The Forest Ranger's Promise (2 page)

Melanie would reserve judgment for now.

Since cattle and sheep men had a natural aversion to forest rangers, Melanie half wished she hadn't been the one to discover him. What would the other ranchers say
when they found out she'd helped him? How would she ever live it down?

The story of the Good Samaritan filled her mind, reminding her that she should love her enemy and turn the other cheek. But no matter how hard she tried, she still didn't want to help this man.

Ennison walked steady, but once he sat in the saddle, he groaned and hung limp over the neck of Melanie's horse. Prickles of alarm dotted Melanie's flesh. What if he died? She didn't want any accusations flung her way.

“You okay?” She stood beside her horse, looking up at the man's pale face.

He straightened, his tall frame towering over her as he gave a weak smile. “Yeah, I'll be fine. I'm sure glad you showed up when you did. I think that mother grizzly had me on the menu for supper.”

She almost chuckled, but couldn't bring herself to feel that comfortable around him. “I think it's time we left this place.”

“I won't argue with you on that score.”

She climbed up behind Anne on the girl's horse. Fearing Ennison might fall off his mount, Melanie took the reins, ponying him along beside her as they headed down the trail. They rode slow and steady and she glanced over her shoulder often to make certain Ennison was okay. She kept her rifle close at hand, just in case she saw a bear. Aaron had taught her to shoot. She'd chased off coyotes from her band of sheep by firing into the air. Aaron told her that did little good because they'd just return to steal sheep later on. He wanted her to shoot to kill, but she just couldn't, unless a person's life was at stake. Just like that mother grizzly, Melanie would do anything to protect her child.

As darkness covered the mountain, Melanie asked
Anne to dig two flashlights out of her saddlebag. Aiming the beams of light at the trail, she silently prayed they didn't miss the turn leading to Game Creek.

Please, God, keep us safe tonight.

When they reached the camp, Melanie stared through the dark, just making out the Forest Service emblem with a lone pine tree on the side of Ennison's pale green truck. She breathed a sigh of relief. His horse stood beside the truck, its head up with reins trailing as it nickered gently in greeting.

“You knucklehead. Why didn't you take me with when you bolted?” Ennison asked the animal.

The horse just stared at them. Again, Melanie appreciated Ennison's humor and would have laughed if he'd been any other man.

It took thirty minutes to get the three horses loaded and Ennison settled in the front seat. Thankfully, the trailer was big enough to hold all the horses. No way was she about to leave her precious animals on this mountain alone. Not with grizzly bears prowling around. She depended on her horses for her livelihood and couldn't afford to buy new ones.

She and Anne climbed into the cab of the truck. The small overhead light came on. Ennison watched her quietly, his blue eyes clear and lucid. She didn't know how she'd ever live it down with the other ranchers if the new ranger died while in her care. Likewise, she doubted they'd let her forget helping him. In this small community, everyone knew everyone else's secrets.

“You know how to handle yourself with horses. You got those animals loaded in no time,” Ennison commented.

She ignored his praise and stretched out her hand. “I need the key.”

He reached inside his pants pocket and she heard the
jingle as he placed some keys on her open palm. Anne sat hunched against Melanie's side, her lips pinched as she stared straight ahead and refused to let any part of her leg touch the man.

“I didn't catch your name,” Ennison said.

“It's Mrs. McAllister.” Melanie inserted the key and started the ignition.

“You don't have a first name?”

“Yes, I do.” She turned on the headlights and put the truck in gear.

“What is it?” he persisted.

She tossed an irritated glance his way, finding the gleam of his eyes unsettling. “Melanie, but my friends and family call me Mel. You can call me Mrs. McAllister.”

She pressed on the accelerator, going slow. The horses thumped around in back, gaining their balance as the trailer bounced gently over the narrow dirt road.

“Wait a minute. You're Mel McAllister?” His eyes widened with surprise.

“That's right.” She tried not to look at him, but found it difficult. Worrying about this man didn't sit well with her. She'd be a Good Samaritan this time, but that didn't mean she had to be friends.

“I recognize your name, but I thought you were a man.”

She gave a harsh laugh. “Not hardly.”

“I can see that.”

Her cheeks heated up like road flares and she refused to look at him, grateful that the darkness hid her face.

“You're a grazing permittee,” he said.

Her shoulders stiffened. “Unfortunately.”

“You don't like grazing on the National Forest?”

“Of course I do. I just don't like being told when, where and how to graze my sheep.”

She caught his nod of acquiescence. “I can understand your hostility, but believe me when I say I have nothing against grazing the land. It's here for us all to use.” He sighed. “It's the overgrazing that I object to. That kills the land and causes erosion. With a bit of structure and management, there are ways to find a happy middle ground.”

“Look, Mr. Ennison, my sheep aren't going to cause any harm to your precious land. I'm smart enough to figure out that if we overgraze we won't have enough quality feed for next year.”

“It's not my land, Melanie. It belongs to everyone. I just want to help preserve it for future generations.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I find that hard to believe.”

“Oh, you can believe it. For every dollar generated by the use of our renewable natural resources, an income of ten dollars is generated somewhere else down the line.” His voice filled with conviction. “Ranchers, auctioneers, loggers, truckers, the butcher in the grocery store, the contractor who builds our homes and many more—they all make a living because of our national lands.”

She nodded. “I'm glad you understand that concept.”

“Of course I do. We can't regrow an oil field, but we can regrow trees and raise more cows. Our renewable resources are highly important to our nation's economy.” He smiled at her. “And, please, call me Scott.”

Strike one. How dare he be so informal with her? She bit her lip to keep from telling him what she really thought. Who did he think he was? She knew very well how important the forest lands were to her own livelihood. “So you're not a preservationist?”

“I'm guided by the Multiple Use Sustained Yield Act,
which tells me to take care of our land for use by the most people for as long as we can. Ranchers are an important part of that effort.”

“Well. I'm glad we got that straightened out. But I'll have to watch and see if you act on your words.” His ideas made sense and mirrored her own beliefs, but she'd heard other rangers say one thing and do another often enough not to trust what he said.

A low chuckle rumbled in his chest. “Just give me time, Mrs. McAllister. I'll show you I'm a man of my word.”

She hoped so, but she wasn't certain she liked where this conversation was going. She could easily like this man, but she didn't want to. “Maybe I should have left you for the grizzlies.”

He laughed, not seeming to be injured in the least by her harsh comment. “I'm glad you have a sense of humor. I think we'll get along just fine.”

Was he daft? She had no intention of getting along with him. The sooner she got rid of him, the better.

“Don't think I'm easy pickings just because I'm a woman,” she warned. “I know all the games you rangers play and I'm not falling for it ever again.”

“Again?”

He studied her with those piercing eyes and she realized she'd said too much. The last thing she wanted was a snoopy forest ranger asking her questions.

“No games, Melanie. I grew up on a ranch myself. I know how important the land is to grazing livestock.”

Hmm. Maybe so, but he was still a ranger and would undoubtedly do whatever his bureaucratic bosses told him to do. She'd learned the hard way not to trust a ranger and it wouldn't happen again.

I
t took an hour of slow driving to reach the main road. Melanie didn't head for Snyderville even to drop off her horses. Fearing Scott might die of some brain trauma, she sped on by the exit to reach the freeway to Evanston.

“Where you going?” he asked as they passed the road sign pointing to Snyderville.

Headlights blared in their eyes and she blinked as a semi passed them on the dark road. “I'm taking you to a hospital.”

“That's ninety miles away.”

“That's right,” she said.

“There's no need for that. I'm fine.”

“You may have a concussion and I won't be responsible for your death.” She didn't look at him, wishing she could remain neutral. Wishing she didn't care. Her husband had always chided her for taking in strays. She never figured that might include an injured forest ranger.

Anne sagged against her in sleep, her bright head drooping to her chest. Melanie almost cringed when Scott reached over and settled the girl in a more comfortable position on the seat. His kindness annoyed Melanie and she didn't know why. His actions seemed too fatherly and
she bit her tongue to keep from asking if he had kids. The less she knew about him the better.

She stared at the empty road, watching the miles go by, trying not to think of the man in the seat next to her. He filled up the truck with his bigger-than-life presence, so different from the previous ranger. This man was just too…likable.

The clock on the dashboard showed eight minutes past midnight when she pulled into the emergency parking lot in Evanston. She took up four parking spaces with the truck and trailer. Without a word, she climbed out and reached back to awaken Anne.

“Come on, honey. You can rest inside.”

The girl stumbled out of the truck, almost knocking Melanie over. Scott startled her when he took Anne's arm to help. How did he get over here so fast?

“Leave me alone.” The girl jerked away, her jaw hard with belligerence.

Scott drew back in surprise. “Sorry. I just wanted to help.”

Anne didn't smile and neither did Melanie. Anne had a natural aversion to men. She'd loved her father, but she'd also learned not to trust him. One minute, Aaron was fun and filled with gruff compassion. Then he'd lose himself in a bottle and became a mean drunk. Melanie had tried to shield Anne from her father's rages, but hadn't completely succeeded. The worst part about it was that Melanie now felt relieved Aaron wasn't around to hurt them anymore. She missed him even as she felt joy in his absence. How could a woman feel that way about her own husband? It just wasn't right and she felt guilty about it.

“Anne, don't be rude.” Melanie led her daughter toward the lights of the hospital with Scott by their side.

In the brightly lit entranceway, he ran a hand down the
back of his neck and Melanie sensed his deep frustration. She felt a nibble of guilt for being so curt with him but didn't dare let down her guard.

Inside, she sat with Anne on a blue sofa in the waiting room while he stepped up to the front reception counter. Like a mother hen, Melanie kept an eye on him, just in case he needed her. Whether she liked it or not, she was stuck in Evanston with no way home until Scott Ennison got checked out.

She wasn't certain what she'd do if the doctor decided to keep Scott overnight. Maybe she could drive his truck back to Snyderville without him and contact his office in the morning. His people could come out to her ranch to retrieve his truck and horse.

A nurse handed a clipboard with paperwork to Scott and he quickly filled it out before reaching in his pocket for his wallet and insurance card. An orderly glanced at Melanie. “Would your wife like to come back with you to the examination room?”

Melanie almost choked. “I… I'm not his wife.”

“She's just a friend.” Scott's blue eyes rested on her like a leaden weight. His gaze challenged her, as if he waited for her to deny his claim of friendship. The corners of his mouth curved slightly with amusement.

Melanie bit her tongue to keep from saying something rude and completely ruining all the good values she'd tried to instill in her daughter.

“Sorry. My mistake,” the orderly said.

“Would you mind calling Karen Henderson?” Scott asked Melanie. “She's my office manager. Let her know what happened, but tell her I'm okay. I don't want to worry her.”

“Sure.” Melanie nodded and reached for her cell phone as Scott followed the orderly down the hall.

Melanie called information to get Karen Henderson's number, then made the call, keeping it short and sweet. Karen answered in a groggy voice and Melanie felt embarrassed. She had obviously woken Karen up, but there was no way around it. She quickly explained the situation, then hung up.

Sighing with exhaustion, Melanie wrapped an arm around Anne. She snuggled the girl close, breathing in her sweet smell before she leaned her head back.

Melanie would check on the horses in a few minutes. Right now, she felt absolutely worn out, her eyes gritty with fatigue. At least she had a clear conscience. Good Samaritan or not, God expected nothing less.

 

“You heard the doctor. I'm gonna be fine. I just have a mild concussion and a broken finger.” Scott sat in the passenger seat, leaning his head back to rest while Melanie drove them home to Snyderville. He felt loopy from the pain medication, as if everything moved in slow motion.

Anne sat passed out between them, her small body hanging limp against her seat belt. Thick darkness covered the road, the headlights glinting off damp pavement as Melanie pulled onto the freeway.

Scott would have called his range assistant to come get him, but he figured by the time Jim got to Evanston, they could already be home. Instead, he'd woken up Karen again to let her know he'd be home by five in the morning. Until Scott could find another child care provider, Karen had agreed to take Shelley when he needed to work on the mountain. Something would need to change soon. Shelley was bored to tears, sitting all day in the office with a woman old enough to be her grandmother. No friends to play with. No mother to love her.

No wife to love him.

A sad melancholy settled over him. How he wished he could go back in time and change things. Shelley was the most important thing in his life and she was hurting. He'd have to find a better sitter on his next day off. That would go a long way toward mending Shelley's broken heart.

He doubted his own heart could ever be fixed.

“The doctor said you need to stay awake for a few more hours. Do you have family at home to watch you, to make sure you're okay?” Melanie asked.

No, but he didn't want to tell Melanie that. He could tell that she didn't want to be near him, but he knew she'd offer to stay with him if he needed her. He could hear the weariness in her voice and wouldn't ask that from her. “Yeah, I'll be fine.”

“Did you call your wife and tell her what happened?”

Her voice had a low, growly quality he liked. Not a girly, simpering voice like so many other women he knew. Her assumption that he was married amused him. “My daughter will take care of me.”

She flicked a glance of curiosity at him. “Is she old enough to watch you?”

He shrugged. “Probably not.”

“That's just the point. You could be unconscious and unable to call for help. Who's at home? Is your wife out of town?”

He liked the note of concern in her voice. It'd been a long time since anyone cared about him. But her reminder that he had no one except his daughter made him feel a tad grouchy and he didn't understand why. “I'm divorced.”

Now why did he tell her that? It wasn't her business. Must be the medication loosening his tongue.

“Oh. I didn't mean to pry.”

He moved his left hand, careful not to jar the broken finger and bulky splint the nurse had put on for him. Melanie's apology softened him as nothing else could. Over the past few years, it seemed he'd done all the apologizing. Now, he wanted to get on with life and forget his sadness. He'd resigned himself to raising Shelley and being alone. A ranger living in remote towns with few single women had little chance of developing much of a social life.

“It's okay. I guess you could say I chose my career over the needs of my wife. Not many women like living in podunk towns without a decent grocery store and shopping.”

Once again, his tongue seemed to blurt out words before he could engage his brain. Melanie McAllister was much too easy to talk to.

Allison should be here now with him and Shelley. He'd begged his wife not to leave them. He'd even offered to change the career he dearly loved, although he had no idea what he'd do if he wasn't a ranger. This life was all he knew.

No amount of pleading had changed Allison's mind. She'd married a wealthy businessman less than four weeks after the divorce. All her trips to New York to visit her sister finally made sense. She'd been having an affair. When she'd claimed she'd never loved him, Scott wasn't surprised. Even now, the pain of betrayal hurt so much he thought there must be blood on the floor.

When she'd demanded that he keep Shelley, Scott had been glad, but his heart ached for his little girl. She didn't understand why Mom didn't want her anymore. He'd clumsily tried to explain without hurting her feelings, but Shelley was too smart. Kids had an uncanny way of guessing the truth. She knew her mother didn't want her.
Had never really wanted either of them. And that's what hurt most of all.

“I suppose you're right,” Melanie conceded. “It can be a challenge living in an isolated town, but we've got the most beautiful sunsets you ever saw. And when I'm up on the mountain after a rainstorm, the wind whispers through the trees and everything is so green and smells so fragrant. It's like heaven on earth.”

Warmth and pride infused her voice. She spoke on a sigh, her soft words sounding poetic. He couldn't help wondering how different life might have been if his ex-wife had loved the great outdoors the way he did. They'd met and married fresh out of college, before he realized she hated country living. “It's funny how things change.”

“Yes,” Melanie said. “And it's funny how they stay the same, too.”

How true. Right now, he wished he could just find some normalcy for himself and Shelley, if only for a while. They'd both had far too much upheaval lately.

“If your daughter's young, who's watching her while you're gone?” Melanie asked.

He explained about Karen. “Shelley's a great kid, but she's lonely. She misses her mom and her friends.”

“Don't worry. There're several women in town who run summer child care out of their homes to make extra money.”

“Yeah, for everyone except the new forest ranger.” He couldn't keep the cynicism from his voice.

“I take it you've already asked them?”

“Yep, and each one said no.”

“Really?” Disbelief filled her voice.

He snorted. “Don't look so surprised. One woman was polite, but I saw the anxiousness in her eyes when she
found out who I was. The other two women bluntly told me they would never watch the forest ranger's brat.”

She glanced at him, her eyes round with shock. “They actually said that?”

“Quote, unquote.” And where did that leave him and Shelley? He'd never leave her with people who might treat her badly. His child care predicament bordered on desperate.

“I'm sorry. That's not very Christian-like.” Melanie's mouth tensed as she gripped the steering wheel.

“Don't worry about it. Even you'd rather be anywhere but here helping me.”

Her cheeks flamed with guilt. “Is it that obvious?”

“Like a fist punch to the nose.”

“I don't mean to be rude,” she admitted.

“I know. It's just that Shelley misses her mom and still doesn't understand why she has to live with me.” His voice softened. “She's a lot like her mother. Prefers dresses to tromping around the mountains on a horse. But I love her so much. She's all I have left.”

He heaved a deep sigh, then clamped his mouth closed. He must remember that this woman was a rancher and didn't trust him. Yet.

“I'm sorry for your trouble.”

“Thanks. I just want to do a good job here,” he said. “My dad died when I was a senior in high school and Mom couldn't keep the ranch going even with my help. We sold off our land and that's when I decided to get a college education, so I could become a forest ranger and help other ranchers. I'm really not an ogre.”

She blinked, seeming to think this over.

“Can you recommend a child care provider until school starts up in the fall who won't care what I do for a living?” he asked.

She hesitated, then shook her head, her long auburn hair falling softly around her shoulders. “Just the women you've already tried. I pretty much keep to myself out at Opal Ranch and don't have time to mingle a lot with the townsfolk.”

Something in her tone warned that he'd pushed her out of her comfort zone. She stared straight ahead, a frown curling the corners of her mouth. She didn't clarify, but he suspected there was a reason she didn't associate with the people in town and he couldn't help wondering why. For now, he decided to change the topic. “Opal Ranch is your home?”

“Yes, we're fifteen miles outside of town.”

“How many bands of sheep are you running?”

“Two.”

“With about four thousand head?”

“Closer to three.” At his questioning look, she continued. “We've had some setbacks.”

“Such as?”

“Such as nosy forest rangers,” she retorted.

Wow! She was definitely harboring ill feelings toward the previous ranger. He could see he had his work cut out for him to resolve the anger issues in this town. Her clipped answers told him she didn't want to talk, but he should know this information as the new ranger. “How many acres of grazing land do you own?”