A Ranger for the Twins Read online

  She fell from grace...

  Before falling for him

  When her husband defrauded the town of Hollydale, now-divorced mom Lucie Decker went from being the town darling to total pariah. Now she’s launching a new business and needs ranger Caleb Spindler’s help. And her twins adore Caleb. After all, he’s a genuine hero—even if he is hiding a secret. But while Lucie’s heart has forgotten how to trust, it still remembers how to fall in love...

  “How do you keep everything together?”

  “I love the kids, the pets, all of it, so it’s become second nature to me. I can only guess what you must think of the chaos that has become my life.”

  Chaos. That was one description of Lucie’s life, but happiness radiated from her. The cat curled its lithe body around Lucie’s feet in appreciation.

  While Caleb had been away, Lucie had had her sweetheart image shattered and become the town’s enemy who housed unwanted animals while starting a business to support this household.

  He couldn’t help but wonder if Lucie had gained more.

  “It suits you.” The two times he’d visited this house in the far distant past, the house was exactly that—a cold residence with impeccable interior design highlighting good bones.

  Lucie had created a home.

  What would it be like to find his way home every night to this?

  But while he’d love nothing more, her home couldn’t be his...

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for taking a return trip to Hollydale. Some books are a pure joy to write, and Lucie’s story was one of them. I found myself rooting for Lucie, who forges a new path to turn her life around. When times are tough, she scrabbles a family together consisting of her twins, her friends and a menagerie of pets.

  She’s reunited with her childhood friend Caleb, a park ranger turned reluctant hero, who returns with a mission but is often diverted by Lucie and her messy life. Hidden treasures of love and redemption may be the most meaningful and most elusive for him.

  My favorite scenes revolve around Fred and Ethel, a pair of miniature pigs. Ethel immediately cozies up to Caleb, recognizing his true worth, something Lucie needs to be reminded of. I couldn’t resist paying tribute to my alma mater, the University of Georgia, by including a bulldog named Ladybug.

  Thanks for picking up A Ranger for the Twins. I hope Lucie and Caleb touch your heart like they touched mine. You can reach out to me on social media or at tanyaagler.com. I love hearing from readers!

  Tanya

  A Ranger for the Twins

  Tanya Agler

  Tanya Agler remembers the first set of Harlequin books her grandmother gifted her, and she’s been in love with romance novels ever since. An award-winning author, Tanya makes her home in Georgia with her wonderful husband, their four children and a lovable basset, who really rules the roost. When she’s not writing, Tanya loves classic movies and a good cup of tea. Visit her at tanyaagler.com or email her at [email protected].

  Books by Tanya Agler

  Harlequin Heartwarming

  The Sheriff’s Second Chance

  To the treasures of my heart: my four children (including my set of fraternal twins), who bring me joy and show me the beauty of the world every day. Thank you for the adventures, the chaos, Mother’s Day chocolate and, most of all, the love.

  To Jeanine, who went with me to my one and only yoga class, and to the Writing Sisters for the icing and keeping me on track. Thanks to all of you for reminding me it’s all about the emotion.

  To the parents of twins. Some say the first six weeks are the toughest. I’m not so sure about that, but I’m thankful for the stories and encouragement you’ve shared with me and to those who’ve listened to my stories about Cupcake and Chunk, who gained me admittance to this group.

  And to park rangers everywhere for your service and dedication.

  Contents

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  EPILOGUE

  EXCERPT FROM MONTANA DREAMS BY ANNA J. STEWART

  CHAPTER ONE

  A DROP OF beige paint landed on Lucie Decker’s arm. Perfect. Now more paint dotted her and her overalls than remained in the can. She replaced the roller in the tray and wiped away the offending glob. Streaming afternoon light from the bay window overlooking the Great Smoky Mountains revealed no trace of the gosh-awful burnt-orange color that had graced the lodge’s reception area earlier this week. One task down, forty-four left before the grand opening of the Hollydale Training and Wellness Center in a mere thirty days.

  A glimpse of something brown on the window ledge caught Lucie’s eye. How did a mouse manage to climb up there? Thank goodness her twins, Mattie and Ethan, were busy in their first-grade classrooms at Hollydale Elementary or they’d be begging her to save the little rodent and add it to the menagerie of strays that lived at their house, five miles away. While Lucie had no problem collecting animals that didn’t have a home, including her cat, two dogs, three rabbits and a pair of miniature pigs, she drew the line at mice, especially those that belonged outside in the forest rather than inside her freshly painted reception area.

  Since the newly hired maintenance worker wouldn’t start for another two weeks, several days prior to the arrival of the rest of the staff, the task of trapping the mouse and releasing it into the wild fell on her shoulders. Problem was, too much had rested there following her ex-husband Justin’s conviction and subsequent imprisonment for embezzlement.

  No, she wouldn’t go there. Her life no longer revolved around her ex. Look how much she’d accomplished in the past couple of months. In just that short amount of time, contractors had helped her transform the former Appleby Wedding Lodge into a corporate training and trust-building center with the latest amenities.

  The government had thrown her a lifeline by returning property that had belonged to her parents, declaring it independent of Justin’s seized assets. This conference center had to succeed, or she’d have to sell it and start over somewhere else, leaving the only home she and her twins had ever known. This lodge, nearby cabin and surrounding property, along with her family home, were the last links to her parents, who’d died while she and Justin were still only dating.

  With a little bit of oil soap and a lot of elbow grease, the woodwork gleamed once more. Her first clients would arrive in four weeks to hopefully strengthen their communication and team-building skills by participating in activities that would foster trust and honesty—she had no time to sit around.

  Yesterday, the contractor had finished the high ropes course, accepted the final payment and departed. This morning the last interior worker finished the updates to the kitchen. No more hammering, no more sawing, and no more shattering noise. All that was left was painting and completing the spa area.

  She’d have it all finished before her staff reported for duty and a week of practice runs.

  But if she didn’t do something about that mouse, her clients might cut their visits short and not provide glowing references, which were key to building this sort of enterprise. Her new business would fail before it began.

  Lucie ran in
to the kitchen and found a plate and big bowl. Nearby, on the island, rested the jar of peanut butter she hadn’t put away after she’d slapped a sandwich together a half hour ago. One spoonful of the thick creamy substance ought to do the trick. Nodding, Lucie donned her cute black oven mittens decorated with bright yellow lemons and prepped herself for battle.

  Satisfied the peanut butter would keep the mouse occupied until she could free him a good distance away from the two main buildings of the training and wellness center, she returned to the reception area and spotted him still resting in the same location on the window ledge.

  Sneaking over, she held out the plate with one mitted hand and readied the bowl with the other.

  Uh-oh. This was a bat!

  Her hold on the plate and bowl loosened and they clattered on the cherry hardwood floor. The bat began circling the reception area, searching for some route of escape.

  Lucie sprinted for the foyer and threw open the front door. The cool March breeze chilled her bare arms.

  Flushed, she rushed back to the reception area and waved her arms around. One of the oven mitts flew off her hand and she stumbled against the wall. A smear of beige paint left a circular mark on her overalls.

  “This way, not that way! Your home is outside. Go find your bat family.” Lucie shuddered, hoping its relatives weren’t located anywhere inside the lodge.

  The bat flew out the front door. Lucie followed and barreled straight into a solid mass. Bouncing backward, she blinked and focused on the man standing there. Short, rumpled dark hair framed a wide and open face partially obscured by a couple days’ worth of stubble. Hazel eyes with a twinge of familiarity twinkled at her.

  “Bat family? You think that bat has a mother and father and siblings waiting outside for it?” A thread of humor laced his words. The man shoved his hands into his jeans’ pockets.

  Although his question hit her as a little too intimate for a delivery person, she’d tip him well anyway if he’d brought her audio-visual equipment. The speakers and projectors should have been here yesterday. Hard to advertise as a business training and wellness center without the basic amenities.

  Then again, he was wearing a plaid flannel shirt, not the brown uniform of her usual courier. Recognition flickered then took flight. Lucie squealed and clapped her hands, the single mitt muffling the noise. “Caleb Spindler! I wasn’t expecting Hollydale’s hero in person.”

  He blinked before his mouth fell agape. “Lucie Appleby?”

  She reached up and yanked off the bandanna she’d tied over her head to keep the paint from her blond hair. Shaking out her curls, shorter than the long length she’d favored in high school, she stuffed the pink cloth into the side pocket of her overalls. “Believer in bat families for twenty-nine years. I’m Lucie Decker now.”

  No sooner did she step forward than she paused. What was the right way to greet an old friend? Before Justin’s betrayal, she would have hugged Caleb without a second thought. Now? Hugging any male other than her son, Ethan, wasn’t on her agenda. She folded her arms, self-conscious of the person standing before her.

  “Hello, Lucie Decker. Long time, no see.” His voice was deeper than she remembered.

  Where was the scrawny teenager who’d kept her on her toes, playing practical jokes even in his darkest moments? In his place stood a man who wore a mantel of confidence. Those shoulders and that straight posture projected solidity and strength, attributes that had gone viral after his rescue of three brothers.

  “Everyone’s seen you lately. Not many people would put their lives on the line for someone else.”

  He shrugged, obviously still not comfortable talking about himself. Some things never changed. “He was a little boy stuck in a crevice. Just because he and his brothers snuck into Yellowstone while the park crews were clearing snow off the paths for reopening doesn’t mean he deserved a bad fate.”

  Even when Caleb had been the kid from the wrong side of the tracks, and she’d been the town sweetheart, he’d had a heart of gold, always looking out for wildlife and people alike.

  “Just to let you know. You might be the Hero of Yellowstone to most of the country, but in these parts, you’re Hollydale’s hero.”

  He shrugged. “I wasn’t sure it would even be news around here.”

  “Considering you rescued the three sons of a baseball legend from Charlotte, a short two hours from here on I-40, it shouldn’t come as that big a surprise.”

  While Jared Engel, who currently served as manager to the team he’d led to the championship title, scouted a top prospect, his sons had scouted trouble. Now Caleb was a hero. And she was...what?

  The town pariah, to say the least.

  Collecting herself, she raised her chin. She might have lost her money and many of her friends, but her pride was intact. Justin couldn’t steal that from her. Besides, as long as Mattie and Ethan were safe and well, she’d manage anything thrown at her.

  “Good to see that chin tilt stayed the same. It was definitely worth coming here first, before settling in with Jonathan and his girls.” Caleb nodded and glanced toward the foyer, his neck craning as if to see the interior. She’d kept the rustic feel and centered the shabby chic furniture so it faced the massive stone fireplace. “It’s been a long time since I worked here.”

  “We’ve both come quite a ways since then. What are you doing here in Hollydale? Park service training or assignment? Vacation? Family time?”

  “I haven’t seen my cousin Jonathan Maxwell and his daughters in too long. He moved back to town not so long ago after his wife died. He’s a police officer now. Besides, there’s something about the Great Smoky Mountains that called me back. But enough about me. Your email was rather vague. I want to hear more about you.”

  While she’d emailed him with the express purpose of asking him for a favor—an endorsement of her new center—her mother would roll over in her grave if Lucie welcomed Caleb, home for a visit from Montana, with anything less than full red-carpet treatment. Best to work up to that favor. Besides, Lucie wanted to show off her changes to someone. She bounced on her toes.

  “Care for the grand tour?” While the word grand might overstate her case, appearances were all she had going for her. She’d keep up the facade of having everything together, especially in front of Caleb. There were few people she wanted to impress anymore, but for some reason, she wanted Caleb to see her in a good light. He’d always been different from the crowd.

  “Fresh paint. That’s always a good sign of money well spent.” He reached over, his finger brushing the top of her forehead before he held it up under his nose with a certain amount of caution. “At least, I hope this is paint and not bat droppings.”

  “You’re the park ranger, so you ought to know the difference.” Lucie backed up until her bottom hit the door. “Would you like to start with the main lodge or the cabin? Although, I ought to warn you, I haven’t really fixed up the cabin yet. The cabin and the three guest rooms upstairs are part of phase two, which I hope to roll out next year. Having places for guests to sleep will help increase bookings, rather than having them stay at the bed-and-breakfast.”

  Caleb leaned against the wooden railing and stared at her as if she’d grown an extra head since they’d last talked. “Most people who haven’t seen each other in a long time start by catching up.”

  She fidgeted with the bandanna in her pocket. “My life’s an open book for all to judge.”

  More than ever, she wanted her old friend to see what she had accomplished in the past couple of months. While she’d had to contract out a good deal of the work, she’d saved money and done the jobs herself whenever possible.

  “You should know I’m not one to judge. I came here today to find out more about this center.”

  And not expressly to see her. She should have expected this after not being in touch with him for so long. Too long.

 
; She motioned for him to come inside. “Let me show you the upstairs. Then you can tell me if you like what you see.” Buoyed by Caleb stopping by during his vacation, she thought he must be considering her request to endorse her new venture.

  Wait a second. Had she outlined that in the email? No, she’d kept it vague on purpose, only half expecting a response.

  He followed her up the grand staircase where brides and grooms had posed for photographs, light cascading in from the windows. Summer with local recreational activities like fishing and kayaking had been popular but nowhere near as popular as autumn when the colorful leaves made for a spectacular background.

  With some pride and a bit of exhaustion, she chattered nonstop as she showed off the new spa amenities and the accompanying dressing areas before they returned to the main level where most of the group meeting events would be scheduled. The library was rather scarce at this point, but the arts and crafts room was fully stocked and operational. As soon as that AV equipment came, the business area would also be ready for clients.

  When they reached the dining room adjacent to the kitchen and the bar, she finally stopped with the main selling points.

  “I expected an email rather than you in person, but beggars can’t be choosers.” The paint fumes lightened her head. That must be why she was revealing too much at once. Keeping this on a business level benefited both of them. Best way to do that was to show off her exterior improvements, as well. Lucie used caution on the porch steps leading down to the gravel sidewalk. “Follow me. I think you’ll like the low ropes area.”

  She didn’t look back but strode toward the course on the fringe of the woods, taking care to steer clear of the spiderwebs on the holly bushes. Unable to resist standing on the log held up by long metal chain links, the ends of which were attached to two pines eight feet apart, Lucie climbed on and winced at the oven mitt still resting on her left hand. She clambered across the log, then removed the mitt and stuffed it in her pocket, alongside the bandanna. She jumped off and caught sight of Caleb leaning against the pine farthest from her, surveying the edge of the forest.