Page 5 of Rescued By the Ranger

Three girls in my family— Harper, Caia, and myself. And I’m the only one who didn’t get the overacting gene.

Well, most of the time.

I open another door and the room is too springy. It’s a rainbow of pastel color. Too much. Too happy. Too everything. I close the door.

“Yes, Jazzy and I will be spending time together this holiday. We really need this.”

“But… we have news.”

My spidey sense goes up. Her and her hubby, Alexie, forward for the Frostwolves Hockey team that our father is the General Manager of, have become quite the happy family in the last year and…

“Are you pregnant?” I ask.

“I am!” I pull the phone back as she screams and my face contorts.

“I’m so happy for you, sis.”

This is everything she’s ever wanted. A hockey player hubby, specifically Alexie, and a baby. Her own family.

There was a day when I thought I wanted more kids, but then I learned my husband already had another child. With another woman. In another state. And I decided Jazzy would be it for me.

She’s all I need.

“Thank you! We’re so excited.”

I stop at a door and when I push it creaks open a little, pushing on the door harder, and I’m rewarded with a fluffy wonderland. This is the room. This is the one. Modern, soft lines, curves on furniture, a low-pile rug in the middle. It’s perfect.

“Where exactly are you?” Caia asks.

“Shane’s family’s place in the mountains.”

“What?!” She spits through the phone. “That place was features in the last issue ofColorado Homes. It’s amazing and?—”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. But Shane’s brother showed up and he’s not exactly amazed that we’re here. But since it’s snowing, we’ll have to wait a little while to leave.”

“Is he cute?” she asks, and I can envision the smirk on her face in my mind.

I swallow. I don’t know what I want to admit. The fact that he’s hotter than a roaring fire or that he’s extra hot because he was kinda grumpy and gruff. My kryptonite apparently.

But since my ex started out that way, I quickly answer, “He’s fine. Shane got the looks in the family.”

“You’re lying!”

Damn.

Three sisters and she got the lie-dar. I can’t tell a fib to save my life.

“Okay, he’s attractive, in a mountain man meets GQ kind of way.”

“You don’t say.” I can hear her kicking up her feet onto the coffee table. “You know, you could have a little fun and get over Creepy Cary.”

“I’ve asked you not to call him that. He is still Jasmine’s dad.”

“She can’t hear me. And he was and is creepy. Look at the creepy things he did.”

She’s one step away from saying “I told you so” and I don’t need it.

“I’ve gotta go. Hope you have a good Christmas. Love you!”

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