Her Texas Ranger Hero by Rebecca Winters

and she didn’t like it.”
    Luckey took his time answering. “You’re right. I’ve had a lot of time to think about it. Truthfully, Linda needed me to plan my life around her even when we weren’t together. Though she was the most important thing in my life—or I wouldn’t have married her—I enjoyed my career. She resented those times when I had to be away, knowing she wasn’t on my mind. I’m sure that sounds very harsh and selfish of me.”
    â€œNot at all. My father loved his career, too. Mom knew it and would have gone crazy if she didn’t have her own life. Did Linda have a career when she married you?”
    â€œNo. She wanted to be a stay-at-home wife and mother like her own mom.”
    â€œSome women want that.”
    â€œI know, and that’s fine. When we married, I worked hard to make enough money so she could stay home. I thought she was happy and we tried to have a baby right away, but it didn’t happen. We talked to her OB and were checked out. He saw nothing medically wrong with either of us and told us to relax and give things time. But Linda just got more worked up as the months went by without her getting pregnant.”
    â€œSoo-Lin has been going through the same experience. I’m so sorry for you and your ex-wife.”
    â€œTwice in our marriage I had to be away when it was her fertile time. One night when I got home from a case, she made a demand. Either I give up law enforcement and find another career that didn’t keep me away from her, or she was going to leave me.”
    â€œHow painful for both of you.”
    â€œIt was. I loved Linda, but she’d asked me to do something that I knew would turn me into a person I wouldn’t like. In time she wouldn’t have liked me, either. So we separated. I hoped she’d have a change of heart. We both wanted a miracle, but it wasn’t meant to be and so we divorced.”
    Ally moaned inwardly. “Thank you for telling me.”
    He found her hand and threaded his fingers through hers. “I’m glad you asked. Now I want to know if you’ve made your decision about teaching me Chinese. I’m free tomorrow for my first lesson.”
    A laugh broke from her. “You said you’d give me until we got home.”
    â€œI’m an impatient man. Today you’re discovering my many faults.”
    As far as Ally was concerned, he didn’t have any. The explanation about his failed marriage had answered a lot of questions for her.
    â€œAll right. One lesson. Have you ever taken a foreign language class?”
    â€œThree years of high school Spanish.”
    â€œHow did you do?”
    â€œYou don’t want to know.” She smiled. “I wouldn’t blame you if you think I can’t do this,” he added.
    â€œI’m convinced you could do anything, Luckey. It’s a question of how much time you have before your work prevents you from being able to keep it up.”
    â€œI won’t know until I try.”
    Or until you’ve solved this case and grow bored with me. She didn’t know if she had what it took to keep a man like Luckey Davis. All she knew was that she’d met an exceptional human being who blew every other guy she knew out of the water.
    They reached Austin as the sun was setting. When he pulled up in front of Ally’s parents’ ranch, he said, “What would be the best time for me to come over tomorrow?”
    Ally wished they didn’t have to say good-night, but he hadn’t suggested they do anything else. “Why don’t we say four o’ clock. That will give me time to finish my paperwork.”
    â€œThat sounds perfect.”
    â€œI’ll leave the briefcase with you and get it back later. Thank you for the wonderful lunch and the company. See you at four.”
    She opened the door and got out, knowing he probably had Ranger business to work on. After the revelation