The Forest Ranger's Child. Leigh Bale

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СКАЧАТЬ “For a while.” She didn’t want to get close to this or any man.

       “Where have you—”

       “Ahem! Lily?”

       Someone cleared their throat behind Nate and he turned as Lily looked past him at the door. “Daddy!”

       Hank Hansen stepped forward, dressed in faded blue jeans and scuffed cowboy boots. He looked leaner than she remembered, with barely a rounded stomach hanging over his belt buckle. He held his shabby cowboy hat in his hands, his gray eyes narrowed with concern.

       Nate stepped away and smiled respectfully as Hank came to stand beside Lily’s bed. She’d promised herself she wouldn’t cry when she saw her father again, but the baby and nearly losing her life today blew that vow right out the window. Tears burned her eyes, but she wouldn’t let them fall.

       As she looked at her father’s weathered face, she felt surprised by the silver streaks in his hair and more wrinkles around his eyes and mouth. A burst of joy coiled through her chest. How glad she was to see him again. To be home, if only until her child was born.

       “Daddy,” she whispered, not knowing what else to say.

       His chin quivered, his mouth tight. “Lily, I didn’t believe it when they called to say you were here. But my little darlin’ has really come home.”

       Dad leaned over and hugged her, squashing his hat between them. The brush of his whiskers scratched her cheek. She breathed him in, the scent of horses and peppermint. Never wanting to let go. Maybe he’d changed in the past seven years. Maybe he’d softened just a bit.

       He held her several moments, something he’d done only once before, the day her mother died. Finally. Finally a show of loving emotion from him. How she needed this hug and she clung to him tightly.

       Finally he pulled away and she brushed at her eyes. Dad coughed, a wrenching sound deep down in his lungs. He must be more overcome by emotion than she first thought.

       Dad glanced at the forest ranger before clasping Nate’s hand and pounding him hard on the back. “Thank you, Nate. Thank you so much. I’m grateful you were there to save my little girl.”

       Nate’s face flushed with awkwardness, as if he didn’t know quite how to react. “You’re welcome, Hank. I’m glad to have helped.”

       Dad stood smiling between them and the silence ticked by. Lily couldn’t help wondering how much Dad knew about her circumstance. Did he know about the baby? That she’d disgraced herself and their family name?

       “Well, I better get going. It was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Hansen.” Nate nodded respectfully to her, then took a step.

       “Thanks again,” Dad called.

       “Yes, thank you,” she agreed.

       Nate waved and smiled before closing the door. And with his departure, Lily felt even more alone.

      * * *

       Nate couldn’t explain the elation filling his chest. This day could have ended in tragedy, but it hadn’t. He’d remember these events as long as he lived. And yet, he sensed something wrong here. Something he couldn’t put his finger on.

       As he stood at the receptionist’s desk in the small clinic and waited for Shelby to get off the phone, troubling thoughts tugged at his brain. Obviously Hank Hansen was happy to see his daughter, but she seemed so reserved. Frightened even. Her short, almost curt answers when Nate had tried to find out about her. Her tensed posture and wary glances at the door, as if she longed to escape. And then, when Nate had turned to leave her alone with her father, an expression of pure panic had filled her eyes. As if she didn’t want him to go.

       Boy, was Nate getting mixed signals from her. He leaned his forearms against the high counter, fighting the confusion in his mind. The doctor had said Lily and her dad hadn’t gotten along after her mother’s death. Even with their happy reunion, it appeared that she and her father had a lot of past history that needed to be sorted out. Nate had no right to worry about the woman he’d saved, but he did all the same.

       “I can’t believe you did this. What would your mother say? I’m disappointed in you, Lily. More than I can say.”

       Nate turned, startled to hear the angry words coming from Lily’s room. Hank’s voice boomed behind the closed door, rushing up the empty hallway.

       The door burst open and Hank came stomping out, his hat gripped in his fist, his face red as a charging bull. As the man stormed past, he coughed hard and didn’t even glance at Nate. Shelby looked up from her desk, the phone still pressed against her ear, her mouth dropping open in surprise.

       Nate stared after Hank as the man trudged through the automatic glass doors and out to the parking lot. Nate felt as though a tornado had just blown through the room. What had happened?

       A muffled sob came from Lily’s room and Nate swiveled around and walked to her door. Peering inside, he found her lying on her side facing the wall, her arms wrapped over her baby bump. Even though she made no sound, her thin shoulders trembled. She was obviously crying and his chest tightened with regret. How he hated to see a woman cry.

       He rapped his knuckles against the door, wondering what he should say. Wondering how saving her life had made him feel so protective of her.

       She glanced over her shoulder and looked startled and self-conscious. She rubbed her reddened eyes with the backs of her hands and sat up quickly, her nose dripping. When she rested her small hands protectively over her tummy, he couldn’t help staring. How fragile she looked.

       “What do you want?” Her voice sounded like a croak.

       He reached for a tissue on the bedside stand and handed it to her. She whisked it from his fingers and blew her nose.

       “I don’t mean to intrude, but I couldn’t help overhearing. I was wondering if I can do anything for you,” he said.

       “No, nothing. I’m fine.” Her voice cracked and so did his heart.

       “Are you hungry?”

       She laughed and shook her head. “All you men are alike. You just don’t get it, do you?”

       “Get what?”

       The velvety softness of her brown eyes pinned him with fury. “I don’t want anything from you. Not now. Not ever.”

       Okay…

       “I didn’t mean to intrude, ma’am. I’ll leave you alone.” He turned to go, but she called him back.

       “Wait!” Her features softened with regret. “Look, I…I don’t mean to be ungrateful. It’s just that I don’t want to become involved again.”

       She bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes, her hands clenched. He stood there dumbfounded.

       “Why can’t this ever get easier?” She opened her eyes and looked at him.

       “I’m sorry, but I don’t understand.” Nate wondered what he’d walked into. He had no idea if this woman was mentally unstable or just СКАЧАТЬ