Rancher For The Holidays. Myra Johnson

for someone?”

      “I’m a friend of Marley’s. She asked me to come help with whatever they’re doing today.” Holding his new gray ball cap behind him, Ben nonchalantly scraped it along the side of his car where road dust had collected. He wished he’d thought to scuff up his sneakers, too, so they didn’t scream “new” so loudly.

      “Always use an extra hand.” The man lowered the tailgate and tugged a box to the edge, then dusted off his palms. He extended his right arm. “I’m Ernie Coutu.”

      “Ben Fisher.” Ben accepted Ernie’s firm grip. He glanced toward the pickup bed, crammed with cardboard crates and paint buckets. “Need help unloading?”

      “That’d be great. These are Candelaria donations from a few businesses in town.” Ernie wrestled the nearest box into his muscled arms. “We’re storing everything in an empty Sunday-school room. Grab whatever you can carry and follow me.”

      Ben slapped on his ball cap and leaned into the truck bed. He set his sights on a couple of five-gallon paint buckets. Good grief, they had to weigh nearly fifty pounds each! He managed to get them out of the pickup, but after taking only a few staggering steps, he let the cans hit the pavement with a thud. Flexing his aching fingers, he gasped several breaths.

      “Ben, are you crazy?” Marley jogged toward him. She towed a heavy-duty yellow wagon. “Set the paint in here.”

      So much for avoiding looking stupid. He massaged a cramping bicep. “Didn’t realize they’d be so heavy.”

      Marley smirked. “I’m guessing it’s been a while since you bought paint.”

      “You’d be right.” Lifting the buckets one at a time, Ben hoisted them into the wagon. “Looks like room for one more. I’ll toss one down to you from the pickup.”

      “Yeah, you do that.” Grinning, Marley pulled the wagon over to the tailgate.

      Ben glanced over his shoulder as he hauled himself into the pickup bed. Why did Marley Sanders have to look so gorgeous in denim capris and a pink-and-white-striped cotton top? He should not even be here, much less succumbing to an attraction that held no future for either of them. Giving himself a mental shake, he hefted another paint bucket and worked his way to the tailgate.

      Before he could lower himself to the ground to move the bucket into the wagon, Ernie returned and grabbed the handle. “Careful, there. Wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself.”

      “Thanks.” Ben stifled a twinge of envy as Ernie effortlessly shifted the paint can into the wagon. Note to self: find new gym.

      Or he could get back in shape lifting hay bales for Uncle Steve. His uncle certainly hadn’t been shy about hinting he’d like to get Ben more involved in ranch work. Sure, it had been fun for Ben and his brother when they’d visited as kids. But moving to Alpine permanently? Working at the ranch full-time? Ben just didn’t see that happening.

      Hands on hips, Marley cocked her head. “You gonna stay up there all day?”

      “Sorry, I zoned out for a sec.” Ben eased to the ground but kept one eye on Ernie as the man effortlessly hauled the wagon toward the church building. “Still not real sure I should be doing this.”

      Mouth puckered, Marley glanced away. “I understand, really. If this isn’t your thing—”

      “I won’t lie to you. It’s been a long time since I’ve had anything to do with church.” He should cut and run right now, while she offered him an easy out. But the disappointment in her eyes slashed through his belly, and the next words out of his mouth seemed as if they came from a complete stranger. “Hey, I may be slightly out of my element, but I’m teachable. Besides, it’s for a good cause. How can I say no?”

      Marley’s expression relaxed, but a hint of worry still pulled at the corners of her eyes. “Are you sure your aunt and uncle didn’t guilt you into volunteering?”

      “Let’s call it applying a little positive pressure. No guilt involved.” Hoping to convince her, Ben grabbed one of the smaller boxes out of the pickup bed. “Let’s get this stuff unloaded. Lead the way to your storage room.”

      Two more trips, plus Ernie’s help with the wagon, and all the supplies had been moved inside. Marley opened a cooler and passed around cold cans of soda, which they sipped while sitting on paint buckets in the small classroom. Ben couldn’t resist glancing in Marley’s direction to admire her long, tanned legs and the way the end of her ponytail feathered across her shoulders.

      She caught him looking at her and smiled. “Sure glad you’re here. I expected we might have a low turnout today, but I never dreamed it’d be just the three of us.”

      “Glad I could help.” Ben’s chest warmed, and he sat a little straighter. “After all the time I’ve spent behind a desk, it actually feels good to do something physical.”

      Ernie cleared his throat, reminding Ben he and Marley weren’t alone. “What’s next, Marley?” Ernie asked. “We need to inventory this stuff?”

      Marley popped up from her paint bucket. “I’ll get my list.”

      As Marley darted from the room, Ernie gave a low chuckle. “Thought you two had forgotten about me for a minute.”

      With a self-conscious laugh, Ben stood and pawed through the nearest box to see what it held. Paintbrushes, masking tape, stir sticks...

      Ernie ambled over, and his voice dropped to a whisper. “Don’t mess with Marley. You get my drift?”

      Ben straightened. “Hey, if you two have something going—”

      “Nothing like that. But hurt her, and you’ll answer to the entire congregation of Spirit Fellowship.” The smile never left Ernie’s face as he spoke, but his humorless tone left no doubt he meant every word.

      Ben lifted both hands in a defensive posture. “I’m only in town for a few weeks. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

      “Let’s hope not.” Ernie glanced toward the door as footsteps sounded in the corridor.

      Marley appeared, tablet computer in hand. Her confused gaze darted between the two men. “Did I miss something?”

      “Just guy talk.” Sliding a glance toward Ben, Ernie bent over a crate. “Got that list?”

      While Ernie and Marley checked off the supplies, Ben stepped to one side and pretended to study a paint-bucket label. Ernie’s warning shouldn’t bother him as much as it did, especially since he had no intention of letting anything develop between him and Marley. Yeah, he found her attractive—and not just because of her unpretentious good looks. There was something special about Marley, something that made Ben think she was exactly the kind of girl he could go for.

      If he weren’t unemployed with no prospects on the horizon.

      Which meant it wasn’t fair to either of them to risk letting a casual friendship turn into something more. He should make some excuse and get out of here. Right now.

      Then Marley’s softly spoken plea froze him in his tracks. “Ben, I could really use your help.”

      * * *

      Marley held her breath as she waited for Ben to reply. Her instincts told her he was ready to bolt, and she felt pretty sure it had something to do with whatever he and Ernie had talked about while she was out of the room.

      Leave it to Ernie to act like her big brother with Ben. Like so many of her friends at Spirit Fellowship, Ernie and his wife, Angela, kept a close watch on Marley and made sure no one took advantage of her. Especially when it came to dating.

      As if they had anything to worry about. Keeping her past private made Marley supercautious.

      On the other hand, Marley didn’t mind having Ben around while it lasted. She tried again. “How about it, Ben?”

      He