The Bachelor Ranger

by Rebecca Winters

  Chief Rossiter stood up. He always had a ready smile. The head of the park was as gorgeous as Cal, in his own way. “It’s nice to see you again, Alex. Your new haircut suits you.”

  His sincerity meant a lot. “Thank you.”

  “You and I have a great deal to discuss. Come and sit down.”

  “Does this mean you think my proposal has merit?” She shook hands with him before taking a seat opposite his desk.

  “It has more than that. I liked it so much, I told Jeff to hire you.”

  Her eyes smarted at his faith in her, but she fought to keep her composure. “You have no idea how much this means to me. The boys don’t know what they’re in for yet, but after they’ve been here for a few days, they’ll probably never want to leave.”

  “Men after my own heart.”

  She smiled. “Just so you know—the tribal council didn’t feel the girls should participate yet and they’re only allowing sixteen boys to come. I know the park policy is to encourage equal opportunity. Give me a little more time with them.”

  He nodded. “After my dealings with Chief Sam Dick over the years, I understand completely.” Alex had met the venerable Piute chief and his wife several times. They were marvelous people. “I understand this was your idea from start to finish.”

  Ranger Thompson hadn’t left anything out. That was good. “Yes.”

  “Thank you for coming to Yosemite instead of Yellowstone first,” he teased.

  To Alex, there was no one like Chief Rossiter, a brilliant man in her opinion. Serious when he had to be, he possessed a terrific sense of humor, too. Everyone loved and respected him.

  “It’s my favorite place.”

  “And mine,” he echoed. “How would you like to do another job for me while you’re here overseeing your young volunteers?”

  She blinked. “What do you mean?”

  “When Rachel first came to the park with Nicky—before she was my wife—I offered her the job of being my liaison. She turned me down flat.”

  Alex laughed. “That’s because she wanted another job more. She told me that in private.”

  His eyes danced. “Beth used to be my liaison, but I needed a good secretary, too, so the liaison position never got refilled. It requires a certain personality I haven’t been able to find. When I was reading over your inspirational idea, it came to me that you’d be perfect for the job.”

  Curiosity was killing her. “What does it entail?”

  His expression grew more serious. “To be my eyes and ears while you’re out and about in the park in your volunteer minibus. It will provide the perfect cover for you. When the teens are at work, you’ll be free to mingle and observe what goes on around here—good and bad. Document what you see with a time and date and report back to me personally.”

  Whoa. “You want me to spy?”

  “In a word, yes.”

  When she laughed, he did, too, but she knew beneath that laughter he was serious. Somehow she’d earned his trust. How incredible.

  “I need someone who looks at things outside the box so to speak, someone who’s very savvy about internal problems here at the park, but isn’t a ranger or a worker at one of the concessions. Because of your father and the many visits you’ve made with him, you have inside knowledge that can’t be gained from a textbook or a lecture. You’re also fearless and know the park well.”

  “Will anyone know about my…side job?”

  “Besides Beth? No. It will be our secret, otherwise there’ll be no point to it.” Alex couldn’t argue with his logic. “I’d only be able to pay you an entry-level wage, but if you accepted, you’d make me a happy man. But please don’t think that if you turned it down, I’d change my mind about your proposal.”

  The Chief wouldn’t have asked her to do this if he didn’t think she could be valuable. She liked the idea that no one else would know about it, even Cal. Chief Rossiter had given her a new feeling of confidence, as if she really belonged here. Alex felt indebted to him. “I know you wouldn’t do that. If you think I can be of any help, I’ll be happy to do it.”

  He flashed her a smile. “Excellent. When you need to talk to me, Beth will fit you in. She’ll also give you a paycheck every two weeks.”

  That would be a novelty she welcomed. “May I ask your advice about something?”

  “Of course.”

  “What would you think if I went by the name Alex Trent? Whatever happens this summer, good or bad, I want to function on my own recognizance, not my father’s.”

  His eyes shone with approval. “That’s very commendable, but I don’t see any reason for you to do that. Your father’s been retired close to two years, and he’s out of the limelight now. While you’re working here, you’ll be part of the woodwork, so to speak.”

  She grinned. “That’s true. You’ve relieved my mind.”

  “Good. Now tell me how you came up with the wonderful idea to bring those boys to the park.”

  NO SOONER HAD CAL GONE off duty and returned home than he heard a familiar rap on the door. He’d left a voice mail for Jeff to get back to him, but a personal visit was much better. Seeing Alex today had blown him away. With her father no longer coming to the park, he’d assumed he’d never see her again.

  She’d caught him off guard for a number of reasons. Besides the amazing change in her appearance, he hadn’t seen a ring on her finger. It had been over a year since he’d last seen her, and he wouldn’t have been surprised if there was a change in her marital status by now.

  He removed Sergei’s leash, but at his command the dog stayed next to him as he walked into the hall to open the door. Jeff stepped inside with an envelope under his arm. “Sorry I couldn’t get back to you until now. I’ve been in a ton of meetings. The last one just broke up.”

  His eyes swerved to Cal’s new buddy. “Hey, Sergei— I’ve heard about you for a long time. We meet at last.” After putting the envelope on the front hall floor, he hunkered down to get acquainted with the dog and rub his white chest vigorously. “You’re not so big. Hard to believe you’re already old enough to scare off a bear.”

  “We’re working on it,” Cal said, shutting the door behind him. “I was about to make dinner. Do you want some?”

  “I grabbed a bite about an hour ago. Thanks anyway.”

  “Then come all the way in and sit down.”

  Jeff picked up the envelope from the floor and followed Cal into the living room. Sergei sniffed around him. “He’s cute. If you poured white paint all over him he’d—”

  “Look like a husky?” Cal finished for him. Alex had said the same thing. “My thoughts exactly.”

  Jeff continued to examine the dog, leading Cal to believe he was buying time for a reason. Cal thought he knew why. “When I came out of Vance’s office this morning, Sergei and I literally bumped into Alex. At first I wasn’t sure it was her.”

  Cal was still in shock from the change in her looks and her attitude. He’d sensed something different about her, as if an invisible shield had gone up. And the way she’d looked right through him had thrown him.

  “I know what you mean,” Jeff agreed. “She’d been in my office first. Now that she’s all grown-up, she’s turned into a real stunner.”

  She always was. Yet over the past year Alex had morphed into an ultrafeminine woman with a figure that did amazing things for the conservative clothes she’d been wearing. Without all that glorious hair, her classic features were more prominent. Her eyes reflected the green of hidden summer vales high in the mountains.

  “Alex told me she had an appointment with the Chief,” Cal said. “I didn’t see her father around. What gives?” He and Jeff had no secrets where Alex was concerned. His friend finally stood up.

  “What gives is the answer to one of those prayers Chief Sam Dick told Vance the gods must have heard.”

  The hairs went up on the back of Cal’s neck because the old Piute from the Hetch Hetchy Valley was still a powerful force throughout the park. Vance h
ad been a boy when Chief Sam had shown him where he used to hunt acorns. Those two shared a bond as binding as blood.

  “That important, huh?”

  “Yup. I have to tell you I’ve never been more surprised.” He handed Cal the envelope. “Everything you want to know is in there. I’m going to leave it with you because I’ve got some business to do at the house, stat.”

  “I’ll walk you out.” Sergei followed them.

  Before Jeff left he said, “Give me a call later when you’ve read through everything.”

  Adrenaline surged through Cal’s veins, but not from excitement. The Alex he’d known had changed on some level he didn’t understand, and he was uneasy about what he’d find in the envelope.

  “Don’t forget tomorrow!” Jeff called from his truck. “The new adult summer volunteer staff will be going through orientation. You’re scheduled to address them in the conference room at eleven.”

  “Diane alerted me,” he answered, but his thoughts were far removed from park business. Once he closed the door, he rubbed the dog’s head and went into the kitchen for a cup of coffee.

  “Okay, Sergei. Let’s see what’s in here.” He pulled the contents out of the envelope.

  Application for Yosemite Park Volunteer Program was the first thing to meet his eyes. The moment Cal saw the name Alexis Trent Harcourt printed on the line, the blood pounded in his ears, cutting off all sound except his own heartbeat. Unbelievable. This meant she was going to be here all summer.

  He studied the info on her application form. At first nothing came as a surprise. He knew about her travels and her stab at some college courses. But a barrel racer? She could ride? That was something he hadn’t known.

  Cal reached for the brochure beneath. He read it through and let out a long whistle, his brow furrowing in disbelief. Some of the traveling Alex did was to visit orphanages around the nation with her mother?

  He read through her proposal, taking it all in. His brain did the math on the funding. He wheeled around, startling Sergei, who scrambled to his feet, ready for anything. His mind racing, Cal grabbed his cell phone to call Jeff, who picked up on the second ring.

  “I thought I’d be hearing from you pretty quick. Quite a surprise when you thought you’d seen the end of her.”

  Surprise wasn’t the right word. Everything in her proposal came as a revelation. “In all the years Alex has been coming here, she never said a word about this part of her life, and not a peep from the senator.”

  “That shouldn’t come as news to you, Cal, not when you tried to avoid her as much as possible.”

  “You know why. She was too young to take seriously, but today she turned the tables.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Cal told him what happened outside Vance’s office. ‘I felt like I’d been drawn through a matrix, not knowing up from down. After Alex gave Sergei a good rub, she disappeared inside the Chief’s office as if I didn’t exist.”

  “Well, at least you no longer have to worry she’s back at the park because of you.”

  Nope. While Cal digested the ramifications of that remark, Jeff added, “I have to tell you I don’t believe I’ve ever seen Vance this excited about a new project.”

  “Naturally. Her inspiring proposal is an answer to any prayer whether it be from the Zuni, Paiute or rangers’ god.”

  “Who’d have guessed what was going on beneath that mane of hers?”

  Like gold shot with silver in the moonlight…

  Cal inhaled sharply. “This is a coup for you, Jeff. You’re the chief steward of park resources. When Telford hears about this, he’ll go back to D.C. and put Yosemite on the map as the model of the future. You’ll be famous for hiring her.”

  “Just what I always wanted,” he said with a rare display of sarcasm. “That’s why I became a ranger. Her ability to fund everything is a surprise, though. I thought the senator was the one with the family money.”

  “So did I.”

  “I did a little research and learned they live on the Orange Mesa Ranch outside Albuquerque. Silas Trent bought up 800,000 acres and turned it into the sixth-largest cow-calf operation in the States.”

  That explained her riding abilities. “And all along I thought I knew what made her tick,” Cal muttered. “Where are you going to house her and her group?”

  “At Sugar Pines campground with the volunteers from the LTSY fund. Everything’s in place. Alex has been preparing her teens for the last couple months. There’s no problem accommodating her group. Some of the other groups will stay at Tioga Pass. We wish there were more volunteers coming.”

  Cal shook his head in amazement. Sugar Pines was in the Yosemite Valley, where many of the eight hundred miles of trails throughout the park needed restoration. The volunteers lived in the cross-country ski facility during June and July.

  Speaking of skiing, Cal said, “Did I ever tell you about the incident one winter when she and her friends went off the ski trail and got lost? She phoned the ranger station and asked me to come and rescue them. She used to show up at the damnedest times and places.”

  “That was probably before I was transferred in. Did you comfort her?” he teased.

  “I was the one who needed comforting, Jeff. Her unexpected appearance at the park without her father around scared the hell out of me, and you know why. In front of the Chief, Senator Harcourt made it clear he trusted me with his daughter, if you know what I mean.”

  “Afraid I do.”

  “I’m surprised her self-centered nature hasn’t gotten her into more trouble by now,” Cal grumbled.

  “How did she know which ranger station to contact?”

  Cal let out a caustic laugh. “You tell me and we’ll both know. Maybe some Zuni magic rubbed off on her when she was little.”

  The thought gave him an odd shiver, but the situation was different now. How strange to think of her overseeing a bunch of teens while he was out chasing bears all over the park with Sergei.

  “Well, you’ve got a new partner to warn you when she’s around. He’s more powerful than magic. Be thankful for small favors.”

  Cal rubbed his jaw. Things had changed. He knew in his gut he didn’t have to worry about Alex anymore. “See you tomorrow, Jeff. Thanks for bringing her proposal by. I’ll make sure it gets back on Diane’s desk in the morning.”

  After they hung up, he fixed a sandwich, then took Sergei outside one more time. When they returned he crated the pup and got ready for bed. But when it came time for sleep, Cal tossed and turned.

  For the first time in a year Alex filled his thoughts rather than memories of Leeann. Over the seven years Cal had worked for the park, the senator made regular visits. Whether winter, spring, summer or fall, he was often accompanied by his daughter, a fashion plate with hair down to her waist.

  In the beginning, the twenty-year-old was a royal pain who thought she could get away with murder because of her high-profile name and looks. She knew she represented the gates of paradise to every young, red-blooded male in sight.

  It was this immature, spoiled rotten, pampered, blond vamp of a daughter who early on became Cal’s nemesis. At least that’s what he’d told himself in order to stay away from her. But that had pretty well been impossible because her visits increased in frequency, making him more and more aware of her.

  On the March afternoon she’d found him alone at the lookout tower near Glacier Point, she’d thrown herself at him one too many times and he’d decided to give her what was coming to her and send her running. To his shock the reverse had happened and he’d lost control.

  The incident shouldn’t have happened.

  Meeting up with Leeann again had been providential. He began spending exclusive time with her, and before he knew it, they were married. But now Leeann was gone and Alex was back, this time for the whole summer.

  So what’s it to you, Hollis? The way she blew you off today, you have nothing to worry about.

  Chapter Four

  Diane st
epped up to the lectern. “After a ten-minute break, we’ll resume your orientation.”

  Alex checked her watch. It was quarter to eleven. A dozen summer volunteers, both male and female, had been hired by the park for various jobs. After everyone was introduced and they’d watched a PowerPoint presentation about the park given by Ranger Thompson, half of them got up from the conference table. She decided to stay put.

  Cal could be anywhere in the park, but in case he happened to be around headquarters, she didn’t want to bump into him again by accident and have him think she’d planned it on purpose.

  Unfortunately one of the new volunteers in the group seated at her right had already glommed on to her. Brock had spiky black hair and was probably in his late twenties. Not bad looking, and he knew it. When she made no move to leave the room, he remained seated, too.

  “So, Alex Harcourt…where have you been assigned with your youth group?”

  “Sugar Pines campground.” Ranger Thompson had already designated the ski facility for her boys. It was near the village, which would be a good thing because she could keep a close eye on them after hours.

  “I’m going to be helping at the Crane Flat campground” came his unsolicited response. Thank goodness that camp was near the western perimeter of the park, away from hers. “But when I’m off duty there’s a ton of stuff to do around here.”

  “That’s true.” She’d done most of it.

  He smiled into her eyes, his interest clear. “Where are you from?”

  “New Mexico.”

  “Don’t you want to know where I come from?”

  Alex was counting the minutes until the meeting started up again, but she didn’t want to be rude. “I was just about to ask.”

  He gave her a crooked smile that probably worked on most females. “Las Vegas.”

  “What brings you here?”

  “I do freelance photography.”

  “Then you’ve come to heaven on earth.”

  “You can say that again,” he murmured as he studied her features.

  Oh, please…

  To her relief people started coming back in the room. Jose Martinez, a fit-looking Latino probably in his late thirties, sat down on her other side. During the introductions, Diane had indicated he would be helping at Half Dome, where a majority of tourists congregated daily to make the steep ascent using the cables.