Healing the Forest Ranger by Leigh Bale

Author:Leigh Bale
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Religious, Fiction
ISBN: 0373878141
Publisher: Mills & Boon Love Inspired
Published: 2013-05-01T12:22:26+00:00

Chapter Nine

Kristen wouldn’t like this. Neither did Lyn. Being late picking her daughter up from physical therapy went against Lyn’s grain. As usual, work had interrupted her day. After dropping Kristen off, she’d raced back to the office to deal with another problem. Now Lyn tapped on the brake, slowing the car as she drove through town. A sheen of dampness wet her brow. She wiped it away and flipped on the air conditioner, too distracted to enjoy the beautiful afternoon. Taking a deep inhale, she tried to settle her nerves. Too much to do. Too many distractions.

Thinking of the packs of purple pansies and yellow marigolds she had waiting at home, Lyn smiled. After picking Kristen up from therapy, she planned to take her daughter to the diner for a cheeseburger and fries before going home to work in their flower garden. Lyn’s fingers almost itched to dig in the soil. No ringing phones. No demands. Just her and Kristen, spending quality time together.

Turning the corner, Lyn pulled over and parked in front of the doctor’s office. The bell above the door tinkled as she walked inside the reception room. Maya sat behind the long counter and greeted her with a smile.

“Hi, Ms. Warner. They’re out back.” Maya jutted her chin toward the far door.

Lyn yanked her gaze in that direction. She’d expected her daughter to be working inside the therapy gait room Cade had set up. “What are they doing outside?”

Maya shrugged. “A new type of physical therapy Dr. Baldwin’s trying out.”

Hmm. That seemed odd.

Lyn pressed against the push plate on the back door and stepped out into the sunshine. The vacant lot behind the clinic stood empty, the dirt cleared of weeds. Cade’s truck and horse trailer sat parked nearby. Lyn couldn’t see her daughter, but she could hear her lilting voice mingled with the deep timbre of Cade’s laugh.

And another man’s voice Lyn didn’t recognize.

Lyn stepped around the truck, a smile on her face. She froze in midstep. Her smile dropped like stone, and she clenched her hands.

Kristen sat astride Magpie, the old mare Cade kept out at his ranch. He stood nearby, but the girl held the reins, bouncing gently in the saddle as the horse trotted in a wide, arching circle. The clop of horse hooves filled Lyn’s ears in pounding waves.

Another man Lyn didn’t recognize rode beside the child on Flash. Both men shouted encouragement to the girl. They were all having a great time, and they seemed oblivious to the potential dangers.

Paralyzing fear held Lyn in an icy grip. For one horrific moment, she envisioned the car crash. Kristen screaming. And Rob’s lifeless body bleeding and broken, like a rag doll.

“Wh-what are you doing?” Lyn’s voice throbbed with emotion, her voice a weak whisper.

“Mom! Look at me.” Kristen waved.

“Hi, Lyn.” Cade reached up and gripped the horse’s halter, pulling the mare to a stop.

A touch of vertigo caused Lyn to reach out and steady herself against the truck. She shook her head, fighting it off.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.