Page 2 of Longing for the Ranger (Shadow Mountain Forest Rangers #2)

Shawn

Taking a swig of coffee, I read through my list of assigned tasks for the day. My lip curls when I see I’m on campground check duty. Not my favorite. Dealing with complaints from campers as we make our rounds is a pain in the ass.

At least I’m assigned with Rylan Sempers.

He doesn’t seem to mind dealing with the campers and gets a kick out of the shit they come up with.

It never ceases to amaze me how ill-prepared people can be when they come camping or the things they think we can control.

Like we can keep all the bugs away and pull out all the poison ivy in the area.

My eyes roll thinking about actual complaints I’ve had to deal with in the past. But it’s all part of a job I love, so I have to take the bad with the good, and mostly it’s good.

Being a forest ranger and getting paid to spend my time tramping around in the woods’ rocks. It’s never dull, that is for sure.

“Hey Shawn, how’s it going?” My eyes jerk up, brows furrowed to see Boone Jennings standing there.

“Uh fine. On campground duty, so could be better. What are you doing here? I thought you were off on vacation on your way to pack up Laura.”

He nods, “I am. I just stopped to grab my jacket I forgot yesterday.”

“Ahh gotcha.”

“Is she ready for her dissertation defense?” Rylan asks walking up with a travel mug in his hand.

Boone grins. “She’s nervous as hell, but I’m positive she’s going to kill it. I can’t wait for her to be done and get her moved back here. I’m stoked to have her living with me and to work with her every day.”

“Crazy how George transferred leaving the position open just as she is finishing up with her PhD.” I shake my head at the coincidence.

“I’ve come to believe things work out the way they should.

It was meant to be, just like me finding her was.

She agrees she would go through all the turmoil again to end up here with me.

At this point in my life, I had figured I would always be a bachelor and then there she was.

Life has a funny way of working out sometimes.

" He shrugs before tipping his head toward the door.

"I better head out and let you guys get out there. See you in a couple of weeks.”

“Tell Laura good luck.” I call to his retreating form.

He raises his hand in acknowledgment.

Rylan grins at me. “Ready to get going.”

Huffing, I shove back from my desk. “Yeah, yeah, let’s get it over with. At least I get the weekend off after this.”

We load the supplies we will need for restocking bathrooms before we head out in the green forest ranger pickup to make our rounds.

Rylan keeps quiet behind the wheel as we drive.

He seems to be lost in thought this morning and I don’t mind at all, enjoying soaking in the quiet before we get to the campgrounds.

My mind wonders, watching the pines streak by in a blur of green as we roll down the road.

Those thoughts soon turn to Boone and how life has worked out for him.

Like me, he’s in his late thirties with no kids and never been married.

Now he has Laura and I’m positive a ring and a kid or two are in his immediate future.

I always thought I was content with the life I was carving out.

Never having to worry about anyone else.

Living free and easy, but watching the two of them together makes me wonder if there might be something more.

The few relationships I’ve had didn’t work out, but maybe I just haven’t yet found the person I was meant to like Boone said.

Rylan swings into the Blue Spruce Campground, grinning at me. “Campers or bathrooms?” Leaving me the choice of what to deal with.

“Bathrooms,” I grumble before opening my door and climbing out. Fortunately, they aren’t in terrible shape. Propping the doors open, I do a quick hose down and then replace the toilet paper.

Rylan finishes his rounds and we’re off to the next campground. Things go fairly smoothly as we take turns cleaning and dealing with campers. There are no major complaints except for the couple who actually complained about not seeing any bears in the campground, as if that was a bad thing.

I would’ve told ‘em to leave their food out if they wanted to see bears.

Rylan, on the other hand, handled it more diplomatically, telling them they were lucky bears had not made an appearance and why.

These are the people who should not be allowed to leave civilization.

They are also the ones we will end up getting called out for search and rescue because they go hiking unprepared and get hurt or lost.

Oh well. It’s job security, I suppose, just not my favorite part of the job. We get to our last stop at the Elk Grove Campground by late afternoon. It’s my turn to do rounds and check in with campers, so I head off around the loop of sites.

I check tents and vehicles against the list we have registered, looking for anything happening which shouldn’t be as I go.

Most camps are vacant this time of day as people are out recreating, hiking, fishing, swimming or exploring the area.

I’m allayed there’s nothing to be concerned about with each site.

Until I get to the last site, number twenty-three tucked back next to the creek.

There’s no holding in my groan at the collapsed tent and scattered food and garbage littering the campsite. It appears no one is around.

Concerned, I study the ground around the blue plastic tote knocked on its side. I’m appeased by the small tracks of raccoons I find instead of the large prints of bears I was worried about.

A gasp has my gaze jerking up to see a woman with auburn curls piled on top of her head.

A pink tank top hugs a generous rack and denim shorts showcase curves for days.

Two younger boys stand next to her as they stare at the destruction of the camp.

She is holding a couple of fishing poles, each with a significant bird’s nest of fishing line.

The boys look downtrodden, but the woman looks about ready to have the biggest meltdown. Her moss green eyes are huge, welling with tears as she bites down on her plump bottom lip, shoulders sagging as if they hold the weight of the world.

The lecture I was preparing to dish out dies right then and there as my heart studders in my chest.