Chapter Twenty Seven
Garrett drove to town and parked his truck in front of the jewelry store.
Debating whether his decision might send Riley running in the opposite direction, or whether she’d welcome the idea of safety and security.
In his mind, Garrett knew she was the woman for him.
He loved Tara, too, like a little sister. It felt… right.
Getting out of the truck, he walked into the jewelry store to browse the engagement rings. Garrett told himself he didn’t have to propose right away. He’d buy a ring if he found one and hold onto it.
“Can I help you, sir?” the saleswoman asked.
Garrett smiled warmly at her. “I’m browsing.”
The woman giggled as she leaned in, showing her ample bosom. “What type of ring does she like?”
“I don’t know. I want to surprise her,” he said, leaning over the case to scan the selection.
When he imagined the ring, he didn’t see her with something big or gaudy.
She liked to ranch and cook. An idea formed in his mind as he recalled Riley telling him about her mom’s necklace.
The turquoise pendant represented her family.
Garret knew he wanted to incorporate it into her engagement ring.
“Do you have any turquoise jewelry?” he asked, scanning the cases.
“Yes, we have a small selection over here,” she said, leading him to another section of the store.
“Do you, by chance, make custom rings?” he asked, perusing the selection.
“Yes, we do. Did you have something in mind?” she asked, producing a laptop from under the register.
“Can you make a marquise-cut diamond with a turquoise stone on the band?” he asked as he noticed a bracelet with an intricate design, weaving platinum and turquoise together. “Something like this,” he said, pointing to the bracelet. “Can I see it?”
She opened the case and laid the bracelet on a black velvet display. “We can weave the turquoise with the wedding band. When you put the set together, it’ll resemble something like this,” she said, turning her computer around.
Garrett grinned. It represented Riley.
“Of course, I’m not the jeweler who makes it.
He’ll need to know the ring size and the date you want it for.
I’m sure he has all the materials, but if he’s missing anything, he can have it here within two weeks.
Do you know what size you’re considering for the diamond?
” she asked, typing the details on a form.
“Maybe a carat? She doesn’t like anything flashy,” he explained. “How long will it take to make?”
“The jeweler will be here tomorrow. I can text you an approximate date after he checks the order. If he has the materials, it can take about a month to six weeks,” she informed him, putting the bracelet back in the case.
Garrett hesitated. “I think I’ll take the bracelet today.”
“Do you want me to gift wrap it for you?” she offered, taking it out.
“Yes, please,” he said, thinking about Riley’s birthday coming up in two weeks.
The engagement ring would keep until he felt the time was right.
He browsed the cases while the saleswoman wrapped the present.
He spied a pair of delicate earrings with the same turquoise.
Tara might like a pair to match her necklace.
“May I add these earrings to my purchase?” he called to the saleswoman.
“Absolutely. Do you want these wrapped, too?”
“If you don’t mind,” he said, feeling pleased with himself for finding exactly what he wanted.
She took his card, swiped it, and handed him the bag as he signed the receipt.
Distracted by his purchases, he didn’t pay attention to the men standing by his truck until he stepped to the curb. The hairs on his neck bristled as he noticed his mother’s boyfriend, Kenny. The asshole smiled widely at him.
“I see you went shopping,” Kenny said, tossing his cigarette to the ground.
“Boy, you’re like a bad penny and keep showing up when nobody wants you,” Garrett remarked as he searched for any signs of his mother.
“It seems we have some business to take care of,” Kenny said as his two flunkies moved closer to him. Garrett braced himself for the attack.
“I believe we took care of your business when you spent time in prison for arson,” Garrett said, appearing relaxed.
Kenny chuckled. “I believe you have my property. She has the prettiest blue eyes and blonde hair you’ve ever seen.”
Garrett’s jaw ticked with anger as he stared Kenny down. “Leave her alone, Kenny. It’s not her fault my mom has bad taste in men.”
“Me and little Riley struck up a deal. She hasn’t come through on her end, and I’m thinking she’s found the grass greener on the other side.”
Everything in Garrett stiffened. Did Riley set him up? “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m warning you one time, stay away from Riley and Tara. If you step foot on the Haven Ranch, they’ll kick your ass from here until next Sunday.”
“Riley promised she’d get close to you. I didn’t think she’d manage to do it this fast. They play a good game of charity cases,” Kenny said, letting his remark dangle.
Garrett set the bag on the truck as his nostrils flared, keeping him from tearing Kenny apart. The world might be a better place without him. He yanked Kenny closer to him by his shirt. “I won’t tell you again. Leave Riley out of this,” he growled.
Kenny threw his head back and laughed as the two men joined him. “She must’ve crawled underneath your skin. Riley’s got one hell of a body on her. Tara’s a bit too young for me, but she’s growing up into a beauty.”
Garrett snarled. “Do you want me to end you right here? Tara’s underage. You don’t know shit.”
“Did Riley play the poor innocent victim game? She did it all the time with customers at the bar. They bought her all kinds of things. Did you see the turquoise necklace one of the cowboys gave her? It’s something else. I wonder what she did to earn it.”
Garrett saw red. “Shut up, Kenny. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll walk away.”
“I want my woman back. She agreed to get close to you to learn about the money you owe your mother. It seems she found a sweeter deal with you and plans to take for herself,” Kenny surmised.
“Let me see if I can guess what game she played.” He tapped his finger to his chin.
“You like to protect women. You’re her perfect mark.
Did she play the damsel in distress? I believe she mentioned something about making you believe you hit her with your truck.
I guess the goose egg on her head for mouthing off came in handy. ”
A dark cloud began to overtake his brain as he imagined sweet Riley in cahoots with Kenny. No. It’s impossible.
“You broke her arm. When I found her, you held her prisoner in a room with no windows or doors. A padlock kept her from escaping,” Garrett said, “Is it the only way you can keep a woman these days? You have to kidnap them?”
“It made you believe it, didn’t it?” Kenny hissed.
“What kind of woman works in a biker bar without picking up a few tricks of the trade? Her kid sister ran to my bar for protection when her drunk father came searching for her. We offered her some protection if she did us one favor. It’s time for Riley to come home now. ”
“You’re not putting your grubby paws on her or her sister,” Garrett promised.
“You mean sweet little Tara? She’s a character. I can’t believe you fell for her crocodile tears when she drove Stitch’s car to the old farmhouse. Then again, she does whatever Riley tells her.”
Doubt started to simmer in the back of his mind. Everything Kenny said carried a ring of truth. “Where’s my mother?”
“She’s hanging out with the club whores. She told Riley exactly what kind of woman you like. Bernice feels a bit slighted about her inheritance. I’m sure we can come to an arrangement. You tell Riley to come home. We can work out the money between us men.”
“We’re not working out shit,” Garrett gritted out. “Tell my mother to go to hell.”
Kenny laughed, getting on Garrett’s nerves.
The two men took a step closer. His hands curled into fists as he prepared to take his fury out on Kenny and his men.
He should’ve known better than to believe how perfect everything seemed between them.
His mind raced as he recalled how she told him the story about her mother when she hinted at the hat.
No. She insisted he not buy it. But didn’t that make him more determined to get it for her?
What about Tara? The kid seemed like a genius. Did they play him for the new laptop? He recalled Tara smiling from ear to ear, glancing at Riley. Now the memory seemed skewed. Did they have a secret pact?
Garett bit the inside of his cheek, bringing him back to reality. Riley sucker punched him in the heart, and his chest struggled to breathe.
“Hey, brother,” Julio’s voice broke through his mist of failed relationships. “Did you need some help?”
Matthew and Julio stood behind Kenny’s henchmen, showing a united front.
“No. They’re leaving,” he said, sending a snarl in Kenny’s direction.
“Come on, boys,” Kenny said, glancing over his shoulder. “It appears we need to prepare for a homecoming.” He sent a sly smile Garrett’s way before hitting his shoulder as he walked past.
Julio’s eyebrows knitted together in concern. “You doing all right?”
“Yeah. Why did you come to town? Aren’t you picking up Tara?” Garrett asked, tugging on his beard.
“Megan dropped her stuffed animal when they picked up some groceries,” Julio explained. “Matthew brought Mac to the doctor’s office to check his prosthesis. He fell harder than we thought. I’m on my way to pick up Rebecca and the girls. We saw you having words and thought you might need some help.”
“It’s fine,” he said coldly.
“Jameson’s due to arrive home tomorrow. Do you mind switching to the ranch schedule so he can patrol?
It calms him. He ran into another dead end.
Maybe you can peek at the file and see if you notice any inconsistencies.
We’ve pored over it enough times, we know it by heart.
We want this woman found,” Julio said. “We owe it to her.”
“I’ll talk to Jameson tomorrow,” Garrett said, swiping the damn bag from the hood of his truck. No longer interested in giving it to Riley, he tossed it in his back seat.
Returning home, he stopped by the barn long enough to give Julio enough time to pick up Tara. Despite her complicity, he blamed her sister.
Garrett banged his fists on the steering wheel and yelled with rage.
After seeing the scum boyfriends Bernice always brought home, he vowed he’d never hit a woman.
Thinking back, he picked apart everything Riley said as they watched the funny sitcoms. Did she really like ranching?
Did her mother really die as she described?
The only thing his heart concluded was she played him like all the other women of his past.
Bernice and Kenny probably got the laugh of a lifetime.
He vaguely wondered why Kenny and his gang showed up in Embers.
Then again, his mother seemed relentless about the money.
Almost every week, she sent him scathing letters about how he screwed her over.
Ha. She didn’t qualify as a sucky mother.
Even they stayed present in their child’s life.
With every new boyfriend came a fresh set of fists, a different town, a secret place to hide.
His anger grew, his chest hurt, and his heart felt broken beyond repair.