The ranger gets his girl, p.1
The Ranger Gets His Girl, page 1
The Ranger Gets His Girl
Crimson Creek, Volume 6
Jane Poller
Published by Amie Lech, 2023.
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
THE RANGER GETS HIS GIRL
First edition. August 10, 2023.
Copyright © 2023 Jane Poller.
ISBN: 979-8223594758
Written by Jane Poller.
Also by Jane Poller
Crimson Creek
The Soldier Gets His Girl
The Sheriff Gets His Girl
The Songwriter Gets His Girl
The Surgeon Gets His Girl
The Mechanic Gets His Girl
The Ranger Gets His Girl
The Rancher Gets His Girl
Fairy Tale Justice
Mermaid's Justice
Kraken's Justice
Jinni's Justice
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Also By Jane Poller
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
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Further Reading: The Rancher Gets His Girl
Also By Jane Poller
About the Author
This book was originally written as book 3.5. The revised edition is dedicated to the beta reader who received a free copy of 3.5 and wrote a really long review about how terrible it was. I hope this newest version fixed all the things you didn’t like. I hope you love it now, and I’m sorry I triggered you. If still don’t like it… well, you know how to find me. I look forward to your feedback, even if you still don’t like it.
Chapter 1
December
Lucy stopped her little beat-up sedan in a cloud of dust and grabbed her garment bag and her backpack. She rushed up the steps of the white church in Crimson Creek, continuing to the left hall and ignoring the crowd in the sanctuary. A shut door had deep voices on the other side, so she strode past. Instead, she made a beeline for the last door and pushed it open.
"Lucy, thank God! I thought you weren't going to make it," Nana Helen said as she smiled and held out her hands.
Lucy grabbed them, pulling her into a hug. "I know, I'm so sorry. My professor was late, and I had to take the final today to pass the class. I got here as fast as I could."
Helen turned back to the mirror where Katie continued putting the finishing touches to her makeup. She'd met her at the planning meeting Helen had arranged last month right after Ray had proposed. Lucy came by her organization honestly.
She smiled at Nana's best friends, Vonda and Margarita. They wore the same peach colored gown and glowed as they chatted about their grandkids.
Lucy hung her garment bag on the back of the door and dropped her backpack. She unzipped it as Vonda said, "You've got half an hour, Lucy. Think you can make it?"
Lucy nodded. "Yeah, I did my hair early this morning, so I just need to pin the curls back."
"Does your dress need to be steamed?" Margarita asked.
Lucy shook her head as she pulled it out of the bag. "I don't think so. I think it's fine."
The next few minutes flew by in a flurry of activity. Lucy chatted with Katie about the town. They'd run into each other a few times over the years. Although Lucy had moved to Denton in middle school with her parents, she'd spent all her summers here.
"I can't believe you're finally done. That's so exciting," Katie said.
Helen beamed. "I'm so proud of you, sweet pea. This has been a long time coming. And your mother, bless her heart... she'd be so proud of you too."
Lucy turned and waved to the back of her dress, her throat threatening to close. Katie zipped her up but didn't say anything. Some topics didn't need words.
Lucy pulled her heels out of her backpack and slipped them on. She grabbed some pins from the small table littered with hair accessories and makeup.
"Lucy, I know this isn't the right time to ask, but now that you're graduating—"
"Assuming I pass these finals," Lucy said wryly.
Helen raised her brows. "Of course you will. You're my clever little sweet pea. You've always been an excellent student."
Katie grabbed a pin and batted Lucy's hands away. "Once you graduate, what are your plans? I know you were doing nails in Denton to help pay for tuition. Are you going to stay there or move on home?"
Lucy met Helen's gaze in the mirror. "Did you put her up to this?"
Helen lifted her hands in an overly innocent gesture. "Me? Never."
Katie grinned. "So she put a bug in my ear. No big deal. I'm just saying, we need a nail tech at the salon. Our last girl moved away this summer with her new husband. You'd be the only one in town, so the demand is there."
Katie stepped back and glanced from woman to woman. Then Helen began to wring her hands.
"Is that it? It's time?"
Lucy smiled and took her hands so she wouldn't mess up the nail job she'd done last weekend. "You sure you want to go through with this? I can still sneak you out the back, Nana."
Helen's far away gaze cleared as she smiled. "What? No, it's just... the last time I was in this position was so long ago. It makes me think of your grandpa, that's all."
Lucy's eyes misted. "He's looking down with Mama right now. He's probably excited to see you finally so happy again, Nana."
"You don't think it's too soon?" she asked softly.
Lucy hugged her, the familiar scent of vanilla enveloping her. "You've been dating half a year, Nana. Sure, it's not that long. But you've known him your whole life, right?"
Helen nodded and turned back to the mirror with a frown, fiddling with the lacy sleeves on her v-neck dress.
"But your aunts and uncle—"
"They can shove it," Lucy said, crossing her arms.
"Lucinda!"
"What? They can. If they can't feel happy for you, they shouldn't be here."
Helen's face fell. Lucy's mom was gone. But she had two aunts and an uncle who could've been here for their mom. Well, one aunt was deployed, but the other two could be here if they'd only made the drive.
Lucy put her chin on Nana's shoulder and stared at her in the mirror. "Do you need them here to marry him? Or do you love him and are ready to be with him forever?"
Helen sighed. "Of course I do. But between them and your grandpa. It's just—"
Vonda interrupted. "Helen, I swear to God, if you're pussyfooting around because you're comparing Ray to Jerry, let it go. They're like night and day."
Margarita nodded and stepped closer. "She's right, Helen. Jerry would want you to be happy, wouldn't he?"
Helen nodded, her eyes bright with tears. "I just wish the kids were happy for me too."
Vonda patted Helen's forearm. "Now, now, don't mess up the makeup."
A knock on the door interrupted them, and Vonda's granddaughter, Lola, opened the door. "Ready? The guys just went into the sanctuary."
Katie left with Lola to join the guests, and Vonda and Margarita followed to line up in the foyer. Lucy watched Helen, seeing her jaw firm and chin lift.
Lucy smiled to see that excited, determined look cross Helen's face. Then Helen turned to the door and waved. "Well, let's get this show on the road."
Lucy chuckled and walked down the hall to stand in line behind Margarita. Then Vonda was walking down the aisle with Margarita a few steps behind her. Lucy followed.
THE WOMAN WALKING DOWN the aisle was beautiful. So beautiful that Mason felt he'd been sucker punched. His chest grew tight, and he couldn't breathe. Hot damn, who was she?
Her long brown hair shone in the soft light of the church in some fancy half-up do, diamond studs sparkling throughout. Her long-sleeved peach v-neck dress was the same as the much older ladies standing across the aisle from him.
But on her, it clung to every curve. Those curves trapped his mind in possibilities. No, he couldn't go there. He refused to think of her like that.
He dove into his training, trying to cut off his emotions and make a professional assessment. She was average height, probably five-seven or five-eight. She was f it and toned, an athletic type, but with curves that made him salivate.
She had an elegant, swan-like throat that sparkled with the diamonds that caressed it. She was now close enough to see freckles dotting the bridge of her nose. Maybe she liked hiking or fishing. She had a body meant to be worshiped outdoors.
No, damn it, turn it off, Mason. Get it together.
She walked down the pews, smiling at each person on her right. But when she met his eyes, she stumbled a step before catching herself.
Her expression froze like a deer in the headlights. Then she stepped beside the other two bridesmaids and the music changed to the bridal march.
Mason blinked, and it seemed like the ceremony was over. He couldn't stop staring at the Maid of Honor and lost track of time.
Professionally speaking, she should've been average in every way. Brown hair and eyes, medium height, athletic build.
But there was something about her that pulled at him. She exuded this quiet energy that seemed to brighten the room. He kept waiting for her to hop away like a bird, the way she looked at him then away like she was hoping he didn't notice.
Music pulled him to the present and Helen and his grandpa, Ray, turned to face the now cheering crowd behind them. Ray tucked Helen's hand into the crook of his arm and beamed down at her. She smiled, her cheeks flushed, as they began to walk down the aisle as husband and wife.
Mason cleared his throat and offered his elbow to the peach vision. Her cheeks flushed too as she briefly met his eyes then looked away.
But she took his arm. His stomach flipped, and he felt like he'd won the lottery. He dragged his eyes off her and stared after his grandpa. Together, they walked down the aisle and followed them to the foyer.
The girl let go of his arm and hugged Helen. "It was beautiful. I'm so happy for you, Nana. Congratulations."
Nana? Oh. Oh. Of course, she was Helen's granddaughter. He'd seen pictures in Helen's house when he'd gone for dinner a few weeks ago. They didn't do her justice at all.
In person, she was a vision. A vision that he couldn't afford to get involved with. He shook his grandpa's hand and slapped him on the back.
"Congrats, Pops."
Ray just nodded, a big grin on his face as he turned back to his bride. The girl stayed beside Helen, so he fell into line beside her. She skittered around him like a little bird, careful not to venture too far from mama bird. Or in this case, grandma bird.
The receiving line would funnel the crowd into the fellowship hall. The rest of the bridesmaids and groomsmen joined them, and the entire town stopped by to shake hands on their way to the reception.
The entire time they were taking pictures, he tried to ignore her. But the nature of being Best Man meant he stood beside her most of the time. She smelled like oranges, and more than once, he breathed deeply just to capture it.
When they finally approached the main table at the reception, he pulled out her chair. He half expected her to dance and flit away from him, but she sat. She barely glanced at him through her long lashes, but he took another breath and tried to distance himself.
He sat beside her as the food was served. Avoiding eye contact during the surrounding conversations made it awkward.
He turned to her and held out his hand as a server placed their plates on the table. "I'm Mason, Ray's grandson. You're Helen's granddaughter?"
She wiped her hands on her dress and pasted an overly bright smile on her face. Finally she looked him in the eye. "Yes, I'm Lucy. It's nice to finally meet you."
"You too," he said, enveloping her long fingers in his big hand. He felt like a bear pawing at an orange. She was a delicious delicacy, and he was a big oaf.
"I guess we're family now, huh?" he asked, cutting into his chicken. She fiddled with her fork and squirmed on the chair, then nodded.
"I guess so. Does that mean you'll be at Christmas this year?"
He nodded. "I assume so, yes. Any requests for a Christmas present?"
She glanced at him through her lashes then bit into her chicken and shook her head as she chewed.
"Oh come on. You have to have something you want. Every girl I know has a list a mile long."
She shrugged. "Sure I have a list. But I don't even know you, and if you get me something, I'll have to get you something. How do you and Ray normally do Christmas?"
He took a drink before answering. "We normally go to dinner either before or after Christmas. I'm usually working, so I'm not guaranteed holidays."
She frowned. "What do you do?"
"I'm a Texas Ranger." He frowned, not sure how much longer that statement would be true. "What about you?"
She took another bite, and he waited for her to chew. "I'll be graduating college in a few weeks, but I work at a nail salon in Denton and teach yoga a few times a week."
"Ah, that makes sense. I thought you were the athletic type," he said.
She frowned and looked at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"
He shrugged, "You've got muscle definition. Not a lot of women do, that's all."
"What are you trying to say? That I'm not feminine enough?"
He frowned and turned his head to face her. "What? No, not at all."
"Uh huh, sure." She stabbed her chicken with the knife and cut it so hard the knife screeched on the plate.
He winced. This was why he needed to stay away from women and relationships. He could never say the right thing, and it always ended in disaster. He shifted on the chair and rubbed his back, trying to ease the constant pain that radiated down his leg.
"I'm sorry, but that's not what I meant. How'd you get the idea that you're not feminine enough? You've got curves in all the right places, trust me."
He felt his ears burning. Damn it, he needed to shut up already.
She shifted on her chair uncomfortably, but before he could open his mouth and shove another foot in it, his grandpa stood and tapped the knife against his cup.
The crowd hushed. "I'm not one for speeches, but I appreciate everyone comin' out today to celebrate with us. This is one of the happiest days of my life. I didn't think I'd have a second chance at love, but here we are. To Helen. May God give her patience in the years to come."
The crowd both chuckled and cheered to Helen. Then the speeches were on. A flurry of activity and a flow of wine led to more laughter. He didn't have a chance to talk to Lucy again.
Dancing was impossible because of the small fellowship hall, but everyone was elated to shower the couple with flowers at the end of the night. They drove away with coke cans tied to the tailgate of Pop's old truck.
He lost sight of Lucy as the crowd dispersed. So he told his few friends goodbye and hopped in his own truck. He wasn't too drunk to require a designated driver, and Pop's house was just a few blocks away.
A beat-up car was already parked when he arrived. He frowned, seeing movement in the lit bedroom upstairs. He pulled out his phone and checked his app, verifying that Pops wasn't home. He was at Helen's house before heading to their honeymoon in Colorado.
He got out of his truck, careful not to slam the door closed, and grabbed his duffel bag. He checked the door of the car and found them locked. He looked inside but it was spotless other than a backpack.
He frowned. If it was some teenager hoping that the wedding would lead to an easy score in the house... Mason sighed and pulled his gun out of his back holster. Then he walked up the steps on silent feet and opened the unlocked door.
Chapter 2
Lucy stepped out of the shower and wrapped the towel around her body. She was getting a headache from the wine, so she opened the medicine cabinet and found some pain pills.
She needed water though, so she opened the bathroom door.
Click. "Freeze, you're under arrest."
A gun was pointed at her head, and she shrieked. She threw the bottle of pain pills and fell to the ground, covering her head and curling into a ball.
"Lucy?"
She looked up at the behemoth and lowered her hands. "Mason?"
He lowered the gun to his side and his brows rose as his gaze swept over her. "Uh," he stammered.
She looked down and gasped, quickly grabbing her towel and readjusting it. "What are you doing? Get out!"
He nodded, still staring, so she slammed the door with her foot. Her heart was hammering in her chest. Oh God, what had he seen? It's just her luck that the first guy to see her naked had been an accident.
