Page 13 of Rescued By the Ranger

“What did you do in the Army?”

“Ranger. Lots of things.” I can feel the tension rising. “Nothing I really want to talk about.”

“War is hard?”

“Understatement.”

“And you’re out?”

“A soldier’s never done with war, but yes, honorably discharged. But the past lives rent-free in my heart and my head.”

Her long auburn lashes flicker. “My ex lives in mine.”

“That’s not cool. If memories of him are half as disturbing as mine, I can understand why you’re worried.”

“You know, I was thinking about the ride up here… and I think I remember seeing a dark SUV off one of the roads, sitting there.”

“Could be a neighbor.”

“But it pulled out and followed us for about a mile and then just… stopped.”

I lean in. “Can you describe it?”

“SUV, large, maybe Tahoe or Escalade, jet black, really dark windows. My ex drove a red Ford pickup, so I don’t think it’s him.”

“Rental?”

She shakes her head. “He’s too cheap to do that,” she lowers her voice, “and too ridiculous. If he’s going to do something, he’ll want credit, eventually at least. He’s narcissistic in the worst but he’d say best ways.”

“Sounds like it would be hard to live with someone like that.”

“It wasn’t easy.”

I start to move to crawl out, but Jazzy rolls into me for warmth.

She shivers, twisting my long sleeve t-shirt in her tiny hand, and says, “Don’t go.”

I freeze. It would be so easy to fall in love with these two. To let my guard down and tumble down the hill into being something more.

“I’ve got her.” Leesa moves into her and rolls her over.

We’re only inches away and I can feel that same pull from the kitchen. I swear she leans toward me.

I move quickly. “I’ll be right back.”

I get to the front porch before I take another breath. Leaning back against the house and pulling my phone from my pocket.

I won’t get distracted.

I must stay vigilant.

I can’t let my guard down and then have something happen to them.

I pull my phone out, but instantly see that the towers near us are down due to the storm, not to mention that I have ten percent power and it’s draining fast due to trying to look for signal. It happens and there’s a satellite phone somewhere in the house, but I wonder if it’s been charged in the last thirty days. I’ll have to start searching for it.

The chill of winter settles into me, sinking into my body, but it feels refreshing in some ways. I feel a little different tonight. I think back on the day and how I went from fucking grumpy to almost… I don’t want to say it…chill?

But this feeling surely isn’t here to stay. My past has a hold on me and being grumpy is my go-to emotion.

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