Falling for the Forest Ranger

“We’re interested in the same thing,” Tanner assured her, feeling protective of his efforts with the farmers and loggers. Over the past three years, he’d made a lot of progress in helping the endangered fish. They didn’t need this woman’s interference. The last thing he wanted was for an outsider to come in and mess up all his hard work.

“That’s right,” Chuck agreed. “And I think you’ll find that Tanner is the one man who has the acumen to deal with all our water users. He has a special touch for getting the ranchers and loggers to cooperate with us in helping improve the spawning runs.”

Chuck tossed Tanner a smile full of confidence, but in his eyes, Tanner detected a glint of warning. As the forest supervisor, Chuck didn’t want to upset the marine biologist from the National Marine Fisheries Service. Tanner reminded himself they were all working for the good of the endangered fish, but he was also smart enough to know that politics weighed heavily in this equation. Any failure on Tanner’s part would trickle downhill. It could make Chuck look bad, which would bounce down onto Tanner’s head.

So Tanner must not fail. Even if it meant working with an attractive marine biologist like Zoë Lawton.

“We obviously want the same things. So where do we start?” Zoë asked.

Tanner unrolled a large map and pointed out particularly troublesome areas along the river. The group discussed each issue at length.

“When can we go out to look at some of these sites?” Zoë asked.

Tanner couldn’t help being pleasantly surprised. At least she seemed eager and willing. “I’ve already set up some interviews with a few farmers on Saturday morning.”

She hesitated, her forehead creasing with a frown. “Does it have to be on Saturday?”

“That’s the best time for the farmers. When we accommodate their schedules, they’re more friendly and willing to hear us out.” Tanner hoped she wouldn’t demand the farmers meet her timetable.

“I can go, but my son will need to tag along. I don’t have child care on Saturdays. Is that okay?”

Oh, no. Not the kid. A sinking feeling of dread settled in Tanner’s stomach. The last thing he wanted was to spend his weekend with this lovely woman and her talkative little boy.

“That’ll be fine,” Chuck said.

With his boss sanctioning it, Tanner had little choice but to agree. “We’ll leave from here. Meet me in the parking lot at eight a.m. and plan to be gone most of the day.”

“Will do.” Zoë scooted back her chair and stood gracefully before turning to shake first Gary’s, then Ron’s hand. When she reached toward Tanner, she met his gaze without flinching. “Thank you for this enlightening discussion. I look forward to working with you.”

Tanner pasted a smile on his face, but inside he was screaming. Why did she have to be so friendly and stunning?

As he left the conference room and sauntered down the hall to his office, he couldn’t help feeling sabotaged by his boss. Over the next few months, there were a myriad of creeks and streams along the river that he and Zoë would have to traverse. But Tanner didn’t have to like it. He could be civil but remote and professional. Above all else, he must protect his work.

Chapter Three

“Jonah, we’re late!” Zoë kept her voice calm as she stood at the front door holding her son’s jacket.

Though morning sunlight streamed through their living room window, the boy yawned and stumbled down the hallway as if it were the middle of the night. Wearing a pair of blue jeans, a sweatshirt and tennis shoes, he rubbed his sleepy eyes. Zoë handed him his jacket, then bent down to tie his dangling shoelaces. The boy’s blond hair still stuck up in back, despite her best efforts with the spray bottle and comb to flatten it down.

“Why do we have to go so early?” He slipped his little arms into the sleeves of the jacket.

Zoë stood and zipped it up. “I told you already. I have to work, but I thought we could make it a fun outing.”

Not much fun getting up early on a Saturday morning.

“But I wanna watch cartoons.”

“We may see some fish and I made us a picnic lunch.” She lifted her brows, trying to coax a smile out of him.

He didn’t disappoint her. His startling blue eyes widened. “Great! Are we going fishing, too?”

She shook her head. “Not today, but soon.”

To make their day a bit more fun for Jonah, she’d tucked a canister of homemade chocolate-chip cookies into their lunchbox for dessert.

“Where we going?” His fingers tightened around hers as they walked out to the car.

“I’m not sure. You remember the man whose truck you hit with the shopping cart?”

“Yeah. He didn’t like us much.” He gave her a dubious frown.

“His name is Tanner Bohlman and it turns out he’s the man I’ll be working with this summer.”

“Uh-oh.” Jonah’s eyes widened with worry.

“Don’t fret about scratching his truck anymore. It’s been dealt with,” she insisted.

He gave her a trusting smile and she couldn’t resist kissing his forehead.

She opened the car door and he hopped inside before she helped him with his seat belt. She then pressed a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich into his hand for him to eat along the way.

Jonah bit into the sandwich and chewed vigorously. “He’s with the Forest Service?”

“Yes, and he wants to take us out today to show us some of the irrigation ditches where salmon are getting lost.”

She closed his door, then rounded the car and climbed into the driver’s seat. As she clicked on her own seat belt, she glanced at Jonah and noticed a crumb of bread clinging to his chin. She gestured toward it and he wiped his mouth. She started the engine and put the car into gear.

“What if he’s still sore with me about what happened?” Jonah said.

As they backed out of the driveway and pulled into traffic, Zoë lowered her sun visor and tried to reassure her son. “Don’t worry, I think he’s gotten over that.”

Or had he? Jonah was right. The man didn’t seem to like them very much, and she hoped he wouldn’t hold a grudge. No matter what, she had a job to do and didn’t want anything to get in the way of her work.

When they pulled into the parking lot of the supervisor’s office thirteen minutes later, Tanner stood outside, wearing the spruce-green pants and drab olive-green shirt of a forest ranger. His bronze shield gleamed in the morning sunshine. Since it was Saturday, she was surprised to see him wearing his uniform. She’d expected casual attire like she was wearing. But then she thought better of it. They were on official business today and Tanner looked the part.

Leaning against his truck, he folded his arms and crossed his ankles. A deep frown marred his high forehead. If not for his gruff manners, he’d be a strikingly handsome man. And she couldn’t help wondering what had made him so grouchy.

Barring the door on that thought, Zoë parked her car next to his truck and killed the motor.

Jonah peered out the window as he unbuckled his seat belt. “He don’t look too happy, Mom.”

“Doesn’t look happy.” She corrected his grammar. “And his mood might have something to do with the fact that we’re almost ten minutes late.”

“Sorry, Mom.”

She got out and opened the back door, leaning over to press a kiss against Jonah’s warm cheek before gazing lovingly into his eyes. “Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. We’re not in a hurry today. Let’s just have fun, okay?”

“Work can be fun?” he asked.