Love Inspired February 2014 - Bundle 1 of 2: The Cowboy's Reunited Family\The Forest Ranger's Return\Mommy Wanted (32 page)

Julie faced the rest of the group, who seemed overly quiet all of a sudden. “Are there any more questions about this project?”

She hoped no one raised their hands. She waited, counting to three silently in her head. No one moved. No one so much as fluttered an eyelash.

“Good. We'll end our meeting, then. Good night.”

Turning, she erased the board with vigorous swipes, then gathered up the maps and pictures. She tried to act normal, but her hands were trembling, her breathing shallow. She ignored it and kept moving. Eager to get out of here as fast as she could. She wanted to go home and bolt the door. To put this horrible meeting behind her.

The room quieted after a few minutes, and she thought she was alone. Swiveling around, she reached for her purse and froze. Dal still sat in his seat, watching her with a mix of admiration and disbelief.

“Dal. I didn't know you were still here.”

Putting aside her purse, she walked over to him. Sitting in a chair on the row in front of him, she turned her body so she could look at him face-to-face.

He shrugged. “It's dark outside, so I wanted to wait around and walk you to your car. Just to make sure you're safe.”

His consideration touched her heart. Especially since she was still rattled by what had occurred. She'd been railed at and called a despicable name by an angry rancher. Everything short of being threatened with bodily harm. Going outside alone in the dark after such a volatile meeting held no appeal for her. She still couldn't believe how Dal had defended her. “Would you have really taken Mr. Watson outside and beat him up?”

Dal nodded. “Yes, if he hadn't apologized to you. But I would have let him take the first swing. If I've learned one thing in my life, it's that once you draw the line, you've got to be prepared to back it up. And I wasn't about to let him get away with offending you like that. No self-respecting man would allow that.”

She rested a forearm against the back of her chair and considered his words. “You remember in tenth grade how you punched Greg Moulton in the nose after you found out he'd been spying on me in the girls' locker room?”

He lifted one brow, and his lips twitched. “Yeah, but that wasn't an even match. The weasel only weighed ninety-five pounds soaking wet. I wanted to teach him a lesson without hurting him too badly.”

She laughed, knowing Dal could have pummeled the other boy to bits. Then they both grew quiet, each of them lost within their own memories. She figured it wasn't very Christian to threaten to beat someone up, but she liked that Dal had stood up for her.

“Even back then, you always defended me,” she said. “You tried so hard to protect me after Mom and Dad were killed. I...I don't think I ever thanked you for that, Dal. You were there for me, during those dark days following their funeral. I felt so lost, but you kept telling me everything would be okay. And though it hasn't been easy, you were right. I survived.”

He waved a dismissive hand and gave her a tight smile. “Ah, you never needed anybody. You were always so spunky. So good at everything you did.”

She looked down, twisting her fingers in her lap. She released a shaky breath. “No matter how strong we are, I think we all need someone, Dal. I've been on my own for so long. And I'd forgotten how good it feels to have someone on my side. It means a lot that you stood up for me.”

He didn't respond for several long, pounding moments.

“I was proud of you tonight. You really are good at your job,” he said.

“Thank you. So are you. The work you do with the kids at Sunrise Ranch is remarkable. And we're going to proceed with our plans for Gilway Trail. The vicious comments voiced at this meeting won't stop our work. I just want you to know that.”

“Good. Thank you.”

A swelling silence followed. So much for praise and gratitude. Even sitting next to him, Julie still felt miles away from this man she couldn't stop thinking about.

She stood. “Well, it's late. I ought to get home.”

“Let me walk you out.” He joined her, grasping the handles of the two heavy bags she'd filled with pictures and maps.

Together, they stepped outside into the moonlight. The swish of the sprinkler system filled the evening air, along with a light dusting of water.

At her car, Dal made sure she was inside, the doors securely locked. While he watched, she started the engine and lowered her window. “Good night, Dal.”

“Good night.” He tipped the brim of his imaginary hat and stepped away.

As she put the car into gear and pulled out of the parking lot, she looked in her rearview mirror. He stood where she'd left him, his hands in his pants pockets. Tall and lean. And more handsome than a man had a right to be. He didn't move as she switched on her blinker and looked both ways before turning onto the dark, abandoned road.

As he disappeared from view, Julie felt suddenly empty inside. And during the short drive home, all she could think about was how much she missed him.

Chapter Thirteen

“C
ome on, Marcus! It's your turn.”

Standing on a wooden elevated platform set up on the incline of McClellan Mountain, Julie reached for the zip line chair. Down below at the braking platform, children waved their arms in encouragement. Their laughter and squeals of excitement punctuated the air as they recounted their swift journey over the treetops below. Two kids stood beside Julie, awaiting their turn on the thirty-mile-per-hour ride—Marcus and a six-year-old girl named Penny.

“Why don't you go first? I can wait.” Marcus stepped back and nudged Penny forward.

“You sure?” The girl smiled wide, showing a missing tooth in front.

“Of course. I've done it zillions of times. I want you to have fun this time.”

Julie stared at Marcus, hardly able to believe the dramatic change in him. This was a new turn of events. Marcus's polite behavior to the other children was becoming the new normal. Since that night in Polly's stall several weeks earlier, when he'd sobbed his grief on Julie's shoulder, Marcus had changed. Instead of demanding constant attention, he'd started helping out at Sunrise Ranch. Doing chores with Kristen. Peeling potatoes in the kitchen with a special hand prosthesis Cade had designed. Fetching things for the other amputee kids. Encouraging them not to be nervous as they went horseback riding and flew down the zip line for the first time. Fun and outgoing. Supportive and caring. In fact, Marcus had fast become the most popular child at Sunrise Ranch.

What had made the difference? Julie wasn't sure, but she figured it was because he now felt wanted and needed. Two things every person craved. But she still worried about what might happen to him when he left the ranch at summer's end.

Over the top of Marcus's head, Julie's gaze locked with Dal's. He gave her a knowing smile, then shrugged as if to say, “I don't know, either.”

“I—I'm kinda scared,” Penny confessed.

The girl's blue helmet drooped over her brows, and she pushed it back on her head. Marcus leaned over and brushed one of her long braids to the side before struggling to tighten the chin strap. He couldn't do it with one hand, and Julie interceded. Rather than snapping at her, he accepted her help without comment. Standing back, he waited patiently for her to finish the task. Then he took Penny's hand in his and led her over to the chair.

“There's no need to be afraid. I'll be right behind you,” he told the little girl. He handed her a kid-size pair of leather gloves and helped her tug them on. “See, you'll be strapped into this chair. The harness is strong.” He pointed at the heavy cable overhead. “The wire's very strong, too. It can hold up to five thousand pounds.”

“Wow! Five thousand pounds?” Penny said the words with awe.

“Yep, so you'll be fine.”

Dal helped Marcus get Penny in the chair. After the boy had snapped all the carabiner clips into place, Dal checked to make sure they were secure.

“When did you do this last?” Penny asked Marcus, her voice wobbly with uncertainty.

“Just yesterday. You're gonna fly like a bird. You'll love it.”

The girl clasped her hands together in her lap. Her prosthetic leg swung free over the wooden ramp.

“Don't forget your safety goggles.” Marcus handed them over and watched as Penny put them on.

Dal tightened the strap around her head, working as a team with Marcus. A perfect pair.

Julie stood back, watching in silence. Normally, Dal was the one offering the kids encouragement on their first zip line ride. But Marcus had assumed that chore. It was Tuesday, and she wondered why she'd taken the afternoon off to come here to work today. She wasn't really needed, yet Cade had invited her. She'd wanted to go on the zip line herself. In all honesty, she couldn't blame Penny for being nervous.

“Okay, now remember what I said. Just hold on to the handlebar and have fun.” Marcus placed her hands on the long bar hanging just over her head. She gripped it like a lifeline, her eyes wide and uncertain.

“Ready?” Dal asked.

The girl took a big gulp of air, her lips tightening with determination. She stared straight ahead at the other kids waiting down below the mountain. Finally, she nodded.

Dal released the lever and Penny shot away like a hawk. Faster and faster, she flew over the canopy of treetops below. The other kids at the braking platform went wild, yelling, screaming encouragement, whooping with joy.

Above all the racket, Penny's shrill scream could be heard as she zipped down the hill. Within moments, the trolley connecting the chair hit the block attached to the cable. The twenty-foot bungee cord anchored to an enormous fir tree slowed the chair, and Penny came to a gentle, rocking stop.

Marcus hopped up and down, waving his arms in the air. “Yeah! She did it. Did you see that?”

He grinned at Dal.

“Yep, I saw.” Dal's deep laughter rumbled in his chest as the little boy hugged his waist.

Once again, Julie couldn't believe the difference in Marcus. He was acting like a normal, happy child. And she couldn't help feeling partly responsible.

“That was very nice of you, letting Penny go first.” She wrapped her arms around Marcus from behind and gave him a quick squeeze. He didn't resist. She brushed a jagged thatch of bangs out of his eyes. The boy didn't say anything, but she could tell by the way he hugged her back that he felt content.

A feeling of exhilaration swept her from head to toe. The joy of service to someone else. How she loved her experiences here at Sunrise Ranch. How she loved this little boy who had no parents to care for him.

Working with these kids made Julie feel invincible and happy. As though she was getting to experience all these activities for the first time, just like the children. And deep inside, she wished she could be their mom.

Finally, she released Marcus and he picked up his own goggles and helmet.

“Okay, Marcus. Your turn.” Dal attached the next chair to the cable.

As Julie helped strap the boy in, she almost butted heads with Dal. He bumped her cheek with his nose and she drew away sharply. The close contact with him made her face heat up like road flares.

Dal didn't seem to notice.

“You all ready?” Dal asked Marcus.

The boy nodded, looking first at Dal, then at Julie. His entire face glowed with contentment. “I sure love you guys. You know, I wish you were my new parents. I wish I could stay here at Sunrise Ranch forever.”

Julie's breath hitched in her chest. “Why, Marcus, that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me.”

Dal stood back, a stiff smile curving his lips. “Have fun.”

He released the lever, speeding Marcus on his way.

Leaving Julie on the platform alone with Dal.

“He's an amazing boy,” she said after Marcus was gone.

“Yeah, he sure is.”

“Can you believe he said those things to us?”

Dal didn't respond. She waited for him to comment on Marcus's confession of love, but he didn't say another word. Looking at Dal's tight profile, she thought he was the most wonderful man in the world. Marcus loved him, and so did she. And in that moment, a thought occurred to her. A crazy idea that might lead to nothing. And yet, she felt the overwhelming conviction that she must try.

“Dal, Marcus didn't mean anything by what he said.”

He looked down at his booted feet. “Oh, I think he meant every word.”

“And is that so bad? Being a family with me, I mean?”

He gave her a fleeting look. “No, of course not.”

“Then you liked Marcus's idea?”

A fierce red color flooded his cheeks. “I...I didn't pay it much heed. He's a little boy who's incredibly lonely.”

So was Dal. So was Julie. But it was obvious that Dal didn't want to pursue this topic, so she let it drop. Deep inside, she realized that something had changed for her. Something at the core of her soul. She didn't know how or why, but she no longer liked being alone. And she decided to do something about it.

“You're next.” Dal reached for another chair, his movements rigid and unapproachable.

“Dal, are you okay?”

“Sure.” He nodded, not looking at her. Shutting her out.

“I hadn't planned to ride the zip line.” She stepped back, her long ponytail bouncing. “Is it chicken of me to admit that I'm a bit nervous, too?”

That brought a half smile to his handsome face. “No, of course not. But you need to do it at least once. To show the kids that you're not afraid.”

But that was just it. She
was
afraid. Not only of the two-hundred-foot cable and the twenty-foot drop, but of what Dal and Sunrise Ranch had come to mean to her. Still, she wanted this more than anything else.

She wanted Dal.

“Come on,” he encouraged. “The ride will be over in just a few minutes.”

He reached for her, his calloused palm warm and gruff against the skin of her arm.

“Is it as easy as it looks?” She sat in the chair while he buckled her in tight.

“Easier.” But he didn't smile as he secured the clips. In fact, he seemed so reserved now. As if he didn't want to be near her anymore.

“You're not just trying to get rid of me, are you?” she asked in a teasing voice.

He jerked his head up, looking surprised. “No, of course not.”

But then he turned away, his back to her. Standing aside while she tugged her leather gloves over her hands.

Something was wrong. No doubt Marcus's words had upset him, but she didn't know why. It was just wishful thinking of a sweet little boy having fun. It didn't mean anything. Not really. But Julie found herself wishing that...

“Ready?” Dal asked.

She gave two quick nods. Her heart beat madly inside her chest. Her breathing sped up, and she gripped the handlebar tight.

Dal released the lever and she zipped forward like a racehorse out of the starting gate. The chair picked up speed, the wind rushing past her face. A scream of pure pleasure rose upward in her chest. The trees below looked small and insignificant, yet she knew they were huge. She felt free and powerful. Filled with vitality and life.

Filled with joy.

As she approached the braking platform, the trolley smacked the brake block and she jolted ever so slightly. Her legs swung high off the ground as she came to a nice and easy stop. Tucking her knees in, she waited for Cade to pull her over to the platform with the bungee cord. The kids cheered, bouncing up and down. After Cade helped her out of the harness, children swarmed all around her. Again, Marcus was right there, his little arms wrapped around her in a hearty hug. Generous words of accomplishment filled the air as the children congratulated one another. This had been an incredible experience Julie wanted to share with Dal.

Whirling around, she shaded her eyes against the bright sunlight and looked up the hill. Dal stood on the launch, just watching her. A forlorn figure. All alone.

She lifted her arm and gave a big wave, but he turned away. Hadn't he seen her? What was bothering him? He just wasn't acting like his usual outgoing self. Not since Marcus had said he loved them and wished they were his parents. Surely that hadn't upset Dal so much.

Or had it?

Several staff members directed the kids down the trail toward the ranch. They were planning to ride the horses next. Dal would introduce them to Polly, something Julie never got tired of. Julie soon found herself alone with Cade.

“What's Dal doing?” she asked. “Isn't he going to ride the zip line down the mountain?”

She pointed to where Dal was coming down the steps to the platform and taking the long way down the hill.

“Apparently not.” Cade gathered up the equipment, and she paused beside him.

In spite of his prosthetic leg, Dal had chosen to walk the thin path that wound through the thick trees. He obviously wanted to be by himself for a time.

“He's so lonely,” she said. “I can't get him to open up. It's as though he's keeping something from me.”

Cade picked up a bungee cord and began wrapping it around his arm in a tidy coil. His gaze followed Dal as he disappeared behind the trees. “Yeah, I know.”

“You know? What do you know?”

Cade pursed his lips. “You need to talk to Dal. It's not my place to disclose his secrets, Julie.”

“He has a secret? Something else I don't know?”

Cade heaved a heavy sigh. “Yes, but I shouldn't have said even that much. It's for Dal to talk about when he's ready, not me.”

So. Dal was keeping something from her. Something that obviously rested heavy on his mind. But what could it be? She couldn't fault Cade for not telling her. Good friends didn't do that, and Cade was a good friend to Dal.

“I just wish I knew how to help him,” she said.

“You care about him.”

She glanced at him, her cheeks flooding with warmth. “Does it show?”

He nodded. “I'm afraid so. You light up like a sunbeam every time he's near.”

Her gaze scanned the tree line, looking for Dal to emerge along the walk path. “I've tried not to care, but can't seem to help myself. It's been that way since we were in high school. Something about Dal connects with my spirit.”

“Do you love him?” he asked.

Yes! But thinking that and saying it out loud were two different things. Weren't they?

“I...I think I need to take this slow.” It was a clumsy way to evade his question, but she wasn't yet ready to admit the obvious. At least not until she knew how Dal felt about her.

Cade placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “He loves you, too. He just refuses to admit it. I think both of you have been badly hurt and will have to come to terms with your pasts if either of you ever want to have a future together. Dal's gonna have to help himself, Julie. Just don't give up on him. He's got to work this out in his own mind first. But maybe Lyn and I can help speed up the process.”