The Texas Ranger's Reward

He nodded.

“When we get inside, you have to autograph it.”

“Auto—?”

“Autograph’s a fancy word for your name.”

“Okay. I can print it.”

“I didn’t doubt it for a second. Come with me.”

Once the three of them reached her office, Melissa walked around the desk and opened the top drawer. “Here’s a good pen, Casey. Take the drawing over to the table by the books. After you print your name, you can put up your picture using those tacks on the board.”

“Where shall I print it?”

“Anyplace you like. Make sure it’s big so everyone can see it.”

Casey got down on his knees to get to work. That’s when Travis knew his son was no longer thinking about his leg. He chuckled as Casey’s tongue rubbed against his lower lip while he carried out her suggestion.

“Here,” she said when he was done, “I’ll make a little more room for it.” While she helped Casey mount the drawing, Travis returned the felt-tipped pen to her desk, then wandered over to see the finished product. But he found himself looking at the skein of lustrous hair caught at the nape of her neck with a coral flower clip. This morning she wore gold studs in her earlobes. Her fashion sense held strong appeal for him. Almost as much as her gorgeous body did.

“I love it!” she declared, drawing Travis’s attention back to the drawing. His son had put his name coming out of the tip of the rocket, with each letter getting a little bigger. “I especially like the way you make your y with the curlicue on the tail.”

Casey smiled again. Every time she opened her mouth, she built his son’s confidence, Travis realized.

“This calls for a celebration.” She walked back to her desk and reached in the drawer for a small envelope. Handing it to Casey, she said, “Inside this are three passes for your dad to take you and a close friend to a fun movie. And I have one more thing for you. It’s in the clinic kitchen. I’ll be right back.”

Travis felt the gift giving had gone on long enough, and would have told her so, but she left the office too fast. He sat down with Casey. “That was certainly nice of her. Be sure to thank her for those passes when she comes back in.”

“I will,” he answered, sounding preoccupied. Travis didn’t know how Casey felt about his latest present, but was glad he didn’t say he’d have preferred a toy. “Hey, Dad, look at the picture of the huge bulldog! I wish I could take that one home.”

Travis automatically complied, glancing toward the fabulous collection as he shook his head.

“Sorry, bud. That one stays on the wall.” If he had a dollar for every time his son wished for something …

Pretty soon Melissa came back with a bakery carton of iced cupcakes decorated in autumn colors, and put it on the table with some napkins.

“I noticed on your medical chart that you had a birthday a couple of weeks ago,” she said, “but since you weren’t in school, you didn’t have a chance to celebrate. Every kid celebrates birthdays at school. Today would be the perfect day to take these to class. The other kids will love a treat. There’s enough in the box for the three of us to have one before your dad drives you to school. Your teacher’s waiting for you.”

Casey looked as dumbfounded as Travis felt. “She is?”

“Of course. Doesn’t everyone go to school on Wednesdays?” Casey nodded. “She’s looking for one Mr. Casey Stillman to show up. Did you meet her at a parent-teacher conference before school started?”

“No. I couldn’t walk.”

“Well, you can now! Here—try one.” She opened the lid. “You pick the color you want.”

At first Casey couldn’t decide. Travis reached for a yellow one and ate it in two bites, his eyes meeting Melissa’s in amusement before she bit into hers. Finally Casey made his choice and devoured it quickly. She handed him a napkin, so he could wipe the frosting off his face. “If you’re thirsty, there’s a drinking fountain across the hall,” she said.

“Okay.” He slid off the chair and left her office.

Travis got to his feet, hardly knowing where to start thanking her for all she’d done. But before he could get a word out she said, “Quick—find your son and go. I’ll follow you to the front doors.” She picked up the cupcake carton and they left her office, gathering Casey along the way.

“I wish you could have stayed longer,” she explained to him, “but I’ve got another patient waiting for me. Have fun at school.” She handed the cupcakes to Travis. “Bye, Casey.”

“Bye.”

Her brilliant strategy had left his son confused. She’d been right; now was the time to act. Travis walked beside him to the car and they took off for his school, not giving him the luxury of thinking about what had just happened.

“Dad? I want Melissa to go to the movie with us.”

Oh, no. He should’ve known! “She meant you should take one of your friends, Casey. I was thinking Blaine.” He was a boy Casey often played with, who lived down the street from them.

“I don’t want to go with him. She’s more fun!”

She was definitely that. And maybe too clever? Travis wanted to believe the therapist had no ulterior motive when she’d handed him those passes, but he couldn’t be sure. If she was interested in him, then this wasn’t the first time a woman had tried to get his attention through his child.

Since moving to Utah, he’d met attractive women who’d come on to him, but he’d felt no answering spark and couldn’t pretend otherwise. After one date, he couldn’t bring himself to repeat the experience.

“We don’t have to worry about it now. The passes are good for six months.”

“But I want to see Spider-Man with her this week before the movie’s gone!”

“We’ll have to talk about it later.” Relieved that the school was in sight, he pulled into the parking lot.

Because Travis had talked with Casey’s teacher several times already, she handled the interruption to her morning class like the pro she was. The kids were delighted to get treats, and enough fuss was made of Casey that Travis could slip out before his son could decide he didn’t want to stay.

Travis would never have thought of using his son’s birthday as a way to get him back to class. But Melissa’s tactic was the kind of thing Valerie might have done, and it had worked. He drove straight to the P.I. firm on Wasatch Boulevard, feeling as if he’d just survived a blizzard before reaching the top of Everest.

En route, he rang Deana and told her Casey was back in class, hopefully for the whole day. Travis planned to pick him up, but he would appreciate her staying until they got home, in case something went wrong before the school day was over.

Because of the therapist’s clever handling of his son, life looked as if it might be getting back to normal. He was indebted to Melissa and her unorthodox methods. At the same time, he felt conflicted. He knew it wasn’t her fault she reminded him of Valerie. And therein lay the problem. She wasn’t his deceased wife. That woman was gone. More than ever he didn’t want to be around her stand-in.

With a groan of frustration, he pressed on the accelerator, anxious to get to his office. What he needed was to dig into a new case, something that kept him physically active so he wouldn’t have time to think. Roman had told him that a half-dozen cases he’d probably like were waiting for him. He could choose the one that appealed to him most.

As for Casey, he would have to go to the movie with his father and his eleven-year-old cousin, Jack. Or maybe just the two of them would go. He’d given in to his son’s wishes long enough.

ON THURSDAY Melissa rushed inside Rinaldo’s at the lunch hour. The place was crowded, but Tom had grabbed a booth and was waiting for her. She walked over and sat down opposite him.

“Sorry I’m late, but my last appointment lasted longer than I’d planned.”

“Don’t worry about it. I took the liberty of ordering our lunch, since I know you have to get back to work soon.”

“I do. Thanks for going ahead. You’ll be glad to know I’ve finished my part of our project.” Melissa handed Tom the portfolio containing the artwork she’d done in watercolor for his book.

After the waitress brought their food, she ate while he looked through it. “These are perfect, Melissa.”

“I’m glad you’re pleased. Go ahead and take it to your office to scan everything before you send it off to your publisher.”