Jeff had always been a hard worker, but by becoming a park ranger, he’d found his niche in this noble community of devoted men and women. It was a very rare society. Young as little Nicky Rossiter was, he sensed it was something special. That’s why he held Vance in such high esteem. Gabi did, too.
The man in charge of all the others had to be remarkable. Because of the way he organized and ran the park, the rangers had been able to catch up to her and Ashley sooner rather than later, when there could have been devastating consequences. Vance Rossiter went on that list of people Gabi owed. In fact her heart was so full of gratitude, her face was wet with tears by the time they pulled up in Jeff’s driveway.
Cal jumped down and helped everyone out. Then he brought up the rear with the suitcases and her purse. After Jeff opened the front door and carried Ashley on through the house, Gabi turned to his friend, wiping tears from her eyes.
“I’ll never be able to thank you enough for all you’ve done. I wish I could do something really spectacular for you in return.”
The handsome, dark blond ranger broke into a smile. “You already have.” He lowered the bags to the floor.
“What do you mean?”
He eyed her for a long moment. “Jeff and I have been friends for years. I’ve always known some element was missing in his life, preventing him from being truly happy. When he found out you’d come back to the park today, the look on his face was something I’ll never forget. That’s the most spectacular thing you could have done for me and everyone else who cares about him.”
Moved beyond words, Gabi reached out and gave Cal a hug.
After he left, she locked the door and carried the bags through the house. She found Jeff and Ashley in his bedroom. He was seated on the side of the bed, cradling her in his arms like a baby. The sweet expressions on their faces touched Gabi’s heart.
“I told Mommy I wanted you to be my daddy.”
“And what did she say?” He kissed the tip of Ashley’s nose.
Gabi stepped inside the room and lowered the cases. “That I want you to be my husband as soon as it can be arranged.”
Jeff lifted his head. She felt his gaze travel over her oh so slowly, finally stopping at the writing on the T-shirt he’d given her. “When I showed up at Bev’s after your birthday, I planned to take you to Las Vegas and marry you that very day.”
“I would have gone with you. In fact, I would have married you at seventeen if it had been possible.”
Ashley sat up. “Can we all sleep together tonight?”
Without saying a word, Jeff lay back on the pillows and carefully placed Ashley in the middle of the bed. Gabi turned off the light and walked around the other side. She lay down and turned to her daughter, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
“You don’t ever have to be afraid again, honey. Your birth father is very sick and has been taken away to a place where he can’t get out, but he’ll receive all the help he needs.”
“I’m not scared. Jeff’s going to be my daddy.” She snuggled down between them. “Can I tell Nicky tomorrow?”
Gabi reached across and slipped her fingers into Jeff’s dark hair. “You can tell the whole world we’re going to get married and be a family.”
At her words, Jeff lifted his free hand to clasp hers hard.
“But you’re supposed to teach school,” Ashley said worriedly.
“I’m going to quit my job. For now, all I’m going to do is take care of you and Jeff.”
“Goody. Can we get a dog?”
“Tell you what, Ash.” Jeff spoke at last, sounding more emotional than she’d ever known him to be. “Day after tomorrow we’ll have a party. When Cal comes, you ask him if he knows if there’s a dog we can buy.”
She sat up again. “You mean like Sergei?”
“If I remember right, he told me his dog has a couple brothers.”
“Roberta wants a dog like Sergei, too!” Suddenly, she scrambled off the bed. “I have to go to the bathroom. I’ll be right back. Don’t go away.”
“We’re not going anywhere,” he murmured.
The second she left the room, Gabi rolled into Jeff, who was waiting for her. “Oh, darling!” she cried, but then his mouth stifled all other sounds. For a few minutes they were engulfed in mindless rapture.
He covered her face with kisses. “I have two more days of sick leave coming. How about we fly to Reno tomorrow and get married? We’ll take Ashley with us and come right back. At the party we’ll announce we’re husband and wife.”
“I’ve wanted that for too long.”
Chapter Eleven
Two days later Nicky and Roberta showed up at the front door with Samson, delighting Ashley, who’d been waiting for them. While Gabi fed them toast and jam in the kitchen, her daughter told them all about Jeff’s accident. They were keeping the news of their marriage a secret.
After the children had run out of questions about all the stunts Jeff had performed on his motorcycle, they went outside to play. Gabi knew Ashley wouldn’t say anything about their wedding.
The only other person who knew was Jeff’s father. They’d phoned him after the ceremony and invited him to come and stay with them as soon as he could. The older man had been so choked up with emotion, he could hardly talk as he welcomed Gabi into the family.
When she told him she’d always loved him, he wept for the part he’d played in keeping them apart. Gabi had declared she was so happy nothing else mattered. For that, Jeff gave her a kiss to die for.
With the house quiet now, Gabi took advantage of her freedom and washed her hair. Standing beneath the shower, she relived what had happened last night after Ashley had fallen asleep. Gabi and Jeff must have made love till dawn. Her body throbbed with her need of him. It always would.
She felt sorry for every woman who didn’t have a husband and lover like Jeff. Being in his arms meant ecstasy beyond comprehension. When he’d had to leave for work this morning, she’d held on to him, unwilling to let him go, because she needed him so desperately. He’d responded by making love to her again, with such hungry passion she’d felt transformed.
How would she be able to wait until tonight?
After choosing to wear her blue, two-piece cotton suit, she hurried into the kitchen to get the cooking done for the party. She fixed tortilla pie, then made Jeff’s mother’s potato salad and brownies. As she was putting the dessert and salad in the fridge, she heard the children’s happy shouts.
Jeff was home.
He’d left the house at seven to deal with an urgent matter. Her heart thundered in her chest, but she forced herself to walk—not run—through the house to open the front door to her brand-new husband. Since he’d left their bed early this morning, she’d been breathlessly waiting for his return.
“Oh.” It was Cal rather than Jeff getting down from his truck. He strode toward her, wearing his uniform, with Sergei trotting alongside him. “Now you look more like the ranger who was in the newspaper with your famous dog.”
His mouth quirked in amusement, but then he sobered. “How are you since your horrendous experience the other night?”
“Ashley and I are better than I would have dreamed.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“If Jeff and I have any worry, it’s that your dog went to pot—his words, not mine—while you were away. He’s afraid you’ll never trust him again with Sergei.”
Laughter rang in the air. “It looks like your daughter is my new competition.”
“She took him on a lot of walks, with Nicky and Roberta.”
“He would have loved that. Jeff told me you and Ashley arrived at Yosemite on the day of my wedding.”
“Yes. He said it was the most magical ceremony he’d ever seen.”
“It was.”
“Belated congratulations.” She gave him a big hug. “Thank you again for coming to our rescue the other night. I was so afraid Ashley might get hurt, or…or killed.”
“Jeff was in agony. No
ne of us would have wanted to be around him if anything had happened to you or your daughter.”
Suddenly the children crowded round, with Nicky squeezing in the middle. “How was your honeymoon?”
Trust him to ask. Cal smiled down at him. “I bet it was as good as yours. Who’s your new friend? I saw her the other night, but I don’t think she remembers me.”
“This is Ashley Rafferty from Rosemead. She’s almost eight and will be going into second grade. She’s pretty good at Match-Up and Sergei likes her.”
Gabi could see Cal’s shoulders were shaking from laughter. “How are you today, Ashley?”
“Good. I love your dog.”
“I can tell Sergei loves you, too.”
Gabi saw her daughter give him a sweet smile. “Jeff let him sleep on my bed.”
“Has he chased any bears away lately?”
“No. We haven’t seen one. I wish I had a dog like him.”
“That’s what Jeff told me.”
“Where is Jeff, Mommy?” The million-dollar question for Ashley.
“At work, but he’ll be home soon.”
“I hope so!” she cried, before running back across the lawn with her friends.
Cal followed Gabi into the kitchen. “It smells fantastic in here. What can I do to help?”
“Not a thing.”
“Then I’ll run home and bring Alex back. I’ve been hard at work and I’m starving.”
“I’m glad. I made enough food for an army.”
“You need to when Jeff is hungry, but you would already know that since you’re an old friend,” he teased. “We’ll be right back.” Then he was gone.
Heat swamped Gabi’s cheeks. Had Jeff already told him they were married? Cal was his best friend, after all.
Five minutes later he returned with his stunning blonde wife, and introduced them before he disappeared into the other room.
“That was a wonderful picture of you in the newspaper, Alex. I’m impressed you headed such a worthy project,” Gabi said.
“Thank you. Those teens are the greatest. They all want to come again next summer.”
“I can see why. It’s paradise here.” They chatted for a few more minutes while Gabi finished preparing the food. Alex pitched in to help put everything out on the dining-room table.
“How long will you be at the park?” she asked.
“I— I’m not certain,” Gabi replied. If Jeff didn’t get home soon, she was going to burst from having to keep their secret.
“Cal told me you’ve been through a horrendous ordeal with your ex-husband. I can’t imagine how frightening it would have been to have a gun pointed at you. Cal saw everything. They were just about to take your ex-husband down when he said you did a self-defense move on him that rivaled James Bond.”
“Hardly.” Gabi’s voice shook. “It’s amazing what you’ll do for your child.”
“I have yet to find out what it’s like to have a baby, but we’re trying for one.”
“How exciting!” Just as she spoke, they both heard noises coming from outside. It seemed as if pandemonium had broken out. “What on earth?”
Alex hurried through the house with her and onto the front porch. Everyone had arrived for the party—husbands, wives, kids, dogs. But Gabi only had eyes for her husband, who she discovered in the bed of his truck with Chase.
Suddenly they jumped down, followed by two dogs that looked almost identical to Sergei. Jeff walked over to Ashley, whose eyes were round with surprise. He knelt by her.
“Meet your new dog, Ash. He’s very adventurous and his name is Yuri. He’s Sergei’s brother.”
Ashley hugged the dog as if she’d known him forever. Jeff handed her the leash. “Go on and take him for a walk, but hold on tight. You have to show him who’s in charge.”
She giggled and started running around with him.
By now Chase had hunkered down in front of Roberta, who was so happy, she was close to choking on her tears. The dog’s fur was getting all wet. “This is Peter, sweetheart. He’s the other brother of Sergei and Yuri. The breeder in Redding told me he has a gentle nature and will be perfect for you.”
The childrens’ shouts of joy could be heard throughout the valley. For the next few minutes it was a virtual dog lovefest, with Nicky and Samson getting in the mix.
If Gabi had thought there wasn’t anything more she could love about Jeff, she was wrong. His capacity for giving was endless. In front of everyone, she moved toward him, unable to hold back her emotions any longer.
Jeff saw her coming and stood up. When she reached him, he put his hands on her shoulders, turned her around and drew her close. “If I could have everyone’s attention for a minute.”
Eventually quiet reigned.
He tugged her against him, kissing her nape. “Gabi and I want you guys to be the first to know we’ve been madly in love for fourteen years and finally got married in Reno yesterday. Ashley was our witness.”
Amid the cheers and ecstatic congratulations, Gabi’s daughter walked her new dog over to stand by them, her face beaming. “He’s my daddy now.”
Nicky raced across to the grass to Jeff. “Dad said it was about time.”
“Nicky!” his parents cried in exasperation.
Jeff looked down at Gabi, his hazel eyes burning with desire. “Your dad’s right, Nicky. That’s why he’s the chief.”
So saying, he pulled the love of his life into his arms.
ISBN: 978-1-4592-0969-5
RANGER DADDY
Copyright © 2011 by Rebecca Winters
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