Falling for the Forest Ranger (Love Inspired) - Softcover

Bale, Leigh

 
9780373877898: Falling for the Forest Ranger (Love Inspired)
Softcover
ISBN 10: 0373877897 ISBN 13: 9780373877898
Verlag: Love Inspired, 2012

Inhaltsangabe

Working for the Forest Service, Tanner Bohlman knows the dangers of Idaho's untamed lands and rivers. It's certainly no place for a dainty woman like widowed mother Zoe Lawton, even if she is a capable marine biologist. But Zoe is new in town and could use a guide. When Tanner discovers her young son has never been fishing, he quickly becomes a father figure. Suddenly one sweet child and a woman with more grit than he gave her credit for are tugging on this man's heartstrings. And before long, he's questioning his vow never to love again.

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Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Leigh Bale is a Publisher's Weekly bestselling author. She is the winner of the Golden Heart and a finalist for the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence and the Bookseller's Best Award. She has over twenty books in print and has sold over a million copies worldwide. The daughter of a retired U.S. forest ranger, Leigh holds a BA in history with honors. Married in 1981, Leigh and her professor husband have two grown children and two grandkids. You can reach her at www.LeighBale.com.

Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.



"Jonah, be careful with that!"

Too late. The six-year-old's careless playing had alreadly sent the shopping cart careening across the parking lot, and the boy's little legs couldn't run fast enough to stop it. As the cart slammed into the door of a blue pickup truck parked near the main entrance, a loaf of whole-wheat bread fell from the shopping bags and thumped to the black asphalt. Three oranges and an apple rolled beneath the truck that now bore an impressive four-inch scratch across the side of the door.

Zoe Lawton dropped the sack of potatoes and the package of toilet paper she was carrying and chased after her son. The strap of her handbag slipped off her shoulder and hung around her forearm, hampering her efforts. The purse hit the ground, its contents spilling across the pavement.

This day just kept getting worse.

A tall man stood a few feet away where he'd been placing his own groceries into the back of the truck. In her brief perusal, Zoe caught a glimpse of his firm mouth, piercing brown eyes and a glacial stare that could have coated Death Valley in ice.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I didn't mean to," Jonah wailed.

The culprit stooped beneath the truck, scrambling to pick up two of the oranges. His sparkling blue eyes were filled with remorse. To add insult to injury, he pushed the shopping cart out of his way, gouging another mark across the left front fender of the truck.

"Jonah, stop already!" Zoe clasped her son's hand and pulled him away so he couldn't do any more damage.

"I just wanna help," the boy said.

"I think you've helped enough." The man's deep voice sounded low and angry, like rumbling thunder. He stalked over to stand in front of them, placing his hands on his lean hips as he perused the scratches with an irritated scowl.

Not brown. His eyes were amber, with a dark coppery ring around each of the irises.

Looking up, Jonah's chin trembled. "I'm real sorry, Mister. I didn't mean to."

For a fleeting moment, Zoe saw a flicker of compassion in the man's eyes. Then he raked his fingers through his short, dark hair, showing his frustration. "I just bought this truck three weeks ago."

His growled words showed his annoyance but seemed to be for himself alone. A passing comment that made Zoe feel even worse. If some little kid banged a shopping cart into her new truck, she wouldn't be happy about it, either.

Zoe pasted her most apologetic smile on her face and met the man's gaze. "I'm sorry. I'm going to pay for this. I'll take care of the damage."

He turned and she caught the scent of his spicy cologne, mingled with spearmint. A short lock of sable-brown hair fell over his high forehead, just above one arched brow. Though Zoe was tall for a woman, she had to look up to meet his eyes. Strong, athletic shoulders covered by a black ribbed T-shirt blocked her view of Jonah. The man braced his legs, his muscular thighs sheathed in worn blue jeans. Scuffed cowboy boots topped it all off. A completely masculine man. And highly annoyed.

As she gathered up the contents of her purse, Zoe wished she'd changed her soiled shirt and faded denims for a clean set of clothes before heading to the grocery store. Having just arrived in town three days earlier, her time had been spent setting up summer child care for Jonah and straightening up the three-bedroom house she'd rented along the bench bordering Bingham River. In spite of the morning rain and May breeze sweeping through the valley, a rivulet of perspiration dampened the back of her neck. She'd worked hard today and felt grungy and exhausted. There'd been no time to fix her hair or apply makeup. Now she felt mortified to be seen looking like a street urchin with a hooligan child. She brushed a hand over her short hair, self-conscious about her bedraggled appearance.

"Just forget about it," the man said with a rasping voice.

"What?" Zoe took Jonah's hand and blinked, trying to concentrate on something besides the man's full mouth and blunt chin.

"I said, let it go. The damage isn't worth bothering with. Besides, every work truck worth a dime has a few good scratches on it." He gave her a half smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Did he mean it or was he just trying to get rid of her?

Jonah wriggled against her side and she released his hand, thinking he'd stay put this time. She was wrong. He hurried over and clasped the edge of the truck, jumping up to peer over the side. The rubber soles of his tennis shoes squeaked as he braced his toes against the man's truck to get traction.

"Jonah! Come away from there." She glanced at the man, her cheeks burning like road flares. Now was not a good time for her son to misbehave.

"I just wanted to see what's inside," Jonah said.

"Nothing but sacks of groceries." The man heaved a disgruntled sigh and shook his head at the boy.

"He's normally a well-mannered child. He usually minds me." Zoe rushed to reassure the man, wondering why it mattered so much to her. She hated the thought of this handsome stranger believing she couldn't control her own son.

"I can see that." He pursed his lips, looking skeptical.

"He's just a bit excited. You see, we just moved to town, and he's been helping me get settled in our new home."

"Yeah, hyper kids act that way sometimes."

She stiffened, fighting off bristles of anger. Calling her son hyper pinched a nerve in Zoe's composure. "Jonah's not hyper. He's just curious and energetic."

A miniature replica of his deceased father, Jonah was now kicking the tires. She didn't know what she'd do without him. She certainly wouldn't tolerate anyone assigning him a derogatory label.

The man looked doubtful, but she wasn't about to carry this conversation any further. He had a right to be upset, after all.

She dug into her purse, searching for a pen and paper. "I want to pay for the damage. It's the least I can do."

He held up a hand, his expression darkening. "Don't bother. Right now, I just want to get my ice cream home and in the freezer before it melts."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Zoe thought about her own perishables wilting in her shopping cart. She also wanted to get home, if only to get Jonah into a place where he could run around and burn off some energy. With the boy bouncing around the house, she doubted there'd be much relaxation until bedtime. Rather than try to cook dinner, she'd pick up hamburgers at the drive-through on the way. Since their move, Jonah had been wound as tight as a top. If only she could bottle and sell her son's energy, she'd be filthy rich.

"Hey, do you like fish?" Jonah pointed at the rear bumper of the man's truck. Zoe craned her neck to see a blue sticker with two Pacific salmon on it that read Save Our Salmon.

The man didn't move but responded impatiently, "Yeah, I like fish just fine."

Jonah flashed a wide grin. "My mom does, too. She knows everything about fish."

The man eyed Zoe as a dubious smile creased the corners of his mouth. "I'll just bet she does. You got a goldfish at home, do you?"

"Yep. How'd you know that?" Jonah screwed his face up in curiosity.

"Just a lucky guess."

"My name's Jonah, like Jonah and the whale. Mom's told me the Bible story over and over. Jonah was dis-bedient to the Lord, so he got swallowed up into the whale's belly. Only when he...

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Verlag
Love Inspired
Erscheinungsdatum
2012
Sprache
Englisch
ISBN 10 
0373877897
ISBN 13 
9780373877898
Einband
Taschenbuch
Anzahl der Seiten
224
Kontakt zum Hersteller
Nicht verfügbar
Verantwortliche Person
Product Safety Manager
enquiries@harpercollins.ie

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ISBN 10:  0373082673 ISBN 13:  9780373082674
Verlag: Love Inspired
Softcover