The Forest Ranger's Promise Read Online Free PDF Page A

shouldn’t have said that. He’d always been too direct. Allison never liked that aspect of his personality. He called things as he saw them, but Allison preferred to play silent, sulking games. He’d never known a person who could hold a grudge as long as Allison.
    Melanie glanced at him, her green eyes shooting daggers. “If you were me, would you like the ranger very much?”
    â€œSure. I’m a nice guy and I’ve never done anything to hurt you.”
    She took a deep, exasperated breath before letting it go. “Surely they told you the problems stirred up by the last ranger here in Snyderville?”
    â€œThey?” he asked.
    â€œYeah, your bosses. The people you work for. They must have told you about the trouble the last ranger caused.”
    â€œYes, that’s why they brought me in. To help smooth all of that over.”
    She snorted. “And how do you intend to do that?”
    â€œOne permittee at a time. I thought I’d start with you.”
    â€œNo.” She shook her head, staring straight ahead.
    â€œYou don’t even know me.”
    â€œI think that’s best,” she said.
    â€œAnd yet you helped me.”
    â€œWouldn’t you have done the same?” She tilted her head to look at him, her delicate features outlined in shadows. She seemed too dainty to be running a sheep ranch, and he got the impression she made up in spirit what she lacked in physical strength.
    â€œOf course I would.” He met her eyes. “What did the other ranger do to upset you so much?”
    â€œFor one thing, he made a lot of promises he never kept.”
    â€œI won’t do that. Not ever.” And he meant it.
    â€œWe’ll see.”
    He sighed, realizing it would take time for him to prove himself.
    She squirmed in her seat. “Look, can we change the subject?”
    â€œSure. What do you want to talk about?”
    She didn’t bat an eye. “How old is your daughter?”
    â€œAlmost eleven.”
    â€œMy Anne is eleven.”
    He peered through the darkness at the sleeping girl, finding her mouth open slightly as she breathed. She looked like a sweet child. A smaller version of Melanie, with a pert nose and cheeks sprinkled with freckles and auburn hair like her mom’s. “What grade is she in?”
    â€œShe’ll start sixth grade in the fall.”
    â€œShelley will be in the sixth grade, too. Maybe they can be friends.”
    Melanie looked doubtful and then he rememberedAnne’s accusation on the mountain. “Why does Anne blame me for her father’s death?”
    Melanie sucked in a deep breath.
    â€œOh, I’m sorry,” he added. “Is that getting back into a taboo subject?” He tried to tease her, to lighten things up a bit, but the look on her face told him it wasn’t working. He saw something in her eyes, something vulnerable and fearful. From the little he knew about this woman, he realized she’d been hurt and he sensed the pain went deeper than just the loss of her husband. What had happened to her?
    She licked her top lip, seeming to choose her words carefully. “Let’s just say the last ranger wasn’t a nice man and let it go at that.”
    Her revelation made Scott’s mind run rampant. He’d never met Ben Stimpson, but he’d heard that the man used some illegal threats to force the ranchers to do his bidding. Had Stimpson threatened Melanie?
    Scott sensed a deep reticence in her words. Once her husband died, Ben could have helped Melanie and her daughter, making their lives much easier. Or he could have made things more difficult. Scott figured from Melanie’s comments that it had been the latter.
    They didn’t speak much over the next few miles. When she pulled into Snyderville, he breathed a sigh of relief. One lonely streetlight guided their way down Main Street. The morning sun had just peeked over the eastern mountains and he was