“The ranch is fine.”
“Why didn’t you say so? You about gave me a heart attack.” She laid her hand on her chest and took a few deep breaths. Then her eyes skirted back up to capture his. “If the ranch is fine, why exactly are you here, then?”
She fanned her face and dragged in huge amounts of oxygen through her mouth as if she was having a hard time getting it into her lungs.
Now he’d done it. Gone and gotten a pregnant woman all worked up. Did he need to find her a chair? A drink of water? Rush her to the hospital? What a terrible feeling, being out of control. It was disconcerting. With his training as a Ranger and his years as a state trooper before that, he was far too used to knowing what to do in whatever situation he was placed in.
“Are you all right, ma’am?” He took hold of her elbow and steered her away from the barn, toward the cabin. She felt so small and breakable. There wasn’t much meat on her arm. “What do you need?”
“I’m fine. Just fine.” She laughed. “You should see your face, though.” She pointed up at him and covered her mouth, hiding her wide grin. Her warm brown eyes shone with mischief. “Now you look like you’re the one having a heart attack. Relax there, Officer. It was only a figure of speech.” Her laugh was a high sound, full of joy. Josie laughed with her whole self, without holding anything back.
Heath wanted to hear it again.
She even smelled nice—a mixture of sunshine from the outdoors and something sweet, almost like the scent that used to drift through his childhood home when his mom was making caramel chews.
“You still haven’t answered my question.”
Had she asked him something? Heath scratched his chin.
Josie crossed her arms, resting them on top of her protruding stomach. “So, then, Heath Grayson, Texas Ranger, what brings you to my ranch?”
He toed his boot into the parched earth. How on earth was this tiny woman making him feel as if he was the one under questioning, not the other way around? Off-kilter. That was the way to describe how he felt.
“Flint wants me to speak with you about the incident last night. About the calves.”
“Funny.” She inclined her head. “I didn’t take this for something that required the intervention of the Texas Rangers.”
“You’re right. This isn’t exactly official business.” He made finger quotes around the last two words. “I’m on vacation. Only doing Flint a favor.”
“Ah, so you’re a do-gooder, then? The married-to-the-job type. Poking around for petty criminals on your off time?” The tug of her lips let him know she was teasing him again.
Silence usually worked when he was locked in a room with his worst offenders. Perhaps the trick would get the firecracker that was Josie Markham to stay on track, as well. Heath locked his jaw out of habit.
“Okay. I see. That’s your confession look.” She pointed at his face. “That’s the stern one that gets the bad guys to give in. Fine. Be that way.” She pulled off her gloves and wiped her hands on the thighs of her jeans. “Well, let’s get it over with quickly, then. I’ve got a lot that needs to get done today.” She jutted her thumb over her shoulder, pointing at the barn.
Heath’s gaze traced back over the patched-together ranch. If Josie was all alone, she needed help. That should take precedence over an investigation about some loose cows. It wasn’t exactly like anyone was in immediate danger. Not from what Flint had shared.
Unlike the danger that had plagued the boys ranch fifteen years ago.
“How about I go ahead and help with your chores first?” Heath crossed his arms and widened his stance, ready for the fight he was sure this woman would put up. He’d spent enough time on his uncle’s ranch over the years, especially after his father’s death, that Heath knew his way around a barn and wasn’t shy when it came to manual labor. He was just as much at home mucking stables as he was on the shooting range.
Her lips pinched as if she’d bitten into something sour. “Absolutely not.”
No one could say he wasn’t a good judge of character.
“I insist.”
Josie blew out a long stream of air. “Listen, Officer Grayson—”
“Heath is just fine.” He took a half step closer.
“Heath, then.” She patted her hair. “I make it a point not to spend too much time around lawmen anymore.”
Anymore?
“Interesting.” He held his ground. “We’re at an impasse, then, because I make it a point not to leave pregnant women on their own to do any heavy labor.”
“Labor, really?” A muscle twitching on her cheek said she was fighting the upward tilt of her lips. “That’s the word you’re going with?”
“Let me help you. Please?” He softened his voice.
Why was he pushing this issue so hard? He didn’t know Josie, but her condition twisted his gut and it tugged at him... She could be Nell. He’d been with the state troopers, stationed clear across the state when Nell fell on hard times. The distance had made it impossible to help her at all when she was alone and pregnant with his niece, Carly. Heath would always regret not being there for them. But perhaps lessening Josie’s load—if only for a month—could be a small way to atone.
Besides, she was a witness to a recent crime. Even though Flint didn’t believe there was an immediate threat, depending on what Heath’s investigation uncovered, it could mean Josie was a target. Especially if she had been seen or if her information led to someone’s capture.
He couldn’t leave her on her own.
Heath had a month off... Why not help around her ranch? He needed something to do with his time and he wouldn’t be able to spend every second of his vacation at the boys ranch investigating his father’s murder. Not without people becoming suspicious. He didn’t want them all to know that was what he was doing there. There was a chance he’d solve nothing. That he’d fail. He definitely didn’t want them to feel sorry for him, the way people often did when they found out about his father’s death.
Helping take care of Josie gave him an out...an alibi. He could help on her ranch and then drive her—because her truck was not safe in its current condition—to the boys ranch for her volunteer hours, which would give him a believable reason to hang around so much. Because he knew Flint would get annoyed if Heath trailed him around at the ranch. Hopefully, Josie wouldn’t.
He yanked off his hat and laid it over his heart. “My mother would be ashamed of me if I left your ranch without pitching in. Say yes...for my mother’s sake.”
Josie popped her fists onto her hips and let out another loud laugh. “Well, if you’re going to guilt me by bringing your mom into things, I guess a girl’s going to have to accept your help.” She shook her finger at him. “But mark it in the books that I am accepting begrudgingly and slightly under protest.”
“Under protest.” Now Heath was the one who couldn’t help but smile. He wasn’t used to that. “I’ll be sure to mark that down.”
The woman was definitely a bit of a spitfire. And not even an inch of her was intimidated by his being a Texas Ranger, which was refreshing. The instant respect that often came with the office was nice, but it tended to keep everyone at an arm’s distance.
Heath rolled up his sleeves and got to work.
This November, Josie Markham wouldn’t be alone. Not like Nell had been.
Not if Heath had anything to do with it.