Rocky Mountain Match Read Free

hadn’t He helped her? Why hadn’t He protected her?
    She wanted to trust God, wanted to rest knowing that He was watching out for her. But it seemed a mountain of anguish stood in her way of finding the childlike innocence she’d once had.
    Squeezing her eyes tight, she refused to let her past get in the way of this new job assignment. When Uncle Sven had wired her about this opportunity, it was like a thousand Christmases all wrapped into one. This was a chance to start fresh, far away from the continuous reminders. A chance to distance herself from the constant threat she felt back home.
    Squaring her shoulders, she studied the man before her.
    Stubborn. She’d seen it more than once while working at the Braille and Sight-Saving School, but she’d never encountered someone so dead set on refusing help. His imposing stance spoke far louder than the words of protest she’d overheard as she’d waited on the boardwalk for the doctor to summon her.
    “I won’t keep you two any longer.” Dr. Drake’s voice broke into her thoughts. “If you need anything, Miss Ellickson, please don’t hesitate to let me know.”
    Nodding, she smoothed a hand down her full damask skirt, pasting on a tranquil smile in spite of feeling as if he was leaving her to one mean, hungry wolf. “We’ll be just fine.”
    She watched the doctor’s long strides take him down the walk and almost wished she could follow. Scanning the tidy yard surrounded by a white picket fence, she experienced a measure of safety. But as she slid her gaze to the rugged Rocky Mountains, she felt a tangible unease at the untamed land.
    While she turned to face her new student, she braced herself before she spoke. “I can understand your discomfort, Mr. Drake, if my presence here doesn’t sit well with you. If it eases your mind at all, I can assure you that you will get neither pity nor charity from me,” she stated simply, hoping to allay such fears.
    “Quite honestly, you’ll get as much out of this as you’re willing to put in,” she added, unsuccessfully trying to gauge his response. “And if you readily embrace a challenge as your brother says you do, I think that you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the outcome.”
    From the stoic stance he’d demonstrated so far, she’d obviously underestimated the doctor’s claims that he was stubborn. Had Uncle Sven not vouched for Mr. Drake’s stellar character and assured her safety with him, she might just turn and leave for good. Which was exactly what he wanted right now.
    And precisely what he didn’t need.
    Firming up her wilting strength, she made a desperate grasp for boldness as she stood directly in front of him. “Mr. Drake, you need me. And I’m prepared to give you my all to help you gain independence. So perhaps we should begin our first…”
    The words died on her lips as a low, deep growling sound came from the porch’s dark shadows. Her breath caught in her throat. Hair prickled on the back of herneck. She flicked her gaze to where a mound of black fur lumbered into the sunlight.
    “Bear!” Stifling a scream, her books dropped to the porch floor. “Quick! Get inside! He’s coming!”
    She lunged for Mr. Drake and wedged between his large frame and the clapboard house. Fear gripped like a vice, clamping down with brutal force as she wrapped her arms around his broad chest and tried to tug him toward the front door.
    “Mr. Drake, please. We must—get to safety!” she grunted, struggling in vain to move him.
    Peeking around him, she could see the hulking black bear closing in on her, its wide boxy head hung low, thick shoulders bearing its lumbering mass, and its long fluffy tail…
    She froze. Grasped his chest tighter as waves of prickly heat spread through her. Bears didn’t have tails. Did they?
    Narrowing her gaze, she braved another glance around Mr. Drake’s chest, all firm and muscular beneath her tight hold, to see a huge dog with a head the size of a barrel staring at her