The Chief Ranger

by Rebecca Winters

  No poaching on another man’s preserves. That was the unwritten law Vance’s grandfather had taught him. It didn’t matter that she’d broken off with the guy a year ago. If she still had feelings for him deep down, then Vance didn’t have a prayer with her.

  Though she’d been charming and friendly to him since he’d picked them up at the airport, she hadn’t said or done anything to let him know where things stood with Steven.

  Unfortunately, if her feelings for her ex were dead, Vance still wouldn’t know it, not while he was wearing Katy’s ring. Chase had been right about that. Rachel wasn’t the kind of woman who presumed anything. That was one of the traits he found so unique and appealing about her.

  He sank down on the side of the bed with his hands clasped between his legs. It was a mess. What to do?

  What do you want to do, Rossiter?

  If she saw it was gone from his finger in the morning, would it make a difference in how she responded to him? Would she ask him about it?

  She’d never initiated conversation about Katy. And what if she didn’t? What if she didn’t care? What then?

  The thing he’d thought would never happen, had happened! He was madly in love for the second time in his life. How would he handle it if she didn’t love him back with the same intensity? The answer terrified him, just as Chase had said.

  Nicky was the only constant in the equation. Vance would love him like a son till the day he died.

  THE FOURTH HAD BEEN A DAY of enchantment for Nicky, starting with breakfast and a baseball game at the park. However, Rachel drew the line at riding on the float. She insisted on following them from the sidewalk while she took pictures with her video camera.

  Nicky wore his park ranger outfit and held an American flag. Vance wore his dress blues complete with white cap and gloves. In the midnight-blue uniform with the sky-blue trousers, he stood out from the dozen military men representing all the branches of the Armed Forces riding the same float.

  She couldn’t count the number of times she heard some woman say, “Look at that marine—he’s drop-dead gorgeous!” Rachel’s thoughts exactly.

  People lining the streets clapped when they drove by. Nicky was in heaven. He stood straight at Vance’s side. Once in a while he flashed her a smile and waved. There were a lot of floats with servicemen and patriotic music. It brought a lump to her throat. Her father would love this video. Rachel would treasure it forever.

  After the parade, they went back to the motel to change and get ready for the barbecue. When it came to the watermelon-eating contest, Nicky’s eyes were bigger than his stomach. After two pieces he had to quit.

  Vance laughed. “It’s okay, sport. I don’t have room, either. Let’s go get us a good place on the bleachers to watch the fireworks.”

  The park had been filling fast. By the time they found a spot, they had to wedge themselves in. Rachel ended up sitting between Nicky and a woman who had a daughter about his age sitting in front of her. Darla, the little girl, was so outgoing she told Nicky to sit with her, and made room for him. Talk about hilarious.

  “Is it okay?” he asked Vance instead of Rachel. That’s when she knew the bonding between the two males was complete.

  “Sure. You can share your popcorn with her.”

  As soon as Nicky moved down, Vance shifted closer to Rachel. The contact spread warmth through her body. Now that it was night, she could hardly see the color of his eyes, but she felt their heat. “This is nice,” he murmured near her ear. “Everyone has someone.”

  Rachel wanted to throw herself in his arms. Instead she said, “Thank you for making this a perfect day, Vance. Nicky will never forget it.”

  For some reason her response seemed to create tension. After a slight pause he said, “It’s not over yet.”

  Suddenly rockets exploded in the night sky. Rachel felt them bursting inside of her. The display drew oohs and aahs from the crowd, Nicky’s and Darla’s the loudest. For the next half hour they all enjoyed the show.

  On the walk home after the grand finale, Nicky regaled them with news about Darla’s pug, Mitzi, who had to stay indoors in the basement because she got scared by the fireworks. That brought up a whole other conversation, about Vance’s mutt who’d died before he’d gone to college.

  Samson was buried in the backyard instead of the cemetery. Nicky wanted to know if his grave had a headstone. Vance told him it had a wood marker, and promised to show it to him before they left Oakhurst for the park.

  By the time Nicky had brushed his teeth and put on his Ninja Turtle jammies, he was so tired he didn’t need a story. Once he’d said his prayers, he was out for the count.

  Vance kissed his forehead before turning to Rachel.

  “It’s a beautiful night. Let’s sit out by the pool for a little while. We’ll keep the sliding door open in case Nicky wakes up.”

  Rachel had never been so tempted, but she didn’t dare. Her feelings for Vance were too raw for her to be alone with him right now. During the fireworks show she’d made a decision about something, and was going to stick by it no matter how badly it was going to upset Nicky.

  “Much as I’d like that, it’s late, Vance. You have to get back to the park tomorrow.”

  His brows furrowed. “We’re all going to the park in the morning.”

  “No.” She shook her head and backed away from him. “A day like today can never be repeated. Nicky’s had the perfect vacation with you. Tomorrow I’m going to rent a car and take him to Sequoia Park. As long as we’re in California, I want him to see as much as he can before we return to Miami.”

  She felt Vance’s body stiffen. “Why would you do that? You’ve only seen a tiny portion of Yosemite.”

  The tension between them was palpable. “You have a park to run. We’ve already imposed too much on your time as it is.”

  “What’s this all about, Rachel?” He sounded really angry.

  She rubbed her palms against her hips, a gesture he followed with his eyes. “Why are you so upset?” she asked.

  “Why do you think?” he retorted. “For one thing, I had plans for all of us to go hiking. For you to suddenly change the itinerary isn’t fair.”

  She raised a hand to her throat. “I—I’m sorry.”

  He headed for the front door and opened it before pausing. The outside light threw his profile into stony relief. “You never mentioned visiting Sequoia on the phone. Admit it’s just an excuse. If you’re so anxious to get back to Steven, don’t use my job as the reason you’ve decided you can’t stay here any longer. Nicky deserves to know the truth, don’t you think? He’s already been put through enough trauma by not understanding all the facts a year ago.”

  To her shock he shut the door, leaving his words hovering in the air like sparks from a live wire.

  Without conscious thought she ran over and flung it open. “Vance?” she called as he was opening the door to his room. He glanced in her direction, key in hand. She’d had no idea he could look so forbidding. This was worse than the first time they’d spoken to each other, in his office.

  “Please come back,” she urged him.

  She heard his sharp intake of breath. “I don’t think it would be a good idea.”

  “Just come over here to the door for a minute. If we’re quiet, we won’t wake Nicky.”

  “I prefer not to have a discussion in front of an audience.”

  He had a point. People had been returning to the motel, catching her and Vance in the headlights of their vehicles.

  “Then we’ll go out on the patio as you suggested.”

  “You were right the first time. It’s late.”

  Leaving the door ajar, she closed the distance between them. “I had no idea what I said would make you angry.”

  Vance stood there rubbing the back of his neck. “I apologize for that. Nicky has come to mean a lot to me.”

  “He loves you.” Her voice throbbed.

  “In retrospect, I can understand why you don’t want to st
ay at Yosemite any longer. After you return home to Steven, Nicky’s going to be difficult again.”

  She sucked in her breath. “You’re right.”

  Vance lifted his head. “Does Steven love Nicky?”

  “No. Steven only loves himself. While I was dating him, Nicky lived with his parents and wasn’t around him that much. But it’s irrelevant, because it’s over with Steven.”

  “That isn’t what Chase told me.”

  His comment took her by surprise. Apparently there were no secrets between the two men. “I did tell Chase I was going back to explore my true feelings for him.”

  “So what happened?”

  She drew in another deep breath. “I discovered they’re dead. Steven killed them a long time ago.”

  The silence between them grew.

  “You mean it’s really over with him?”

  “Yes. I saw him at the cruise line office when I turned in my resignation. It meant nothing to me.”

  “Did you tell him that?”

  “Yes.”

  “Did he accept it?”

  “No, but that’s his pride talking.”

  Vance studied her intently. “If you’re not running home to him, then why aren’t you planning to spend the rest of your trip at Yosemite? That was the doctor’s prescription, wasn’t it? Let Nicky think this was the first of many vacations out here, to calm his problem of separation anxiety?”

  Rachel eyed him in awe. “You’re very discerning, Vance. That’s exactly what he had in mind. It works well in theory.”

  Lines darkened his features. “It has worked out extremely well in reality. I don’t understand the problem.”

  “You’re the chief ranger. I can’t ask you to drop your responsibilities at a moment’s notice for Nicky, no matter how willing you might be. Please don’t fight me on this,” she begged, sensing he was going to argue with her. “We’ve had a fantastic two days. To expect more interferes with your job.

  “If my family lived in California and I could drive Nicky to the village to see you for a couple of hours once in a while at your convenience, that would be one thing. But we live thousands of miles away.

  “After I get a job, it will be even more difficult to plan vacation times. When we can come, you might not be available. I hate the idea that you have to drop everything to accommodate us. It isn’t right and I won’t put you through it.”

  He stared hard at her. “I’ve already suggested another solution. While I’m at work tomorrow, why don’t you report to the park’s human resources office and fill out the application for that job I offered you? Sleep on it, and we’ll talk about it in the morning.”

  Her mind reeled. He really expected her to sleep? What he’d offered was a temporary solution to Nicky’s problem, but there was no guarantee that Vance would always work at the park. No guarantee that he’d remain single, when he was ready for another woman in his life.

  To live close to him, to work for him, to almost have a life with him … Rachel couldn’t put herself or

  Nicky through that. She didn’t want a job unless it was being his wife!

  She wanted the right to be under his roof with him 24-7, in his arms, in his bed. Rachel wanted a baby with him. Nothing short of that would do.

  By next spring she would make certain they were in another place psychologically and emotionally, because she had no intention of coming to Yosemite again.

  “You’re a very generous, thoughtful man, but I don’t need to sleep on it. My life is back in Miami with my parents and Nicky. He’s going to be all right, I know he is. However, since you’ve made plans for us over the next few days, I don’t want to disappoint you or Nicky, so we’ll see you in the morning. Good night.”

  She went back to her motel room. After shutting the door, she leaned against it and sobbed. Two more days before she and Nicky were gone, then the chief ranger would finally be able to put this episode behind him and get on with his life.

  Chapter Nine

  Vance had set his alarm for seven-thirty, but was already awake at six-thirty when the call came through on his cell. It was from Chase, who’d been in charge while Vance was gone.

  He threw off the covers and sat up. Putting the phone to his ear, he said, “Happy fifth of July, Chase. Is the park still there?” It was one of their little jokes whenever one of them had been away.

  “You’ll never guess what an ill wind has blown in.”

  His reply, blurted without preamble, coincided with Vance’s raw mood. Chase was right; he couldn’t guess. Unless it was the superintendent with a host of outspoken VIPs wanting to be entertained.

  “Steven’s here. He called headquarters from the Ahwahnee, wanting to know where to find Rachel. Apparently he phoned Nicky and found out they were coming here for the Fourth.”

  Vance sprang to his feet. “I can’t say I’m surprised. Last night Rachel told me it was over with him, but she said he refused to accept that. I’ll tell her after we get to the park, so she’s prepared.”

  There was an eloquent pause before Chase said, “Sounds to me like you were given the green light last night.”

  His hand tightened on the phone. “Let’s just say a big obstacle has been removed. Now I’ve got to work on finding out how she feels about me.”

  “Then you know what you’ve got to do.”

  Vance glanced at the ring on his finger. Yup. He knew. But he’d wait until she got rid of Steven first. He needed to see it happen with his own eyes.

  “Once I’ve dropped them off at the Yosemite Lodge, I should be in the office by eleven. Is there any park business to report?”

  “You’ll be glad to know the Telegraph fire has been fully contained.”

  “That’ll make breathing a lot easier. Just so you know, when I return you’re to go off duty for the next twenty-four hours so you can catch up on your sleep. See you soon.”

  He hung up and headed for the shower. As he stepped out of the stall a few minutes later, he heard a knock on the sliding glass door. “Vance? Can I come in?”

  Nicky always brought a smile to his face. Today he was back in his ranger outfit. Vance hitched a towel around his hips and let him in, automatically picking him up and giving him a hug. Nicky rewarded him with a huge hug back.

  “How did you sleep?”

  “Great. Can I watch you shave?”

  Vance chuckled. “Sure you can. Come on in the bathroom.”

  “How come girls don’t have to?”

  He lathered his jaws and began to make inroads with the razor. “You mean Rachel doesn’t have a beard?” he teased.

  Nicky laughed. “No.”

  “Aren’t we glad?”

  “Yeah.” He watched with great interest. “Do you have to go to work today?”

  “Yes, but when I’m through, we’ll eat dinner at my house and light off snakes.”

  “Real snakes?” He looked worried.

  “No.” Vance rubbed the boy’s head. “They look like little black nibs. You light them and they grow and then break apart like ashes in a fireplace. I always do some on the Fourth of July, but we couldn’t light them here at the motel. You need a piece of wood. After it’s too dark to see them, we’ll watch Spiderman. How does that sound?”

  “Hooray!”

  Nicky followed him into the other room. They could hear Rachel calling. He ran over to the sliding door and poked his head out. “I’m in here. Vance is up. Come on in!”

  When she stepped inside, wearing jeans and a peach-colored top, Vance was pulling his uniform from the closet. He felt her gaze sweep over him, dressed as he was in his towel, and liked the feeling.

  “Oh!” she cried in embarrassment. Her cheeks filled with color. “I’m sorry. I thought—”

  “Nicky knows I’m decent,” he murmured, and went into the bathroom to get dressed. When he came out, naturally they’d gone.

  He looked around the motel room, cluttered as it was with the water toys, a balloon, candy wrappers, soda cans, fishing f
lies, clothes, towels, Nicky’s Dumb

  Bunnies book, a Bible the boy had found in the drawer. All evidence of a family trip.

  For so many years Vance had forgotten what that was like. The only things missing were a lacy nightgown lying in a pool at the side of the bed, a lipstick with the top off, a bikini hanging in the bathroom to dry. He’d loved the past eighteen hours so much he ached inside, unable to bear that it couldn’t continue.

  WITH A FEELING OF DÉJÀ VU, Rachel began unpacking in the VIP suite of the Yosemite Lodge she and Nicky had occupied before. While he’d stopped to look at the owl mural in the foyer, Vance had dropped his bombshell. Steven was here looking for her? Apparently Chase had phoned Vance with the news.

  It didn’t surprise her Steven would go this far. All she felt was disgust. “Nicky? Did Steven happen to call the house the other day?”

  “Yup. I told him you were out shopping for our trip.” He looked a little nervous. “I forgot to tell you. Are you mad?”

  “Of course not. I don’t love him anymore and I don’t want him to phone me ever again.”

  “Grandma and Grandpa said he hurt you. You’re not going to marry him, huh.”

  “Absolutely not.”

  “Why is he here?”

  “He came to the park to try to get me to like him again, but I can’t.”

  “I’m glad.”

  “We’ll probably have to talk to him for a minute before he goes back to Miami, but I don’t want you to be worried about it.”

  “I’m not. Vance is here. He’ll make him leave, like he did those mean guys at the pool.”

  “Yeah …” Rachel loved that idea. Steven wouldn’t stand a chance against the chief ranger.

  Nicky let out a little sigh. “I wish Vance didn’t have to go to work today.”

  If she counted every “I wish” Nicky had said since the first night he’d met Vance in June, those words would circle the world end to end.

  Spoiled rotten. That’s what the chief ranger had done to both of them.