It’s most likely diaper duty, or it might be an early lunch, but I don’t mind.
Not ever.
Every second I get to spend with these guys is my life now. It’s what makes me tick.
The park. The Ranger duties? Those are just work. Home is where the heart is, and family is where the soul is.
“Coming, babies!” I call out, hustling up the stairs through the kitchen and into Stacey’s den.
“I’ve got an assignment due I’ve got to send in. Can you be a doll and change Beatrice, maybe get her a bottle too?” she asks, handing me our baby angel who gurgles with amusement.
Reminding me just how much our world revolves around her, but loving every minute of it.
Beatrice is a quiet baby, only letting us know when she’s upset if things are really not to her liking.
She loves to be held and cuddled though, watching either mommy or daddy work, while she blows bubbles and fills her diaper with determination, especially when neither of us should have the time, but always make it for her. No matter what.
“I thought you did that module, handed it in last week?” I ask, worried Stacey’s taking on too much with her online degree, already planning our little trips into both town and the city so she can complete her degree modules on-site.
Being the wife of a ranger doesn’t automatically make you one, and Stacey agrees, she’s going through the regular channels, with no help from me to get where she wants to be.
Ranger Stacey.
I kind of tear up every time I think of it like that, but I’m so proud of her, and I know little Beatrice is too.
And her dad, Greg? Don’t even get him started on him, he’ll bale you up for a good half hour, telling you his daughter should be the next congresswoman, not just a park ranger with a law degree to boot.
Heading to the kitchen to fix Beatrice her lunch as well as change her, I take a second by the back door, cradling her tiny body in my arms, and look out on what we’ve made so far.
I’d say it isn’t much, but Greg and anyone else who visits tells us both that we should slow down, that we’re maybe trying too hard.
But the work here, at home? It isn’t work at all. It’s us. It’s our future and it’s little Beatrice’s future too.
For her husband or partner someday too.
Almost forgetting her diaper and her lunch until I feel Stacey’s arms wrap around us, letting me know she’s done now and asking how she can help.
“I was just thinking…” I tell them both. “Maybe little Beatrice here needs a younger brother or sister to boss around. Give her something to do once she’s old enough,” I reflect.
“Maybe daddy needs to tie a knot in it,” Stacey teases me, taking Beatrice and making a face once she smells her diaper.
“I’ll get her lunch ready then,” I tell her, watching her walk to the changing table, counting the minutes in my head until Beatrice is asleep and daddy can have some quiet time with Mommy.
“Did you finish your assignment?” I ask, trying to sound innocent but my eyes betray me, traveling up and down her body as my true intentions show.
Stacey rolls her eyes, but smiles.
“Yeah, I did. And no thanks to you, we’ll have more than enough playmates for little Beatrice here. Maybe I should postpone my degree?” she says to herself, bouncing our baby girl and cooing into her ear that mommy likes babies just as much as she does studying.
I move over to her, hugging her from behind, kissing her neck.
“I’ll support whatever you choose, baby. But if you need more help from me, with anything. Just say so,” I tell her.
Suddenly feeling maybe I don’t need to spend so much time restoring the ancient baby furniture, we can just buy the store made stuff.
“That’s not what I meant, Ben,” she smiles again, kissing me tenderly. Beatrice gurgling before she starts to kick and hoot for food.
Her tiny feet pushing out in her onesie, making her mom and I laugh.
“I know,” I reply, “but I just want to keep things as they are, perfect. You’re happy, I’m happy… We’re all happy.”
“We can have more though, right?” Stacey asks, looking eager. Her eyes wide and shining with a look I recall from a year ago.
“You mean—” I gasp, feeling my heart bloom when she nods with excitement.
“No dad here, just mommy telling daddy and baby Beatrice she’s gonna have a baby brother or sister soon!” she squeals, and I can’t help but join her, slapping my thigh and praising everything holy.
“Blessed, we’re truly blessed, my loves,” I tell them both, holding them extra tight and wondering if it’s time to start building that second story onto the house after all.
“We’ve got time yet,” Stacey assures me, but I can already see the plans in my mind.
A bigger house.
A bigger ranch.
We’re gonna need it.
Extended Epilogue
Three Years Later
Stacey
The radio crackles to life, a sound that never gets old to me.
The crunch of static before something that’s almost always a call for help, unless it’s just Ben checking in.
But he’s got a two kid and daddy bath going down the hall, and this call is on my own frequency.
Here we go again.
I prepare myself for whatever lies ahead, glad I pulled an extra lasagna out of the freezer for Ben and made up some more bottles for baby Mikey earlier on.
Some days I just sense it.
Maybe it’s the weather, but like Ben, himself tells me all the time. “You’ve just got a Ranger’s heart. It’s in your bones.”
“Sorry to call you so late, Stacey,” My off-sider Barb calls in. “But we’ve got a tricky one.”
“Go ahead, B,” I chime in, eager to hear which critters need our help today.
“Not pretty. A pair of beavers found in a trap. I’ve got vet rescue on the way, but we’ll need somewhere to house these babies once they’re freed,” Barb says, some emotion showing in her voice.
I never picked up on it, all those years ago, but Deputy Barbie was actually longing to be a ranger herself. And with my own encouragement, she hung up her deputy hat for a ranger’s one.
Traded in the bleached bangs and nails for scratched up arms and long nights, rescuing furry friends and sometimes not-so-friendly animals too.
I sigh heavily though, always making a face when I hear about wildlife getting caught in places they shouldn’t so needlessly.
Some of these traps are decades old, and most of our rescues come from old traps, reckless hunters, or plain old car trauma.
Cars meet wildlife 101.
It’s a program Ben himself petitioned through his contacts in Congress, using his old family contacts as well as his own experience and influence in the department.
The ranch is now an animal shelter for native wildlife, with our own vet and rescue team on call, around the clock all over the Park.
The ranch is the final resting place for many, but a place of healing and recovery for so many more.
We have eagles, bears. Barn owls and otters. Everything else from jackrabbits to stray or abandoned or neglected livestock.
Goats, pigs, and sheep.
Groundhogs and snakes, even an escaped lion from a wildlife park that was shut down years ago.
It’s a lot of work, but I don’t do it alone.
Ben is here, and the foundation he set up, as well as the grants and private donations, makes it a model for what some are calling the new wildlife reserve.
Human hands helping to get sick or injured animals well and then back to where they belong.
I get the details and then check in on dad.
Not a ranger himself, but our most valued volunteer who I let stalk my channel through his scanner.
“Get all that, dad?” I ask, knowing he’s already on it.
“All over it, Stacey. Meet you out there,” he says, and I make a face sile
ntly, remembering this is probably not the best night to be heading out alone for work.
I figure he’s probably forgotten, and once he hears me clicking and clipping all my gear together, I can’t help but notice his sigh echoing from the bathroom.
“Tonight?” he calls out, and I decide to face the music, besides, the kids need their kiss goodnight from mommy.
Standing in the doorway of our bathroom, I crease a smile.
Ben in his robe, bent over the bath, making sure our two little ones get some solid fun as well as a wash after their dinner.
But it’s Ben who looks up at me with real pride in his eyes.
“You gotta go, huh?” he asks, and I relay the basics to him. The local Beaver population is something he has real concerns for.
“Dad’s meeting me there, so is B,” I tell him, hoping he won’t mention it. Our anniversary, which he doesn’t.
But I do.
“I’m sorry, hun,” is all I can manage, but he knows what I’m talking about.
I lean in and kiss both our babies, too busy with bath toys and bubbles to notice boring old mom right now.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll give them their milk and then a story,” Ben says, but he doesn’t look disappointed or sad.
He doesn’t look like a man who feels like he’s missing out on anything.
We both have it all, right here.
Our home.
Our family.
Our life’s work.
“I love you, Ben,” I tell him tenderly, stroking his lips with mine, but really needing to get going.
“I don’t think you know how much I love you right now, Stacey,” he tells me, a little shine of moisture in his eyes.
“Or your beavers,” he adds with a sly grin.
“I’ll save some for you,” I promise, and then I go.
Not just because I have to, but if I stay another second I won’t be able to take just how much love can be in one room. One household.
But I set out with a thrill, knowing that it’ll all be waiting there for me when I get back.
Cold, late, and grouchy from hunger. With Ben and our babies waiting.
Asking how it went, and always eager to help out.
Always waiting for mom when she gets home.
My heroes.
My family.
Our family.
Ranger Ben, and Ranger Stacey.
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A MAN WHO KNOWS WHAT HE WANTS
Book 1: Baby Lust
Book 2: Veteran
Book 3: Built
Book 4: Bambino
Book 5: Rescued
Book 6: Leader
Book 7: Professor
Book 8: Burned
Book 9: Worldly
Book 10: Pistol
Book 11: Policed
Book 12: Driven
Book 13: Lucky 13
Book 14: Lumberjacked
Book 15: Protector
Book 16: Carpenter
Book 17: Italian Stallion
Book 18: Gardener
Book 19: Budapest Billionaire’s Virgin
Book 20: Billionaire’s Babysitter
Book 21: Cocky CFO
Book 22: Fireman’s Filthy 4th
Book 23: Mechanic
Book 24: SEAL’s Secret
Book 25: Police, Pooch, and Smooch
Book 26: Fireman’s Fake Fiancée
Book 27: Billionaire’s Virgin Ballerina
Book 28: Bitcoin Billionaire’s Babysitter
Book 29: Veterans Day Daddy
Book 30: Cowboy’s Christmas Carol
Book 31: Police Officer’s Princess
Book 32: Statham
Book 33: Bodyguard
Book 34: Greek God
Book 35: Billionaire Single Dad's Babysitter
Book 36: Mountain Man
Book 37: SEAL’s Justice
Book 38: Royal Romance
Book 39: Doctor Mountain Man’s Special Delivery
Book 40: Crocodile Dan D
Book 41: Mountain Man’s Secret Baby
Book 42: Doctor Bad Boy’s Secret Baby
Book 43: Cop’s Babysitter
Book 44: Nanny for the Cop Next Door
Book 45: Small Town SEAL’s Saving Grace
Book 46: Cop’s Fake Fiancée
Book 47: Billionaire’s Nanny
Book 48: Cowboy’s Babysitter
Book 49: Steamy
Book 50: Brother’s Best Friend
Book 51: Possessive Professor
Book 52: Firefighter’s Babysitter
Book 53: Soldier’s Secret Baby
Book 54: Ward’s Independence Day
Book 55: Doctor Next Door
Book 56: Possessive Policeman
Book 57: Coached by the MMA Fighter
Book 58: Boss’s Babysitter
Book 59: Virgin in New York
Book 60: Rock Star’s Baby
Book 61: Possessive Protector
Book 62: Possessive Australian
Book 63: Best Friend’s Brother
Book 64: Possessive Cowboy
Book 65: Summer Romanced
Book 66: Possessive Prince
Book 67: Lovers’s Enemy
Book 68: Cop’s Best Friend
Book 69: Possessive Firefighter
Book 70: Football Next Door
Book 71: Doctor December
Book 72: Possessive Canadian
Book 73: Blue Collar Billionaire
Book 74: Possessive K-9 Cop
Book 75: Possessive Brazilian
Book 76: Hockey Obsession
Book 77: Possessive Boston Irish American MMA Fighter
Book 78: Halloween Next Door
Book 79: Possessive Russian
Book 80: Baseball Mine
Book 81: Cop’s Caribbean Captive
Book 82: Instalove Island
Book 83: Dad’s Best Friend
Book 84: Thanksgiving with Dad’s Boss
Book 85: Possessive Italian Neighbor
Book 86: Possessive Portuguese
Book 87: Possessive Christmas Cop
Book 88: Russian’s Obsession
Book 89: Possessive Doctor’s Christmas
Book 90: Possessive Parisian Pilot
Book 91: U.K. Boxing Day
Book 92: Jealous Russian Stalker
Book 93: Italian Mountain Man
Book 94: Aggressive Russian
Book 95: Possessive Valentine
Book 96: Possessive Hunter
Book 97: Dad’s Russian Mafia Friend
Book 98: Russian Teacher
Book 99: Australian Obsession
Book 100: Russian Next Door
Book 101: Dad’s Irish Friend
Book 102: Nanny for the Russian Mafia
Book 103: Best Friend’s Dad
Book 104: Basketball Babymaker
Book 105: Possessive Veterinarian
Book 106: Brother’s Fireman Friend
Book 107: Brother’s Canadian Cowboy Friend
Book 109: Dad’s Italian Mafia Friend
Book 110: Dad’s Irish Mafia Friend
Book 111: Dad’s Football Friend
Book 112: Possessing His Dancing Queen
Book 113: Brother’s Cop Friend
Book 114: Halloween With Dad’s Best Friend
Book 115: Claimed By Her Boss
Book 116: Possessive Rider
Book 117: Dad’s Ex-Biker Buddy
Book 118: Possessive Undercover Cop
Book 119: Falling For Her Boss
Book 120: Claiming His Fashionista
Book 121: More Than Dad’s Best Friend
Book 122: Thanksgiving With
Dad’s Best Friend
Book 123: Bossy Italian
Book 124: Christmas With Dad’s Mafia Friend
Book 125: Maid For The Italian Mafia
Book 126: Nutcracker
Book 127: Cowboy Cerrone
Book 128: Chef’s Kiss
Book 129: Claimed By The Russian
Book 130: Bought By The Italian Mafia
Book 131: Hot Nerd
Book 132: Dad’s Italian Mafia Boss
Book 133: Mine
Book 134: Taken By The Thief
Book 135: Curves Ahead
Book 136: Her Mafia Valentine
Book 137: Doctor Valentine
Book 138: Maid For The Irish Mafia
Book 139: Winning Her Curves
Book 140: Dad’s Cartel Best Friend
Book 141: Dad’s Greek Mafia Friend
Book 142: Lawyer’s Obsession
Book 143: Attending Her Curves
Book 144: Maid for the Russian Mafia
Book 145: Priest
Book 146: Claimed By Dad’s Best Friend
Book 147: His Curvy Office Obsession
Book 148: Easter with Dad's Best Friend
Book 149: Veterinarian's Obsession
Book 150: Curves For Her Older Boss
Book 151: Mob Lawyer's Curves
Book 152: Maid For The Doctor Next Door
Book 153: Possessive Forest Ranger
Book 154: Nurse For The Russian Mafia
Book 155: Dad’s Fireman Friend
Book 156: Russian Mountain Man
Book 157: Possessive Italian Doctor
Book 158: Dad's EMT Best Friend
Book 159: Claimed By The Publisher
Book 160: Mr. CEO
Book 161: His Curvy Castaway Obsession
Book 162: Claiming His Reunion Obsession
Book 163: Claimed By Dad’s College Friend
Book 164: Dad’s Detective Best Friend
Book 165: Attending The Russian Mafia
Book 166: Dad's Biker Best Friend
Book 167: My Dad's Russian Mafia Friend
Book 168: Possessive Landlord
Book 169: Gardener For The Mafia
Book 170: Possessive Fighter
Book 171: Claiming Her Sweet Curves
Book 172: Possessive Camp Counselor
Book 173: Claimed By Dad's Italian Best Friend
Book 174: Possessive Neighbor
Book 175: 4th of July With Dad's Best Friend