in good conscience. Not until he knew the truth and did something to help Frank.

      “Go ahead, Gramps. Read.” Josie turned to face her grandfather.

      Clint waited. When he’d seen Josie at her grandmother’s funeral, he’d noticed the way her stunning eyes glimmered with tears, and the grief etching her delicate face. He understood grief and couldn’t help feeling her loss.

      But he’d heard that she was a career woman, one who couldn’t seem to settle down with a man. From the tidbits of information Frank and Viola had told him, Josie’s parents had divorced when she was thirteen. She’d been engaged twice, but it hadn’t worked out. She’d quit on both guys just like Karen had quit on him. Apparently Josie had an aversion to marriage, which suited him fine. He had a child to protect, and he wasn’t about to become Josie’s third conquest.

      She loved her grandparents, he had no doubt. And he couldn’t blame her for feeling protective of Frank. No one lived in this small town and didn’t hear what a kind, charitable man Frank Rushton was. But right now, Clint had a hunch. His own past experience with Karen told him he was right. Frank couldn’t read. Not because he couldn’t see well enough without his spectacles, but because he didn’t know how to put the letters together to form the words.

      “Please, Frank. Get your glasses and read for me,” Clint insisted.

      Frank’s shoulders tensed, but Clint couldn’t back down. As a ranger, he had an obligation to protect the national forest. It was his job. His first priority after Gracie. If Frank was going up on the mountain to cut trees, he needed to be able to read the posted signs. Clint also wanted to help Frank, if he could.

      With a labored breath, the elderly man nodded, and his head drooped in resignation. “All right.”

      He disappeared into the living room. Josie stood beside the doorway, arms folded, her mouth set tight in outrage. Clint decided to be patient. He couldn’t help feeling surprised to see her here. Christmas was still weeks away and he knew from talking to Josie’s grandparents that she’d never spent this much time with them in the past. Not since she was a little kid. So why was she here?

      “How’s your work at the pharmacy going?” he asked, trying to make small talk. Trying to keep from becoming her enemy.

      “Fine.” Her clipped reply didn’t encourage further banter.

      “It must have required a lot of schooling to become a pharmacist.”

      “It did.”

      He thought about his own master’s degree in geology. Even with his advanced education, he still felt like a fool in this woman’s presence. All jittery and nervous. He could take or leave most women. But with Josie, something was different. Something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. It was as though he knew her from some far-off memory. As if there was a magnetic attraction he didn’t understand, yet couldn’t deny.

      “You’re in early for a holiday visit this year,” he said.

      “That’s right.”

      “Any special reason?”

      “It’s not your concern.”

      He rubbed his hand against his bristly chin. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”

      She was a blunt little thing, he’d give her that. So blunt that she bordered on rude. But Clint got the impression it was all an act. A form of self-preservation. He could read it in her wary eyes. A mist of fear seemed to hover over her. And that brought out the protective instincts in him like never before. Safeguarding women was a weakness he’d never seemed able to overcome. His own mother had been widowed after Clint had graduated from college, so he came by the trait naturally. Mom had needed his help and he’d gladly stepped up to the task. But Josie was different. Caring for another woman would only bring him and his daughter more heartache. Something he must avoid like the plague.

      Yes, he knew something was up. He could feel it in his bones. Even so, Josie was right. Her presence here wasn’t his business. He tried to tell himself he didn’t care, but he knew that wasn’t true. She obviously didn’t want to tell him about it, so he shut up.

      A horrible silence followed.

      Frank returned, wire-rimmed spectacles in hand. It took another two laborious minutes for him to clean them, then plant the glasses firmly on the bridge of his nose before he held up the pamphlet and stared at the words. His hand trembled, betraying his anxiety. But he didn’t read. Not a single word.

      Possibly because he was holding the pamphlet upside down.

      Clint stepped forward and gently turned the leaflet right side up. With eagle-eyed focus, Josie watched every move.

      She laid a hand on his arm. “Gramps? Read it out loud.”

      The tender gesture didn’t go unnoticed by Clint. Maybe it was good she was here to offer moral support to her grandfather.

      Frank whipped the glasses off his face and tossed them on the table. They clattered against the porcelain cookie jar shaped like a yellow pineapple. Josie gasped and stepped back.

      Frank СКАЧАТЬ