The Forest Ranger's Christmas by Leigh Bale Page A

hide his smile. Yes, it was definitely good they could laugh about the situation now, and he liked that Josie had a sense of humor.
    The foot-deep snow crunched beneath his boots as he stepped back to let the girls out. Josie climbed down first, tugging on her gloves, her breath puffing on the air each time she exhaled.
    Clint looked at her tennis shoes and shook his head. He made a mental note not to let her stay out in the snow too long. Her feet would soon become wet and then she’d get cold.
    If necessary, he had several pairs of dry socks in his fire pack in the back of his truck. Serving others came naturally to Clint and he couldn’t help feeling responsible for Josie and Frank. It felt surprisingly good to have someone besides Gracie needing his attention. No matter what, Clint would ensure everyone here was taken care of while on this trip.
    Sunlight sparkled off Josie’s dark blond curls. The color of her eyes deepened to a sapphire-blue as she looked about. Twin circles of pink stained her pale cheeks. With the snow-covered trees as a stunning backdrop, she looked absolutely gorgeous.
    Realizing he was staring, Clint looked away, so fast that he almost lost his balance in the snow. Clearing his throat, he clutched the handle of his chain saw tightly and wondered what was wrong with him. Josie was just Frank’s granddaughter. Within a few weeks, she’d return to Las Vegas. Besides, he and Gracie had been on their own for years, and he liked it that way.
    So why did he suddenly wish for more?
    “I’m with Grandpa Frank.” Gracie clasped the old man’s hand.
    “All right. Let’s find the prettiest tree,” Frank said.
    Clint glanced at Josie. “I guess that means you’re with me?”
    A question, not a statement.
    “Um, okay.” She gave a noncommittal shrug.
    He headed off, plowing through the snow with his boots to make a wide path for Josie to follow. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw her lift her knees high as she navigated the trail in her shoes. As they tromped through the drifts, she didn’t utter a single complaint. Karen had grumbled about so many things. Now Josie’s silence won a notch of respect from Clint.
    “That one!” Gracie’s shrill voice filled the air as she ran toward a bushy spruce standing along the roadside.
    Frank followed, slogging through the snow in his black, knee-high boots. He brushed crusted ice off the tree’s pointed top and held up the hand saw. “You sure?”
    “No, this one. Oh, it’s perfect.” Gracie raced farther into the forest and stood beside another tree. “Or what about that one? It’s so pretty.”
    “You can only have one,” Frank called, as she darted from tree to tree.
    Clint smiled, thinking perhaps it’d been a blessing that he was stuck with Josie. But poor Frank wasn’t a young man anymore. It’d be easy for Gracie to run him ragged. “You’re gonna have to choose one tree, so make up your mind before Grandpa Frank starts to cut.”
    “Okay,” Gracie chimed.
    “I like this one.” Josie waved to Clint.
    He whirled around as she pointed at a small fir with thick clusters of dark green needles.
    “That’s a good choice. Firs retain their needles longer and have a nice scent.” He took a step, then heard Gracie call again.
    “What about this one, Grandpa Frank?”
    Frank lumbered after the girl, grumbling something about women never being able to make up their minds.
    The child bopped hither and yon to inspect what seemed to be every tree on the hillside. Frank finally stood still, letting her have her fun, while waiting for her to decide.
    “Gracie, settle on one tree and stay where I can see you,” Clint called when she wandered too far off.
    “She’s a female, son. She’ll never settle for just one tree. You should know that by now. But I’ve got a way to distract her.” Shaking his head, Frank laughed and hurried after her. When he came near, he tossed the hacksaw aside and fell backward into the soft