Love Inspired February 2014 - Bundle 1 of 2: The Cowboy's Reunited FamilyThe Forest Ranger's ReturnMommy Wanted

by Brenda Minton

  We each have infirmities of body and spirit. Life is so hard. It is a proving ground for us to learn to live by faith and to keep God’s commandments. The Lord has provided us with scriptures to help show us the way we should live. And yet, when we are in the depths of our despair, it can still be so difficult.

  In The Forest Ranger’s Return, both the hero and heroine struggle with their own infirmities. Physical and mental ailments can diminish our self-worth and cause us to doubt ourselves. But we understand from the scriptures that Christ knows each and every one of us personally. He knows our loneliness and difficulties. The atonement of Jesus Christ envelops all of the trials and adversity that any of us will encounter in this life. The worth of a soul is so great in the eyes of God. We are His children. And He loves us unconditionally, in spite of our physical and mental limitations.

  I hope you enjoy reading The Forest Ranger’s Return, and I invite you to visit my website at www.leighbale.com to learn more about my books.

  May you find peace in the Lord’s words!

  Leigh Bale

  Questions for Discussion

  1. In The Forest Ranger’s Return, Julie Granger is a forest ranger who lost her parents when she was a teenager. She ended up being put into foster care and yanked out of the happy life she’d known with her boyfriend, Dal Savatch. Have you or someone you know been raised in foster care? Was it a good experience? Why or why not?

  2. Dallin Savatch is a U.S. Marine who lost one of his legs while saving the life of his best friend, who was a prisoner of war. Dal was able to cope with losing his leg, but his fiancée turned her back on him when she found out he might not be able to father a child because of his injuries. Do you think Dal’s fiancée was wise to walk away from him the way she did? Why or why not?

  3. Because of the abuse she endured as an orphaned teenager, Julie wondered numerous times if God had abandoned her. Do you believe He did? Why or why not?

  4. Unlike Julie, Dal never felt that God had abandoned him, even after Dal lost his leg in the war. Why do you think some people feel forsaken by God while others do not? Have you or someone you care about ever felt rejected by the Lord?

  5. We each have our own free agency to choose how we will react to the hardships of life. Why do you think God allows bad things to happen to good people? Likewise, why do you think good things happen to bad people? Can we pray away someone else’s free agency to choose what they will think, feel and do in this life? Why or why not?

  6. Marcus is a ten-year-old boy who lost his left hand in a plane crash that killed both of his parents. He was angry at everyone until Julie told him that his parents’ death was not his fault. Why do you think Julie’s talk with Marcus had such a great impact on him? Have you ever blamed yourself for something you had no control over? If you were able to overcome that problem, what did it finally take for you to let go of your guilt?

  7. Because he may not have been able to father a child, Dal continued to fight his attraction to Julie. If they were to marry, he feared Julie might come to hate him later on. Do you think Dal was wise in his decision? Why or why not?

  8. Loneliness had become a constant companion for Dal and Julie. Many people are alone, but they still lead happy, fulfilled lives. Have you or someone you know ever lived in a constant state of loneliness? How did they find joy in life? How can prayer and faith in God help us overcome our loneliness?

  9. Julie was sexually abused by one of her foster fathers. Because she felt unworthy and embarrassed, she cut off all ties with Dal and determined that she could never marry. Do you think she made the right decision? Why or why not? How do you think our nation’s legal system should handle pedophiles? Why?

  10. Julie was a forest ranger who must keep the laws when it came to altering a trail or campsite. During the open meeting to discuss Dal’s proposed changes to Gilway Trail, Julie took a lot of verbal abuse from one of the ranchers who did not want the amputee kids from Sunrise Ranch to use the trail. What might you have said to this rancher? If you had been Dal, what might you have done? Why?

  11. Even though she already had a very busy job, Julie felt drawn to the amputee kids and loved her volunteer work at Sunrise Ranch. Have you ever volunteered to serve others? Did you have a positive experience with your service? What made it positive or negative for you? Why?

  12. When Dal introduced the amputee kids at Sunrise Ranch to Polly, the little mare with a prosthetic leg, he told them that there was nothing they couldn’t do if they wanted it badly enough to find a way to make it happen. Do you think Dal’s encouragement was realistic, or did it give the kids false hope? Why or why not?

  13. Neither Julie nor Dal thought they’d ever marry, let alone raise six children together. Some people believe this is too many children for one couple to raise, even if they can provide a stable, loving home. Do you agree? Why?

  14. One of Dal’s friends who lost his limbs in the war commits suicide after his wife divorces him. Unfortunately, this is a very real situation today. Many of our armed forces are coming home seriously wounded, either from physical injuries or post-traumatic stress disorder. Some of them can’t cope anymore and take their own lives. How do you think our Heavenly Father feels about these precious souls?

  15. After Dal left town, Julie went after him. When she found him, she disclosed her love for him and asked him to stay. Knowing what Julie had been through in her life, do you think she was wise to leave Dal to make up his own mind? If he hadn’t returned home and come to propose marriage to her, what do you think Julie should have done? Should she have gone after Dal again and again or finally let him go? Why?

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired story.

  You believe hearts can heal. Love Inspired stories show that faith, forgiveness and hope have the power to lift spirits and change lives—always.

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  Chapter One

  Serendipity, Texas, had gone to the dogs.

  Literally.

  Eli Bishop couldn’t help but find some dark twist of humor in that irony—for him, anyway.

  Despite the uneasiness skittering up his spine, he stood ramrod-straight with his shoulders set and his chin up, the last man of five comprising the straight line of the small-town police force. Anxiety clouded his chest as Captain Ian James elaborated on his new plan for a Serendipity police dog.

  “Due to the recent influx of over-the-border drug trafficking, we’ve decided to incorporate a K-9 unit into the Serendipity Police Department,” the captain announced, his hands clasped behind him and a stern set to his dark blond brow. He paced back and forth in front of the small squad of cops assembled before him, making eye contact with each one down the line.

  “It is imperative that we stop these crimes before they become a threat to the peace and security of our town, and the best way to do that is to acquire a fully trained K-9 unit. I’m pleased to announce that, as of January 1, we’ve been funded for one of our own. We’ll be using it both in police work and, as the need arises, in search and rescue to deal with increasing difficulties in weather situations through our county. I have been working in tandem with a national agency to select the best possible candidate among our officers to work with the K-9 in this program.”

  The hair on the back of Eli’s neck stood at full alert as the captain stopped before him. Sweat beaded on his forehead.

  This was irrational.

  Unreasonable.

  He was
making a big deal out of nothing. He was stronger than the fear of dogs he’d carried with him since childhood. He was. But that didn’t stop his shoulders from rippling with tension as he pulled in a long, calming breath through his nostrils and fisted his clammy palms tightly against his sides.

  He couldn’t let a stupid phobia wreck an opportunity for promotion. He had always been competitive and ambitious, whether it was playing football in high school or being first in his class at the police academy. With his personal life recently taking a serious nosedive, he was at the point where there was nothing he wanted quite so much as the opportunity to prove his mettle to the department. His career was all he had left, and he was game for almost anything, except—

  Please, Lord. Not this.

  Eli forced himself to remain motionless, his gaze steady but empty. Over the years he’d perfected the art of not showing what he was thinking. It had held him in good stead, until now. He wasn’t sure he could mask these emotions.

  “Bishop, you’ll be pleased to hear that the honor is yours.”

  Eli tried to steady his breathing, but his throat closed around the air.

  Pleased? This wasn’t an honor. It was a horror. His own personal nightmare. He clenched his jaw in a vain attempt to control the tremor that ran through him.

  He could handle bad guys. Knives. Guns. Whatever else was thrown at him, no matter how frightening. Even a broken engagement, as awful as that had been.

  But dogs? That was another thing entirely.

  Eli cleared his throat. “Sir, may I respectfully suggest—”

  Captain James abruptly sliced the air with a clipped movement of his hand and shut Eli down midsentence.

  “Perhaps I haven’t made myself clear.”

  The captain’s voice was in command mode, and Eli knew he’d already lost the battle. Probably even the war.

  “This is a direct order. I have taken the liberty of vetting you for this training through the national organization I mentioned. Everything has been approved and arranged. Mary Travis is expecting you at her house at promptly fourteen hundred hours today to start working with your new partner. She’s training the K-9 herself, and she’s graciously agreed to help you adjust to your new role as handler.”

  Eli stifled a groan as the bad news kept piling on. He knew it would take more than a little adjusting for him to be able to work with a dog, especially an aggressive one. A K-9 would no doubt fall into that category. He definitely needed to bring his A game, if he wasn’t going to come out looking like an idiot.

  What was worse—far worse—was that Mary Travis probably already thought he was a moron with a capital M. After all, it was her sister, Natalie, who’d left Eli high and dry one week before their wedding. No explanation. No hint of what was to come, or that anything had even been wrong with their relationship.

  Clearly something had been. He still didn’t know what.

  Mary probably knew more than he did—which was exactly why he didn’t want to work with her.

  He nearly choked on his own breath as tidal waves of humiliation washed over him. He would rather have been paired up with practically anyone else in town—anyone who hadn’t had a front-row seat to the way Natalie had ditched and disgraced him. He was certain his ego would never be able to withstand the hit were Mary to discover he couldn’t even handle himself around a dog.

  “Sir, Mary’s work as a large-animal vet has her in high demand,” he pointed out. “I’m sure she’s already overbooked as it is. Are you certain she is going to have time to—?”

  “Ms. Travis,” the captain barked, cutting Eli off midsentence, “is already on board for this project. Her assistant is taking over her veterinary practice, so she can focus on her training kennel full-time. She has certification in search and rescue, and is branching out to include training small-town police K-9 units. Her expertise in this project will be invaluable, and you will follow her instructions. Do we understand each other?”

  Captain James stopped and faced Eli, nose to nose, with their gazes locked in unspoken combat. The sharp smell of wintergreen gum tickled Eli’s nostrils. He bit the inside of his bottom lip, knowing that sneezing would definitely not be the response the captain was looking for. There was nothing to say that would change the decision, so despite the fact that his pulse was working overtime and his mind was screaming to the contrary, Eli remained silent.

  The captain jerked his chin affirmatively and flashed Eli a satisfied smile. “Bishop, we’ll talk promotion and benefits later. Company dismissed for lunch.” Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked away.

  The squad visibly relaxed, all except for Eli, who remained stiff at attention for several more seconds. He couldn’t seem to break the hold the captain’s words had on him. Red-hot electricity bolted down his spine, setting every nerve ending aflame. Adrenaline roared through him, and his fight-or-flight instinct burned in his veins the same way it did when he was in pursuit of a suspect.

  Only this was worse, because he wanted to flee.

  He had to cool off and get his head on straight, if he was going to face the afternoon class with any form of dignity intact. Thankfully, after lunch and some paperwork, he had time for a quick ride on his motorcycle. His bike was his refuge—especially with the mild January wind in his hair and the freedom of the road with no one else around for miles. He did his best thinking and praying on the open stretches of land around the small town he called home.

  Soon he was heading southbound on the road out of Serendipity, the reassuring purr of the motorcycle engine underneath him. He had a little less than an hour to wrap his mind around his new responsibilities before he had to present himself at Mary Travis’s place, hopefully with a clear head and the fortitude he’d need to complete the task at hand. He revved the engine and sped down the highway, keenly aware that he was exceeding the posted limit. He was a cop, and he should know better, but there wasn’t a car on the road for miles. It was a token protest against circumstances entirely beyond his control.

  After about twenty minutes, Eli turned his bike back toward Serendipity, slowing his speed to match his own reticence, even as he reminded himself that there was no sense putting off the inevitable. Surely God had His reasons for this trial. It came with a promotion, for one thing. And maybe, just maybe, it would take the heat off of Eli’s personal life.

  A tough guy with a dangerous dog. Who could beat that?

  Maybe he’d no longer be known as the sap who’d been ditched almost at the altar. There had to be an upside, right?

  He just hoped Mary Travis wouldn’t be able to see through the thin veneer of courage he’d worked up during his ride.

  He pulled his bike in front of Mary’s light blue ranch-style house and removed his helmet, sweeping the sunglasses from his eyes. Mary’s home stood on a fairly sizable plot of land—not enough for ranching or farming, but plenty of room for her kennels. He could already hear high, piercing yips and low, throaty barks coming from the vicinity of her front door, and his stomach gave an uncomfortable lurch that he sternly refused to call fear.

  He paused for a moment outside the front door, swallowing hard and mindfully unclenching his fists. He’d forgotten to ask Captain James how long he anticipated this procedure would take.

  One week, maybe?

  Two?

  Hopefully he could get in and get out without much time and hassle. Accomplish his objective and move on.

  Eli combed his fingers through his hair, slid his palm across his scratchy jaw and straightened his shoulders, unwilling to yield to the tightness in his chest. He knocked firmly, knowing he’d have to be heard over the raucous cacophony of wildly barking dogs.

  Mary surprised him by answering right away, almost as if she’d been waiting for him. Maybe she had been, since they had an appointment scheduled. Hopefully she hadn’t been watching
him struggle from behind her front curtain. He shifted uncomfortably.

  “Eli,” she greeted with a warm but somewhat reserved smile. She straightened her black-rimmed glasses, calling attention to pretty green eyes. “Please come in.”

  Easier said than done, since the door was crowded with canines of various shapes, colors and sizes. He eyed the doorway but didn’t move.

  Mary merely laughed. “Or maybe I should have said, ‘Welcome to the chaos.’”

  * * *

  Mary could see that Eli looked uncomfortable, probably something to do with the chaos she’d just mentioned. She pulled on the collar of her large black Lab, Sebastian, urging him out of the way. She used the other hand to point behind her, commanding the rest of the dogs surrounding her to move backward. In hindsight, she realized she should have penned them all in the den before Eli had arrived, but she hadn’t thought about it. She was used to dogs milling around her and getting under her feet, but most people—Eli included, if the expression on his face was anything to go by—weren’t accustomed to it.

  He looked miserable, as if he would rather be anywhere but here—not that she could blame him for feeling that way. And that, she was certain, had nothing whatsoever to do with the dogs. Her chest tightened, and raw emotion scratched at her throat.

  Great. So now she was about ready to burst into tears.

  Real professional, Mary. Get a grip on it.

  She straightened her glasses again and with them her spine, determined to do whatever must be done.

  If it was anyone except Eli—but it was Eli. And this was a part of the process neither one of them could avoid. Since the moment she’d heard that Captain James had selected Eli for the K-9 unit, she’d been concerned about their working together. Eli had every reason for wanting to avoid being around her, and there was nothing she could do to make it easier for him.