Leigh Bale - The Forest Ranger's Child

“Ah, I’m sure he doesn’t hate you.”

“Yes, he does.”

She stared at her stomach and a strand of russet hair swept past her face. Nate’s fingers itched to tuck it back behind her ear, but he resisted the urge. He didn’t know how to comfort her. He’d been raised by a single mother in a small, traditional town, and knew how hard it could be. Lily must be frightened half to death.

“Hank doesn’t hate you. He’s just hurting right now, but he’ll get over it. He was sure happy to see you. He’ll remember that once the shock of your pregnancy wears off.” Nate didn’t know why he was comforting her. When he’d been old enough to understand, his mother had explained that she’d conceived him out of wedlock and become the pariah of the town. Nate’s father had deserted her. Her father disowned her. She’d had no friends and no support. To earn a living, she’d worked as a waitress until she’d died shortly after Nate graduated from high school. The hard life had taken its toll, breaking her body and spirit. Now, Nate hated the thought of Lily Hansen and her innocent child going through the same thing simply because she’d made a mistake.

“I don’t know if he’ll come back to get me or not.” A plump tear rolled down her cheek and she dashed it away.

“Don’t worry, he’ll be here.”

“How do you know?” She frowned at him. “I don’t even know why I’m telling you all of this. I’m really thankful for what you did today, but please leave now, before I make a bigger spectacle of myself than I already have.”

There was no anger in her words, just resignation. Someone had done a pretty good job of alienating this woman to make her so distrustful. Nate was smart enough to realize she wasn’t herself right now, but her words wounded him just the same.

He nodded, wondering why he’d allowed himself to get sucked into her troubles with her father. She was right. He didn’t belong here. “I’m sorry to have disturbed you.”

Turning on his heel, he headed for the door, brushing past Shelby as she came in carrying a pitcher of water.

“You okay, honey?” Shelby asked.

“I’ll be fine,” came Lily’s throaty reply.

Nate left the clinic, planning to return to work. Planning to forget the exchange he’d overheard between Hank and his daughter. Or that he’d ever saved the life of a beautiful woman named Lily Hansen.

Chapter Three

Two days later, Nate gripped the steering wheel of his truck and wondered what he was doing here at the clinic parking lot so early in the morning. He’d called the clinic each day to check up on Lily Hansen and find out when the doctor would release her. So much for forgetting their discussion when she’d asked him to leave.

He must be crazy, but he couldn’t get her off his mind. Couldn’t forget her desperate situation or the fact that she was about to become a mother.

After pacing the floor of his Forest Service house most of the night, he’d decided worrying about the small woman he’d rescued had become a full-time job. What would become of her if her father didn’t return and take her home? That question alone had pushed Nate to drive to the clinic instead of in to work.

He’d been sitting here for almost two hours, watching and waiting. He didn’t have a clue what he’d do if Hank didn’t come for her.

Rolling down the window, Nate inhaled a deep breath of fresh, spring air. Morning sunshine glinted off the hood of his truck and he lifted an arm to shield his eyes. Yellow daffodils filled the flower bed edging the sidewalk. What a beautiful day. Now if Hank would show up, Nate could clear his conscience and be on his way to the office.

A rusty green pickup truck pulled into the parking lot. Nate leaned forward and squinted his eyes. Was that Hank Hansen?

Yes! The truck stopped in front of the automatic double doors of the clinic.

Nate sat back and released a satisfied sigh. Hank had come for his daughter, which meant everything was okay. Otherwise, the doctor wouldn’t let Lily go home today. And for some reason, that pleased Nate enormously.

As predicted, the older man went inside, carrying a small brown bag. Within twenty-five minutes, he reappeared with Shelby pushing Lily in a wheelchair. Lily’s delicate hands were folded over her stomach. Glimmers of sunshine glinted off her long russet hair, showing highlighted streaks of auburn. Even from this distance, Nate remembered the velvet softness of her brown eyes. The smattering of freckles sprinkled across her pert nose. He sure wished he could see her smile just once.

With her feet propped up on the footrest of the chair, she wore a red sweater, a pair of blue jeans and tennis shoes. Hank must have brought the clothing to her. Nate had no idea where Hank had gotten the clothes because Lily had just returned home and all her possessions were still buried in her mud-coated car. At least Hank was taking care of her.

They didn’t notice him as Shelby helped Lily stand. Hank didn’t smile as he opened the door and stood back while Lily climbed inside the old truck. She brushed past her father, staring straight ahead, her spine stiff.

Hostile.

Shelby closed the door and waved goodbye. And then Hank got into the truck and drove away. Not one word passed between them.

Nate wished he dared speak to Lily. At least she had a place to stay, but her relationship with her father didn’t look like it’d improved much. The thought of Hank upsetting Lily in her condition bothered Nate. No matter what was going on between them, Lily’s unborn child needed protection.

So did she.

Starting the ignition, Nate put his vehicle into gear and pressed the accelerator. He tried to tell himself to think about the timber study sitting on his desk at work. Tried not to care.

Maybe he should pay a visit to Emerald Ranch later on. Then again, maybe he should mind his own business and stay far away from Lily Hansen and her father.

* * *

The sound of the rumbling engine filled Lily’s ears as she sat tense in her seat. The silence between her and Dad grew louder by the minute.

She’d clicked on her seat belt before loosening the strap across the swell of her lower abdomen. A blanket of contentment rested over her. Her baby was okay. The little girl’s heartbeat was strong and Lily had felt several hard thumps earlier that morning, the stirrings of life inside of her.

“You hungry?” Dad asked without looking at her.

“No, thank you.”

They drove down Main Street and headed outside of town with several more minutes passing in silence.

“You’re lucky Nate Coates found you when he did. He’s a good man. He rode the professional rodeo circuit before he got injured like me. He won all-around cowboy fifteen years ago. Then he went to college to become a forest ranger.”

Lily bit her tongue to keep from uttering a derogative statement. Tommy had traveled often so he could compete in rodeos. She’d waited at home for his return, wondering why he never seemed to win anything. And then his wife had called. Tommy had been cheating on both of them with one-night stands in every town. Buckle babes who followed the rodeo circuit looking for nothing but a good time. When Lily had confronted Tommy with the truth, he’d…

No! She wouldn’t think about that now. Never again would Lily subject herself to that kind of treatment. Maybe she deserved it, but her child didn’t.

In her younger years, Dad had been gone all the time, competing on the professional circuit. Until a bull had gored his shoulder and ended his career. Lily had no desire to be friends with a rodeo-going forest ranger. No sirree.

“I suppose you’ll need some new clothes,” Dad said. “Your bedroom’s just as you left it, but I doubt there’re many clothes in the closet that’ll fit you now.”