Rescued by a Ranger

“I like animals!” Belle turned wide eyes on her mother, imploring, “Please? It sounds fun! I never get any fun.”

Eden tousled the girl’s hair, knocking the tiara askew. “You, either, huh?”

“One thing at a time,” Alex said, a thread of desperation in her voice. “Let’s worry about getting some dinner into you. We’ll talk about the festival later.”

“So you’ll accept the offer to raid my pantry?” Zane pressed.

“Doesn’t look like I have much choice.”

It wasn’t the most gracious thank-you he’d ever received, but luckily for Alex, he’d had a lot of recent practice with a grudging female. After a couple of weeks of Eden’s attitude, his neighbor’s surliness bounced right off him. As they approached his lawn, they could hear Dolly barking inside the house. Belle ran on ahead as if she could somehow get through the locked door.

Eden hung back long enough to confide, “I always wanted a kid sister. But an adorable neighbor is good for now.” Then she caught up to Belle, leaving her father startled.

He’d never thought about whether Eden wanted siblings or not. Both he and Valerie had been only children, so it had seemed natural to have just one. Besides, he and Valerie hadn’t shared a bed much in the final years of their marriage, not after he’d caught her sharing other men’s.

Alex walked beside him, her stiff body language screaming her reluctance. “I’m guessing there’s no wife at home to resent our intrusion?”

He shook his head. “Divorced single parent. You?”

She was silent for a long minute, and he watched her gnaw at her bottom lip. Finally, in a tone so soft it was barely audible, she said, “Widowed. Since last spring.”

Her answer hit him with tangible force. He’d been so sure she was divorced or separated. It had never occurred to him Belle’s father might be dead.

“I’m so sorry,” he said.

“I...apologize if I haven’t seemed very neighborly. It’s been hard.” She gave a quick, brittle laugh. “Understatement.”

“Well, if there’s anything I can do,” he offered. “Spaghetti noodles. Car maintenance.”

“That’s kind of you, Mr. Winchester, but Belle and I have to learn to stand on our own feet.”

“An admirable sentiment.” He crossed to his porch and unlocked the front door. Dolly practically knocked him down in her excitement.

Eden grabbed the dog by the collar. “Belle and I will take her out back.”

He motioned for Alex to come inside. “After you.” He couldn’t help noticing how she tried to shrink her body as she passed him, flattening herself against the doorjamb to insure they wouldn’t accidentally touch.

Though she clearly wasn’t comfortable around him yet, maybe they could help each other. She was new in town and might need a tour guide of sorts. Their daughters had certainly hit it off; he’d never seen Eden warm to someone so instantaneously. Alex Hunt might not think she was in the right state of mind to make new friends, but Zane resolved to prove her wrong. That smile Eden had flashed him when she made the raccoon remark still warmed him from the inside, like hot chocolate.

I’m not a bad guy, he silently promised Alex. And I think you’ll grow to like me. He hoped so, anyway.

Because if he had anything to do with it, their families would definitely be spending time together.

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