“I’m real sorry it happened, Chloe.”
“Then,” Chloe went on, gaining momentum, “he staged an attempted burglary, gained access to my home, threatened to bash my child’s brains in, and would have raped me if I hadn’t smashed him over the head with a champagne bottle.”
The sheriff winced.
“And what happened when I reported it? Nothing. He never even missed a shift.” Chloe nodded. “No two ways around it, you owe me.”
“Are you threatening to go the news media with this?”
“Of course not. I’d never do such an underhanded, low-down, totally reprehensible thing to a fine fellow like you. All I’m asking is that you straighten this entire mess up and make things right.”
He pursed his lips. “How?”
“By getting Ben Longtree his permits, not just to cage and treat sick or injured animals, but to turn this hundred sixty acres into a wildlife sanctuary.”
Lang swept off his hat and slapped it against his leg. “Hang on, now, Chloe. You gotta know I can’t do any such thing. I’m county, not state. I’ve got nothing to do with those permits and stuff.”
“This incident tonight proves beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the good-old-boy system is alive and well in Paulina County. If you’d been doing your job by the book, Bobby Lee Schuck would have at least been suspended until you could investigate further. I watch enough cop shows to know that much. Your careless disregard and your refusal to take action were mistakes that could have had tragic consequences for me and everyone I love.”
“You are threatening me.”
“No, I’m just thinking about turning that crimping iron on.”
While he thought about it, Chloe turned the heat up to warm. “Did you know that, on an average, more women vote than men?”
“Shit.”
She hadn’t been sure of that statistic until he paled at the reminder. “And do you know what gets women steamed faster than anything else? Men, taking advantage of some poor, defenseless single mother and putting her in jeopardy when all she’s trying to do is the most basic of things—put a roof over her child’s head. We don’t have any mercy for lawmen who play the game rotten, bending the rules to suit themselves.”
He winced. “Sweetheart, you can have your job back.”
“I don’t want the flipping job back, and don’t call me sweetheart.”
“What do you want, then?”
“I want you to see to it that Ben gets those permits, which should have been issued to him in the first place. I think Bobby Lee made a few phone calls to see that his applications were denied. I’m asking you to recognize that injustice and fix it. A word dropped here, a recommendation dropped there, and you would be absolutely amazed at how quickly permits are issued.”
“How long do I have?”
“A week sounds fair.”
“A week? I can’t get permits issued in a week. Be reasonable.”
“I tried reasonable, and that bastard almost put a bullet between my little boy’s eyes. A week. If you don’t deliver, my story about what really happened at your backwoods sheriff’s department will be in every newspaper between here and New York City.”
Ben had never felt so proud of anyone in all his life as he was of Chloe in that moment. Standing slightly downhill from her and the sheriff, he grinned like a fool as he listened to her give the lawman a piece of her mind. He grinned even more broadly when she went to work on Lang to get wildlife permits issued, posthaste.
Over the last few days, he’d remembered more than once his grandfather’s prediction that one day he would meet the woman who was to be his destiny. Now he knew for certain that the old man’s words had been prophetic. How fitting that He Who Walks With Mountain Lions should join hands with a vibrant, red-haired little lioness with so much spirit and heart. Watching her, he knew he would always be able to count on her, no matter what, and that she’d not only be there to guard his back when necessary, but also to fight his battles when he was powerless to fight them himself.
That was a good feeling—an absolutely beautiful feeling. He felt like the luckiest man alive. “Chloe?”
She broke off from her rant to look down the slope. Ben wasn’t sure if it was incredulity at seeing him that momentarily paralyzed her, or if she was having trouble making him out in the shadows, but for a moment, she just stood there gazing at him with wide, beautiful eyes that reflected the lights flashing behind him. Her hair was a glorious mane of reddish gold that shimmered around her face.
Slowly a smile curved her sweet mouth. “Ben?” She laughed and came running down the hill. After the third step, she launched herself the remainder of the way, trusting him to catch her in his arms. “Ben!” she said again, laughing and crying at once as he hugged her close. “You’re home? I thought you were still in jail. How did you—? I don’t understand. We were only just now getting this mess unsnarled.”
He tightened his arms and lifted her off her feet to swing her in a broad circle. “I told you I’d be home before the day was out. It’s not yet midnight. I always keep my promises.”
“But how—?”
“My attorney did his job. I told you they had nothing concrete to hold me on. I had just been released and was about to call a cab when Mom phoned in. I hitched a ride with the sheriff since he was coming out here anyway.”
He claimed her mouth in a deep kiss. She clung to him so sweetly, her slender body trembling, whether with delayed reaction to the tussle with Bobby Lee or sheer joy, he wasn’t sure. He knew only that he held his whole world in his arms. Three years ago when he’d returned to the ridge, he’d believed he had finally come home. Now he understood that home wasn’t a place but more a feeling, and the only time he really felt it was when he held this woman in his arms.
“Oh, Ben, I love you,” she whispered breathlessly. “I love you so much.”
“I know,” he replied.
And the wonder of it was, he really did.
Epilogue
August, One Year Later
Chloe turned the vegetarian shish kebabs on the outside grill. In about ten minutes, the meal would be ready to eat, and Ben was still in his office writing. As much as she loved his beautiful stories—and as grateful as she was for the money he made writing them—this was her day, and she wanted him out there to celebrate with her. She was now officially the new owner of the Christmas Village.
The business would never produce an income that came anywhere close to equaling her husband’s, but it was Chloe’s, and she loved it. Soon her parents would move to Jack Pine, and they would work in the shop part-time, freeing up Chloe to be the most important of all things, a devoted mother.
“Ben!” she yelled.
Nan turned from the patio table, where she’d just unloaded an armful of condiments. “He said he’s almost finished the chapter and will be out in two shakes.”
“And we both know what that means. He won’t appear for two hours. Ben!”
Nan laughed. “You need to put an intercom in his office. Easier on your vocal cords. Should I bring out the side dishes, do you think? I hate for the salad to wilt while we’re waiting for him to surface.”
Chloe sighed and shook her head. “Just leave them, I guess. As soon as the kebabs are done, I’ll go ferret him out.”
Nan sat on one of the lawn chairs to resume reading her novel. Watching her, Chloe tried to recall the last time her mother-in-law had lost contact with reality, and she was pleased to realize that it had been over a month ago, and then only for a short time.
Six months before, Chloe and Ben had noticed a marked improvement of her symptoms, a change that seemed to stem from her constant interaction with Jeremy, who’d become the apple of her eye. The difference in her behavior had prompted them to take her to a specialist in Portland, who, after a series of tests, informed them that Nan’s illness had been misdiagnosed. Her dementia had been emotional in origin, the result of living in an abusive situation for over thirty years.
Nan suddenly glanced up from her book to stare at something in the yard. “Oh, my.”
Chloe turned from the grill to look, and for an awful moment, her heart jumped so erratically she feared she was having a heart attack. A young male cougar lay on the lawn, happily taking up half the baby afghan that Chloe had spread over the grass for their daughter, Chelsea. The four-month-old baby was lying on her tummy, gurgling happily, her chubby fist locked over one of the huge cat’s ears. While Chloe watched, Chelsea decided to have a taste. The cougar merely cocked its head to accommodate her.
“Oh, dear,” Chloe finally found the presence of mind to say.
Nan pushed slowly up from her chair. “This happened with Ben when he was about this age.” She flashed Chloe a radiant smile.
Chloe set the barbecue fork aside and went to stand beside her mother-in-law. “I thought only the boys inherited it.”
Nan raised her eyebrows. “Apparently not.” After a moment, she added, “For several generations, there has been only a handful of girls born into the family. If it has skipped over some of the boys, isn’t it possible it could have skipped over a few girls as well?”
Chloe watched her daughter before she nodded. Until now, she’d never really thought that deeply about it, but Nan’s theory made perfect sense. Why would a gift, passed down genetically, go only to the males?
Just then Ben stepped out onto the desk. “Surprise!” he yelled.
Chloe almost jumped out of her skin. She whirled to find her husband and Jeremy standing behind her, looking like helium balloon hawkers at a fair. An array of bright-colored balloons floated above their heads, each emblazoned with, CONGRATULATIONS!
At Chloe’s blank look, Jeremy said, “Dad wasn’t really working, Mom. We were blowing up balloons. He bought a tank to do it. It’s a surprise party!”
Chloe was definitely surprised.
“We got champagne and everything! We’re celebrating your special day.”
At just that moment, Ben spotted the cougar. He lost his grip on the balloons, and they all shot skyward. Chelsea giggled with delight, her big blue eyes widening as she tried to follow their flight. The huge cat turned to nuzzle her plump little arm, clearly bewildered by the odd noises coming out of her.
“I’ll be damned,” Ben said softly. He stepped off the deck and went to crouch beside the blanket. After studying his daughter for a moment, he glanced back at Chloe. “I wish Grandfather were here to see this. He always told me it was only the boys who inherited the power.”
Nan returned to her chair. Chloe went out onto the lawn to stand beside her husband. Together, they gazed incredulously at Chelsea. “Maybe Isaiah does see,” Chloe said softly. At Ben’s wondering look, she smiled and crouched down. “I like to think he’s up there somewhere, watching. He left so much of himself behind, first in you and now in Chelsea. Surely a part of his spirit lingers to watch over his family.”
“I don’t know if this is a good idea. The cat probably has fleas.” Ben lifted their daughter from the blanket and set her on his knee. Fixing the baby with a scolding look, he said, “And here I thought my biggest worry was going to be when I should let you start wearing lipstick.”
Chelsea cooed and batted at her father’s strong chin. Ben caught her pudgy fingers between his teeth, which made her coo again. When he left off playing, he looked at Chloe with his heart shining in his eyes. “I guess we have two things to celebrate today—your buying the business and our daughter being blessed with a very special gift.”
It didn’t escape Chloe’s notice that Ben could now refer to his power as a blessing. Yet another thing to celebrate on this beautiful summer day.
Together they stood and returned to the deck, where Jeremy waited with more party balloons. The next two hours passed quickly. After many toasts with the champagne, they enjoyed a family meal alfresco, and then Ben and Chloe tidied up the mess together while Nan held the baby and read Bandit to Jeremy.
When the last dish had been rinsed and put in the dishwasher, Chloe sighed and stepped into Ben’s arms. He nuzzled her neck and kissed her deeply.
“Come for a walk with me,” he whispered.
Chloe glanced worriedly toward the deck. Chloe had never left Nan alone with the baby.
“They’ll be fine,” he assured her. “We won’t go far.”
Relenting, Chloe let him usher her from the house. After leaving Nan in charge, they took off into the woods at a leisurely pace, their hands loosely clasped. As they passed the baby afghan still lying in the yard, Chloe saw that the cougar had left.
“I wonder where he went,” she said.
Ben smiled and scanned the woods. “Not far, if my guess is right. He’ll probably come back to see her often. That was the way of it with me, anyway.”
Chloe took a deep breath of the evening air. The crisp coolness that always descended as the sun went down felt marvelous after the heat of the day. “I love it here,” she whispered. “It’s strange, in a way, because it’s not what I imagined for myself back when I was a girl. I always thought I’d live in the suburbs. Now I can’t imagine being anywhere else. I got my heart’s desire without ever knowing it was what I wanted.”
“I always knew what I wanted.”
Chloe glanced up at him. “And what was that?”
He stopped, turned her to stand with her back to him, and hugged her waist. “You,” he whispered. “And everything you’ve brought into my life. Just look, Chloe.”
Chloe relaxed against him and did as he said. Below them, she could see patches of the house through the trees. Off to the right stood Ben’s newly constructed hospital, where he could now administer to wild creatures without fear of being fined or, even worse, arrested. He had all the necessary permits, and the sign above the log gate at the front of the property read, CINNAMON RIDGE WILDLIFE REFUGE. It seemed fitting, given the fact that Chloe could see several deer grazing at the edge of the back lawn.
“It’s wonderful, isn’t it?” she whispered.
“You’re what’s wonderful. You’ve enriched my life in so many ways, I can’t begin to name them.”
Chloe turned in his arms. “You’ve enriched mine, as well. I think we’re pretty much even.”
He bent to kiss her. The instant their lips touched, Chloe’s pulse quickened. When he slipped his hands under her top to feel her bare skin, her nerve endings leaped to life and thrummed with pleasure. It was a feeling she’d come to realize she would never take for granted. There was magic in his hands, and the wonder of that would never dim.
When he swept her up in his embrace and carried her deeper into the woods, she didn’t ask where he was taking her. As long as she was in Ben’s arms, she was right where she belonged.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s Imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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