Peril on the Ranch

by Lynette Eason

  His heart pumped a weird beat and he forced a smile even as he crouched to her level. “What’s up, pretty girl?”

  “Lisa Ann had a birthday party today and she turned six.”

  “She did, huh? Getting on up there in age, isn’t she?”

  “I know. She’s growing up. Like me.” Her gap-toothed grin tugged at his emotions once more. “Anyway,” she said, “she broughted cupcakes to school and there was enough for everyone to eat one and take one home.” She withdrew a slightly smooshed chocolate treat from the top of her backpack. “I tried to keep it safe. Jackie almost sat on it, but I pushed her off the seat.”

  “You pushed—” He had to duck his head to hide his smile. Then he cleared his throat and looked back up, hoping his expression was appropriately solemn. He caught Isabelle’s gaze behind Katie and started. He hadn’t heard her walk up. He swept his attention back to Katie. “I...ah... I don’t think you should be pushing other kids off their seats, kiddo.”

  She shrugged. “I know. Mr. Carson is the bus driver and he scolded me. I apologized to Jackie, so we’re still friends.”

  “Oh, well. I’m glad that ended on a happy note.”

  “Yep. And your cupcake survived.”

  Mac couldn’t stop the chuckle that slipped from his throat. Katie grinned, her glee at her success in bringing it home to him plastered on her little face. He thought he heard Isabelle choke on her own laughter. “When do I get to eat it?” he asked, taking it from her.

  “Now.”

  “Really? I don’t have to wait until after dinner?”

  “Yep. You’re big. You gots lots of room in your tummy, so you can eat it and not spoil your dinner.” She frowned. “I wish I was big. But eat it.” She hopped on one foot. “Eat it.”

  Mac pulled the paper wrapper away and popped the cupcake in his mouth. Chewed and swallowed. “That was delicious.” It really was. “Thank you.”

  Katie’s eyes went huge in her face. “Did ya even taste it?”

  Laughter exploded from him. So hard that he lost his balance and went down on his rear. Oh, this precious child. His chuckles threatened to turn to sobs as his own son’s little face came to mind. Would he have had such an infectious and happy personality or would he have been more serious like Mac? The fact that he’d never know washed over him, choked him. He had to swallow three more times before he could find his smile again. “Thank you, kiddo, that was really sweet of you.”

  “Katie,” Isabelle called, “why don’t you go on inside and wash your hands? Then you can play with Lilly for a bit before we do a little homework, okay?”

  “Okay, Izzy-belle. See you later, Mr. Mac.” She scampered off.

  Mac cleared his throat and scrambled to his feet. “She’s a mess,” he said.

  “She made you think of your son.”

  He was truly amazed at her powers of observation. “She did.”

  “Are you all right?”

  He shrugged. “I’m better than I was.” The smile he shot at her didn’t feel nearly as forced as it usually did. “I haven’t laughed like that in a while.” Since before the accident. The moment of joy had felt...good. Very good.

  “Stick around. You might find that happening on a daily basis with Katie.”

  He nodded. “Guess I’ll get back to the fence.”

  She turned to look at it, then back at him, her eyes soft. His heart did another weird thump. Very different from the one Katie had caused. Mac’s gaze roamed her face. He noted that her nose was a little too sharp and one brow was a fraction higher than the other. She also had a faint scar on her chin. But put it together with her high cheekbones and compassionate heart, she was one of the most beautiful women he’d ever met. Inside and out.

  “It’s looking wonderful,” she said. “Thank you.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Movement over her left shoulder distracted him. “I see the watchdog is here.”

  She followed his gaze. They both watched the officer take up a position on the porch swing. “Ben’s a good man,” she said. “I went to high school with him.”

  “I guess you know just about everyone in Timber Creek?”

  “I know a lot of them, for sure, but mostly just the people I went to high school with and their families. Although, the town is growing by leaps and bounds. New people are moving here every day. When I was at the grocery store, the teenager that helped get my groceries to the car was someone I’d never met before. But for the most part, yes, I know most everyone.” She shrugged. “That’s small-town living for you.”

  “I’m not sure I’d like that. I’m originally from Atlanta and even the ranch I had was within fifteen minutes driving distance to just about any store you can think of. Seems to me this is too much like being in a fishbowl where everyone knows all your embarrassing moments.”

  “Hmm. Well, there is that, of course, but everyone also knows your needs and does their best to help out. Like with the Day at the Ranch coming up. I’ve had donations coming in hand over fist. From vet services to hay, to cupcakes, chicken platters and drinks. I’d say the pros outweigh the cons. Most of the time, anyway.”

  His lips tugged upward once more. “I’ll reserve judgment.” He paused. “But if everyone in the town is like you, then I can definitely see why there’d be more pros than cons.”

  Surprise flickered in her gaze and her features softened, piercing him right in the heart. He liked her. “Thanks,” she said. “And I think withholding judgment is a very wise decision until you have all the facts.” Her gentle approval made him want to tell her he’d like any town as long as she was a part of it, but he bit his lip and scanned the area, wondering if the man who’d caused so much trouble was out there. And if he was, what did he think about the police cruiser in plain sight?

  He hoped it would scare the guy off.

  If it didn’t, they were in more trouble than they thought. The weight of his weapon in the holster was a comfort that reassured him he was more than capable of making sure Isabelle and the kids stayed safe from harm.

  SEVEN

  Isabelle rose early the next morning and, once again, enjoyed a short conversation with Mac on the porch before getting the kids off to school.

  Now, as she sat in her office preparing for her meeting in town, she let herself ponder the man—and her heart’s flip-flopping reaction every time she was in his presence.

  She liked him. A lot. She knew herself well enough to label those feelings as attraction. She drew in a deep breath. Okay, so she was attracted to the man and that bothered her. And not because she felt like she was betraying Josiah in any way. She’d loved her husband and he’d loved her. But she knew he’d want her to be happy. To love again. She just didn’t expect to be drawn to a man like Mac. He was a drifter, just passing through to earn a little money before he left. Liking him was one thing; letting her heart get involved would be quite another.

  He’d been quiet this morning, like he had some deep thoughts that he was considering sharing, but in the end, he’d chosen not to. She didn’t ask him about his family, and he didn’t bring it up. “Gonna get back to working on that fence until you’re ready to leave,” he’d said. She’d watched him leave and then headed to her office.

  Isabelle blew out a sigh and pulled up the donations spreadsheet. Running a nonprofit organization meant she relied on the generosity of others to provide a living for herself and those working for her. Of course, she received money from the state for the children—and that was what she used it for. The children.

  But things were still pretty tight and didn’t leave room for a lot of extras. She could only pray that the Day at the Ranch fundraiser would turn out to be a success like it usually did.

  After a phone call from Cheryl, who wanted an update on everything, Isabelle focused on making sure her numbers balanced and contacting those participating in the weekend.

&
nbsp; The time went quickly in spite of her multiple trips to check on Lilly, who was under the care of Ms. Sybil. The older woman was much more than just a cook. She was also a good friend and a babysitter when Isabelle needed her. A role she relished, as she’d never had any children of her own. The last time Isabelle stepped into the den, Ben came from the kitchen, two chocolate chip cookies in hand. He stopped when he saw her. “I hope it’s okay,” he said, holding up the cookies. “Ms. Sybil’s rocking Lilly to sleep and she told me to help myself.”

  “Absolutely.”

  “There’s been no sign of any trouble, but that may mean he’s just regrouping.”

  “I know. Thank you for taking the time to do this.”

  He ate one cookie much like Mac had downed Katie’s cupcake.

  “Sure thing.” He ate the other cookie and headed for the door. “After you and Mac take off, I’m going to do a quick perimeter check.” He held up a key. “I’ll lock up behind myself.”

  “And set the alarm.”

  “Absolutely. I’ll keep the house in view at all times.” He hesitated. “I don’t mind staying inside, but I feel like I need to be seen outside. Let anyone watching know that we’re watching for them, too. Does that make sense?”

  “Perfect sense.” Although, the thought of someone hiding in the trees watching the house sent shivers of dread all over her. But Ben was here. The other children were at school. Everyone was safe. For now.

  She glanced at the clock and gasped. “I’ve got to go.” She ran out the door to see Mac leaning against his truck.

  When he opened the door, she slid into the passenger seat and buckled up. Once he was settled behind the wheel and they were on their way, she shifted so she could see the side mirror. “Thank you for doing this.”

  “Happy to. I need a few things from the hardware store and this gives me a good chance to pick them up.”

  “If it’s for my place, I have an account there. Feel free to get whatever you need, and just bring me receipts.”

  “I don’t need much for the ranch. I’m just running short on nails. I have a few personal items to grab.”

  “Okay, of course.” She fell silent, feeling like the conversation was going from stilted to awkward. “So—”

  “Tell me what got you interested—” Mac said at the same time. He stopped. “Sorry. What were you going to say?” He adjusted the rearview mirror and she noted that he never relaxed his vigilance. It made her feel safe and worried at the same time.

  “Nothing. You first.”

  “I was just going to ask you how you got interested in fostering kids.”

  “Oh.” She took a deep breath. “My husband, Josiah, and I were married for a little over two years when we decided we were ready to expand our family. We tried for a year and...well, we’re not sure why, but we never got pregnant. And no, we didn’t do any medical testing to find out why. We intended to, but decided to start the fostering process first. Once that was underway, if we still weren’t pregnant, we’d try to find out why. Between the ranch and work and everything involved in the fostering application, we never got around to it. As soon as we were approved, we had our first placement.”

  “Wow, that was fast.”

  She let out a low laugh and checked the mirror once more. No one following them. Isabelle let out a relieved breath. “Faster than usual,” she said. “We just never ran into any snags in the process, and before we knew it, a young teen who came from a rough background was in our home. She was so defiant and angry. It was then that I got the idea for turning the ranch into a therapeutic experience. Josiah agreed and we got started with it. It took time and a lot of paperwork, but we finally got our nonprofit accreditation and things took off from there. Brianne was a hard case, but she finally softened toward us when she realized we weren’t going to kick her out or trade her in for a more well-behaved kid.” She shot him a tight smile.

  “You’re a pretty amazing person, aren’t you?”

  She laughed. “I don’t know about that, but I do believe in doing what we can to make other people’s lives better. And if that means being inconvenienced occasionally or helping a traumatized teen through a rough patch that’s not their fault, or losing sleep because of a confused baby, then I’m okay with that.”

  Mac fell silent and she followed his lead, her eyes going to the side mirror, unable to stop looking for the motorcycle.

  “He’s not going to get whatever he wants, Isabelle, I promise.”

  She raised a brow at him, surprised he’d read her thoughts so easily. “I appreciate the reassurances, but you can’t make that promise. No one can.”

  “Okay. True.” She could tell he didn’t like that thought. “But,” he said, “I can promise to do my best to make sure you and the others stay safe.”

  His fingers clutched the wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white. She placed a hand over them and squeezed gently. “Thank you.” She paused. “Why do you care so much?” At his frown, she paused. “That didn’t come out right. I simply meant, you’ve only just met us and I can tell being our protector means a lot to you. And I think it’s more than the former cop talking.”

  He shot her a quick glance. “I have a real problem when innocent people suffer because someone else makes a bad—or illegal—choice.”

  “Does that passion stem from losing your wife and child?”

  He hesitated, then shrugged. “I don’t know. That could be part of it, but I’ve always been that way. I have a younger sister who liked to get into mischief. I was forever telling her that watching out for her was a full-time job in and of itself. Thankfully, she’s married now with three kids—two boys and a girl. Just had the baby girl two months ago.”

  And she felt quite sure he hadn’t gone to see his sister or the new baby. Although he was in a better emotional place than he used to be—at least according to him—his pain still went deep. Isabelle’s heart hurt for him. “And your parents?”

  “They live about a mile from my sister and relish the grandparent role.”

  “They all sound lovely.”

  “They are.” He sounded subdued, as though he didn’t want to talk about them anymore.

  Soon he pulled onto Main Street and she sighed. “Why have I never even noticed motorcycles before and now I see them everywhere?” Two were parked at the gas station and one in the parking lot of the bank next door.

  “I know,” he said. His jaw tightened and his gaze scanned the bikes. “None of those are the one that I’ve seen on your property, but I’ll know it when I see it. And when I see it, the owner is going to have a lot to answer for.”

  * * *

  Just before they reached the restaurant, Mac’s phone buzzed. He didn’t recognize the number, but the area code was local. He activated the Bluetooth function. “Hello?”

  “This Mac McGee?”

  “It is.”

  “This is Officer Jay Parks. Regina called and asked if we could get together this morning to work on a sketch?”

  “That’s fine.”

  “Can you meet me at the station in about an hour?”

  “An hour’s good.” That would give him time to get what he needed from the hardware store first. “See you then.” He hung up and turned to Isabelle. “How long do you think you’ll be?”

  “No more than a couple of hours, but you take your time. I’m not in a hurry. If you’re still with the sketch artist, I’ll get Regina to drop me at the station.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” Mac let Isabelle out in front of the restaurant’s door. “I’ll text you when I finish up. If I’m done before you are, I’ll just come and pick you up right here, okay?”

  “Sure. Thank you, Mac.”

  “Of course.” He waited until she was inside, then watched through the window as she greeted Regina with a hug before he pulled away from the curb. It didn’t take
him long to find a parking spot. He got out, his gaze traveling in a circle, looking for the mysterious motorcycle rider—or anyone who sparked his internal alarms.

  Nothing and no one stood out to him, and with Isabelle safely in the presence of a police officer, he felt comfortable heading into the hardware store three doors down. The store was situated between a beauty salon and a children’s consignment store. Large windows with displays of tools and lawn equipment were tasteful and meant to entice the window-shopper to walk in.

  Mac did so, feeling right at home in the place.

  While he shopped, the conversation with Isabelle played like a loop in his mind. He hadn’t talked to his sister since the birth of his niece. He’d sent a card and some money but hadn’t picked up the phone to call and congratulate her on the new addition. And she’d quit calling him after he’d continued to let her calls go to voice mail. Her last call had been a week ago. Shame engulfed him. He couldn’t avoid her forever.

  But he wasn’t aiming for forever, just long enough that it didn’t hurt to think about the fact that her baby girl was the same age as Little Mac when he’d died. The familiar pain squeezed his chest and he sighed. The ache would always be there, and he needed to just acknowledge that and stop trying to run from it. But every time he tried, the pain nearly suffocated him. Running had kept him from falling into a pit of depression that nothing could have brought him out of.

  His gaze traveled in the direction of the café and his heart lightened slightly at the thought of Isabelle. But maybe, just maybe, he might finally be ready to stop running.

  Maybe.

  Once he finished grabbing what he needed, he paused at the candy aisle and snagged a bag of lollipops for the kids. He’d seen the older teen, Zeb, give Katie the last sucker to put in her lunch box even though Mac could tell he’d wanted it for himself. Mac hefted the bag. Now they’d have enough to last for a while. He stepped up to the cash register, and a man in his midseventies smiled through his bushy mustache and beard while the overhead light bounced off his bald head. “Howdy. You new around here?” He grabbed the suckers, scanned them and dropped them in the bag.