The Forest Ranger's Christmas. Leigh Bale

got many more storms. Clint should do something about it. He had the time and knew what to do.

      “I’ve been worried about Frank, too,” he confessed.

      Josie nodded. “He’s competent enough, but I don’t think he’ll admit how frail he’s become. He’s not steady on his feet anymore.”

      “You’re right. I’ve got some leave coming over the next few weeks and would love to repair his roof.”

      He wanted to serve Frank, but he didn’t want to be around Josie any more than necessary. Right now, that couldn’t be helped. She was here to visit and the work needed to be done. End of story. Besides, she’d be leaving right after the holidays.

      She hesitated. “I don’t want you to feel obligated.”

      “I don’t,” he said. “Serving Frank is my pleasure. I was assigned the task of looking in on him and Viola from time to time by our church leaders, but I’d do it even without that incentive. I’ve been checking on them for so long that they feel like family to Gracie and me.”

      “Oh.”

      And since the work was outside, Clint wouldn’t need to mingle with Josie much. He’d show up, get it done and leave. Maybe a couple men from their congregation could help. Then Frank’s house would be in good shape. And the service would give Clint a warm feeling inside.

      Josie blinked her dazzling blue eyes. “That’s very kind of you. Actually, I’ve been wondering who to call to do the job. I can pay for the supplies if you’re sure you have the time.”

      He nodded. “I’m sure. Give me a day to watch the evening news. We’re supposed to get another storm tonight. As soon as we have several warm days to melt off the snow, I’ll come over and do the work.”

      “I hate for you to take a vacation day for this.”

      “It’s no problem, really. As long as you don’t mind watching Gracie for me while I’m occupied up on the roof.”

      “No, of course not. Gracie is welcome at our place anytime.” Josie smiled so sweetly at his little girl that it made his throat ache.

      “Yay! I love doing jigsaw puzzles with Grandpa Frank.” Gracie clapped her gloved hands together.

      “And I think we’d love to go with you to cut a Christmas tree, too,” Josie said.

      Gracie hopped up and down with excitement again. “We’re gonna have so much fun.”

      Clint rested a hand on his daughter’s shoulder, forcing a friendly smile to his lips. “Okay, it’s a date. Uh, not a date, but, well, you know what I mean. I need time to fill up my gas tank, so we’ll pick you up at your place in one hour.”

      He blinked, feeling tongue-tied and foolish. What was the matter with him? After all, Josie was just Frank’s granddaughter.

      She nodded, seeming not to notice his awkwardness. “Thanks for your generosity. I have no doubt Gramps will like this. He’s been in a real huff ever since he found out he’ll have to go to the library on Thursday nights. Truth be told, I think he’s kind of scared about learning to read.”

      “That’s normal, but he’s got nothing to worry about. Reading is easy.” Clint waved a gloved hand in the air. “We’ll walk him through the basics, teach him the skills he needs, and have him reading simple sentences by Christmas, mark my words.”

      “So soon?”

      “Sure. Most people learn to read when they’re a child. It just takes a little time to learn and practice.”

      “Good. I want him to at least be able to read the instructions on his medicine bottles.”

      From what Clint had seen, Frank also needed balanced meals and someone to clean his house regularly. Once Josie returned to Las Vegas, Clint worried what might happen to Frank. Maybe not yet, but sooner or later he would need more intensive care. Clint took a deep breath, hoping Josie would do right by her grandpa and figure something out for the elderly gentleman.

      “If we can just get Frank to try reading, he won’t regret it. It’s indescribable how it feels when you can suddenly read traffic signs and labels without help,” Clint continued in an animated voice. “The whole world opens up. Most of us take our ability to read for granted.”

      “Is that how your wife felt?” Josie asked.

      “Um, yeah, she did.” He pursed his lips and nodded, but he didn’t enlarge on the topic. He could see the questions in Josie’s expressive eyes. She didn’t understand. Neither did he, but he wasn’t about to try and explain it. Reading had made a difference for Karen. For a short time. But it had never been enough.

      He hadn’t been enough.

      As if sensing his reticence, Josie stepped back and waved. “I better get going. We’ll see you in an hour.”

      “Bye.” Gracie waved back as she skipped after her dad.

      “Goodbye, sweetie,” Josie returned.

      Taking Gracie’s hand, Clint led her down the aisle. As he reached the corner, he glanced over his shoulder. Josie stood watching them, her dainty brows knitted together in a frown. Once again he got the impression she was troubled by something. But he wasn’t about to ask what.

      A solid roof and a live tree for Christmas should definitely lift Frank’s spirits. And that made Clint happy, too. But until the attractive pharmacist left town, he decided not to volunteer for anything else.

       Chapter Four

      An hour and fifteen minutes later, Clint gripped the steering wheel, still convinced this was a bad idea. He never should have invited Josie and Frank on this tree-cutting excursion. Oh, Frank was just fine. No problem. But Josie was a different matter entirely. Mainly because of what she made him feel whenever she was around. An uneasy premonition he didn’t understand.

      He parked his truck in the Rushtons’ driveway and got out. Frank came from the garage packing a skimpy hacksaw, a buoyant grin deepening the creases on his face. Josie walked beside him, wearing a pair of earmuffs and a black coat with a white fur collar. They framed her delicate face perfectly.

      His gaze lowered to her canvas tennis shoes. Not very practical for slogging through snow. “I’m afraid those little shoes won’t provide much protection for you up in the mountains.”

      She gave a tepid smile. “They’re all I brought with me. Don’t worry. I’ll be okay.”

      She turned away and he let the subject drop.

      Gracie scrambled out of the truck and ran to hug Frank.

      “Hi, sweetheart.” He kissed her forehead.

      “What’s that for, Frank?” Clint pointed at the saw. Anything to jerk his focus away from Josie.

      “Cutting trees, of course,” he said.

      Clint leaned against the right front fender of his truck and forced himself not to feast his eyes on Josie. Yes, he was physically attracted to her. He was a man, after all. But he knew his fascination with her was so much more. Whenever she was near, he felt a haunting familiarity. As though he knew her from some long-lost memory. A connecting of their souls. Irrefutable, and yet he couldn’t quite put his finger on why or how. Something about her touched him deep inside and he felt drawn to her in a strangely powerful way. Her clean, bouncing hair, her expressive blue eyes filled with intelligence and...

       Barriers.

      No doubt about it. He didn’t like this attraction he felt. Yet he couldn’t seem to help it. After Karen’s death, he’d made a promise to himself and his infant daughter that he’d never expose either of them to that kind of hurt again. Losing Karen was a heartbreak he just couldn’t let go of. And so