The Rose Ring

by Lucie Ulrich

  Zeke dipped his chin. “Ma’am.”

  Sky smiled warmly. “It’s nice to meet you, Zeke.”

  Micah pointed. “The bearded wonder across the table is Red Wallace.”

  Red’s cheeks took on the same shade as his overgrown whiskers. “Howdy, ma’am.”

  “Hello, Red.”

  “And this here is Doug Springfield. He doesn’t talk much, but there’s little he doesn’t know about ranching.”

  “In that case,” Sky said, “maybe I can coax a thing or two out of you. I’m new to the ranching world, and I can use all the help I can get.”

  “Pleasure, Mrs. Cooper.”

  “Wow, all this ma’am and Mrs. Cooper talk makes me feel old. What if you all just call me Sky?”

  All three men looked to Micah at once. Much to his dismay, they’d all gone from calling him “Micah” to “boss” the day his grandfather passed away. No matter how hard he tried, they refused to call him anything less. He turned to Sky. “Good luck convincing them.” He stood. “Guess we’d better head out.”

  “Will I see you for lunch?” Sky asked.

  “No, we’ll be too far out. Annie’s packed us some sandwiches and stuff.”

  “Oh.” She twisted her fingers. “I thought I’d see you before dinner.”

  Micah sensed her apprehension. This was all new to her, but there wasn’t much he could do about it. He felt sure she’d get used to it in time. “I’m afraid not, but I’m sure between Annie and schoolwork, you’ll find plenty to keep yourself busy.” He waved for the others to follow him. “Let’s go, guys.”

  They headed to the open mud room to don their outer gear.

  It surprised Micah that Sky followed. He faced her. “I should be back before sunset.” As he spoke, he felt three pair of eyes on him and knew what they were expecting, so he leaned in and gave her a quick peck on the lips. “See you tonight.”

  Zeke scratched his head. “Are you sure you two are newlyweds? I’ve been married for goin’ on twenty-seven years, and I gave my wife a better goodbye kiss than that just this morning.”

  Sky reddened, and Micah felt his own cheeks warm.

  “Then again, I didn’t have an audience.” Zeke opened the back door. “Come on, boys. Let’s leave these lovebirds alone so the missus can give her man a proper send-off.”

  They may have walked outside and shut the door, but Micah knew if he turned around he’d find them peering through the window. “Can you see them?”

  Sky rose on her toes and peeked over his shoulder. “Yes.”

  “Look, I know I didn’t handle things well yesterday, but I won’t live it down if I don’t kiss you. Do you mind?”

  The corners of her mouth rose in a playful smile, and there was still a bit of color in her cheeks. “I wouldn’t want you to be ribbed all day, so I suppose I can suffer through it.”

  “This is awkward, but if we want people to believe our marriage is the real thing—”

  Before he could finish his thought, Sky wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him toward her. Her lips were soft and inviting. He hadn’t anticipated the passion she offered, and before he realized what he was doing, he slipped an arm around her waist, pulled her close, and kissed back.

  Her cheeks were in full bloom and her lips moist when she broke the kiss. “That should convince them,” she said, her voice husky.

  Micah’s heart beat wildly as he stared into those beautiful, near-black eyes of hers. “You’ve practically convinced me.”

  “Have a good day, Micah.” She stroked his cheek and sent him on his way.

  A biting cold wind slapped him back to reality the moment he set foot outside.

  Zeke pounded him on the back. “Now that’s the way to kiss goodbye.”

  “I’ll say,” Red added.

  The two of them laughed and carried on all the way to their truck.

  Doug, who’d remained quiet up to now, climbed in with Micah. “She’s a real pretty lady, boss. Seems nice too.”

  Micah was still reeling from the kiss. He hadn’t expected his own reaction and wasn’t sure what to make of it. But Doug was right on both counts. “Thanks, Doug. She’s just what you said.”

  ****

  The tea kettle’s shrill whistle matched the ringing in Sky’s ears. She returned to the kitchen on shaky legs. Flushed and finding it hard to breathe, she lowered herself onto the nearest chair. She hadn’t expected Micah to kiss her back that way.

  Annie set the teapot on the table and took a seat. “You might want to let that steep for a while. Looks like you could use a strong cup this morning.”

  “I think you’re right.” Sky saw no point in trying to hide her burning cheeks. Apparently Annie was like Carl and didn’t miss much.

  “Something tells me you didn’t exactly object to that kiss.”

  “Not in the least.”

  “That’s sorta what I figured.” She took a sip of her coffee. “Can I ask you something?

  “Sure.”

  “What exactly are you hoping will happen in the next two years?”

  Sky poured tea into her mug. How much was she willing to share with the woman who knew Micah better than anyone? Could she trust her? It was hard to say this early on. She added honey to her tea. “My number one hope is to see Micah through this time with as few complications as possible.”

  “And your number two hope?”

  They locked eyes. “To belong to a family for as long as I can.”

  If Annie had anything to add, it was going to have to wait. The back door opened. Noah peeked into the kitchen and grinned. “Got enough breakfast for someone too lazy to fix his own?”

  “Depends.” Annie stood and walked to the stove.

  “On what?”

  “Whether or not you’re willing to do KP afterward.”

  Noah lifted his hands, turning them in front of his face. “What? You want me to dip these well-manicured nails into hot, soapy water?”

  Annie placed her hands on her hips. “You want to eat?”

  He wrapped his aunt in a hug and lifted her off the ground.

  Annie slapped playfully at his shoulder. “Put me down this minute, you crazy fool.”

  Sky chuckled at their antics. There was a sparkle in Annie’s eyes and a different smile than when she looked at Micah. Maybe it was because Noah had been gone so long, or maybe it was just her imagination.

  “What’s going on?”

  All three turned toward the mud room. “Micah,” Sky said, “What are you doing back?”

  He strode into the kitchen, eyes fixed on his brother and aunt. “I dropped my thermos and the lid popped off. Came back for a refill.”

  “Let me get that for you,” Annie said when her feet hit the floor. She reached for the thermos.

  Features taut, Micah focused his attention back on his brother. “Seems I’m missing out on all the fun. You entertain the ladies every morning?”

  Sky studied Micah’s sullen expression. He was a great guy, but nowhere near as fun-loving as Noah. Everything was serious to Micah these days. She chalked a lot of his attitude to the situation his grandfather put him in, but wished he’d ease up a bit.

  Noah held up both hands. “Relax, Micah. This is only the second breakfast I’ve had in this house since arriving. I’m just enjoying the morning.”

  “Don’t make more of this than there is.” Annie handed Micah the thermos. “It does a body good to laugh from time to time.” With a gentle shove, she ushered him toward the back door. “Dinner will be waiting when you get home.”

  “Micah, wait.” Sky grabbed a coat and followed him outside.

  He stopped and faced her. “I’m sorry. I’m still having a hard time wrapping my brain around all the changes.”

  “Join the club.” She took a few steps in his direction. “This is weird for all of us. I don’t expect you to like things the way they are, but for whatever reason, Noah is able to bring some humor into the situation. Maybe it’s just an act, or may
be it’s his way of trying to reconnect. Thing is, he makes me smile. But more importantly he makes Annie smile. Please don’t take that away from her.”

  Micah stared at her. A deep purple hue tinted the sky behind him. Nickering from the stable was barely audible over the motor of his truck. The air was cold and as still as the man standing in front of her.

  He closed the gap between them. “I didn’t think it would be this hard.”

  “I get that, and I understand. Just don’t ask me to take sides in your war.”

  He hit her with that lopsided smile. “I’ll do my best, ma’am.” Leaning in, he gave her icy cheek a kiss. “See you tonight. Maybe we can see if there’s a good movie on TV, or something.”

  “I’d like that.” Only after he turned his back to her did she bring her fingers to the spot on her cheek he’d kissed. It felt warm to the touch. Within seconds her whole body had gone warm. That man had an effect on her like no one else. She wondered if she’d ever affect him the same way.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Noah watched Sky and his brother from the small window in the mud room. He hadn’t expected the kiss. He couldn’t see their faces, but they stayed close long enough for him to believe maybe his brother thought more of Sky than he let on. A twinge of jealousy pinched his heart. For all his talk of bachelorhood, a stable family life was something he longed for.

  “Eggs are ready.” Annie called from the kitchen.

  He returned to the kitchen and eased into a chair. Annie set a plate in front of him and filled a mug with fresh coffee.

  Noah bowed his head and whispered a silent prayer of thanks. It felt strange after so many years — strange and right. When he looked up, Annie had her head cocked. He chuckled. “Yes, I really prayed.”

  “Good.”

  He dove into the fluffy eggs. “How long did you say Sky and Micah have known each other?”

  “Close to a dozen years.” She reached for a pair of oven mitts.

  “That’s a long time.”

  “It is.” Annie slid a tray of fresh biscuits out of the oven and handed him one before putting the rest in a basket.

  Noah split it in half and slathered both sides with homemade blackberry jam. “So what’s their history?”

  “Why do you ask?”

  “Just curious.”

  “You aren’t going to do anything foolish, are you?” She brought the basket to the table and sat across from him.

  “What are you talking about?” He bit into the melt-in-your-mouth biscuit, sloughing off her question, but Annie was relentless. If ever eyes could bore through a person’s soul, his aunt’s could. It was enough to make him stop in mid-chew. He took a swig of coffee in order to down the biscuit. “I’ve already told you. I’m not here to make trouble.”

  “But you like Sky. I can see it.”

  Noah set his mug down. “Sure I like her. I might even flirt with her a little, but it’s all in fun. Sky is a married woman. Not only that, she’s married to my brother. I may have done some things I’m not proud of in my life, Annie, but even I have my limits.” He returned her hard stare.

  “I’m sorry.” She reached across the table and gave his hand a quick squeeze. “Since coming home you’ve given me no reason to doubt you. Guess I’m looking to put out a fire that hasn’t started.”

  Annie’s eyes softened, and her gentle touch brought back a flood of bittersweet memories. No matter how badly he messed up, she’d always had a kind word — after reading him the riot act, of course. “I need you to trust me, Annie. But just for the record, I’m not going to ignore Sky for the next two years. She’s part of the family now, and I plan on treating her that way.”

  She nodded. “Well, now that that’s settled and all the men have been fed, it’s time for the ladies.” She went to the fridge for more eggs.

  The back door opened and shut again. Sky hurried into the kitchen and grabbed her mug of tea. She took a sip and shuddered. “It’s cold. I’m going to make a fresh pot.”

  Her subtle smile told Noah her talk with Micah had gone well.

  She edged around Annie, pinching a piece of biscuit from the basket. “Delicious, Annie. You put Carl to shame. But if you ever tell him I said that, I’ll deny it to my dying breath.” She lit a flame under the kettle.

  “Guess I’d best keep quiet then.”

  Sky’s melodious laughter filled the kitchen. It was a nice sound, and Noah hoped he’d hear it often. He switched his attention to his aunt. “I’ve decided to take your advice, Annie. I’m driving into Missoula to trade the convertible in for something a little more winter-friendly.” He turned in his chair. “How about it, Sky? Want to tag along?”

  Sky looked at him over her shoulder. “Are you out of your mind? Were you not in the same room as your brother a few minutes ago? Besides, I know as much about cars as I do about cows.”

  “I’m asking whether or not you want to tag along with Annie and me.”

  Her cheeks pinked. “Oh, I thought…”

  Annie narrowed her eyes. “I didn’t catch on that I was invited.” She cracked several eggs into a bowl and whisked vigorously.

  “Come on, ladies. Let’s make a day of it. I’ll even spring for lunch.”

  The frying pan sizzled when Annie poured in the eggs. “I suppose I could manage a few hours away, though I see no need to eat out when there’s plenty of food at the house.”

  “True,” he said, “but you deserve some time off.”

  “There’s also no need to go all the way to Missoula.” Annie added salt and pepper to the eggs. “Elk Flats has grown some since you left. Jeb and Bo Wilkins run a small dealership on the edge of town. I’m sure they’d be more than happy to take that fancy little car off your hands. We can decide about lunch once the deal’s been made.”

  “Sounds good.” He finished the last of his coffee and pushed from the table. “I’ve got some work to catch up on, so what’s say we head out in an hour?”

  Sky poured hot water into her mug. “Tell you what. I’ll go too, but only if you drop me off at Carl’s while the two of you haggle.”

  “Great. Annie and I will haggle, so you get to choose the restaurant. The diner is fine with me, but if you want to go somewhere else, that’s okay, too.” Noah set his mug in the sink. “While you’re visiting with Carl, why don’t you see if you can get him to join us? That way it’ll be boy-girl, boy-girl.”

  Both women glared at him, and he took that as his cue to get to work.

  ****

  An hour and forty-five minutes later, Sky slid out of the backseat of Noah’s convertible. It definitely wasn’t suited to the climate and terrain, but she would have loved to be able to take a ride in the summer with the top down.

  Noah lowered the passenger window. “Give me your number, and I’ll call your cell when we’re done.”

  “I don’t have a cell phone, but I’ll give you the diner’s number. Whoever answers will know me.” She recited the number and waited for him to punch it into his phone. When he was through, she waved and sprinted into the diner.

  A young couple sat at a booth close to the front door. They didn’t look familiar, and the map spread out in front of them pegged them as tourists just passing through. Sky figured she had an hour before the lunch crowd arrived. She spotted Carl through the pass-through. He had his back to her. She removed her down jacket and took a seat at the counter. “Can’t a girl get any service around here?”

  Carl spun around, a grin on his face. “I wondered how long it’d be before you came by.”

  She laughed. “It’s only been a couple of days.”

  “Feels more like a couple of months. Get back here and give your old boss a hug.”

  Sky hurried to the kitchen, tossed her things on the break room table and threw her arms around him. He returned her hug using only his arms. His gloved hands were coated with meatloaf mixture. “Today’s special?” she asked.

  “Uh-huh.” He stepped back and removed the gloves then tossed them
into the trash. “You going to stick around for lunch?”

  “I’m not sure. Annie and Noah are car shopping. I’m supposed to choose a restaurant, but Annie isn’t crazy about the idea.”

  Carl limped to the other side of the kitchen to retrieve a bottle of ketchup. “Got any particular place in mind?”

  “I haven’t decided yet. Barnaby’s had a pretty good breakfast. Might be nice to see what their lunch menu is like. I don’t get out to places like that often.” She waited for his response, but Carl didn’t take the bait.

  He removed four loaf pans from the cupboard and set them on the counter next to the meatloaf mixture. “Hand me the non-stick spray, would you?”

  She grabbed the can and tossed it to him. “So what do you think?”

  “About what?” Carl put on a fresh pair of gloves and packed meat into the pans with the precision of a brick maker.

  “About going to Barnaby’s? Do you think it’s a good idea?”

  “Honey, if you prefer rich sauces and tiny portions over good, old-fashioned home cooking, then you deserve what you get.” He slid the pans into the oven and set the timer.

  She laughed. “I’ve missed you, Carl.”

  Carl removed the gloves before pulling her into another hug. “They treating you okay out there in the sticks?”

  “So far so good. Annie can be a bit intimidating at times, but I like her.”

  “How are the boys getting along?”

  “Things are still a little tense, but not as much as when Noah first came to town.”

  Carl hitched himself up onto a stool, something he only did when his leg bothered him. Sky knew better than to say anything. He shifted, causing the stool to squeak. “And how are things going between you and Micah?”

  The thought of this morning’s kiss heated her cheeks. “We’re both still getting used to the idea of me being there, but I’m not hating it.”

  Carl smiled. “Okay, I won’t ask why you’re blushing.”

  She stepped up to his chair and kissed his cheek. “I appreciate that.”

  “Wanna wait tables for an hour or so? Liz is back, but only part-time. Julie is getting bigger by the minute, and Jim has the flu. No pressure. Just something to keep you busy until you head off to Barnaby’s.” He winked.