into Rachel. She loved the infant’s sweet scent and inhaled it again. The perfume of life. The innocence of birth. Gazing down at Jenny, she couldn’t help but smile. The infant’s bow lips drew into a smile.
The deputy came back. He opened the door and quickly climbed in. His hair was wet and gleaming. The snowflakes were falling at a heavier rate. His nylon jacket had dark splotches all across the shoulders. He put in another radio call, then snapped off the light. Turning, he said, “I’m Deputy Cade Garner. I’m sorry I didn’t introduce myself earlier.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Rachel said. Even in the muted light, she was drawn to his square face, strong jaw and large gray eyes. His pupils were large and black, giving him an intense and intelligent look. A few strands of his military-short black hair had fallen across his broad brow and Rachel felt it made him seem less formidable and a little more like the rest of the human race. With his khaki trousers, shirt and a gun strapped to his waist, he exuded a kind of cowboy appeal. It had to be her overactive imagination, Rachel decided.
As he took a quick side glance, Cade noticed how happy Jenny was in her arms. “Are you a skier on vacation?”
Carefully, Rachel gave him the rehearsed version of her story. Even to law enforcement she could never confide that she was in the FBI witness protection program. “I’m moving to Jackson Hole. I have a cabin rented on the Moose Head Ranch, just outside of town.”
Surprised, Cade sat back. He’d definitely had this woman pegged wrong. Not that it mattered right now who she was. He felt grief-stricken over Lily dying, but now he had this new responsibility to Jenny. And then there was this woman with shoulder-length brown hair with such a tender look in her blue eyes. Rachel Carson had something soft and vulnerable in her manner. And Jenny obviously responded to that sweetness within her. She looked to be in her mid-twenties, and Cade didn’t see a wedding ring on her left hand. “Moose Head Ranch?”
“Yes. Why?” She noticed how his eyes widened with surprise. There was a rugged quality about Cade Garner, no question. And Rachel sensed him to be a man of quiet authority, though her judgment of men was faulty. She could never forget that. After all, she had picked Dirk Payson. Still, Cade invited her trust even if she couldn’t figure out why just yet.
“That’s my parents’ ranch. They have a group of cabins they rent out by the day, week or month.” Cade usually didn’t know about the visitors because he was busy with his own life. His father ran that part of the business while his mother ran the quilting store in town. Between these different income streams, they were able to stay afloat financially and keep their one-hundred-acre cattle ranch in the valley.
“Really? Do you live there?” Rachel asked. It was too personal a question, but the words flew out of her mouth.
“Yes,” he said with a partial smile. “What do you do for a living?”
“Well,” Rachel said, smiling down at Jenny, “I’m a nanny.”
“A nanny?” Cade’s mind raced. Either it was a coincidence or a godsend—probably both. He wouldn’t have time to sit home with Jenny even though she was his legal responsibility. The captain could give him time off, but the winter was so demanding, Cade would have to locate a babysitter quickly for Jenny while he was on duty. Or there was this angel who’d come out of nowhere.
“I’m Jenny’s legal godfather. And now, I’ll be taking care of her until she’s eighteen.” Cade stared deeply into Rachel’s widening eyes. “Since you’re already at the ranch, would you consider being her nanny? Or do you already have a job lined up here in town? I know this is awkward, and possibly premature…”
Rachel felt as though Providence had just delivered this gift. “I don’t have a job right now. I was going to come here and then start looking around. Yes, I’d love to take your offer. I can give you my references and contact information for the family I worked for.”
Cade felt instant relief. Yes, he would check out her references. “Thank you…”
“I love children.” Rachel’s heart beat a little harder. Out of such a tragedy came this gift. Just having Jenny in her arms and knowing that she’d be able to take care of her in the future made staying here an incredible blessing to Rachel. “I’d be delighted to work for you, Mr. Garner.”
CHAPTER THREE
RACHEL WAS SITTING in a curtained hospital cubicle with Jenny in her arms. Oddly enough, the hustle and bustle of the small Jackson Hole hospital made her feel more safe. After the ambulance had arrived and the baby had been checked over, Deputy Garner had asked her to go back with the ambulance crew to the local hospital. Clearly, he was worried about Jenny.
“Ms. Carson?” A young red-haired nurse came into the cubicle and smiled.
“Yes?”
“Jenny Hartmann has a clean bill of health. The doctor is signing the paperwork now.” She frowned. “Do you know where to take the baby?”
“She’s coming home with me, Dottie,” Cade said as he halted next to the slender nurse. He felt his heart expand for an unknown reason as he got his first good look at Rachel Carson. She sat in the chair, her legs crossed, the baby in her arms. Jenny was asleep despite the noise in the emergency room. The two looked as if they were mother and daughter. Despite the trauma, Rachel appeared calm and almost happy with the baby in her arms. Cade nodded to her and gave her a slight smile.
“Rachel has rented one of my parents’ cabins at the ranch. Legally, I’m Jenny’s guardian, and Rachel has agreed to be her nanny until I can get everything straightened out.”
Dottie nodded. “Sounds good to me. I’ll tell Dr. Sherman to put down your mom and dad’s ranch address and that you’re her legal guardian. I wasn’t sure if we needed to call in Child Protective Services or not.”
Cade rested his hands on his hips. “No, you don’t have to in this case.”
Dottie frowned. “It’s so sad, Cade. First Tom. Now Lily. Poor baby Jenny has no one.”
Cade felt grief moving in his chest. “Now she has me.” He’d just come from the crash site. Lily had been taken to the local morgue where the medical examiner would proclaim that she’d died of massive head trauma. There was so much to do. He needed to call Tom and Lily’s adoptive families and friends to set up a funeral. Cade hated having to make the calls on Christmas Day. They would never have another Christmas without remembering that phone call, but he couldn’t put it off. Tom was already buried at a cemetery outside of town. At least now, he and Lily would be together.
Placing her hand on Cade’s damp nylon jacket, Dottie said, “I’ll be right back.”
Cade nodded and pulled the white curtain closed over the front of the cubicle. He felt strangely excited. Maybe it was a release from the day’s tragic circumstances. Maybe it was because finally, after two awful years, someone needed him again. Bringing a chair with him, he went over to where Rachel sat with the baby.
“How are you doing?” he asked, searching her face. Cade began to realize how beautiful Rachel Carson really was. She had an oval face with softly arched eyebrows, full lips and a straight nose that looked a bit crooked at the top. Cade wondered how she’d broken it. As a deputy sheriff, he was used to studying people’s faces. In some cases, it had saved his life. There was nothing threatening about Rachel. It was her large, expressive blue eyes that drew him. In them he could see both a flare
