by Marla Monroe
“Angela? Angela!”
She jerked when she realized Travis had been calling her name.
“I’m sorry, what?”
Randy laughed. “She’s already daydreaming about the wedding.”
Heat raced up her neck that she hadn’t been thinking about it. Instead, the thought of planning one scared her to death.
“I–I was just thinking about what I needed to get in town. What did I miss?” she asked.
“We were talking about moving your things over tomorrow. What do you think?” Randy asked watching her closely.
“Oh. Um, can we wait until the weekend? That way I’ll have plenty of time to get my things together and it won’t take that long.”
Travis and Randy exchanged glances. Randy frowned but nodded his head.
“If you want to wait a few more days then I guess so.”
Travis smiled and stood up. “What are you doing with Harley D while you’re gone to town?”
“I left him at the cabin today. I’ll pick him up when I get home this afternoon.” She stopped and looked at both men. “Um, do you mind if I have lunch at the diner? I was hoping to look at a couple of stores while I was there.”
“Of course not. Enjoy yourself, Angel. Just be home before dark and keep your phone close so we can reach you.” Travis rinsed off his plate and stuck it in the dishwasher.
Randy got up with his plate but stopped to kiss her before he stepped aside for Travis to do the same. She loved their kisses. She would never get used to them. When both men had said good-bye and left, Angela gathered the rest of the dishes and rinsed them before adding them to the dishwasher and turning it on.
She pulled out her list and check one more time that she had everything on it. Then she hurried over to the barn to get the truck. The blue truck turned out to be a midsized one that she felt comfortable driving. It wasn’t new, but looked in good shape to her. She stopped by the cabin to make sure Harley D was doing okay then drove toward town.
Being on her own for the first time in a long time was nice, though she missed her men. Still, she looked forward to exploring some while she was out. The drive to town didn’t take as long as she had expected, but she blamed the pleasant day and interesting sights for it. It was obvious that spring was in full bloom and nearing the summertime mark. Already the afternoons tended to be quite warm. The last several days both men had come inside shirtless at dinner time. She had thoroughly enjoyed the sight and wasn’t complaining one bit.
Angela pulled into the outskirts of town and turned toward the street that Uniquely Yours was supposed to be on. She found a parking spot not far from the little shop and walked the short block, window-shopping along the way. There were quite a few interesting stores in the area. She couldn’t wait to check out more of them.
Stepping into the new-age store, the first thing she noticed was the lack of cheap-looking jewelry and incense burners that had always been popular in these types of stores back home. Here she found handmade candles, clothes, and interesting statues and furniture. As she looked over the candles, a young woman walked over with a broad smile on her face. She instantly recognized her as Tish, Caitlyn’s sister-in-law.
“Hey, Angela. It’s great to see you again.” She pulled her into a hug. “How are you doing?”
“Fine, thanks. You look nice. I love that dress you have on.” She thought the dress looked amazing and comfortable all at the same time.
“Thanks. They are so comfortable. We have them over here.” Tish led her over to a stand of the flowing dresses. “I’m sure we have your size if you’re interested.”
Despite not planning to buy more than the candle, Angela found herself totally enchanted by the dresses. She looked through them all until finally picking out a pale yellow and green one she thought was cheerful but not brassy. Tish kept up a steady stream of talk as Angela picked out the candle she wanted.
When she pulled out her money to pay, Tish zeroed in on the ring on her finger.
“Is that an engagement ring?”
“Um, yes. I’m, um, engaged to Travis and Randy.” Angela waited for the gasp of disbelief but it didn’t happen.
“That’s wonderful! I don’t know them that well, but everyone thinks highly of them. I know you’re excited! When’s the wedding?” Tish asked.
“Oh, well we haven’t really decided yet.”
“You’ve got all the time in the world to decide. I’m sure they are chomping at the bit to get you tied to them, though. Don’t let them talk you out of a nice wedding. Take your time and have what you want.”
Tish hugged her again after she handed her purchases to her. Angela had no doubt that she would be calling her friends to spread the news. Having someone else know about it helped to cement it in her mind, but it didn’t help much with her insecurity about measuring up to what she thought they would expect. That led to thoughts of their parents coming soon to visit. What would they think of her? God! To meet their mother and know that she would want to help plan the wedding scared her to death.
“Hey! Are you okay?”
Someone she didn’t recognize stood towering over her with a concerned expression on his face. Angela didn’t realize she’d stopped in the middle of the sidewalk on her way to the truck. She realized the stranger was holding her bag as well.
“I–I’m fine. I guess I wasn’t paying any attention to where I was going.”
The tall man didn’t look like he believed her. “Are you sure? You’re awful pale. Are you by yourself? Do you want me to call someone for you?”
“No, I’m fine. Thanks.” She held out her hand for her bag he was holding.
“I’m Deputy Sheriff Jace Vincent. Are you sure I can’t call someone for you?” He handed the bag to her, though it was obvious he was reluctant to.
“Thanks, Deputy. I’ll be fine.” She hurried back to the truck and climbed in with shaking legs.
The supply store was on the next street. If she hadn’t needed printer ink so badly, she might have skipped it entirely and gone straight to the grocery store then headed back to the ranch. Instead, she drove to the next street and parked directly in front of the store that carried everything from no-frills jeans to mouse traps. Travis told her that they carried anything she might need for the office. Looking at the front of the building, she had her doubts. It looked more like a junk shop than a department store.
When she stepped inside though, it was much more impressive. Almost as soon as she walked through the door, a teenage male greeted her and asked if he could help her.
“I have a small list of office supplies I need,” she told him.
He took her list and led her toward the back of the store. “I’m Josh. I’ll help you get all of this in no time. Do you want a case of paper or just a few packages? Bright white or normal white?”
“I’ll take a case of the normal printer paper. We don’t use it for anything more than reports and lists. I still have some of the better paper for anything else we might need.”
They talked about what she had on her list, and he gathered it all up for her. Once she had paid for her purchases, he and another young man carried it out and loaded it in the truck for her. She was pleased to note that she still had an hour to browse before she planned to eat lunch.
Since she felt better, she wanted to look at the lingerie store. Now that she actually had a reason to wear nice things, she wanted something special for Randy and Travis. Almost from the moment she walked in, Angela felt as if she were in heaven. The store seemed to breathe comfort. She decided it had something to do with the candles she saw flickering around the place. The delicious scent was soothing as was the soft beat of the music she could hear in the background.
“Welcome. I’m Adriana. Feel free to look around. If you need anything, just call for me.” A pretty woman of about twenty-eight or so with long brown hair and gorgeous brown eyes greeted her as she stepped deeper into the store.
“Thanks. I’m just looking around righ
t now. The things in your window are gorgeous.”
“Thank you. Let me know if you need something.” Adriana slipped away as Angela started looking at the lacy panty and bra sets in pastel colors.
By the time she’d explored the store, there wasn’t much time left before she needed to head to the diner. She knew it would take her awhile at the grocery. Angela swallowed her nervousness at buying such decadent underwear and handed her selections to Adriana.
“These will look lovely on you. You have the prettiest blue eyes I’ve ever seen.”
“Thank you. There are so many pretty things here that it’s hard to narrow down my favorites.” She giggled nervously.
“No need to narrow anything down. Just come back often.” Adriana winked at her. “I see you’re wearing an engagement ring. Congratulations. When you have time, come back and pick out some things to put on your bridal wish list for friends to choose as gifts.”
“Oh! I hadn’t thought of that. That’s a good idea.” Angela didn’t have the heart to tell her that she really didn’t know anyone there who would buy something that nice just for her.
When she received her package, it was to find that her purchases had been carefully wrapped in tissue with a soft scented sachet enclosed. Waving bye to Adriana, she hurried back to the truck and stored her package. Then she drove to the Riverbend Diner for lunch. She was surprised at how busy it was on a Wednesday at almost one in the afternoon. Before she even finished parking, her cell phone rang. Angela noted the number to be Randy’s. She smiled as she answered it.
“Hi.”
“Hey, honey. Are you doing okay?”
“I’m fine. I was just about to get a bite to eat before I head over to the grocery store. Did you think of something else you needed?” she asked.
“No. Just missing you and wanted to check and see how you were doing.” Randy sounded as if he were outside by the various sounds in the background.
“Aw, thank you. I miss you, too. It’s more fun when you and Travis are with me.”
“Even when I make you get a pair of boots?”
Angela couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Yeah, even when.”
“Go on and get something to eat. Don’t want you falling over from hunger. Remember to let us know when you’re almost home so we can unload the groceries for you,” Randy said.
“I will. I’ll see you soon. Bye.”
She hit end and dropped the phone back in her purse before jumping out of the truck and walking to the diner’s door. Before she had a chance to open it though, another pair of hands beat her to it and held it for her. She looked up and found the deputy sheriff from earlier holding it wide for her to enter.
“Thanks.” She hurried inside, stumbling as she did.
Deputy Vincent caught her before she fell, holding her for a second until she was steady on her feet again.
“Seems like I’m saying thanks to you a lot today.” She tried to make a joke out of it.
“No problem. Are you sure you’re okay?” He looked as if he wanted to say something more, but a waitress she’d not seen before hurried over to where they were standing.
“Just grab a seat anywhere. I’ll be right with you.” The young woman had to be under twenty-one with oddly colored hair and a stud in her nose.
Angela hurried over to a table by the window and took a seat. She picked up the menu by the napkin holder and looked over it while she waited on the waitress. If the special didn’t interest her, she decided on the club sandwich. When she looked up, it was to find the deputy staring at her again. She shifted in her seat, uncomfortable with the attention. Then the teenager returned with a glass of water.
“What can I get you to drink?”
“Water is fine. What is the special today?”
“Chicken pot pie.” She popped her gum as she waited.
“That sounds good. I’ll have that.”
“Coming right up.”
No sooner had the waitress left than someone took her place. Angela looked up to find Bethany and Lexie smiling down at her. She could tell by their grins that they knew about her engagement.
“Hey. How are you?” she asked.
“We’re fine. Can we join you for a few minutes?” Bethany asked.
“Of course.”
They took seats across from her, and Lexie immediately held out her hand in a gimmie motion. Angela sighed and slid her left hand out for the two women to ooh and ah over her ring. As much as she enjoyed it, a small part of her worried that she was jumping the gun. What if they changed their minds before they actually got married? Was she jinxing herself by being excited?
“It’s beautiful! Aren’t you excited? Randy and Travis are great men,” Bethany said with a huge smile. “Mac and Mason like them and say they are honest as the day is long.”
“When is the big day?” Lexie asked.
“Um, well, we haven’t set a date yet.” Angela felt her stomach roll.
“Of course not. I wasn’t thinking. I bet his parents are coming down to meet you. You’ll have to set it when everyone will be there. I’m sure their mom will want to help with the planning. You’ll love her. She’s down to earth.” Bethany waved her hand in a dismissive motion. “She’ll be a lot of help to you. If you have any trouble out of your men, you can count on her to set them straight for you.”
“Oh! We’ve got to plan the bachelorette party, so give us plenty of warning when you decide the date.” Lexie clapped her hands as she and Bethany stood up.
“Party? Wait. I don’t need a party.” The roll in her stomach turned into a tsunami in no time.
“Of course you have to have a party. It’s a tradition. Don’t worry about it. We’ll take care of everything.” Bethany waved as the two women walked away.
“I take it congratulations are in order.” Mattie walked over, carrying her order.
“Hi, Mattie. Thanks.” She wasn’t sure what to say.
“I’d sit and chat, but we’re busy for some strange reason. You tell those men of yours I said to treat you right.” With that, the older woman hurried back to the counter to ring up a customer.
Angela looked down at the delicious-looking food and wondered if she would be able to eat it after all.
Chapter Sixteen
Randy could tell something was wrong by the way Travis’s face tightened as he talked to Angela. He waited until his brother got off the phone and had slipped it back in its holder before he said anything.
“What’s wrong?”
Travis grimaced and shook his head looking over where some of the ranch hands were gathered, discussing the day’s work. Evidently they would be talking about it later. He didn’t like not knowing what was going on, but at least he knew that Angela was safe and nothing life threatening had happened. Still, waiting never had been his strong point.
“Homer, we’re going back to the house to unload the groceries for Angela. If you need anything, call us.” Travis pulled off his gloves as he walked toward his truck.
Randy followed him and climbed up in the passenger side as he started the truck and threw it into gear. He didn’t say anything, just waited for Travis to start talking. It was obvious that he was trying to organize his thoughts. What in the hell had Angela said—or not said to put him in this mood? He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen him this upset before. Plus, he didn’t know if he was mad or worried.
“Something’s wrong,” Travis finally spit out. “She didn’t sound right over the phone.”
“What did she say?”
“That she was on her way back to the ranch and should be there in the next fifteen minutes.”
“That’s all?” Randy asked.
How had that gotten Travis’s tail in a twist? He was normally the easygoing, laid-back one between them.
“Yeah. It’s how she said it. Something had to have happened while she was in town. She sounded distracted, like she wasn’t really concentrating on what she was saying, and her voice was shaking.”
Randy waited for him to say something more. Even though he would be worried that something had upset her with her voice shaking, it still didn’t sound like anything to have Travis as on edge as he appeared to be. There had to have been something more in her voice that he couldn’t really explain to Randy. Well it wouldn’t be long now. He could see the house just ahead, and a plume of dust was already rising through the trees down the drive leading off the main road. That would probably be from the truck Angela was driving.
The second Travis parked the truck, both of them jumped out of the cab and headed toward the end of the drive where Angela would park the truck once she arrived.
“I get that something has Angela upset, but why are you so close to losing it, brother? What aren’t you telling me?” Randy stared at Travis’s profile as the other man’s eyes never left the drive.
“I don’t know. It was just something in her voice. I got a bad feeling come over me. I don’t get feelings like that a lot.”
“Fuck!” Randy didn’t like that one bit.
He started to say something but the blue truck emerged from the trees, pulling into the parking area. Travis hurried over to the driver’s door and opened it even before Angela had pulled off her seat belt.
“Hey, Angel. How was your trip?” he asked.
If Randy hadn’t known better, he wouldn’t have been able to tell that his brother was walking a thin line. He waited to see what Angela said, how she sounded.
“Fine. It was fine. I think I got everything,” she said.
Randy’s gut tightened at the slightly too-high pitch of her voice. Something was definitely wrong. He watched as Travis helped her down. His brother hugged her then handed her over to him.
“Hey, honey. Why don’t you go on inside and we’ll bring the groceries in so you can unpack them.” He hugged her, noting that although she hugged him back, it seemed a bit reluctant at first.
She nodded, shouldered the strap of her purse, and walked up the steps to the porch. He and his brother watched as she opened the door and disappeared inside the house. He ran his hand through his hair and sighed.
