Texas Ranger Dad. Debra Clopton

of folks. The pace around here is pretty slow, but with all the festivals and weekend traffic we’ve started attracting, it can get wild sometimes. Keeps me busy and me and my wife have got a baby on the way so I really need the extra help.”

      “I’m glad to be of help,” he said, and knew he meant it. “So how’s the leg?” Brady asked. They turned the corner at the end of town, their boots clicking on the plank sidewalk. Though he could usually hide the weakness, the sound of his boots hitting the wooden planks accentuated the limp. “It’s coming along.” He’d been up front about his healing process from the injury that had almost killed him. He’d already assured Brady before taking the job that he was on the road to a full recovery. That was all the talking he planned to do. However, that wasn’t what had Zane’s answer stuck in his throat as they approached the sheriff’s office. It was the color of the law enforcement headquarters—chocolate brown with…It couldn’t be.

      Rose trim on a sheriff’s office just wasn’t right. Then again, maybe it was red and he simply had Rose on his mind. The thought of being this close to her again after all these years had his attention distracted beyond repair. Almost as much as Zane feared their ability to reconcile the past would be.

      Brady glanced over his shoulder and chuckled. “You’ll get used to it. The ladies came up with the color scheme.”

      “That’s a relief,” Zane said, forcing a grin as he followed Brady inside the office. Paint was the last thing he was going to have to get used to in this new life. But if he could make things right by Rose then he’d be satisfied. It was a lot to ask of her. During his recovery, though, he’d realized he had to try. God had given him time to make things right…God had given him a second chance and he was taking it.

      

      “So everything is here?” Rose Vincent asked, eyeing the packages spread out across the counter of Pete’s Feed and Seed.

      “Goggles. Two pair. Just like you wanted,” the robust store owner said, pulling them out of the stack. “Two thick work shirts. One for you and one for Max. Leather work gloves, bandanas and a pair of size-seven boots.”

      It was all here. “I just feel giddy, Pete. This is so thrilling. Not to mention I now own a pair of cowboy boots!”

      Pete shook his head and grinned. “Greenhorns—Oh, I almost forgot.” He pulled two small canisters from the shelf behind him and set them on the counter. “You don’t want to forget your blowtorches.”

      Rose laughed. She couldn’t help it. “Max cannot wait to get his hands on those. Thanks so much for showing him how to use them correctly.”

      “It’s a guy thing and he didn’t need much teaching. Y’all are gonna do real good with this venture, Rose.”

      She took a deep breath and started stacking the boxes. Her heart was bursting with emotions she couldn’t put into words. If Pete only knew what it had taken for her to get to this point in her life. A life that hadn’t turned out anything like she’d envisioned it. And yet despite everything that had happened to her, she’d come to realize that she was finally happy.

      More important, Max was happy. Her son was so excited about the new business they were starting together…even if it was selling jelly. The idea made her smile. Her grandmother’s wonderful jelly recipe was the perfect foundation with which to build their new future. God rest her soul; she’d always wanted the best for Rose.

      Her heartstrings tugged as always when she thought of her grandmother. Oh, how she missed her. “I’m going to bring you my first jar of prickly pear jelly.”

      Pete rubbed his belly. “I can hardly wait. Let me carry these packages out to your car for you.”

      “Oh, no, you don’t,” she said. “I can get this. You have better things to do and I have two capable arms.” She proved it by scooping the stack of boxes into them.

      “I don’t feel right about you carryin’ all that,” Pete grumbled, leaning across the counter to balance the top boxes as they teetered.

      “That’s because your momma raised you right. But really, I’ve got this. You have feed orders waiting to be filled, so go on and take care of that and stop worrying about me.”

      He didn’t look convinced, but didn’t push the issue as Rose headed for the door. She’d learned a man with manners was a wonderful thing, but she wasn’t one to get used to such things. She glanced back to reassure him. “You have a great day,” she called. Her excitement about the boxes in her arms had her quickening her steps toward the door. Max was waiting at home, eager to start their first fruit harvest.

      It was amazing, through years of bitter disillusionment, betrayal and a broken heart God had led her and Max here—to this new life they were starting today. She’d never felt so exhilarated or optimistic about her life. She was practically singing as she stepped out into the bright sunshiny day.

      And straight into a wall of a man!

      “Whoa, there,” he rumbled from behind the grass separating them.

      Rose froze. That voice!

      Shock washed over her—if it hadn’t been for his strong hands holding her up, her knees might have buckled beneath her. Dazed, she looked over the packages into the eyes of a two-legged skunk.

      “Rose.”

      Her name coming from Zane Cantrell’s lips was like the rock slamming through her heart.

      “Zane,” she managed. Zane was the last person she’d ever expected to meet on the streets of Mule Hollow. The last person she’d ever wanted to meet anywhere ever again! “What are you doing here?” she demanded.

      “I, well, I moved in last night.”

      His eyes, his unforgettable, gold-dust eyes, leveled on her as the words moved in hit home. Her eyes widened.

      “I’m the new deputy in town.”

      “Deputy—” She yanked from his touch. Fought to appear calm. Fought to appear casual. Fought not to notice how good the years had been to him—that he was as handsome as she’d remembered and just as rugged. His cheekbones were more prominent, his jaw harder, his lips…Her mouth went dry. “You’re living here?” she repeated. Repeated, as though he hadn’t just said it loud and clear.

      He nodded, probably thinking she’d lost her mind in the years since they’d had their…since their paths had crossed. Humiliation swamped her and she felt her cheeks heat as her past opened like a yawning black hole and threatened to swallow her. For a brief instant she almost welcomed the refuge fainting would give her. But weakness wasn’t an option. Weakness was a weapon that she’d sworn no one would ever use against her again.

      “Where?”

      He jerked his head to the right. “I moved into the apartment up there.”

      Her gaze followed his to the apartment above the real estate office. It was directly across the street from the dress store where she worked!

      Rose wasn’t a good enough actress to hide her shock. “I see.” No, I don’t, she silently said. What are you doing here?

      “It’s been a long time, Rose. How are you?”

      How are you? After all they’d been through and all that had happened between them…What kind of question was that? This man had torn her world apart and now he wanted to make small talk! Her insides rolled. “Fine,” she blurted. “Mule Hollow is a great place.” How was she chatting when she wanted to throw up? Pass out. Run.

      “That’s what I hear,” he said, his gaze searching hers. “Here, do you want me to take those for you?”

      “No!” she exclaimed, and jerked away. Experiencing his touch again was the last thing she wanted. She was amazed she didn’t drop her packages. More amazed she didn’t throw them at him.

      “I—I really need to be going. I have