The Rose Ring

by Lucie Ulrich

  Sky looked at her watch. “I can give you an hour. I need to run some errands before we head back to the ranch.”

  “I was only kidding.” He reached for her jacket. “We’ll manage.”

  She pushed the jacket away. “No way. I’m here, and I’m able. Let me do this, okay?”

  Carl didn’t argue.

  When the hour had passed, Sky turned in her apron and asked Carl to divide her tips between Julie and Liz. She put on her jacket and grabbed her purse. “That was fun. Thanks, Carl.”

  “Will I see you back for lunch?”

  “If Noah and I can talk Annie into it.”

  Carl pulled the meatloaf from the oven. “You get that stubborn woman to eat here, and I’ll eat the bill.”

  “I’ll see what I can do.” She zipped her jacket and headed out through the front door.

  The sidewalk and streets were clear of snow, though the temperature hadn’t risen much since she’d sent Micah off hours earlier. Most store windows displayed some sort of Thanksgiving motif. Her smile grew with every pilgrim and pumpkin she passed.

  Sky stepped into the used bookstore. The tinkling of the overhead bell and musty smell were as good as comfort food to her. Browsing the dimly lit aisles, searching for a treasure was one of her favorite pastimes. But today was not a day for browsing. She walked directly to the counter. “Is my book in, Mrs. Barstow?”

  “Just came in this morning.” The diminutive, gray-haired woman reached under the counter and slid a secondhand copy of To Kill a Mockingbird toward her. “I tried calling, but your number was disconnected. Then I remembered hearing you’d gotten married a few days ago. Kind of sudden, wasn’t it?”

  Sky refused to be pulled into a conversation she had no desire to engage in. “Would you mind putting the book in a bag?”

  The shopkeeper offered a friendly smile. “Of course.” She slipped the book into a small paper sack and double-folded the edge. “Please don’t mind the musings of an old woman. I’m happy to see you married to the Cooper boy. You’re a much better catch than that other one. Always had her nose in the air. Never did see the two of them together.” She patted Sky’s hand. “I wish you every happiness, Sky.”

  “Thanks, Mrs. Barstow.”

  Sky gathered her package and left for the drugstore. She wouldn’t fool herself into thinking every day would be this good, but there wasn’t a single thing she could think of that would ruin her morning.

  Unlike Mrs. Barstow, whose face lit up the moment Sky walked into the bookstore, nobody bothered to look her way when she entered the drugstore. Grabbing a handheld shopping basket, she took her time strolling up and down the aisles. Unsure of when she’d get back to town, she filled her basket with super-sized bottles of apple-scented shampoo and conditioner, a large tube of toothpaste, a new toothbrush, and a two-for-one special on deodorant. After tossing in a large bag of chocolate-coated peanuts, she headed toward the checkout counter.

  A sudden burst of laughter caught her attention. The familiarity of it nearly caused Sky to drop her basket. She eased to the end of the aisle, willing her assumption to be wrong. Her heart sank when she spotted a tall woman with long blond hair leaning against the cosmetics counter.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Sky locked eyes with Morgan through the cosmetic counter mirror. They both froze momentarily. Morgan soon went back to chatting up the salesgirl while Sky continued her trek to the front of the store. She paid for her purchases and hurried outside.

  She hadn’t gotten ten feet when Morgan came up behind her. “Hello, Sky.”

  Morgan’s soft-spoken voice stopped Sky on the spot. Sky didn’t want to acknowledge the woman’s presence, much less have a conversation with her. She took in a calming breath and turned around. Ignoring her would only delay the inevitable. “Hi, Morgan. Are you home for a visit?”

  “No, I’m home for good.”

  Sky’s stomach lurched. Whatever appetite she’d worked up left with those five words. “What about your job with the horse trainer? I thought it was everything you wanted.”

  Morgan smiled through sad eyes. “It didn’t take me long to realize I’d made a mistake. I came home to make things right.” Her next attempt at a smile failed. “Daddy told me. About you and Micah, I mean. I know I should congratulate you, but I’m not sure I can.”

  For a brief moment, Sky almost felt sorry for her. Morgan had made her choice and now she’d have to live with it, just as Sky and Micah would have to live with theirs. Or would they? Would Micah ask her for an annulment now that Morgan was home? Sky was his wife, but Morgan was the one he loved. Advantage Morgan.

  Sky’s grip on her bag tightened. “I’m sorry things didn’t work out for you. Hopefully you’ll be able to move on the way Micah has.”

  Morgan’s green eyes flashed. “Daddy told me there’ve been a lot of changes at the ranch in the last few weeks. I understand moving on, but I have to tell you I find it hard to believe Micah would jump into marriage so quickly. Especially with someone he claimed was just a friend.”

  Despite the frigid temperatures, Sky’s body heated. If Morgan discovered the truth, she’d make a fool out of everyone involved. Sky stiffened her spine and straightened her shoulders. It wouldn’t bring her nose to nose with the woman in front of her, but it would make her feel nearly as tall. “You’re the one who left an opening. And for the record, I didn’t make the first move.”

  “Since we’re being honest, I feel it only fair to tell you that I never stopped loving Micah.” Morgan adjusted her purse strap on her shoulder. “I don’t know what this is all about, Sky, but you know as well as I do rebound relationships seldom work.” She turned around and left, her silky hair bouncing with every step.

  On her walk back to the diner, Sky’s stomach rumbled with anxiety and anger. How dare Morgan come back to town and issue a challenge that could only mean trouble? Her pace increased. She needed to talk to Carl.

  With a flourish, she pushed the back door open and tossed her purchases and outerwear on the break room table. Heat flushed her cheeks. “You are not going to believe it.”

  Carl pulled a large knife from a drawer. “What’s got you so riled?”

  “Morgan’s back. And she’s staying.”

  “I had a feeling she wouldn’t be gone for long.” Carl plated two meatloaf specials and then reached for the bowl of homemade chicken salad and two slices of whole wheat bread. “She’s too close to her father.”

  Sky plopped onto the stool. “She may have missed Daddy, but apparently not as much as she missed Micah.”

  Carl spread a liberal amount of the chicken salad on the bread and topped it with crispy lettuce. “I’m not surprised. They were a couple for a long time.” He sliced the sandwich and set it on a plate, along with a handful of wavy potato chips and a dill pickle spear.

  “So what now?” She bit her thumbnail. Micah had given her a glimmer of hope this morning, and she didn’t want it to fade before having a chance to grow into something more.

  Carl set the plated food on the pass-through. “Order up.” He tossed a couple of burgers on the grill and dished out a bowl of chili. “What do you mean?”

  Frustration tightened Sky’s muscles. “Come on, Carl, you know exactly what I mean.”

  “Look, honey, I warned you about reading more into this situation than it warranted.” He leaned through the opening. “Chili’s up, Julie.”

  “I’m moving as fast as I can.” Julie patted her belly and grinned. “Junior is moving as much as I am today.” She handed Carl a plate. “Fred said his steak is still mooing.”

  Carl shook his head. “If I cook this thing any longer it’ll turn to charcoal.”

  “What can I say?” She grabbed the chili and waddled away.

  Sky let out a frustrated sigh. “So what do you think?”

  Carl flipped the burgers. “I think the lunch rush is on.” He planted a light kiss on her forehead on his way to the refrigerator. “I know you’re upset, and I unders
tand. What do you say we talk about this as soon as I get a break?”

  For the first time in ten years, Sky felt completely out of the loop. Despite Liz and Julie’s slowness and Jim’s absence, things appeared to be running smoothly. Her help earlier had been minimal and not really needed. Other than being a standin wife, she wasn’t needed at the ranch either.

  Every noise in the place seemed exaggerated. The grill popped and sizzled, voices from the dining area rose a decibel. Even the bell over the door sounded like it came from St. Matthew’s across the street. The mixture of burgers, chili, and meatloaf turned her stomach.

  While Carl focused on the burgers, Sky grabbed her jacket and hurried out of the diner. If anyone spoke to her, she never heard them. She walked three blocks before feeling the need to put her jacket on. A white puff appeared with each breath as she kept to a brisk pace, not stopping until she reached the cemetery.

  Winded, Sky folded her arms across the top of the wrought iron fence. She stared at hundreds of headstones, some dating back to the mid-eighteen hundreds. The thought of stopping by her mother’s grave site was a fleeting one. The woman had offered little valuable advice in life, and Sky doubted death had made her any wiser. She remained rooted until her breathing regulated. A blast of wind caused her to look skyward. Flat, gray clouds swirled overhead.

  She pushed away from the fence and headed back toward town. The wind picked up and sporadic flakes of snow flitted before her eyes. She tugged a knit cap from her pocket and pulled it low over her ears. Unfortunately, her gloves weren’t in the other pocket. If only Micah would show up the way he had a few weeks ago. Then again, did she want him to? What if they ran into Morgan? A shiver coursed through her that had nothing to do with the cold and wind.

  Sky pulled her hands into her sleeves and shoved them into her pockets. Head down, she walked into the wind. Halfway back to town, she caught her foot on a tree root. Unable to free her hands in time, she lost her footing and tumbled down a slope on the side of the road. She slid under a large bush and didn’t stop until her head made contact with something hard.

  ****

  Noah opened the passenger door of his newly acquired mid-size SUV “What do you think, Annie?”

  “It’s a way to get from here to there.” Annie climbed in and reached for her seatbelt. “Don’t see why you need all the fancy doodads Bo talked you into.”

  Noah chuckled. “Bo didn’t talk me into anything. This is how it came. Besides, I like the doodads.” He sprinted around the front and sat behind the wheel, anxious to meet up with Sky and take the ladies to lunch. He dug out the number Sky had given him and placed the call. Carl picked up on the second ring.

  “It’s Noah Cooper, Carl. May I speak to Sky, please?”

  A moment of silence passed before Carl spoke again. “She’s not here. I was sort of hoping she was with you.”

  Unease stirred Noah’s belly. “I haven’t seen her since I dropped her off. The plan was to meet back at your place.” He started the motor and flipped on the wipers to clear the windshield of the falling snow. “So, you don’t know where she is? Is there any reason for concern?”

  Annie tugged at his jacket sleeve. “What’s going on?”

  He held up a hand and focused on what Carl was saying.

  “She came back from running some errands and wanted to talk about something that had upset her. I didn’t have time, and the next thing I knew, an hour had passed and she was nowhere in sight. Sky is pretty resourceful, but I’ve already started making calls.”

  “Good. In the meantime, Annie and I will drive the main streets and see if we can spot her. Call me if she comes back.” He gave Carl his cell number and disconnected.

  “What is it, Noah?” Annie asked.

  His phone rang. Carl’s name and number flashed on the screen. He connected. “Is she back?”

  “No, but I wanted to ask you to be sure and go as far as the cemetery. Sky often takes a walk out there. It’s on the opposite end of town from the car dealership. Annie can point it out to you.”

  “Will do.” he disconnected a second time and slipped the phone into his shirt pocket.

  Annie gripped his arm. “Will you please tell me what’s going on?”

  “All I know for sure is that Sky’s not where she said she would be.” Noah drove up and down Main Street three times before heading toward the cemetery. He checked one side of the road while Annie checked the other. The snow was coming down hard and accumulating quickly. “Where could she be, Annie?”

  “I wish I knew.” She pointed to her right. “Cemetery’s up ahead. I don’t know where her mother is buried, but why don’t you pull in and make the loop?”

  Halfway around the short loop, Noah parked in front of a small chapel. “I’m going to look inside, in case she came here to get out of the cold and snow.” He dashed out of his SUV, leaving the motor running, and pulled on the chapel door. Locked. He hurried back to his vehicle. “Let’s try town one more time.”

  They were nearly to the road when the sound of squealing breaks and a crash like thunder had them looking at each other.

  Noah hurried to the road only to find that a logging truck had jackknifed and lost its load. A green sedan was pressed up against the cemetery fence, but had escaped the rolling logs. He stopped his SUV and dialed nine-one-one. “I’m going to check on the drivers. You stay put.”

  Police, ambulances, and fire trucks arrived minutes later.

  After speaking to both drivers, one of the policemen approached. “I’m Sheriff Nichols. Are you the one who called this in?”

  Noah nodded. “I didn’t see it happen, though, so I can’t give you any details.”

  “No need. Both drivers gave the same story, and thankfully nobody was hurt. I just need to verify your name and contact number.” The man took down the information. “You any relation to Sky Cooper?”

  “She’s my sister-in-law. You’re aware she’s missing?”

  “I spoke to Carl a half hour ago.”

  “And?”

  “And we’ve got the situation in hand.” He touched the brim of his hat. “Afternoon, Annie.”

  “Hello, Tom. Looks like you got yourself quite a mess here.”

  Noah made a quarter turn and found his aunt trudging through the swirling snow. “You’re supposed to be waiting in the car.”

  “Oh fiddle-faddle. I’ve braved worse than this.”

  “I’m sure you have,” said the Sheriff, “but this is just the beginning. Storm’s blowing in way faster than predicted. I suggest you work your way back to the ranch.”

  “We can’t.” Noah brushed snow from his hair. “Not until we find Sky.”

  “I understand your concern.” The Sheriff hitched a thumb over his shoulder. “But as you can see, the road to town is completely blocked. It’ll be hours before we get this situation in hand. You may not have heard, but we’re looking at white-out conditions within the hour.”

  Annie took a step forward. “I know you’re doing everything possible, Tom, but Sky is family, and—”

  The crackle of Tom’s walkie-talkie came to life. “Sheriff Nichols, you there?”

  He pressed a button and spoke into the mouthpiece clipped near his shoulder. “Go ahead, Tina.”

  “Just want to let you know the Cooper girl’s been found. Doc’s taking a look at her now, but he said she’ll be fine. Oh, and I’m still working on the log situation.”

  “Thanks, Tina. Keep me posted.” He looked first to Noah then Annie. “Go home, folks. Sky is fine, and I don’t want to have to send out anyone to look for you in the mess that’s about to hit.”

  Annie touched Noah’s arm. “He’s right. We know Sky is safe, so let’s not take any chances. I know it’s been a while, but surely you remember how bad things can get.”

  It wasn’t in Noah’s nature to leave things unfinished, but the sheriff and Annie had been through this more often than he had. “Let’s get out of here, then.” He held out his keys toward his a
unt. “Would you feel more comfortable driving?”

  She pushed his hand away. “I have no doubt you’ll get us home safely.”

  Noah clutched the keys, wishing he held his aunt’s confidence.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Sky lay on an examination table in Doc’s office while he applied several butterfly strips above her left eye. “Will I end up with a scar?

  “A small one.” He offered his arm to help her sit. “A good scar cream or vitamin E will reduce the appearance.”

  She feathered her fingers over the strips. “Man, my head hurts.”

  “That’s to be expected.” Doc tossed out the paper wrappers. “I’m going to give you some pain meds. Take one now and then every four hours as needed.” He pinched her cheek. “You’re lucky it’s just a cut and not a broken bone or two.” He gave her the pills and a glass of water.

  “Thanks, Doc.”

  He assisted her from the table and held her arm until he’d passed her off to Carl. “Call if she feels any dizziness or nausea.”

  “Will do.”

  Carl pulled her into a gentle hug. “You scared the living daylights out of me.”

  Tears formed. It hadn’t been her intention to scare anybody. She’d wanted to clear her head, not whack it against a tree trunk. “I’m sorry.”

  “We’ll talk about it when we get home.” He held out her parka. “John is waiting outside to drive us to the diner.”

  “It’s only four blocks. Surely we can manage.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  Sky followed his gaze. Snow slapped the windows and swirled in gusty circles. The storm’s intensity had increased three-fold. A shudder coursed through her. She zipped her jacket. “Let’s go so that John can get home again.”

  Minutes later, Carl unlocked the front door, pulling with two hands in order to get it open. He waved to John and quickly locked the door again. Sky brushed her cold fingers over the back of a bench. It seemed strange for the diner to be empty this early in the day.