The Forest Ranger's Child by Leigh Bale Page B

and take care of myself. I’m trying to do that, but it’s difficult.”
    Nate snorted. “So I suspect bacon on your sandwich should be taboo.”
    “Cholesterol isn’t my problem. Heart failure is.”
    High cholesterol caused a lot of heart problems, but it wasn’t Nate’s place to lecture Hank. And Lily didn’t know about it. Not yet.
    Scooting back, Nate stood and picked up his plate before carrying it to the sink. He paused, staring out the window as he thought over what Hank had said. “The problem is, I’ve got a career, Hank. I really don’t have any extra time. You know I work a lot of long hours as the forest ranger. And we’re coming into summer wildfire season.”
    Hank gave a harsh laugh. “I’ll take any help you can offer. I’ve got prime horseflesh. Not like that scrubby stuff the other ranchers own.”
    True. Nate’s fingers almost itched at the thought of working with quality horses again. “But flooding causes all sorts of other problems. Campgrounds and roads need to be rebuilt before the summer tourist season. I’ve got to check the damage to summer grazing pastures. The floods may have upset the entire watershed in the Ruby Mountains.”
    “That bad, huh?”
    Nate nodded. “We had an avalanche in Lamoille Canyon that pushed one of the restrooms in the campground almost four hundred feet away. It ended up on the other side of the valley. We’ve never yet found some of the signs. Probably buried under new mountains of dirt. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
    Hank’s expectant smile faded, replaced by a bland frown of acceptance. “Well, it was worth asking. I know you’re busy with the Forest Service. It’s a good career with benefits. It’ll take care of you in your old age. Not like me with a ranch I’m too feeble to keep up anymore and no strong sons to work it with me.”
    Nate hated the thought of this ailing man out here all alone once Lily left, slowly watching his ranch fade into ruin while he couldn’t lift a hand to stop it. But what Hank was asking would take a big commitment from Nate. It’d mean he’d be here at Emerald Ranch almost every evening and weekend. With him around all the time, Lily’d only come to resent him more.
    A long, swelling silence followed.
    “Well, I best be getting back to work. Thanks for lunch,” Nate finally said.
    Hank didn’t look up as he stood. “Yeah, thanks for stopping by, Nate. You’re welcome here anytime. Anytime at all.”
    Nate doubted that, at least where Lily was concerned. But he decided not to mention her obvious dislike for him.
    Hank walked Nate outside to his truck and said farewell. As Nate pulled away from the house, he wished he could help this man and his daughter, but he didn’t see how. Nate’s days were filled with long hours performing watershed studies, building Bailey bridges, completing reports and dealing with irate grazing permittees. He’d already spent too much time dawdling over Lily and her father. And yet he didn’t regret it one bit. He cared about the Hansens, which wasn’t good because caring made his heart vulnerable.
    But what if he delegated a few projects to his assistants? If he asked, they’d take on a bit more work for him. Then he might be able to cut back a few evenings and Saturdays so he’d have time to work here at Emerald Ranch. His range assistant was pretty busy working with the local grazing permittees, but his fire assistant could help more. Maybe Nate could free up some time so he could help Hank.
    Nah! What was he thinking? He was a forest ranger, not a rodeo man or a horse trainer anymore. Besides, Lily hated him. Nate didn’t want to work where he wasn’t wanted. If Hank were smart, he’d sell Emerald Ranch and retire to a comfortable house in town where he could finish out his life in ease and comfort.
    Such a shame. Nate gazed at the empty fields where tall hay and alfalfa waved in the wind, waiting to be bailed into hay. And the barn sure could use a fresh coat