Jessica Keller - The Ranger's Texas Proposal

She drew her shaky hand out from under his. “Now that you mention it, I remember hearing about it on the news when it happened. It was a big deal in a town like Haven.”

He swiveled in the chair in order to make eye contact. “I’d like to solve the case, if I could.”

“That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?”

“Among other reasons.” He shrugged. “But I’d like to keep that private as much as I can, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course.” She nodded. “My husband was a deputy.” Josie dropped into the seat beside Heath. Close enough that their knees bumped. “It started as a routine traffic stop and turned into him never coming home.” She got the words out before her throat clamped up again. But her voice pitched higher at the end, betraying her.

Heath reached over and took her hand. He held it between both of his. For a minute they sat in silence. Allowing each other to deal with their loss. Finding comfort in the fact that someone else understood.

Finally, Heath cleared his throat. “I’m sorry you had to go through that. No one should have to lose a loved one that way.”

She dabbed at her eyes and nodded. Staying in the pain, reliving everything, wouldn’t help her or her child. If Heath was still hanging on to the pain of losing his father, he needed to move toward letting that go, as well. But Josie knew how hard that could be. Still, she racked her brain for a way to encourage him.

She squeezed his fingers. “I know you said you would yesterday, but this is one more reason why you should volunteer at the ranch. There are ranch hands still working there who would have been working fifteen years ago. Someone might know something, Heath. Don’t you see?”

Heath looked off to the side for a second. Josie had noticed he did that when he was considering something.

“Some of the ranch hands are still there?” He captured her gaze again. His dark eyes swirled with questions. “Are you sure about that?”

“Very sure. I’ll have to talk to some of the old-timers, but I think I can get you a list of the names of people who still live in town who worked or volunteered when it happened.”

Heath rose to his feet. “Get your shoes on, Josie. Let’s head to the ranch.”

* * *

One hand on the steering wheel, the other cocked on the open window, Heath maneuvered his truck toward the boys ranch.

He stole a glance at Josie.

She’d wriggled more personal information out of him in the past two days than he’d told his coworkers in the nine years he’d worked for the Texas Department of Public Safety. They were the branch of the government that the Rangers functioned under. In order to be considered for the position of Ranger, Heath had worked as a state trooper for eight years first, in their investigative unit. Still, he was one of the youngest guys to be made a Ranger in a long time. He had a hunch that those in upper management remembered his father and that had paved his way. After all this time, he should be used to keeping a tight rein on his personal life, but Josie had somehow slipped under his defenses.

The woman should consider going into detective work.

She caught him looking at her and hugged her stomach. “My truck is just fine, you know. I could have driven myself.”

They’d gone toe-to-toe over her truck. She’d called him overbearing and he’d insisted on having the vehicle checked out before she continued to drive it. Texan winters weren’t bad, but still, anything could happen. And that thing wouldn’t be able to handle another accident if she did get caught in bad weather at some point. She’d said that was what caused the last fender bender, a storm. It was raining and she missed the stop sign. Ended up broadsided by a sedan.

Heath’s stomach tightened. The idea of Josie and her baby in an accident didn’t sit well with him. Not one bit.

He forced his fingers to relax his grip on the wheel. “Like I said before, let me take a look at it tomorrow. I know a little about cars.”

“You know a little about everything, don’t you?”

He popped his gaze back to her for a second, fighting a grin. This woman had exercised his smile muscles more than he cared to admit. “I’ve picked up things here and there.”

“I don’t like it.” She looked out the window.

“Let’s make sure it’s sound before your baby comes,” he added softly.

That did her in. She sighed and ran a hand across her stomach. “I guess that makes sense. If you’re sure you don’t mind.”

He threw on his blinker to turn into the ranch. “Have you had someone install a car seat for you yet?”

She laughed. “I still have three months.”

“They usually suggest doing it before...before it’s too close to your time. Just in case. Babies have a way of appearing whenever they want to.”

“And how do you know so much about babies?” She poked him in the arm a few times as she talked. The way his little sister used to when she was trying to be annoying. Although, when Josie did it, the action felt endearing.

“Not babies.” Those he knew nothing about and never would. “Car seats. I was trained as a car-seat technician when I worked with the troopers. I could teach you how to install one, if you’d like.”

“I’ll think about it.”

Josie had the door open and jumped down to the ground the second he put his truck in Park. She had told him on the way over that she needed to meet up with the minister who volunteered at the ranch. She’d catch him later or maybe find a ride home with someone else. He’d make sure he found her before she wanted to go home. Because her place was on the way back to the inn where he was staying... That was the only reason he should drive her home, of course.

Heath shook his head. She was trying to shake him. Poor woman. Did she really understand what he did for a living? Once he made his mind up about something, he could be pretty stubborn. The trait came in handy in his profession.

Still...what must she think of him for showing up at her house two days in a row? He’d do it tomorrow, too. And the day after that. The woman was alone and pregnant; she shouldn’t be managing the ranch on her own. Besides, she was the eyewitness to a possible crime. If the wrongdoer had spotted her, then Josie could be in danger. He wouldn’t scare her with that notion, but he’d stick close until things were sorted out.

Heath spotted Flint straightaway. He was near the heavy machinery, but when he saw Heath’s truck, Flint came striding across the yard. A big black dog yapped circles around his feet.

Heath grabbed his white Stetson, pushed it onto his head, then tucked his badge into his back pocket as he stepped down from his truck. He took in the barn, the fence posts, the large home—it was impossible for Heath to turn off his investigative eye. His brain seemed programmed to constantly log information, and look for weaknesses or issues. Things to fix, help, protect.

The black Lab bounded toward Heath, its tail smacking his legs while it used the running board on Heath’s truck to jump up into the driver’s seat, which put the animal at head level to lodge a full lick attack on Heath’s neck and face. Heath groaned and good-naturedly shoved the dog’s nose away so he couldn’t lick him any longer.

“Cowboy, down.” Flint reached around Heath, grabbed the dog’s collar and tugged him out of the truck. “Sorry about that.” Flint finally looked at Heath. The two men were about the same height, but that was where their similarities ended. Where Heath’s eyes were dark, Flint’s were blue; same for the hair—Heath had black to Flint’s blond.

“He’s only two,” Flint apologized. “Still learning his manners.”

“It’s fine.” Heath used the sleeve of his white button-down to sop the worst of the drool from his neck. “He still has better manners than most of the people I deal with.” He adjusted his hat. All the Rangers wore them for work, but he’d gotten so used to the feel of it on his head, Heath usually wore the Stetson at all times.