Cheryl Harper - Saving The Single Dad

Christina clenched her hands together in the apron tied around her waist. Instead of impassive control, her expression was a mix of begging and warning. He understood her message, too, but there was nothing he could do about it. He’d made his decision about what to do about Leanne the day the judge gave him sole custody. While she was in Sweetwater, he’d invited her over to visit the kids but only when he was around. What had been exciting and passionate when they were kids had become unstable and a problem when they’d become parents. He’d wanted his children to know their mother, but she’d left them behind.

Now that she’d gone? She was out of all of their lives for good.

That meant everything was on his plate. No matter how much the load weighed him down, he had to keep everything balanced.

Leanne had thrown away her chance to prove she was ready for more responsibility. He refused to admit any guilt, but his whole world was fraying around the edges.

“I don’t know what to tell you, Chris.” The old nickname slipped out and he watched her shoulders slump. “You know my priority.” He backed out of the door and watched her turn away. He was going to escape the town’s scrutiny; Christina would have to face it, this time alone.

She’d made her choice. He understood her loyalty, but that loyalty had made it easy enough for Leanne to make bad decisions. He was doing the right thing.

Once he was back in the car, he called the latest in a string of women he’d dated in an attempt to find another wife. If he didn’t have permanent help and soon with the kids, he’d have to give up his job.

He’d had a strict list of requirements for the women he dated, since the only thing he never wanted to have happen again was to be lied to and abandoned. This teacher from Knoxville was prettier than he preferred, but she was quiet and sweet and so boring that he couldn’t imagine her being the subject of the kind of wild stories that circulated about Leanne or Christina.

She also hadn’t grown up in Sweetwater. At this point, that was her strongest selling point. Living with people who’d witnessed his biggest failure from the front row was hard enough. He didn’t want his children facing that memory at home every day.

He was planning to leave a message, but Lila answered. “Hello?”

“Hey, I figured you’d be teaching,” Brett said as he maneuvered the curvy road that led to the ranger station and the overlook.

“Free period,” Lila said before clearing her throat. “But I’m glad you called.”

“Well, I wanted to remind you that I’ll be in Nashville this week.” Brett studied the parking lots as he passed. Low occupancy currently, but the numbers would grow later in the day. “When I get back, I’d like you to come out and meet my kids.” He’d decided their conversations had gone well enough that it was time to move to the next step. After four false starts, he had a good feeling about Lila. He’d show his mother he was making progress, so that he could talk her into staying until school was out for the year. That was going to be stretching his persuasive abilities, but he didn’t think Lila would want to marry in the middle of the school year.

“About that.” Lila cleared her throat delicately. “I don’t think that’s a good plan.”

Brett pulled into his parking spot and turned off the engine. “Why not? I’d love to do it sooner, but—”

“I’m seeing someone else, Brett. You and me, the two of us together don’t work. We have no spark.” Lila sighed. “I’m not telling you anything you don’t know. What I don’t understand is why you seem to think it’s still a good thing.”

Brett thumped his head on the steering wheel and closed his eyes. Hysterical laughter was going to be the next step, but he’d fight it as long as he could.

“Are you still there?” she asked softly.

“Yep. No spark, huh?” He’d never tried to stir up a spark. He and Leanne had been nothing but sparks, down to fiery explosions. He didn’t want that anymore.

He wanted someone nurturing for his kids, someone who wouldn’t flake when a better offer came along or desert him when Riley pulled whatever stunt she was planning next.

And he wanted peace.

What was he going to do?

“Okay, well...” Brett picked up the bribe, the critical bag of pie from the diner. “Glad I made the call.”

“You’re a great guy. I know you’ll find the woman you deserve,” Lila said before she ended the call.

When he had a minute, he’d come up with a new plan. Right now, he had to go and make sure his boss didn’t fire him.

As he strode past the front desk, Macy Gentry, the woman who kept the ranger station operational while treating guests like VIPs, whistled. “He’s called twice looking for you.”

No doubt. Ash Kingfisher had a million different balls in the air as the supervisor for this ranger station. He didn’t need to be kept waiting.

Brett tapped on the boss’s door, and then entered, waving the white bag as a flag of surrender. “I brought pie.”

Ash grunted, and then pointed at the ratty seat across from him. “Thought cops were supposed to be about doughnuts.” They had this conversation at least once a week. Brett had started out as a cop in Knoxville. As a kid, he’d wanted nothing more than to get out of Sweetwater and the shadow of the nature reserve. As soon as Leanne had told him about their second baby on the way, he’d decided Sweetwater might be the only place that could save them.

In Knoxville, Leanne could get into too much trouble. In Sweetwater, any trouble she found would eventually make its way back to him. Unfortunately, that made it harder to love her.

“Doughnuts, pie, mainly pastries in general. We try not to discriminate.” Brett slid the second cup of coffee over and watched Ash tug the lid off and drink deep. He must have already had a full Monday, too.

“You all set for this management class?” Ash asked as he shuffled papers across his desk.

Brett grumbled. That was the best answer he could come up with. He’d been a ranger at the Smoky Valley Nature Reserve for more than five years. This promotion to senior law enforcement officer was nice, but it came with headaches he hadn’t anticipated. This step was required, though, so he’d get through it.

“Doesn’t matter. I’ve postponed the training as long as I can. Go, or...else.” Ash held out both hands. “Can’t change the rules for you, right?”

Brett understood that. Arguing about his personal situation or explaining how well he was already performing would accomplish nothing. “No, sir.”

“Before you go, I wanted to talk to you about this opportunity the chief ranger sent our way.” Ash pulled out a file folder. “State’s looking to set up regional law enforcement task forces focused on terrorist activities. I’m not sure how the nature reserve can be involved. I suspect the chief ranger is not certain, either. However, we both think you’re the best man for the job.” Ash leaned back in his chair and claimed one of the containers of pie.

Brett could understand their thinking. There was a good chance he’d worked with the other agencies involved in East Tennessee. After the day he’d had, all he wanted to do was put his head on the desk and rest. “I’d be happy to, sir. Whatever I can do for the reserve. You know that.”

Ash sighed as he took a bite of the pie. “Well, I figured you’d say that, so I already put your name in. It means monthly meetings in Knoxville.”

Brett finished off his coffee and wished for more. The pie was sweet, but only coffee would give him the kick he needed to go any further with this day.

“You look like a man who’s running on fumes, Hendrix.” Ash took another bite of pie. “Anything I need to know about?”