The Rose Ring

by Lucie Ulrich

  “No great surprise there.”

  “I wish your brother saw through your eyes.” Heat prickled her cheeks, and she squeezed the slice of lime into her soft drink so that she wouldn’t have to look at the perceptive man sitting across from her. “You were both right and wrong about my talk with Micah. It was actually going pretty well until he told me he needed to see Morgan.”

  “Ouch.”

  “Yeah, but I threw out an ouch of my own.”

  Noah’s eyes widened. He crossed his arms on the table. “You have my undivided attention.”

  “I thought I had it a few minutes ago.”

  “You did.” He grinned and leaned forward. “But you didn’t tell me anything I didn’t know. I get the feeling that’s about to change.”

  She inhaled, exhaled, and let the words speak for themselves. “I told Micah I won’t stay if he takes up with Morgan.”

  “Nor should you be expected to.”

  Why did Noah have to be so nice? Why couldn’t he be the jerk so many people made him out to be? “I appreciate your support, but I think there’s something you’re forgetting.”

  He took a sip of his soda. “What’s that?”

  She looked into his questioning eyes and hated herself at the moment. “Don’t you get it? If I leave I’m filing for an annulment or divorce, or whatever it’ll take to get me out of the marriage.” Tears threatened. “But if I do, you guys will lose the ranch.” She swallowed hard. “You, Micah, and Annie will be homeless, penniless, and it’ll all be my fault.”

  Noah sat back, a blank expression on his face. After a few seconds he nodded. “And you’ll lose the money Micah promised you.”

  Anger tightened her muscles. “I didn’t do it for the money.”

  “I know.” His voice was soft. “Which only goes to show that you care more for others than you do for yourself.”

  “I’m sorry.” Sky blew the bangs from her face. “You’ve been nothing but nice, and I’m taking my frustrations out on you.”

  “Listen to me, Sky. If this whole thing blows up in our faces, it won’t have anything to do with you. You’ve gone out of your way to help this family. Nobody would fault you for standing up for yourself.”

  “But—”

  “Don’t jump to conclusions. You have good instincts. Trust them. And trust Micah. He may be a little mixed up at the moment, but he’s no fool.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Micah scoured aisle nine of the grocery store looking for baking soda. Annie realized she’d forgotten it while unloading her cart. “Can’t make biscuits without baking soda,” she’d said. He didn’t know what went into biscuits, but Annie’s were the best, and if they required baking soda, then he wasn’t about to leave without it.

  “Baking soda,” he repeated while bent over, looking for the box his aunt had described.

  “Can I help you find something?”

  He froze. There was no mistaking that voice. A pair of black boots clacked against the polished floor and approached him from the left. Micah followed them up to exposed knees before refocusing his attention to the task at hand. “Hello, Morgan.”

  She laughed. “I hate to say it, but finding you in the baking aisle is a little unexpected. Why don’t you tell me what you’re looking for, and I’ll point you in the right direction.”

  He straightened and met her sea-green eyes. Even in the harsh lighting of the grocery store, they sparkled like jewels. He pictured her sitting across from him in that tiny, romantic restaurant as he dug the ring out of his pocket. Her eyes had been alive that night, too — until she turned him down. He looked away. “Baking soda.”

  She moved past him and crooked a finger, beckoning him to follow. Her perfume overpowered the rack of spices stacked behind him. The flowery scent was one he was familiar with. He had no clue what it was called, but he’d always liked it. It hit him for the first time that he’d never noticed whether or not Sky wore perfume.

  “There you go.” She pointed to the boxes he’d been looking for.

  How had he missed them? They were just what Annie had described: orange, with a picture of a guy’s bulging biceps. What Annie didn’t tell him was that they came in a variety of sizes. He scratched his head and grabbed the largest possible box, figuring too much was better than not enough.

  “Hold up there, cowboy.” Morgan took the box from him, and her fingers brushed over his in the process.

  The sensation of her touch sent a tingle up his arm. He rubbed his hand on his jeans before attempting to reclaim the box. “Annie’s waiting at the checkout. I’d better get this stuff to her.”

  “Well, unless Annie plans on baking for the whole town, this might be just a bit more than she needs.” She replaced the jumbo size box with a considerably smaller one. “This is probably more what Annie is looking for.” She squeezed past him, but he took a step back, and when he reached for the box, he made sure to avoid any contact.

  Being this close to her unnerved him. Even after such a painful breakup, she still managed to evoke feelings he thought he’d buried. It was definitely too early for them to have any kind of serious talk. With the pull she had on him, he’d end up telling her about his marriage before he realized the words were coming out of his mouth. He refused to do that to Sky. “Thanks for your help. I’d better get going.”

  “How come Sky’s not with you? I’m sure she’d know where to find baking soda.”

  He stopped mid-stride, guilt stabbing his insides. Sky wasn’t here because it hadn’t crossed his mind to see if she’d wanted to come. He made a quarter turn and lied. “She wasn’t feeling well and decided to stay home.”

  “Ah, poor baby.” She poked out her bottom lip into the pout she’d perfected. “Maybe I should bring over some chicken soup or something. Remember when you had the flu and I brought over a great big pot? You said it’s what made you well.”

  How could he forget? She’d spent hours by his bedside, taking care of him. It was then he knew he wanted to marry her, never dreaming she’d say no. “That was a long time ago, Morgan. Thanks, but I don’t think Sky needs any chicken soup. Annie and I will take care of her.” He tipped his hat and walked off, the scent of her perfume lingering in the air.

  By the time he got back to the checkout counters, Loraine, Annie’s favorite cashier, was scanning the last of the groceries. Annie tapped her foot impatiently. Micah knew it would have been quicker for her to go find what she needed, but then she might have missed a pricing infraction.

  “What took you so long?” she asked when he set the item on the conveyer.

  “I ran into Morgan.”

  Without taking her eyes off the groceries, Loraine leaned in a little closer to the conversation. Annie didn’t miss a beat. “Well, I hope you had the sense to say hello for me.” She nodded toward the girl. “Oh, by the way, Loraine just told me that she and Eddie Milton got engaged last night. Show him your ring, dear.”

  Micah looked at the tiny diamond then at the glow in Loraine’s face. The same glow he’d hoped to see on Morgan’s face. “Congratulations. Have you set a date?”

  “Not yet, but we both want a summer wedding.” She scanned the final items. “I’ll be sure you all get invitations.”

  “Thank you,” Annie said. She paid the bill, and Micah rolled the cart out of the store.

  “Smooth move in there, Annie.”

  “I was just saving that girl from a gossip attack.” She gave him a warm smile.

  “Course it wouldn’t be gossip if you chose to tell me what happened without my having to pry it out of you.”

  Micah set a couple of bags into the bed of the truck. “Nothing important.”

  “You’re being evasive.”

  “And you’re prying.”

  She placed her hands on her hips. “Then quit making me.”

  He grabbed a couple more bags, placed them next to the other two, and then turned to lean against the truck. He didn’t mind talking to Annie. She was honest and had no
fear of telling him exactly what she thought, whether he wanted to hear it or not. Her wisdom far outweighed the occasional jab to his ego. “There’s still something there, Annie.”

  “That’s not so surprising. Though I never understood why, you loved Morgan with your whole heart. Something like that takes more than a few months to get over.”

  He fished the last of the bags from the cart and put them in the truck. “I don’t know what to do.” He opened the door for Annie.

  “About Morgan? There isn’t much you can do. At least not for the next two years.” She climbed into the truck. “And who knows what could happen in those two years.”

  Micah closed the door, shoved the cart into the metal return slot, and made his way around the front of the truck. His head swirled with the events of the last two hours. It was all too much for him to think about at the moment.

  He settled behind the wheel, started the motor, and turned on the radio. Perhaps he could sing away his concerns. If not, he could at least commiserate.

  ****

  Sky thanked their waitress for the refill, grateful that she remembered the lime. Most forgot the second time around. She and Noah continued to linger over their meal, their conversation alternating from lighthearted to serious.

  “Thanks for bringing me here, Noah. The food was great and the company much appreciated.”

  “I don’t think my brother has a clue what a catch you are.”

  She retrieved the slice of lime. “You promised.”

  “Relax, I’m not flirting.” He smiled, and she believed him.

  “Then what are you doing?”

  “Just telling it like it is.”

  “Well, stop it. It’s embarrassing.” She squeezed the lime into her soda and poked it to the bottom of her glass with her straw. Yeah, it was embarrassing, but still nice to hear.

  His smile broadened. “I knew from the moment I met you we’d never be anything more than friends. I’m good with that, and I’m hoping you’ll be good with it too.” He held out his glass toward her. “To friendship.”

  She clinked her glass against his. “To friendship.” They both took a sip. “But just for the record,” she said, “Micah doesn’t always do or say things to upset me. He only started stressing out—”

  “When I moved in.”

  “I was actually going to say since the reading of your grandfather’s will, but I guess they sort of go together. I know he may not seem like it at times, but your brother is one of the good guys.”

  “Spoken like a woman in love.”

  “Maybe, but it’s still the truth.”

  Sky couldn’t eat another bite. Noah, on the other hand, dug into the remaining salsa with abandon. What a strange family she’d married into. The man she loved didn’t know if he loved her back, and the womanizer sitting across from her wasn’t the man he pretended to be. Deep down she’d always felt there was more to Noah than he let on. Too bad Micah wouldn’t allow himself see his brother the way she saw him.

  Noah wiped his fingers with the napkin resting on his lap. “Well, now that we’ve established the friend thing, how about telling me something about yourself?”

  “What do you want to know?” She sipped on her drink.

  “Tell me about your family.”

  She barked out a laugh. “There’s not a whole lot to tell. Mom died an alcoholic, and I have no clue who my father is.”

  “That’s tough.” Noah sat back and watched her without blinking. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure.”

  “Would you want to meet your dad if you had the chance? I mean, is it something you ever think about?”

  She stirred her drink again and watched the bubbles break at the surface. “I can’t say I’ve given it all that much thought, but I suppose some part of me would like to know what he’s like. From the little bits of information my mother gave me, I’m pretty sure he doesn’t know I exist, so things are probably better left the way they are.”

  A faraway look clouded Noah’s eyes, and he turned his head toward the window. “Okay, thanks.”

  What an odd response. The fun-loving man who had pulled her out of her funk seemed to have sunk into one of his own. “What’s this all about, Noah?”

  He refocused his attention on her. “I have a daughter I’ve never met. I’ve been thinking of trying to find her, but maybe I shouldn’t.”

  Sky held up a hand. “Whoa! Don’t go by my experience. My situation and your daughter’s are probably completely different. My father could be any one of a half-dozen guys. My mother was a throwback to the hippy generation, and we lived like gypsies for a while.” She stopped herself. The man had just admitted something extremely personal and she was rambling. “Does Micah know?”

  “No. Annie does, and of course Sam knew, but since the girl’s family didn’t want anyone to know, the secret went no further.”

  “How old were you?”

  “Seventeen. She was sixteen.”

  Things were beginning to add up. “Is that why you left town?”

  “Part of the reason.”

  “What happened?”

  Noah sucked in a breath and let it out with a loud whoosh. “When Amanda finally told me she was pregnant, she was nearly five months along. I wanted to marry her, but her parents wouldn’t have anything to do with the idea. They wanted her to finish high school and go on to college. They didn’t want a nobody like me to ruin their daughter’s life.”

  All these years and the pain still resonated in his voice. “I’m so sorry. I can’t even imagine how much that must have hurt.”

  He nodded. “More than I ever let on. I was willing, but Amanda wasn’t ready for marriage or motherhood. Her parents shipped her off to some relative on the east coast, but not before I signed the necessary adoption papers.” Pain etched his face. He dipped a chip into the salsa but didn’t pull it back out again. It stood on its own for several seconds before slipping under the red sauce. He dusted his fingers off. “Sam wrote me off after that. There was a vague reference to my father I never understood. But whatever it was, it unraveled the flimsy tie that bound us.”

  The sting of his hurt pulled at Sky’s heart. Why was family so cruel at times?

  “Sorry.” He worked up a smile. “I didn’t mean for all of that to come out. You tend to bring out the honest in me.”

  “I’m not so sure if that’s a good thing, but I am glad you told me.” She thought about touching his hand, the way he had hers, but it still felt a little too intimate. “Did Amanda ever come back to Elk Flats?”

  “No. Her family moved to Wyoming and she joined them after the baby had been adopted.” He lowered his eyes. “I tell myself all the time that adoption was the best option for our daughter. I was no more ready to be a father than Amanda was a mother. But I often wonder about her. Did she end up in a good home? Does she have any brothers or sisters?” He looked up at her. “Does she ever wonder about me?”

  Drops of condensation trickled down Sky’s glass, and she swiped at them with her fingers. “I doubt there’s an adopted child in the world who doesn’t wonder about their biological parents.” She took a sip. “Have you thought about contacting Amanda?”

  “Already did. Well, not personally, but the private detective I hired said she’s married and still living in Wyoming. She and her husband have three boys.”

  “You gonna talk to her?”

  He leaned back with a shrug. “I don’t know. I’m still trying to decide if I want to open myself up to old wounds.”

  “Seems to me you already have.”

  He let out a soft laugh. “Yeah, guess I have at that.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Micah reached into the bed of his truck, handed a bag of groceries to Annie, then picked up two more. He followed his aunt into the house and set the bags on the counter. “I’ll get the rest.”

  “Thanks. And thank you for driving me into town. I know grocery shopping isn’t something you especially enjoy.”
r />   “No problem. Be right back.”

  The sound of a motor carried on the wind. Micah tipped his hat to block out the sun. A red vehicle approached. The garage was empty, so he figured it was his brother out testing his newest toy. At least the guy had enough sense to trade in that ridiculous sports car.

  He picked up a couple bags, carried them inside, and set them on the counter next to the others. By the time he returned, Noah had pulled to a stop behind his truck. Under normal circumstances he would have taken a moment to admire the SUV, but seeing Sky in the passenger seat made this anything but a normal circumstance. He stood rigid. What was Sky doing with his brother? And why did it bother him?

  His hold on Sky was minimal and conditional, which gave him no right to act like a jealous husband. So why did he feel like one?

  Sky slid out of the SUV. “Hi.” She gave him a small smile. “You and Annie weren’t around, so Noah took me to lunch.”

  “You don’t have to explain.”

  Her smile grew. “Need any help with the groceries?”

  “Nah, these are the last two bags. I’m sure Annie wouldn’t mind some help putting things away, though.”

  “Okay.” She leaned back into the SUV. “Thanks, Noah. Next time maybe we can talk Micah into going with us.” With a quick shove, she shut the door and dashed into the house.

  Next time? Micah’s jaw clenched so tight his teeth hurt. He followed her with his eyes until she was inside the house, while the heat of anger singed his neck and ears.

  “It was just lunch, Micah.”

  Micah turned slowly, adjusting his breathing along the way. Noah stood with one arm draped over his open door, looking every bit the sophisticated city slicker he was. No amount of denim or corduroy could disguise that. Micah’s grip on the paper bags intensified. “Sky said the same thing, and I take her at her word.”

  “You sure about that? ‘Cause that’s not what I see on your face, and if you go in looking like that, Sky won’t believe you either.”

  “Thanks for the advice, but I have things under control.”