The Forest Ranger's Husband Read Online Free PDF Page B

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 felta 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 brushing his teeth, he combed his hair. It was getting longer than he liked. Time to find a good barber in town.
    As an afterthought, he splashed a bit of cologne on his face, gritting until the sting passed. Before leaving his apartment, he reached for two packages he had sitting on the kitchen table. He’d bought and wrapped them two days ago, waiting for the right moment to present them to Andie and Davie. Then he drove to Andie’s house on the other side of town, feeling anxious and giddy at the same time.
    “You must be crazy,” he murmured to himself as he put on the blinker, then turned the corner. Being around Andie was suicide, flooding him with regret. He could hardly believe she hadn’t told Davie negative things about him. Matt figured most women would bad-mouth their estranged husband. But not Andie.
    He parked out front, his gaze taking in the house, white with green trim. A classic forest