“I’ll never get used to the miracle of birth. It’s the perfect expression of God’s magnificence,” Ward said, gently stroking the newborn foal.

The mare rose to her feet, and in a few minutes, Princess tried her long wobbly legs without success.

“Why don’t you get up and help her?” Shannon asked.

He shook his head. “She’ll do it herself when she’s ready. That’s the wonderful thing about letting nature have its way. Everything has perfect timing if we will just keep the faith. If we try to force things, we end up in trouble.”

A few minutes later, Princess stood on her wobbly legs. Calico moved close to her, allowing her baby to nurse.

The moving scene brought tears to Shannon’s eyes.

“I know it’s beautiful,” Ward said, his own voice husky. The moment was a precious one, and as he looked at Shannon’s rapturous expression, he knew with a strange sense of certainty there was no woman in the world with whom he’d rather share it.

LEONA KARR

A native of Colorado, Leona (Lee) Karr is the author of nearly forty books. Her favorite genres are inspirational romance and romantic suspense. Graduating from the University of Colorado with a B.A. and the University of Northern Colorado with an M.A. degree, she taught as a reading specialist until her first book was published in 1980. She has been on the Waldenbooks bestseller list and nominated by Romantic Times for Best Romantic Saga and Best Gothic Author. She has been honored as the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer of the Year and received Colorado’s Romance Writer of the Year Award. Her books have been reprinted in more than a dozen foreign countries. She is a presenter at numerous writing conferences and has taught college courses in creative writing.

Hidden Blessing
Leona Karr

www.millsandboon.co.uk

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.

—Ezekiel 36:26

With love to Debbie, Charlotte, Kay and Vivian.

My special family, and loyal fans.

Dear Reader,

I chose to set Hidden Blessing against the backdrop of a Colorado forest fire, because it is in times of crisis that we examine our spiritual beliefs and are open to change.

The hard shell of ambition and pride that my heroine, Shannon, has placed around herself begins to crack when she finds herself a refuge in an evacuation center without any worldly possessions. The hero, Ward Dawson, is challenged to bring Shannon into a relationship with God, but like so many of us, he has come to his faith the hard way, and he suspects that Shannon is on the same path. When he tells her that growing in spiritual faith is not a sprint but a marathon, I believe that he speaks a truth for all of us.

Please enjoy the excitement, drama and tenderness in this love story. Letters of sharing are truly welcome.

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

Epilogue

Chapter One

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.”

Ezekiel 36:26

The last thing that Shannon Hensley expected when she rented a summer cottage near Beaver Junction, Colorado, was to be confronted with a life-threatening forest fire.

“They’re bringing in firefighters from all over,” Isabel Watkins, the owner of the town’s one grocery store, told Shannon as she quickly sacked her purchases. “This place is going to be worse than a beehive turned upside down.”

Shannon’s gray-blue eyes widened. “The report I heard said the fire was somewhere in the high country.”

“That’s us,” Isabel replied with a nod. “The fire started up on the north ridge. They don’t know if it was started by careless campers or lightning. Everyone was hoping that it would burn itself out, but the winds have spread the blaze downward.”

“But it’s still miles away, isn’t it?” Shannon asked, feeling an unbidden quiver of nervousness. She’d rented a summer cottage in a deeply wooded area about fifteen miles from this small settlement and had only been settled a short time.

“Not many miles as the crow flies. It’s unbelievable how fast a wildfire can spread,” Isabel answered, shaking her head. “They’re hoping to get a fire line set up before the flames crest Prospect Ridge. Once it jumps into those thick drifts on the downhill slopes, it could make its way into this valley.”

Great, just great! Shannon thought, and filled with all kinds of misgivings, she left the store and started driving down the two-block Main Street. She’d driven to Colorado, looking for a quiet retreat where she could try to make some sense out of the shambles of her life. She had wanted to leave all the drama and trauma behind in Los Angeles. Even now she couldn’t believe that she was jobless, friendless and facing another uphill battle to secure a prosperous future for herself.

It wasn’t fair, but then she reminded herself that she’d never expected life to be fair. She’d fought tooth and nail for everything she’d ever gotten. Her parents had believed that looking out for number one was what life was all about and had taught their daughter well. Shannon’s focus had been on climbing the corporate ladder since college, and there had been little time in her life for anything or anyone else. She was well on her way to achieving her high goals when, almost overnight, her high-paying position was eliminated because of a corporate takeover, and she was tossed out by new management as easily as they were replacing old office furnishings with new.

Now it seemed that her hopes of spending some relaxing downtime in Colorado were threatening to go up in smoke. Maybe she should pack up her things and get out of the area. Better to forgo a month’s rent than put herself under more tension worrying about a forest fire driving her out. But where would she go? Her finances were tight at the moment, and the added expense of seeking out another retreat wasn’t something she had planned on. Besides, she told herself firmly, the fire might never get within miles of her rented place. She decided that it wouldn’t hurt to hang around for a couple of days even though this mountain valley was isolated with only one two-lane road leading from the Junction to a major highway in Elkhorn, a town about fifty miles away.

As Shannon turned onto the narrow road snaking up to her mountain cottage and other dwellings built on the slopes of Rampart Mountain, she braked to a sudden stop.

“What in the world?” She couldn’t believe it. A wooden barricade was stretched across the road, and a man wearing a cowboy hat and Western clothes moved quickly to her car window. Under different circumstances she might have appreciated his strong masculine features and the way his brown eyes reflected a smile as he waited for her to lower the window on the driver’s side. She guessed him to be somewhere in his early thirties as he gave a polite tip to his broadbrimmed Stetson and acknowledged her with a polite hello.

“What’s going on?” she asked without returning his smile. Used to big city runaround, she was ready to summon any argument necessary to avoid wasting time at a roadblock.

“We have to keep all traffic off this road,” he replied in an easy, conversational tone, holding his smile.

“Why?”

“To keep it clear for the emergency vehicles.”

That slow easy smile of his was getting on her nerves, and she resented a deep, stroking voice that undoubtedly could play havoc with most females—but not her. She wasn’t some backwoods gal who was used to taking orders from any smiling man who happened to be around, nor about to meekly accept this inconvenience without a firm protest.

“I don’t see any traffic,” she said firmly, as if that should settle the matter.

“You will in just a few minutes. The first caravan of forest fighters will be here shortly with trucks and all kinds of fire-fighting equipment. They’re going to establish a base camp just a couple of miles from here. This whole area is going to be under siege before long.”

“Does that mean the road is going to be closed indefinitely?” Shannon’s sharp mind suddenly shifted into gear. What would this mean to her? She’d been a successful businesswoman because of her ability to handle unexpected situations. With dogged determination she had always made certain that she didn’t come out the loser.

“I couldn’t say how long it will be closed. It depends upon how fast the fire moves up the other side of Prospect Mountain.” His slow, unruffled tone increased her irritation.

“I don’t see why you can’t let me drive quickly up to my place.”

“Because I have my orders not to let anyone up this road.”

“Then you’re some kind of officer?” Her skepticism was obvious in her tone as she glanced over his Western shirt as if looking for a badge.

“No, just an ordinary citizen doing my duty,” he answered smoothly. “Ward Dawson’s the name. Now if you’ll back up to that wide spot and turn around, you can wait out the road closures in town.”

She glared at him. “How long will that be?”

“Well, let’s see.” He shoved his cowboy hat back far enough for her to see shocks of cinnamon brown hair framing his nicely tanned face. “Not more than a month, I reckon.”

“A month!” She echoed, horrified. Then she saw the twinkle in his eyes and gave him a glare that told him she didn’t appreciate his humor.

Ward silently chuckled. She was a testy one, all right, and he couldn’t help kidding her a little. The California license plates on her fancy sports car had told him a lot. She was a city gal, all right, and a downright attractive one with wavy hair the color of corn silk, petite features and flashing gray-blue eyes that snapped at him. He didn’t know who she was, but she sure wasn’t going to drive anywhere up this road if he had anything to do with it.

“Surely, you have to allow people to get back to their homes,” she insisted, not willing to accept his authority. She’d had plenty of practice confronting male superiors when they’d tried to tell her she couldn’t do something and had learned there were always ways to get around rules. “It doesn’t make sense to shut down a road when it’s the only one in the area.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, firmly. “But that’s the way it is.”

“Why all this inconvenience when the fire is miles away? If you want everyone to stay out of the way, just tell them to stay in their houses and off the roads until the firefighters are finished.” She mellowed her tone as if she was just offering a helpful suggestion. “That makes a lot more sense, doesn’t it?”

Ward searched her face, almost sure she was putting him on, but her steady gaze was clear. Didn’t she realize that it was anybody’s guess whether they could get a handle on the fire before it crested the ridge and threatened this hillside and all the scattered homes on it? The fire was moving at an alarming rate in three different directions. He was tempted to set her straight that there might not be any homes to return to if the worst scenario came to pass. He decided that frightening her wasn’t going to help anyone.

“They’re setting up some accommodations at the school gym for people evicted from their homes,” he told her with a firmness in his tone that didn’t invite any further argument. “Do you know where the high school is? You can’t miss it. It’s a redbrick building—”

“With a sign that says Beaver High School? I think I can manage to find it,” she said sarcastically. The small settlement of Beaver Junction would scarcely take up a three-block area in Los Angeles.

“Well, if you get lost you can always flag somebody down.”

Pulling her car in reverse, the woman made a quick turn and headed toward Beaver Junction.

Watching her car disappear down the narrow road, Ward let out a deep laugh. She was a fiery one, all right, might be worth getting to know if things were different. But in the developing emergency, he’d be surprised if he ever saw her again.

As Shannon drove to the Junction, she mentally rehearsed all the things she’d say to him if she ever got the chance. When she reached the high school, she saw with a sinking heart that the parking lot was nearly full. All kinds of vehicles were vying for parking spaces. She was lucky to find an end spot for her small car.

After turning off the engine, Shannon sat for several minutes, listening to a Denver radio news station giving details of the rapidly moving wildfire. She searched the sky and could see a haze of smoke beyond the front range of mountains that cupped the valley. The radio report affirmed that all mountain roads in the threatened areas were restricted to emergency vehicles.

After hearing the news broadcast, Shannon decided the irritating Ward Dawson policing the road had only been following instructions. She felt a little ashamed of her assumption that he was just some local throwing his weight around. She could even forgive him his little joke of telling her it might be a month before the road was open.

Surely, with a statewide alert, enough knowledgable firefighters would be able to put the fire out as quickly as it had begun. There was no reason to panic, she told herself. Sighing, she realized that she would just have to be patient and wait with the rest of these strangers.

Collecting her purse and bag of groceries, she left the car and followed the crowd inside the building. The Red Cross had arrived. Tables had been set up in the front hall with a cardboard sign that read, Register Here If You Are An Evacuee.

Am I? Shannon asked herself. She wasn’t sure just what the identification implied. As far as she was concerned, she was someone waiting for the road to clear so she could get back to her rented cottage.

When Shannon explained her circumstances, a pleasant, ruddy-faced woman handed her a form to fill out. “Your friends and relatives can contact us to know you’re safe,” the volunteer explained.

For the first time, Shannon felt a quiver of foreboding that the situation might not be as quickly resolved as she had assumed. She wrote her name on the form and handed it to the woman without filling it out.

The lady volunteer raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t there someone who needs to be notified about your safety?”

Shannon shook her head and walked away. Her insistence on independence and total privacy suddenly had a hollow ring to it. Even her closest former coworkers had no idea she had taken off for Colorado. She felt it was none of their business. No one would be waiting to hear from her. No friends or relatives would be inquiring after her safety.

Reluctantly, she joined the milling crowd in the gym where clusters of people were busily talking, looking out windows, trying to placate crying children or sitting silently on cots that were being set up as quickly as they were delivered.

A tall, angular woman wearing a Red Cross pin spied Shannon carrying her small sack of groceries. She hurried over to her and gave Shannon a grateful smile.

“Oh, good, donated food. Here, let me take that sack to the cafeteria for you. God knows, every little bit will help. We have no idea how many will need to be fed tonight.”

Shannon readily handed over the sack and watched the woman scurry away as if she held a treasure in her hand instead of a quart of milk, three bananas, a box of crackers and a six-pack of a diet drink. The idea of feeding all these men, women and children was more than Shannon could contemplate.

All over the crowded gym, people were talking quietly together. Others were fighting back tears or sitting silently as if in a state of shock. Most of the men were wearing work clothes, as if they’d been suddenly taken off some job, and the women wore casual summer tops with their slacks or jeans. Shannon felt more out of place than ever in her pale-yellow linen dress and matching designer sandals. Several puzzled glances came her way as she headed to a corner of the gym to sit down in a folding chair.

Announcements over the school’s public address system blared in her ears, but most of the information had no relevance for her since she was unfamiliar with the names of places and people. Although she had a detached sympathy for the milling townspeople around her, she felt alien to them. As the hours passed, she decided that as soon as the roads opened to general traffic, she’d leave the area and forget about losing her three weeks rent on the mountain cottage.

Ward had forgotten all about the attractive blonde in the fancy sports car until later that evening when he brought some supplies to the high school. The place was a madhouse. Growing numbers of evacuated families from threatened and closed areas had poured into Beaver Junction all afternoon, seeking refuge at the school.

A call had gone out for cots, food and supplies, and Ward had made a quick trip to his ranch, located twenty miles up the mountain valley. He and his young ranch hand, Ted Thompson, had stripped the house of some extra cots and brought them to the school.

“You’re God’s own angel, Ward Dawson,” the preacher’s wife, Laura Cozzins, told him with a broad grin on her round face as she accepted his donations.

“That’s what my mother always used to say.” Ward nodded solemnly.

Laura laughed heartily. She was a small woman with greying short hair and a ready twinkle in her hazel eyes. “Glory, glory, we must not be thinking of the same God-loving woman. As much as your parents adored you, Ward, I don’t ever remember them calling you an angel.”

“Ah, come on, now, I wasn’t that bad.”

“No, you weren’t.” She grinned at him. “Just heading down the wrong road. It was a miracle, for sure, the way you made a U-turn when you came back to the ranch to live.” Her smile faded a little. “I know it wasn’t easy for you, but the Lord wasn’t about to cut you free.”

“Yep, He had a lasso on me, for sure,” Ward admitted, remembering how hard he’d fought, trying to follow his destructive godless path in the college town where he’d been working. Both Laura and her husband had been there for him when he’d passed through his Gethsemane three years ago. After his wife, Valerie, had died and left him with an infant daughter to raise, he’d moved with Tara to the family ranch so that his older sister, Beth, could help raise his little girl. Since then, he’d learned to live in the moment and trust divine guidance to take care of the rest.

Ward gave Laura’s plump shoulders a quick hug. “You’re the prettiest gal around. If you weren’t already taken, I’d throw my hat in the ring.”

Laughing, she gave him a playful shove. “Your sweet talking is wasted on me. Now, you and Ted get busy setting up these cots before I think of some more work to keep the two of you out of trouble.”

They had just finished that job when Ward spied the California woman sitting all by herself. Her apparent indifference to the plight of others around her was disappointing but not unfamiliar. When he’d gone off to college, he couldn’t wait to leave home. Like the prodigal son, he’d thrown off all restraints and concern about others. Living campus life to the fullest, he forgot about the firm Christian values in which he’d been raised, and when he’d married his last year in college, it had been without any consideration except that he liked Valerie more than any girl he’d met, and they had a good time together. Her death when Tara was only two had left him emotionally bankrupt, and he’d come home to find himself. He didn’t know what the emptiness in the pretty stranger’s life might be, but he recognized the sign of a soul shut off from its source of peace and happiness.

“Do you know who that young woman is?” he asked his eighteen-year-old ranch hand, who usually had an eye out for any attractive female who wandered into town.

“Nope.” Ted shook his curly black head. “Haven’t seen her before. She must be new around here.”

“I know she’s staying at one of those summer homes on the north ridge,” Ward offered. “She drives a fancy sports car with a California license, but that’s all I know about her.”

Ted grinned. “Well, if you’re interested, boss, there’s only one remedy for that. Go talk to her.”

Ward wasn’t sure that interested was the right word. Curious, perhaps. Responding to Ted’s knowing grin, he took up the challenge. “You know something? I think I will.”

Shannon had stayed pretty much to herself during the long hours of waiting, wandering aimlessly around the school or sitting in a corner of the gym. When she saw Ward coming in her direction, she instantly recognized him. Oh, no, she thought, silently, as he wove his way through the crowd toward her. Now that she understood the scope of the emergency, she was a little ashamed of herself for challenging his authority. Not that she was about to apologize. He’d been secretly laughing at her all the time, and she knew it.

He seemed to know just about everyone. She watched him scoop up a little girl for a quick hug, and a moment later he planted a kiss on the forehead of a grandmotherly lady. An attractive young woman dressed in western pants, a plaid shirt and cowboy boots pushed toward him and said something that made them both laugh. As Ward tweaked her chin in a playful fashion, she looked at him with a soft expression that betrayed a strong affection.

Watching them, Shannon was filled with an emotion she refused to identify as strangely akin to envy. Jerking her eyes in another direction, she scolded herself for being interested in this cowboy’s personal life.

So he had a sweetheart or wife, so what?

“Hello, again.” He greeted her with a warm familiarity as he suddenly stood in front of her. “I see you found the school all right.”

Looking into his tanned face with its high cheekbones, firm straight nose and strong jawline, she was terribly aware of how much she wanted to mend fences with him. But she was equally determined to show him she wasn’t some whimpering damsel in distress.

“It was a challenge,” she answered lightly. “But I managed not to get lost.”

“I suspect you always know where you’re going.”

“Yes, I do,” she answered. If he was trying to get a rise out of her, she wasn’t going for the bait. “I’ve heard rumors that the wind has shifted, and the roads might be opened in the morning.”

He nodded. “Could be. I guess it depends on whether things stay the same during the night.”

“And if they do?” she asked hopefully.

“Well, I reckon that they’ll give the okay for people who live in the area to pay a quick visit to their homes. Most of them didn’t have time to bring very much with them when they were ordered to vacate.” He sobered. “It’s not easy to decide what’s important when you’re under that kind of pressure.”

“Are you one of the displaced?” she asked, wondering if he was personally involved or just volunteering to police the road.

“Nope, I’m one of the lucky ones. My ranch is farther up the valley. God willing, we’ll be spared.”

When he said, we, she glanced at his ring finger. No gold band. Feminine curiosity made her wonder who the young woman was who had hugged him with such ardor.

“Have you met any of the other folks?” he asked. Something about her obvious withdrawal from everyone around her challenged Ward to do something about it. “Why don’t you let me introduce you around, Miss—”

“Shannon Hensley. Thanks, but I’ve decided to leave as soon as the main road opens, whether I can get my belongings from the rented cottage or not.” Where she would go was another question, but she knew she wanted to see the last of Beaver Junction as quickly as possible.

“And you’ll be heading back to California?”

“No. Not right away,” she said, smothering a sigh. It was ironic, really, that she was sitting in a crowded gym with a bunch of homeless people and had no idea what she should do next. She’d spent a month applying to every high-tech company on the West Coast without even getting a nibble for a new position. She’d temporarily rented her expensive beachfront apartment, left her résumé with several employment agencies and made arrangements to come to Colorado to spend some quiet time. She wasn’t about to admit to this stranger that she was without home, family or close friends. “I haven’t made up my mind exactly where I’ll go.”

Her voice was firm enough, but Ward could see the shadow of worry in her attractive eyes, which seemed to constantly change colours from gray to smoky blue. She was wearing a dress in a shade of yellow that brought out sun-bleached highlights in her hair, and in his opinion, her figure was as eye-catching as any pictured on the cover of a woman’s magazine. Why would such a California beauty end up alone in a place like Beaver Junction, he asked himself? He would have thought that fancy resorts in Aspen or Vail would be more her style.

“Do you need to let your family or anyone know that you’re all right?” he asked, in an obvious attempt to learn more about her personal background.

“No, there’s no one,” she replied quickly. “Since my parents died, I only have one aunt I communicate with once in a while. Thank you, but I can handle this situation nicely by myself.”

Her lovely chin jutted out at a belligerent angle, and he hid a smile. There was something of a stubborn child about her that both appealed to him and irritated him. “There’s no need to be afraid—”

“I’m not afraid.” She flared at the insinuation. “I just want to get out of this place as quickly as I can. One night cooped up here with all these people will be all I can take.”

“I see. Well, good night then,” he said politely. Her apparent indifference to the plight of others around her sparked the urge to handle her the way he would a stubborn mare. It was a good thing she wasn’t going to be around long enough for a battle of wills.

Left alone, Shannon had a moment of regret that she hadn’t kept him talking to her. Nobody else had tried to strike up a conversation with her all afternoon. She knew they were caught up in the perils of their situation, and even though she sympathized with their worries and anguish, she wasn’t up to all the commotion and crush of humanity crowded together, breathing the same air and having no privacy. The whole situation was some kind of unbelievable nightmare.

As Shannon’s eyes followed Ward’s tall figure across the gym, she saw him stop to talk to a plump, gray-haired woman. During their conversation, the woman nodded, and her gaze darted in Shannon’s direction. Shannon was positive they were talking about her.

She stiffened. What was Ward Dawson telling the woman? How dare he repeat any of their conversation? She knew then that she shouldn’t have revealed so much about her family situation and indefinite plans. Shannon began simmering. She was an outsider, and fair game for the rumor mills. She could imagine what fun the small-town gossips would have speculating about her private affairs.

Shannon braced herself when Ward left the gym, and the woman to whom he’d been talking made her way purposefully toward her. Shannon knew then that her suspicions had been right.

“Hi, I’m Laura Cozzins, the reverend’s wife,” the woman said, introducing herself in a friendly, breezy manner that matched the smile on her broad face. “Sorry I haven’t had time to say hello before now. Ward told me he’s a friend of yours and that you’d love to help us in the cafeteria. We’ll be setting out some food pretty soon now, and I’m grateful that you’ve volunteered to help.”

Volunteered to help? Shannon was speechless and utterly aghast at the number of lies Ward Dawson had squeezed into one sentence. He wasn’t a friend, nothing had been said about her helping, and she hadn’t volunteered for anything.

“Come on, dear, and I’ll show where the kitchen is.” Laura smiled at Shannon. “We’ve really got our hands full. The Red Cross ladies are doing all they can, but more displaced families are arriving all the time. Two more hands will be a great help, and God bless you for offering to help.”

Shannon managed a weak smile. Telling the preacher’s wife the truth would have been too embarrassing under the circumstances. She rose to her feet and followed the preacher’s wife into a hot, crowded kitchen.

For the next two hours, Shannon cut up a gigantic mound of potatoes for French fries, cooked them in boiling oil, then served them to a seemingly never-ending line of refugees.

She was hot, sweating and had aching muscles by the time all the stranded families had finished eating. When it was time for the volunteer help to sit down at the tables, Shannon had little appetite left. Ignoring the food that had been prepared, she searched the kitchen and found one of the bananas that had been in her confiscated grocery sack.

Like a fugitive escaping, she slipped out the kitchen door. Outside the building, a night breeze bathed her perspiring face with blessed relief. A faint glow on the far horizon marred the dark night sky, and the cool air was tinged with the odor of burned wood. As she walked around the building, eating her banana and enjoying the blessing of being alone, she prayed that the wind was blowing the fire back on itself.

She didn’t see the small figure on the sidewalk ahead of her until she heard a childish voice calling in a whisper.

“Pokey! Pokey, where are you?”

As she came closer she saw a little boy about four years old standing in the middle of the walk. When he heard Shannon’s footsteps, he turned quickly and came running up to her.

“What’s the matter?” she asked, seeing his tear-streaked face.

“Have you seen my puppy dog? His name is Pokey. He’s black with white paws, and not very big.”

“No, I’m sorry, I haven’t,” she said gently. “Did he get loose?”

“We left him behind. He didn’t come when Mama called. She said we couldn’t wait to find him.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Shannon said. Pokey must have lived up to his name one too many times, and had been left behind. Even though she’d never had any pets of her own, she could certainly sympathize with the loss of one. She felt the youngster’s anguish and tried to console him as best she could.

“I’m sure he’ll be all right,” Shannon said, not really being sure about anything at the moment.

“I know Pokey would find me if…if he knew where I was.”

“He’s probably just waiting for you to come back home.”

“When can we go home?” the child sobbed, asking the question that was in both their minds. “I want to go home now.”

“I know.” She brushed a shock of brown hair from his forehead.

“I don’t like it here.”

Me, neither, Shannon added silently.

She spoke with more conviction than she felt. “I’m sure they’ll have the fire put out soon. Now, we’d better go inside. Your mother will be looking for you.”

Even as she spoke, they could hear a woman’s strident voice calling, “Kenny. Kenny. Where are you?”

Shannon took the child’s hand and led him to a worried and anxious young mother.

“Oh, thank God,” she breathed. “You scared the living daylights out of me, Kenny. I’ve been hunting everywhere for you. You know you’re supposed to stay inside unless we’re with you.”

“He was looking for his dog,” Shannon said quickly, trying to help the little boy out. “He’s worried about Pokey being left behind.”

“I know,” the mother said wearily. “The dog didn’t come when we called and called, so we had no choice but to leave without him. Our home is one of the highest on the mountain.” Her lips trembled. “We couldn’t take time to hunt for Pokey. We barely had time to collect Kenny, the baby and pack a few belongings. The road is still closed, and we can’t go back until they say so.”

“Maybe tomorrow they’ll open it, at least for a little while,” Shannon offered hopefully. “I guess it depends upon the wind.”

Kenny’s mother nodded. “I’m Alice Gordon.” She smiled when Shannon introduced herself. “I’m glad to meet you, Shannon. We’re all praying they’ll get the fire out before it makes it over Prospect Ridge.” Shannon could see her lips quiver as she took her son’s hand. “Thank the Lord, we’re all safe here.”

She disappeared inside the building, leaving Shannon alone. Not wanting to go inside, Shannon continued along the sidewalk that led to the parking lot at the far side of the school.

She slowed her steps when she reached the lot and was about to turn around when she saw Ward heading for a pickup truck parked nearby.

Shannon was debating whether to call to him and give him a piece of her mind when he glanced back and saw her in the glow of one of the high arc lights.

He waved, then came quickly over to where she was standing. “I wondered where you’d gone. Hiding out, are you?” he chided with that easy teasing smile of his.

“Should I be?” she countered, still debating how she wanted to handle this infuriating man. “Have you decided to volunteer me for something else?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Not a good idea, huh?”

“Frankly, I don’t appreciate someone manipulating me like that.”

“Sorry, I thought that it would do you good just to mix a little bit with the others.”

“Thank you for your concern, but I’m perfectly capable of looking out for myself. Good night, Mr. Dawson.”

“Wait a minute.” Her cool and dismissing manner was a new experience for him. Ward wasn’t used to having any female, young or old, treat him with such cold indifference. None of the women he’d dated since Valerie’s death had come close to leading him to the altar. He’d given the reins of his life over to God, and so far, he hadn’t found anyone who held to the same spiritual values. A deep Christian dedication had been absent in his first marriage, and he wouldn’t make that mistake again. He didn’t know why he felt the need to challenge this stubborn, self-assured woman, but he did. Even though she’d made it plain that she didn’t appreciate his interference, he couldn’t help chipping away at her crisp edges.

“Laura said she appreciated the help and told me to thank you. You know, it’s going to take all of us pulling together to get through this thing.”

His clothes were dusty and wrinkled. Fatigue had deepened the strong lines in his face. Shannon wondered how many jobs he’d taken on.

“I really didn’t mind all that much,” she admitted. “But you would never have volunteered me for kitchen work if you knew what a disaster I am when it comes to cooking.”

“I guess that was pretty nervy of me,” he admitted with a wry smile. “I just thought things might be easier for you if you mixed a little bit with the others.”

“No harm done,” she said, suddenly contrite. She was ashamed for misjudging him. “What do you think my chances are of getting back to my place tomorrow to pack up my things?”

He surprised her by answering, “Actually, I think there’s a good chance. The weathermen are predicting that the wind shift is going to last until at least tomorrow night.”

“Really? That’s wonderful.” She almost clapped her hands.

Ward was stunned at how lovely and suddenly alive and beautiful she was. In the shadow of the building, she seemed like some kind of heavenly specter in her soft yellow dress and shiny hair. An undefined jolt shot through him as she smiled broadly at him for the first time, and something deep inside responded on a level that made no earthly sense at all.

Chapter Two

A ripple of excitement and relief moved through the cafeteria the next morning when a fire chief stood in front of the refugees and announced, “All of you who have homes below Prospect Ridge will be allowed back in the area for a two-hour period.” He emphasized the time limit. “Two hours only. You got that?” His steely eyes dragged around the room. “The wind could shift at any time, and anyone still on the mountain could be caught in a fiery downdraft. Concentrate on speedily collecting the necessities, and let the rest go. Understand?”

There was a murmur of agreement from the crowd, and as Shannon bounded out of the building with the other evacuees, her mind raced. Two hours! That was enough time to get herself cleaned up with a quick shower and a change of clothes, with time left over to pack all her belongings in the car. Once the highway was open to general traffic, she’d leave Beaver Junction as fast as she could. Just where she would go to find the quiet retreat she needed was something she’d have to decide later. Right now, her pressing need was to get out of the present situation as soon as she could.

As she drove away from the school, she felt a pang of sympathy for those who would have to remain and endure a heartrending vigil, not knowing if their homes would be spared. She already felt drained and off balance.

A line of cars trailing out of town and up the side of the mountain moved at a snail’s pace, and Shannon’s agitation grew as precious time slipped away. A heavy haze of smoke billowed into the sky from some point hidden beyond Prospect Ridge, and her nostrils quivered with the pungent odor of burning wood. Her chest tightened as she realized that thick drifts of aspen and pine trees on each side of the road promised more fuel for the greedy fire if it topped the ridge and came racing downward. She clutched the steering wheel with nervous hands as she drove up the side of the mountain, forced to take the serpentine curves slowly instead of with her usual speed.

By the time she pulled into the driveway of the rented mountain cottage, she had lost more than a half hour of her precious time limit. She raced into the small house, and before she did anything else, she went directly to the telephone and dialed the employment agency that had sent out her applications. She had tried to use her cell phone, but it had kept fading out on her.

Her mouth went dry as she waited for someone to answer. Common sense told her it was too soon to expect any results, but she might get lucky, and if anyone was interested in interviewing her this soon, she could immediately head to California. Her pragmatic nature desperately needed a definite course of action. She had never been able to stand not having a specific agenda, and her present situation had heightened a need to get back in charge of her life.

“I’m sorry, Miss Hensley, we don’t have anything right now, but I’m sure it’s just a matter of time,” a pleasant woman advised her after Shannon had made her inquiry.

Time. Shannon bit her lip. Patience had never been one of her most admirable qualities. In fact, she knew that impatience with herself, others and the world in general had been a driving force in her life, but she also knew she hadn’t accomplished her climb in the business world by wasting time. She was proud of her reputation as a hardheaded businesswoman, and at the moment, she felt even more driven because her life was at a standstill.

“I would appreciate your doing everything you can to facilitate my applications,” Shannon said as calmly as she could. She wasn’t about to reveal the anxious tremors she felt inside.

“I can reach you at this number, can’t I? If something should develop?” asked the lady in her professional, optimistic voice.

Shannon hesitated. Rather than go into the long explanation of the fire and her predicament, she answered, “I’m not sure, but I’ll call you frequently and keep in touch.”

When Shannon hung up, she sat for a long minute. Maybe she should start concentrating on finding a position in another part of the country. She hated to leave the Los Angeles area, but if nothing developed in the next few weeks, she’d have to relocate and find a position elsewhere, anyway. She’d only rented her apartment on a temporary basis, but the couple who had taken it would probably sign an extended lease, or maybe even buy it. She ran a tired hand through her hair. Just thinking about giving up all that she’d struggled to create for herself brought a bone-deep weariness and anger. It wasn’t fair.

She glanced at her watch, then stood up with a jerk. She couldn’t believe how fast the time was going. Hurriedly, she stripped off her wrinkled clothes and dived into the shower, delighting in the cleansing sprays of warm water. Although they had opened the gym showers at the school to the displaced refugees, Shannon had declined to push her way into the line of people waiting to use them. Personal privacy had always been important to her, and having been raised in an affluent family as the only child, she’d always enjoyed her own things and her own space.

She sighed with utter contentment as she bathed with her favorite scented soap and shampooed her hair. She stepped out of the shower, refreshed, and quickly dressed in tailored slacks and a matching soft blue knit top. She towel-dried her shoulder-length hair and secured it in a clip at the back of her head.

She deliberately ignored the moving hands on her watch as she began packing her suitcases, giving careful attention to a small canvas overnight bag that she would keep with her. She hadn’t unpacked the boxes that had held her books and laptop computer. She took them out to the car and stowed them in the trunk, along with her suitcases. She made one last trip to fill some kitchen sacks with foodstuff she didn’t want to leave behind.

When she was ready to lock the front door of the cottage, she dared a look at her watch. She couldn’t believe it! Already a half hour past the two-hour limit. Lifting her head, she quickly searched the mountain skyline. There seemed to be more dark smoke thickening on the horizon.

She bounded down the front steps, opened the door to her car and was about to climb in when she heard some commotion behind her. She swung around. A small black dog with white feet scurried toward her, his tail wagging furiously as he greeted her enthusiastically with a friendly, puppy-size bark.

There was no doubt in Shannon’s mind that he was Pokey. She laughed as the puppy danced around her feet and put his paws on her legs. As she picked the fellow up, his little legs shot out in all directions, and his pink tongue was like windshield wipers gone berserk as he washed her face with jubilant kisses.

“I know someone who’s going to be glad to see you,” she said, chuckling as she opened the back door of the car and put him inside. “Lie down, Pokey,” she ordered, but the puppy stood on the back seat, his head cocked to one side and his tail wagging as fiercely as ever.

She tossed her shoulder purse on top of her small overnight bag and hurriedly backed out of the gravel driveway.

There was no sign of other cars on the narrow winding road ahead, and she kept glancing in the mirror to see if there were any stragglers behind her. The road was pointedly empty. She couldn’t believe everyone else had observed the time limit. Well, it didn’t matter. Once traffic was allowed on the highway to Elkhorn, she’d be on her way out of here.

She was lost in thought when suddenly, without warning, Pokey suddenly leaped from the back seat into the front, sending her purse and the small canvas overnight bag flying.

“No, Pokey, no!” she protested as the dog tried to scramble into her arms. In her effort to shove him away, she turned the steering wheel too sharply.

The car left the pavement.

Frantically she tried to bring it back on the road, but the wheels failed to gain any traction on the narrow dirt shoulder. The car began to slowly slide downward.

Panic-stricken, she fumbled with her seat belt. Before she could get it unfastened, the car sounded as if its insides were being torn out, and it stopped with a jolt that threw her forward. Only her seat belt kept her from crashing her head against the dashboard.

What was happening? The back end of the car slanted downward, and the road lay about fifty yards above. Any moment she expected the car to start sliding again.

The dog was dancing all over the seat, trying to get into her arms. “No, Pokey, we have to get out.”

The door wouldn’t open. She shoved as hard as she could, but it was wedged shut. She saw then that none of the doors would open wide enough for her to get out. All were jammed against huge boulders that had momentarily snagged the car.

She was trapped, and even the slightest movement seemed to rock the car on its precarious perch.

Ward glanced at his watch for the tenth time in less than five minutes. He was positioned at the bottom of the mountain road, checking off the names of residents who had homes in that area. Every name had been crossed off his list but one, Shannon Hensley.

“Why am I not surprised?” he asked himself. She was already an hour late. As he waited at the checkpoint, his irritation and disappointment over her disregard for instructions turned into just plain anger.

Knowing he was needed in a dozen different places, he answered his cell phone curtly when it rang, “Dawson, here.”

“Everybody off the mountain, Ward?” asked one of the fire chiefs watching Prospect Ridge.

“Not quite. We’ve got one left. A woman.”

The chief muttered something under his breath. “We’ve got trouble up here. The wind’s shifting, and our fire line on the ridge may not hold. If the sparks jump across the ridge, the whole mountain could be threatened. Get her out of there if you have to drag her.”

“Right. I’ll get on it.”

“I’ll bring her down kicking and screaming if I have to,” Ward said under his breath as he climbed into his pickup truck and headed up the mountain, driving at a speed only someone who knew the road would dare.

As Ward silently rehearsed all the sharp things he was going to say to her, he was suddenly filled with a strange impulse to slow down. He’d learned to trust an inner voice that often guided him when he needed it most, and paying heed to it at that moment proved to be a blessing once again. If he’d been driving at his former speed, he would have whipped right by the white car that was off the road without even seeing it. As it was, he glanced down the slope of the rocky hillside and did a double take.

“What in the—” He slammed on his brakes. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The fancy white sports car was precariously hung up on a shelf of large boulders a good distance below the road. Only rocks and low shrubs dotted the hillside.

Bounding from the truck, he started down the steep slope, slipping and sliding all the way. He fought to keep his balance as he scrambled over loose rocks and thickets of scrub oak.

The closer he came to the car, the tighter his chest got. He saw that by some miracle, it was caught precariously in the midst of some large boulders. If the boulders hadn’t been there, there would have been nothing to stop the car’s plunge into the deep ravine below.

“Thank you, Lord,” he breathed.

Even before he reached the car, he began to weigh the situation. How deeply were the rocks rooted in the ground? How long would they hold against the heavy downward pull of the car? Could he get Shannon out without disturbing the precarious balance that held the automobile? As these questions flashed through his mind, he saw another complication. Huge rocks hugged the sides of the car.

Shannon’s stricken pale face was clearly visible through the windshield. As he neared the car, she waved frantically to him as if he might suddenly decide to go away.

He was sure his eyes were deceiving him when he saw what looked like a dog in the seat with her. She hadn’t said anything about having a pet.

As he peered through the driver’s window, he gave her as much of a reassuring smile as he could manage and said loudly, “It’s going to be okay. I’ll get you out as fast as I can.”

He didn’t have an answer for the question he saw in her eyes. He surveyed the car. He knew at any moment the whole shelf of rocks could pull out from the ground, and everything would start sliding. One thing was certain. There wasn’t any time to waste.

He was concerned that shifting even one of the boulders could affect the balance of the others. Very gingerly, he began putting his weight against one of the rocks pinning the front door shut.

Lord, lend me Your strength and wisdom. And I could even use an angel or two, right now.

After painstaking effort, only one large boulder remained against the front door on the driver’s side. Ward breathed another prayer as he put his full weight against it. Slowly the rock began to move, and then, with one momentous shove, he sent it rolling with a crash down the slope. Afraid that the movement could have loosened the other rocks, he jerked open the door.

“Get out quickly,” he ordered. He knew that they had to get away from the car as soon as possible, in case the shelf of rocks broke away under their feet.

The dog scrambled out first, leaping over Shannon. When Ward saw that she was getting out, hanging onto her purse and a small suitcase, he barked, “Drop everything and climb as fast as you can.”

In Shannon’s shaken state, leaving all her belongings in the car and trunk was devastating. She ignored his order to drop her purse and overnight bag.

When Ward saw the stubborn set of her mouth, he grabbed the suitcase from her. “Move.” He gave her a not-too-gentle shove forward. With the dog bounding ahead of them, they scrambled up the steep slope.

Shannon was breathing heavily when they reached the shoulder of the road. Her whole body shook when she looked at the car, which so easily could have been a heap of crushed metal at the bottom of the ravine—with her in it! Tears flooded her eyes, and her lips trembled. She’d never had a brush with death before, and when she felt Ward’s arm go around her shoulder, she leaned into him, grateful for the warmth of his strong body that lessened a threatening hysteria within her.

“It’s all right,” he soothed. “You’re okay.” Thank you, Lord, Ward prayed. He gently stroked her back, and a swelling of tenderness took him totally by surprise. He didn’t understand why this woman he scarcely knew could create such a deep stirring in him. They had no common ground to build even a slight friendship, and he was certain that in any other situation, she would only be slightly amused by his presence. And yet, as she trembled in his arms, he wanted more than anything to kiss away the tears on her cheeks and bring a smile to her.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured, drawing away and swiping at her tears. Shannon kept her head lowered and didn’t look at him. Anybody with eyes in their head ought to be able to drive down an empty road without running off it. She’d always prided herself on her perfect driving record, and now this!

“Nothing to be sorry about,” he reassured her. “You’re safe—that’s all that matters. I think we ought to get going. I don’t like the looks of that sky.”

Pokey had been bouncing around at their feet, woofing excitedly as if the world was a wonderful place when people were around to keep him company.

“Come on, pup,” Ward said as he and Shannon moved toward the pickup. Without waiting for an invitation, Pokey jumped in and settled happily on Shannon’s lap.

Ward held his curiosity about the dog in check until he saw Shannon lightly petting him with soft, tender strokes. Then he asked with his usual smile, “Where did the pup come from?”

She told him about Kenny looking for Pokey last evening. “Somehow Pokey made his way to my cottage, and I put him in the back seat. I’d only driven a short distance when all of a sudden he jumped into the front seat and startled me.” Her voice faltered.

He could guess the rest of the story. She’d inadvertently turned the steering wheel, and the car dropped off the road.

“It was stupid,” she said in a tone that was edged with disgust for herself.

He was surprised she’d bothered with the dog in the first place. He suspected that underneath that polished exterior of hers, there might be a deep, caring nature.

“Things like that happen to everyone,” he assured her.

“Not to me,” she said firmly. “I should have made sure that the dog stayed in the back.”

“Well, no harm done,” he said.

Her eyes rounded as she stared at him. “How can you say that? No harm done? My car will probably end up smashed to smithereens and my belongings burned to a crisp.”

“True. I guess it’s just the way you look at it. Since you escaped without being smashed to smithereens and burned with the rest of it, I’d say no real harm was done.” He shot her a quick glance. Didn’t she realize how blessed she was that she’d run off the road in that exact spot? There were a hundred other places where there were no rock ledges to halt a sheer drop into the canyon below. “It’s all a matter of perspective, isn’t it?”

Shannon tightened her jaw and didn’t answer. What she didn’t need was someone reminding her that she should be grateful instead of resentful about the whole thing. If he started lecturing her about families who had lost everything, she silently vowed she’d get out and walk.

Ward knew she was shaken up and still scared by what had happened. He could appreciate the toll the experience had taken on her nerves, because his own were still on edge from the ordeal. Even now he could feel sweat beading on the back of his neck if he thought about what could have happened.

They drove in silence until they reached the school parking lot. As soon as Ward turned off the engine, a man with a clipboard came over to the pickup’s window.

“Is she the one not accounted for?” he asked Ward as he shot a quick look at Shannon.

“Yes. She had a little accident that delayed her.”

The man grunted as if he thought one feeble excuse was as good as another. “The wind is kicking up. They’ve called in some more tankers. Hot flames could crest the ridge by nightfall.”

“Or the fire could burn back on itself,” Ward countered, believing that positive and negative thoughts created their own energy.

“Well, you’re about the only one who thinks so,” the man said flatly and walked away.

Shannon swallowed hard. How much time left before the whole mountain went up in flames? “What are the chances of getting a wrecker to pull my car back on the road?”

“Under normal conditions, Ed’s Towing Service could give it a try. If the car stays hung up on those rocks, a pulley and cable could probably bring it up without too much trouble.”

She felt a spurt of hope. “So if they put out the fire before it reaches the ridge, and it’s safe to go back up the mountain, they could do it pretty fast?”

“Yes, they could—under normal conditions.” He hated to douse the sudden spark in her lovely wide eyes as he added, “But I’m afraid as long as the whole area is in a fire zone and restricted to official personnel, the car will have to stay where it is.”

“I see.” She turned away so he couldn’t see her face. Above everything else, she wasn’t going to give into any feminine weakness that would add to her humiliation.

Shannon clutched the small dog in her arms as they made their way into the gym, and she searched the crowd for a glimpse of Kenny. Putting Pokey into the child’s arms was suddenly more important than anything else.

Kenny saw her before she saw him. His childish cry of joy was unmistakable as he bounded across the floor. “You found Pokey.”

“Here he is. Safe and sound.” She smiled as she set the dog down, and Kenny fell on his knees, giggling as the pup washed his face with kisses.

“I love you, Pokey,” he blubbered. “Where were you? I couldn’t find you anywhere.”

Shannon’s eyes were suddenly misty as she saw the joyful reunion. She wasn’t aware that Ward’s hand had slipped into hers until she realized she was squeezing it. When she looked at him, she saw a warmth in his eyes that took her completely by surprise. Her defenses against allowing anyone to come too close emotionally shot into play, and she quickly withdrew her hand.

“She found Pokey. She found Pokey,” Kenny shouted to everyone.

All Shannon’s efforts to stay removed from everyone’s notice were wiped out in that happy moment. She felt horribly on display as Alice Gordon loudly thanked her over and over again, and other people, young and old, gathered around her, smiling broadly.

Laura Cozzins’s round face beamed at Shannon. “Bless you. That little tyke has been pining away for his dog. It’s a good deed you’ve done this day.”

“You don’t know what that good deed cost her. Maybe Shannon will tell you about it sometime,” Ward said. His smile wavered. “Then again, maybe she won’t. She’s a very private person,” he added, smarting a little at the way she had quickly dropped his hand.

Laura nodded in a knowing way. As a minister’s wife, she was obviously adept at reading emotions that lay beneath the surface. “How about a glass of lemonade and maybe a doughnut to refresh the two of you?” she suggested as if she were dedicated to feeding the body, as well as the soul at every opportunity.

“Thanks, but I’ve promised to deliver some supplies to the base camp,” Ward said, “I’m already late by a couple of hours.”

Shannon silently winced. They both knew it was her fault he’d been delayed. She quickly took her overnight bag from him and apologized, “I’m sorry I held you up. Thank you for…for everything.”

“Rescuing damsels in distress is one of my special talents,” he assured her solemnly as his eyes twinkled at her, and his mouth eased into a soft smile. “Call on me anytime.”

She wanted to say something lightly back, but she couldn’t. Her heart was too heavy.

“It’s going to be okay.” He gave her shoulder a light squeeze. Ward wanted to suggest that she join the others in prayer and meditation. Maybe, instead of shutting out God, she would gain assurance that she wasn’t ever alone, no matter what the circumstances. He’d come to his faith the hard way, and he knew Shannon was on the same kind of path. “I’ll try to come back this evening before I head to the ranch.”

She watched as his broad back and muscular body disappeared out the door. Laura had been watching the exchange between them. With a knowing smile, she slipped her arm through Shannon’s. “Come on, you can help me make some sandwiches for lunch.”

The day was long and trying, and only the hope that Ward would come back kept Shannon’s spirits from scraping bottom. The danger of firefighting became personal when Laura told her a story about a teenage Ward trying to handle a meadow fire all by himself and nearly getting trapped by the blaze before help got there.

Her heart contracted with a sudden jolt. Surely, Ward had enough sense to leave the fighting to the professionals. He was just delivering supplies, she reassured herself, but how well she knew that he wouldn’t think of his safety in a time of danger.

All afternoon and evening, she kept an eye out for him, but he didn’t show. It was Ted who came in late that evening and told her Ward had already gone to the ranch.

She wasn’t surprised. No doubt he’d had enough of her trauma and drama. Remembering the way she had gone into his arms and accepted his tender caresses, she chided herself for letting her emotions play her for a fool. As she lay stiffly on her sagging cot, she firmly resolved she wouldn’t make that mistake again. She knew better than to give her emotions free rein. There was always a price to pay for letting anyone too close. She had plenty of scars to prove it.

Chapter Three

Shannon slept very little that night. About two o’clock in the morning, fifty firefighters from a unit in Idaho arrived at the school. Since it was too late to make it to the base camp, they crowded into the gym with the rest of the refugees.

Shannon was up early and helped serve breakfast. Being in the midst of these brave young people who were willing to put their lives in danger was a startling revelation to her. Many times she had watched television coverage of California wildfires or heard about some fighter losing his or her life, but she had only been touched on a superficial level. Now that detachment disappeared, and her heart was filled with personal concern as she moved among these dedicated men who were going to battle a fierce, monstrous wildfire that was out of control.

When Reverend Cozzins said a prayer for their safety, Shannon bowed her head with everyone else and murmured a fervent amen. Even though she wanted to believe in some kind of heavenly protection, she knew it would take a faith stronger than hers to rely on any divine miracles.

The crew of firefighters left the school right after breakfast, leaving behind a mounting tension and anxiety in the crowded school. A briefing bulletin posted on the bulletin board later that morning was not encouraging. The prediction was for strong winds and high temperatures. Numerous infrared photos taken of the fire’s boundary showed an ever widening area of destruction.

“We have to do something to keep the children occupied,” declared Laura. In her usual energetic manner, she immediately started enlisting help to get some activities going. She organized several groups to play some outdoor games on the school grounds and sent some of the youngest children into the library to listen to stories.

Shannon had no intention of volunteering for anything or calling attention to herself in any way, but Kenny had different ideas. With childish pride, he pointed her out to all the kids.

“She’s the one who found Pokey. He was lost, and the fire almost got him. But she saved him, didn’t you, Shannon?”

The cluster of grinning children beamed at Shannon in a way that made her want to sink into the floor. What could she say without taking away Kenny’s moment in the limelight? “I didn’t exactly find him—he found me.”

Laura Cozzins suddenly appeared at Shannon’s side, saving her from having to say anything more about Kenny’s dog. “Well, now, I see you’ve already made friends with Kenny and his pals. Wonderful, Shannon.” She beamed. “Why don’t you take them into the art room and let them draw and color and make all kinds of wonderful things?” She smiled broadly as she elicited nodding approval from the kids. “Doesn’t that sound like fun, children?”

Shannon could have summoned a hundred reasons why she was the last person in the world to be put in charge of a bunch of kids, but she didn’t have a chance.

Kenny grabbed her hand. “You can be our teacher.”

The rest of children nodded and crowded around her with smiles and beaming faces, effectively eliminating any chance she had for refusal. As the children began to pull Shannon toward the classroom Laura completely ignored her frantic plea for help.

“You’ll have fun,” Laura promised with a chuckle, and quickly turned away to draft someone else for one of her projects.

How in the world did I get myself into this? Shannon would have rather faced a roomful of hostile executives than a roomful of squirrelly youngsters. Raised as an only child by parents who never stayed in one city very long, she had always been the new kid in school, and being around younger children had never been a part of her upbringing. She grew up in an adult world where achievement and success were the driving goals. As a result, Shannon was competitive, motivated and competent when it came to the business world, but it only took ten minutes in the art classroom with a cluster of scattering children to discover that her people-management skills were sadly lacking in the present situation.

“Everyone sit down,” she said in a normal voice, which had little impact in the noise level of excited kids darting about the room, handling everything that wasn’t tacked or glued down.

Boxes of donated supplies were on the tables. She knew that if she didn’t do something, impatient children would be diving into them, and the chaos would grow worse by the minute. It didn’t help her confidence to realize no one in the room was paying any attention to her.

She had to take charge, and quickly. Remembering that one of the first rules of a successful business leader was to command attention, she clapped her hands loudly and raised her voice above the bedlam. “Listen to me! I want everyone to sit down now! And be quiet!”

Later Shannon wondered what she would have done if the kids had ignored her, but to her relief, they quickly filled the chairs at two long tables and fixed their grinning smiles on her. She guessed that their ages ranged from kindergarten to second or third grades. Now that she had their attention she didn’t know what to do with it.

She walked over to a table and looked at the boxes of pencils, crayons, paper and a few coloring books. She cleared her throat, hoping she would sound steadier than she felt. “All right, we’re going to draw and color pictures.”

“I want a picture to color,” a curly-headed girl named Heather howled when Shannon gave the last coloring book page to someone else.

“I bet you can draw a nice picture of your own to color,” Shannon coaxed.

Heather set her lips in a pugnacious line. “I want a real picture.”

“Sorry. I’m afraid that there aren’t any coloring book pictures left,” Shannon said flatly.

“Then you draw me one,” Heather ordered with pouting lips, and shoved her plain sheet of paper toward Shannon.

Fuming silently, Shannon grabbed a pencil, and as quickly as she could she sketched a house with a flower garden and tall tree with a child’s swing in it. “There. Color that.”

Heather looked at it, then gave Shannon a broad smile of approval. “It’s nice.”

“I’m glad you like it,” Shannon said in relief as the little girl picked out some crayons and began to color the picture.

Shannon dropped down in the teacher’s chair and wondered how long it would be before she could send all the kids back to the gym.

When Heather finished coloring her picture, she started showing everyone and bragging, “See the picture teacher drew for me.”

“I want one, too.” The children began to line up at her desk, all of them wanting a special picture of their own. “Draw me something, teacher.”

Shannon’s first reaction was to refuse, but somewhere at the back of her memory was a remembered pleasure in what her parents had called her doodling. Even though an art teacher had told Shannon once that she had an artistic flair, she’d had never had time or the inclination to foster it. Giving a soft laugh, she said, “All right, let’s see what I can do.”

Quickly she sketched some simple scenes, then some cartoon figures that seemed to come easily to her. As she handed each drawing to a child, she was rewarded with a broad grin and a thank-you.

“Do one for me,” Kenny begged.

“Well, let’s see.” Shannon pretended to think. “I bet I know one you’d like.”

She was drawing a cute puppy with ears and a tail just like Pokey when she was startled by someone leaning over her shoulder. “Very good,” Ward said, as his warm breath bathed her ear.

Startled and instantly embarrassed, Shannon almost covered the sketch of the puppy with her hand so he couldn’t see. A deep conditioning from her childhood had made her instinctively want to hide what she had been doing. She could almost hear her father’s voice. Wasting your time again, Shannon!

As Ward saw the muscles in Shannon’s cheek tighten, he reassured her. “I mean it. It’s very good.”

“It’s Pokey,” Kenny said happily. “I’m going to color him black and white. And I’ll stay in the lines,” he promised solemnly, as if someone had pointed out this little goal to him once or twice. He proudly took the picture to his table.

Ward eased down on the corner of her desk, lightly swinging one leg as he looked around the room. “I didn’t know you were a teacher in the making.”

“I’m not.”

“You could have fooled me.”

He grinned at her, and she didn’t know if he was secretly amused or impressed that the children weren’t climbing the walls.

“What brings you back to the school this morning?” she asked lightly. She wasn’t going to let him know that she’d been disappointed when he hadn’t come to the school at all yesterday.

“I had a little time between chores and helping out the fire wardens this afternoon. When I came in, Laura asked me to deliver a message to you.”

“And what was that?” Shannon stiffened, wondering if the preacher’s wife had come up with another volunteer job for her.

“It’s time to let the kids go to lunch.”

She looked at her watch in surprise It was almost noon. She couldn’t believe the morning had passed so quickly. When she announced that it was time for lunch, there were some protests from those who wanted to finish their pictures.

Shannon vaguely promised they could finish their pictures some other time or take them with them. Ward sat on the edge of the desk watching Shannon while she collected crayons, pencils and paper. For some reason, his smiling approval was irritating.

“Well?” she demanded, challenging him to say something. “You don’t have to look so smug. Laura caught me at a time when I had no chance to refuse.”

“It looks like she drafted the right person, all right.”

“At least it’s better than peeling potatoes, thank you.”

Ward laughed, secretly relieved to find her spitting words at him instead of curled up somewhere battling fear. He had some bad news for her. Flying sparks carried by the wind had ignited the tops of tall ponderosa pines on the other side of the high-ridge fire line. Ground crews were scrambling to clear brush in the area, and airplane tankers were dropping fire retardant chemicals in an effort to control the blaze before it became full-blown and started down the mountainside. A dozen homes were in danger of being lost—as well as a white sports car still perched precariously on a rugged rocky slope.

“What is it?” Shannon asked as his smile faded and his forehead furrowed in a frown. Her hands tightened on the piece of paper she was holding, crushing it. “My car’s gone, isn’t it?”

“No, it’s still there.”

“But?” she prodded.

“The fire is threatening to start down this side of the mountain. New fire lines are being set up, and crews are cutting down brush and trees around some of the high mountain homes in an effort to save them.”

“And if they don’t stop it?” Even as she asked, she knew the answer.

“It could sweep down the mountain to the river and spread along the valley below.” He didn’t add that his ranch would be vulnerable to any fire sweeping up the canyon toward his pastureland. “We’re all praying that that doesn’t happen. Which reminds me, we’re going to have church services here at the school on Sunday. Our little church won’t hold this crowd, and I’m sure there’ll be a lot more worshipers than usual.” He gave her a wry smile. “Lots of people wait to make a 911 call to the Lord, you know, instead of keeping prayed up.”

Shannon refrained from commenting. She hadn’t seen any evidence that churchgoing people had it any easier in life than anybody else. The only time she was ever in a church was for weddings and her parents’ funeral. Neither her mother nor her father had held to any religious faith, and she had been brought up to believe that being a “good” person was all that was necessary.

Ward could tell from her expression that worship was not a part of her life, and for some reason, he felt challenged by her lack of spiritual awareness.

“What do you say to lunch at Bette’s Diner?” he asked impulsively. “It’s only a short walk from here, and I bet getting out of here for even an hour would do you good.”

Shannon searched his face. Was it pity that prompted the invitation? Or did he need an hour away from the heavy pressures as much as she did? There were shadows under his dark-brown eyes and visible lines in his forehead and around his mouth. She wondered how much sleep he was getting these nights.

“Sounds great,” she said honestly.

As they left the school, they passed a roped-off area where anxious pet owners were milling around kennels and cages lined up by the building. Shannon couldn’t believe the menagerie of animals—cats, rabbits, dogs and other furry creatures—that had been brought to the school for safekeeping. When Shannon spied Kenny running across the playground with Pokey on a leash, she waved and smiled at him.

“You ought to do that more often,” Ward told her.

“Do what?”

“Smile instead of frown.”

“Oh, is that your way of saying I look like a sourpuss?”

“Yep.”

They both laughed, and he took her hand with a playful swing. As his long fingers gently closed around hers, she felt a kind of peace and harmony that denied the biting odor of smoke and the wailing of emergency vehicles.

Neither spoke as they walked slowly away from the school. Shannon was surprised at her sudden sense of freedom from the pressures that had been weighing her down. Nothing had changed. Nothing at all. Her life was still in the pits, but somehow, walking hand-in-hand with him, she felt in a world apart from the shambles of her life. She’d never allowed her feelings to dominate her rational thoughts before, and every ounce of common sense told her to shut down this emotional reaction before she lost her mind completely, but she kept her hand in his, drawing warmth and reassurance from the touch.

They strolled down the hill until they reached Main Street—two blocks of clustered rustic buildings that housed one gas station, a small mercantile store, a feed store, several small businesses and one restaurant named Bette’s Diner.

Schoolchildren were bused into Beaver Junction from the whole county, since most of the population lived on ranches and scattered mountain homes. At the moment, the influx of outsiders was ten times the normal population, and the tiny network of roads around the Junction was snarled with emergency vehicles.

Bette’s Diner was crowded from one end to the other, and Ward and Shannon were lucky to squeeze into a booth just as a couple of men vacated it. They didn’t have to wait long for service. They had barely seated themselves when a waitress breezed over to them with a welcoming smile aimed at Ward.

“Hi, there. I was wondering if you were going to make it for lunch today. Somebody told me you were up at the base camp shortly after dawn.”

Shannon recognized the attractive brunette who had hugged and laughed with Ward in the gym that first afternoon. She was still dressed in Western pants and shirt, and a small apron encircled her waist. Shannon guessed she was probably in her late twenties, and the way her eyes lit on Ward made it easy to tell how she felt about the rancher.

“Judy, this is Shannon Hensley,” Ward said, quickly introducing her. “She’s waiting out the fire at the school.”

“Yes, I know,” Judy said as she darted a quick glance at Shannon. “From Hollywood, someone told me. Of course, you can’t believe everything you hear.”

“It’s true. Would you like her autograph?” Ward asked with mock solemnity.

“Are you…somebody?” Judy’s eyes widened as she stared at Shannon.

“Of course, she is. Would I bring a nobody to Bette’s Diner for lunch?” Ward asked facetiously.

“Don’t pay any attention to him,” Shannon said with a laugh. “I’m a working girl from Los Angeles.” And out of a job, she could have added.

A faint color rose in Judy’s cheeks. “I should know better than to fall for his joshing.” As she readied her pad and pencil for their order, she became all business. “What can I bring you?”

Shannon followed Ward’s suggestion and ordered baked trout, which he promised was caught fresh daily. After Judy disappeared into the kitchen with their orders, Shannon chided Ward, “Shame on you. You shouldn’t tease her like that. She likes you.”

“I know, but humor is the best defense for a lot of things, like letting friendship get out of hand.”

The way he said it made Shannon wonder if he kept all the women at arm’s length. And she remembered what Laura Cozzins had told her.

“Well, what’s your verdict?” he asked with a raised eyebrow as he leaned back in the booth.

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll tell you a little secret. Your eyes deepen into a startling gray-blue when you’re doing some heavy thinking.” His smile challenged her. “Now, don’t lie and tell me you were thinking about what kind of pie to order for dessert.”

“All right,” she said, resting her elbows on the table. “I was indulging in curiosity about some things Laura shared with me.”

He chuckled. “Well, then, I suppose I should start to deny everything just on principle.”

“Oh, she was very complimentary. She bragged about your ranch and explained that you specialize in raising Appaloosa horses. Frankly, I have no idea what makes one horse different from any other horse.”

“A real city slicker, eh? Well, you’ve come to the right place to get a little equine education.” There was an unmistakable lift of happiness to his voice as he began to tell her about his stable of Appaloosa horses. “They have beautiful markings. Brown and black spots, with white or black tails and mane, are the most common coloring. A wonderful saddle horse, and one of the best mounts for working cattle. The best thing that ever happened to me was coming back to the ranch to devote myself to raising and breeding them.”

“What were you doing with your life before that?”

“Nothing I’m proud of,” his said flatly. “My daughter was only two when my wife died, so I decided to move back to the homestead so my sister could raise her. You’ll have to come out to the ranch and meet them.”

“I’m really hoping to get out of here the first chance I get,” she responded quickly. For some reason, she didn’t want to commit herself to any personal involvement with his family. It was enough of a strain to try to adjust to a bunch of strangers. The less she knew about anyone, especially this very attractive man, the easier it would be to maintain her distance and not get emotionally involved. What a mistake it had been coming to Colorado in the first place. She’d been running away, she could admit that now. Afraid and scared, she’d thought of a mountain cottage as a sanctuary. What a laugh that was!

Ward didn’t know why the barriers had gone up. Probably she was bored to tears with all his horse talk. He wondered why he was so intent upon impressing her. Anyone with a lick of sense could see that his lackluster life wouldn’t hold any charm for her. They were from different worlds, and only a crisis like this fire would have put the two of them together in the first place. It bothered him that he couldn’t figure her out. Spoiled? Certainly. Vain? Probably. Hurting? Definitely.

When Judy served their orders, she made light conversation with Ward and then lowered her voice in a personal tone. “Am I going to see you tonight?”

“Afraid not,” Ward answered readily, giving her his easy smile. “Chores at the ranch have gotten ahead of me. I have to head back as early this afternoon as I can.”

Judy looked ready to protest and shot a quick look at Shannon as she turned away.

Was he breaking a date with her, Shannon wondered. It was obvious that the waitress thought she was going to see him tonight. Were they more than just friends? If Judy was his sweetheart, Shannon didn’t approve of the way he might be standing her up. Was this his usual way of toying with the opposite sex? Her earlier warm and comfortable feeling about him was gone. They finished their meal with only sporadic, desultory conversation.

As they came out of the café, Shannon decided she wanted to pick up a few things at the mercantile store. “I’d like to buy some more coloring books. I don’t want a repeat of this morning.”

“Why not? I’d say you are really talented, drawing all those pictures. Are you an artist in the making?”

“Me?” Shannon protested quickly. “Heavens, no. That’s just doodling—at least that’s what my mother called it. She used to get furious with me for wasting my time, drawing pictures all over my notebooks and scratch pads. Believe me, I haven’t done anything like that for years.”

“That’s too bad. You looked as if you were enjoying it.”

“I was just relieved to find something that would keep the children quiet. It’s worth buying some coloring books to keep them busy.”

There was a crowd in the small, old-fashioned store. Long counters were piled high with a variety of merchandise, and Isabel Watkins and another clerk were kept busy waiting on the customers. Shannon and Ward went their separate ways for a few minutes, and she found a half dozen coloring books, which could be torn apart. She also purchased several children’s card games, which she intended to donate to Laura’s recreational activities.

Ward was waiting at the checkout counter with a small sack of his own when she finished shopping. If another day or two went by without her belongings, she knew she’d have to spend some money to replace a good many things. As it was, she was already over the weekly budget she’d set for herself.

“Would you mind waiting while I make a telephone call?” she asked Ward when she spied a phone booth a short distance down the street. The telephone number she’d given the employment agency was useless—she had packed her cell phone in her cosmetic case when her purse had been too full to hold it. “It’ll just take a moment.”

“Sure thing.” He took all the sacks and leaned against the corner of the booth as she closed the door and made her call. It didn’t take long to hear the same disappointing story. No response on her résumés yet.

“Keep in touch,” the artificial, upbeat voice of the employment lady told her.

Ward refrained from asking any questions as they walked in silence to the school, but he could tell from the flickering tightness in the muscles around her mouth that the telephone call had not been a happy one.

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