Falling for the Forest Ranger

by Leigh Bale

  “Dale, this is Zoë Lawton, the new marine biologist with the National Marine Fisheries Service.” Tanner smiled amiably as he made the introductions.

  “Glad to meet you, Ms. Lawton.” Dale reached forward and shook her hand, which she held out like a brick of cement. She didn’t smile, but she gave the man a curt nod of recognition.

  “Dale, I think you know why I’m here,” Tanner said.

  “No, I didn’t expect to see you today. What’s up?” He removed his hard hat, revealing shaggy, sweat-dampened hair. He scratched his chin, his short nails rasping across the gray stubble.

  “You’ve left slash all over the buffer zone.” Tanner jerked a thumb toward the direction from which they’d come.

  “We did?” Dale’s voice sounded innocent and a tad wheedling.

  Zoë wasn’t fooled but resigned herself to letting Tanner handle this. She was learning to let him do his job and only interfere as a last resort.

  “We must have missed it. I’m sure it was just an accidental oversight,” Dale said.

  Not likely. Not from the nervous way the man was acting.

  “You’ve got one week to clean it up.”

  “We can do that, no problem,” Dale agreed, his head bobbing like a panicked rooster.

  “Good. And one more thing.” Tanner paused, his gaze locked with Dale’s...a difficult thing to do since the man was trying to look everywhere but at Tanner. “You’ve dammed up Tilting Creek.”

  Dale’s jaw dropped, his eyes wide with shock. “No! Really? I didn’t know.”

  Zoë forced back a snort. Oh, this was a good act.

  Tanner shot her a warning look and she bit her tongue. “Yes, really. And you’ll have it cleaned up by this afternoon.”

  The wood boss looked stunned. “This afternoon? We can’t get it done that fast. I’ve got my men assigned to other jobs today. I’d have to pull them off their work. It’d take at least two days to move the heavy machines back down by the creek to clean it out.”

  “Then you’d better get to it,” Tanner said.

  “Oh, we’ll get it cleaned up all right, but I’ll need a couple of weeks at least. I mean, be realistic.” Dale gave them a cajoling smile, his sun-wrinkled eyes showing lines of dirt streaking out toward his temples.

  Something hardened inside Zoë. There was nothing she hated more than brussels sprouts, cruelty to children and liars. As her gaze met Tanner’s, she saw his eyes smolder with anger. Good! She was glad to see he was also offended by this situation. Though his voice sounded calm and logical, his words sliced through any doubts she might have had about him.

  “You can’t have that long, Dale. You’ll get it cleaned up before I drive back out here tomorrow afternoon to check your work. Got it?”

  “Now, be reasonable.” Dale held his hands out wide, his fingers and nail beds caked with grime.

  “Be reasonable?” Zoë chimed in. “How about this? You get that stream cleaned up by tomorrow afternoon, or I’m going to shut your timber operation down and levy a fine against your company that’ll make your head spin.”

  Both men stared at her. Dale’s eyebrows arched upward into his grimy hair, and he huffed great exhales of air.

  She stood quiet, keeping her face completely calm, letting her words sink in. But she sure hoped he wouldn’t call her bluff.

  Dale turned to Tanner and his voice was almost a squawk. “Shutting us down would put a whole lotta people out of work. Are you gonna let her do that?”

  A subtle smile creased the corners of Tanner’s mouth. He met her eyes and she tried to read his mood, but could find no censure in his amber gaze. “Yes, Dale, I believe I’m in agreement this time. If you get the creek cleaned up, it won’t be an issue. We’ll forget it ever happened.”

  “Um, okay. We’ll get it done.” Dale patted the air with his hands, as if to soothe them.

  “Thank you. We appreciate your cooperation.” Zoë smiled sweetly and turned to go.

  Without looking back, she walked to the Forest Service truck, got in and clicked on her seat belt. Her body trembled, but she knew deep inside that she’d done the right thing. She had no intention of shutting down this timber operation, but neither could she let them get away with this abuse. It was her job to protect the environment, and her boss in Portland would accept nothing less.

  Tanner got into the truck, started the engine and drove down the dirt road without speaking. Zoë held on to the armrest like a lifeline. The dictates of her job wouldn’t let her back down on this, but she didn’t want Tanner mad at her for speaking out of turn. He’d supported her this time, his actions earning her respect. She couldn’t explain why his approval mattered so much to her, but it did.

  As soon as they were out of sight of the landing deck, Tanner pulled the truck over. He let the engine idle for a few moments as he sat there staring out the front window. A muscle ticked in his right cheek as he clenched his jaw. Zoë tensed and held her breath, determined not to lose her temper if he bawled her out.

  “You know shutting down the timber operation would have put hundreds of people out of work, right?” He spoke thoughtfully, without looking at her.

  “Yes, I know.”

  He looked at her, his dark eyes boring into hers like a high-powered drill. “Would you really have done that?”

  Still a low, contemplative voice. She caught no censure in his tone. Just a genuine desire to know what she was thinking.

  She thought about his question for a moment. The last thing she wanted was to cost the livelihoods of numerous families who were innocent of any wrongdoing. “No, of course not. I think the threat did the trick. We won’t have to shut anyone down.”

  The tension in his face eased. “Good. I just wanted to know for sure.”

  “Why? This seems very important to you.”

  He rested one hand on his thigh, the other hand on the steering wheel. “It is. I wanted to know what kind of person you are. I’m glad you’re not hard-hearted enough to put innocent people out of work in this rotten economy.”

  “No, I’m not. I know all those men working up there have families to feed. They’re just doing what their bosses tell them to do, the same as you and me.”

  “I agree. The bosses were in the wrong. You won’t receive an argument from me this time.”

  She froze for the count of three, then chuckled. “Well, this is a first. It seems we’ve finally agreed on something.”

  He glanced at her, a subtle doubt flashing in his eyes. She didn’t move as he reached over and brushed a bit of sawdust off the sleeve of her shirt. The friendly gesture broke down the rigid wall of tension between them and she relaxed.

  “Yeah, it does seem that way.” He put the truck in gear and drove down the bumpy road. A wide grin flashed across his face. “I can’t believe you got Dale to do what we asked. He usually fights me tooth and nail. Well done.”

  To save her life, she couldn’t explain the pleasure his words gave her. A feeling of euphoria pulsed through her veins and she returned his smile. Finally, they’d found some common ground.

  He shook his head in disbelief. “You’ve got grit. I’ll give you that, Mrs. Lawton.”

  “Thank you,” she said. “And please, call me Zoë.”

  He blinked, as though coming to his senses after being knocked loony with a baseball bat. His smile faded and she realized she’d said something wrong. But what? First he’d been happy with her; now he seemed irritated again. Did it have something to do with calling her by her first name? She couldn’t imagine why that would be so offensive to him.

  “You know, I’m a nice woman, Tanner,” she said.

  “That’s just the problem.” His voice dropped several octaves.

  “I don’t understand.” She was sure getting mixed signals from this man.

 
“I know. I don’t understand it myself. Let’s just leave it at that, okay?” He didn’t look at her as he spoke, but she caught an edge of regret in his gruff tone.

  “Okay. We’ll let it drop. But are we still on for fishing with Jonah on Saturday morning?”

  She bit her bottom lip, wondering how she’d explain it to her son if Tanner decided not to take them. Even if she had to go shopping and buy the equipment and figure out how to use the poles herself, she was taking Jonah fishing.

  Tanner glanced her way, a slow smile quirking one side of his mouth. “Of course. I wouldn’t disappoint Jonah for anything in the world.”

  She released an inward sigh, thankful to Tanner in more ways than one. Whatever was causing his mood swings around her, at least he wasn’t going to take it out on her son. “Thanks, Tanner. It means a lot to Jonah.”

  “I know.”

  And that was that. They drove most of the trip back into town in a comfortable silence. And when Tanner dropped her off in the parking lot so she could retrieve her car, the strain between them had eased.

  “See you day after tomorrow,” he said, a hesitant catch in his voice.

  “We’ll be ready.”

  She closed the truck door and stepped back so he could drive away. But he didn’t move until she was safely buckled inside her car and had started the engine. It took her a few minutes to realize he was simply watching out for her. Making sure she was safe and her car worked properly before he left her alone.

  A true sign of a gentleman.

  It’d been a long time since anyone had watched out for her, and she kind of liked it. As she drove home, she couldn’t help feeling as though she should have said something to make him feel better. It would help if she knew what was troubling him. But that meant getting more involved with him than she wanted to be. She liked Tanner Bohlman. She really did. But she sure didn’t understand him.

  Chapter Six

  True to his word, Tanner arrived at Zoë’s house promptly at nine on Saturday morning. Dressed in a pair of worn black jeans, a white T-shirt and scuffed boots, he looked casual and so handsome it made her throat ache. He hadn’t shaved that morning, evidenced by the faint stubble on his chin. For some reason, that only added to his masculine appeal. When Zoë answered the door, she tried not to stare at his tousled hair and bright amber eyes.

  “Good morning.” He gave her that lopsided smile of his and stepped into the living room as she opened the door wide.

  “Good morning,” she said.

  He eyed her denims and pink-painted toenails and a rush of panic flooded his face. “Aren’t you coming with us?”

  “Of course. I just need to put my shoes on.” Until she knew him better, she’d never let Jonah go off alone with him.

  “Okay, good.” Tanner raked his fingers through his short hair, making it stand on end.

  “He scares you that much?” She bit her bottom lip, forcing herself not to laugh.

  A whoosh of air escaped Tanner’s lungs and she realized she’d hit the nail on the head.

  “It’s just that I haven’t been around little kids much. As long as you’re with us, I shouldn’t mess it up too badly. Besides, you need to learn how to fish, too.”

  Oh, this was good. Strong, in-control Tanner Bohlman scared of a little six-year-old boy.

  “Coward,” she teased and reached for her socks and shoes, which sat beside the front door.

  He gave her a sheepish look, a half smile curving his lips. “Does it show that much?”

  She chuckled. “Just a bit.”

  He laughed, the deep sound of rolling thunder. It’d been a long time since she’d had an attractive man in her home, and she admitted to herself that she liked his presence here.

  “Tanner!” Jonah came running down the hallway.

  As the boy hugged the tall man’s legs, an odd expression of fondness crossed Tanner’s face. And that was when Zoë realized he wasn’t immune to her little boy’s charisma any more than she was.

  “Hi, partner. You ready to go?” Tanner disengaged himself from the boy’s arms and stepped back.

  “Sure! Do I need anything else?” Jonah held out his arms to let Tanner inspect him, finding Jonah dressed much the same as he was.

  “Nope, you look fine. Let’s go.”

  Zoë grabbed her backpack and a jacket for her and one for Jonah before they piled into Tanner’s truck. On the way to the fishing pond, an idea flashed through her mind and she gasped. “Oh, no! I forgot to get Jonah a fishing license.”

  Tanner reached up onto the dashboard and waved a small badge at her. “It’s taken care of. He can catch six fish today.”

  “Thank you. Can I pay you for the license?”

  “Nope. This is my treat.”

  “That’s very kind of you.” His consideration impressed her.

  “Yeah, thanks, Tanner. This is the best summer ever.” Jonah sat between them, happily bouncing his legs against the seat. He was so excited, he couldn’t seem to sit still.

  “You’re welcome, buddy.” Tanner ruffled the boy’s blond hair.

  They drove through town, then passed a tall, wooden sign that read Kids’ Creek Park. The area looked like any other ordinary park, complete with a wide, grassy area where two children and their dog played Frisbee. Several covered picnic tables sat off to one side waiting for use. The pond itself wasn’t large, but a solid wooden bridge spanned its width for traipsing back and forth to each side. Numerous kids stood on a wooden dock, casting their lines into the water. Tall cattails edged the shore where three gray ducks waddled around quacking and scavenging for food.

  As they got out of the truck, Zoë nodded at the pond. “This is a great park for kids.”

  “Yeah, it’s a safe, wholesome place to have fun,” Tanner agreed.

  Wholesome fun.

  Zoë liked that. She figured teenagers could get into a lot more trouble than younger kids. As Jonah got older, a small-town environment might be better for him than a big city like Portland.

  “Were you able to check Tilting Creek yesterday afternoon?” she asked.

  Tanner nodded. “Yep, the logging operation cleaned up their mess. Not a bit of slash lying around in the buffer zone and the creek is running clear again.”

  “Good. Thank you so much.” She was relieved to hear this news.

  “No, thank you.” He smiled into her eyes.

  Liquid warmth pooled in the pit of Zoë’s stomach. She felt odd and fuzzy inside. She liked being near this man and his lopsided smile...when they weren’t clashing over their work methods.

  “This is your fishing pole.” Tanner handed Jonah a short rod with a simple spinning reel. Tanner quickly showed the boy how to use it.

  When Jonah looked at the pole, his face lit up as if it was Christmas morning. “This is great. Do I get to keep it?”

  “Jonah! You’re just borrowing it.” Zoë gave her son a frown.

  “It’s okay.” Tanner smiled at her before turning to look at Jonah. “Yes, you get to keep it. My gift to you. As long as it’s okay with your mother.”

  “Can I keep it, please, Mom? Can I?”

  They both looked at Zoë. She didn’t have the heart to deny the gift and she nodded her acquiescence. “Yes, of course.”

  Jonah’s eyes widened with appreciation. “Thanks, Tanner. Now we can go fishing together all the time.”

  Zoë shook her head at Tanner. “You didn’t need to do that.”

  Tanner shrugged as he shuffled through a tackle box, not meeting her eyes. “It’s no problem. Really.”

  “At least let me pay you for it.”

  “There’s no charge. It’s the pole I used when I was a kid. It’s one of the few things they let me keep in foster care. What else am I gonna do with it?”
>
  She opened her mouth to mention the sentimental value he must feel for the fishing rod. Surely he’d want to give it to his own son one day. But then she thought better of it. Refusing the gift might lessen its value. Jonah needed the influence of a good man in his life, and she had no doubt her little boy would remember this day and his new fishing pole for the rest of his life.

  “And this pole is for you.” Tanner handed Zoë a longer black rod and reel.

  “I...I didn’t expect this.”

  He bent down and picked out a bright yellow lure and placed it in her hand. “You’re a marine biologist. Don’t you think it’s time you learned how to fish?”

  “Yes, I do.” She couldn’t help smiling with anticipation. She’d never thought about it before, but she liked how this man challenged and pushed her to try new things. After all these years of studying and working with fish, she’d finally get to catch her own.

  “Now let’s talk about bait.” Tanner clapped his hands once and rubbed them together as though in anticipation.

  Zoë didn’t even flinch. Most women didn’t like this yucky part of the process, but handling wriggling worms had never bothered her. “I can help, but isn’t it illegal for me to catch fish in the kids’ park?”

  “Not if you catch and release them.”

  “Oh.” A thrum of excitement whizzed through her. She wasn’t in Portland anymore and she loved being outside all the time instead of sitting inside a stuffy lab.

  Tanner rattled around in a small cooler chest, and she heard the faint sucking sound as he opened a plastic container. No doubt he was taking out worms.

  “There’s a special bait that rainbow trout can almost never resist.” He looked over the lid of the cooler and winked at Zoë. “I’m about to share my trade secrets, so you’ve got to promise never to tell anyone else.” He wagged his eyebrows at Jonah.

  The boy giggled. “I promise not to tell.”