Sleigh Bells in Crimson Read online

  Maureen was emotionally stronger now—at least, Lucy liked to believe she was. But the sound of quiet sobbing still tore across her chest, and she couldn’t seem to stop her panicked reaction that if things got bad enough, her mother might try something desperate.

  Lucy gently pried the zipper open and smoothed her hand over the delicate fabric of the beautiful dress. “It’s fine. Not even a snag.”

  “You don’t believe I love him.” Maureen kept her face buried in her hands.

  “I believe you,” Lucy whispered. She believed her mother had convinced herself she loved Garrett Sharpe. But Lucy had seen Maureen head over heels too often not to have doubts about how this would end.

  Maureen lifted her head and swiped her fingers across her cheeks. “I don’t care about his money.”

  “We both know that’s not true.”

  “It’s real this time, sweetie. I promise.”

  “Have you told him everything?”

  Maureen blanched. “I can’t. Not yet. He might not understand.”

  Of course he won’t, Lucy thought. A year ago her mother had barely avoided a bigamy lawsuit when it was revealed her third divorce had not been finalized on the eve of what was to be her fourth wedding. Unfortunately, her wealthy boyfriend also happened to be the uncle of Lucy’s fiancé.

  Lucy still blamed herself. She’d been in love with Peter Harmen and had erroneously thought Maureen would finally step into the role of supportive mother, allowing Lucy to have the happiness and security she’d craved for so many years. That didn’t happen.

  Maureen had met Peter’s uncle, a famed fashion designer and owner of the exclusive boutique Lucy managed in Florida. After a whirlwind courtship even by Maureen’s standards—a whole eight days—the two had planned to be married, much to the consternation of the rest of the family.

  Then the fact that Maureen was still legally married to Bobby Santino, her third husband and a former professional hockey player, had been revealed. Lucy had never liked Bobby, who had ended up being more of a scam artist than her mother in Maureen’s darkest moments. He’d returned before the wedding, attempting to extort money from Maureen to grant her the divorce she’d thought was finalized a year earlier when she’d sent her ex the papers to sign.

  Her fiancé had ended the engagement, much to his family’s delight, but that hadn’t been enough. Peter’s cousins had wanted to make a public spectacle of Maureen, making an example of her to warn off any other potential women who thought their father might be an easy target.

  To save her mom, Lucy had taken the blame, claiming she’d orchestrated the whole scenario by introducing her mother to the fashion designer and encouraging the courtship as a way to take control of the Harmen fashion dynasty. That couldn’t have been further from the truth.

  The family had been happy to condemn Lucy as well, and Peter had been pressured to break things off with her by his uncle and cousins. She’d been fired from her job and blacklisted in the retail community. Lucy’s burgeoning career had been ruined, but she wouldn’t have changed her actions even to salvage her relationship with Peter.

  Her role had always been protecting her mother. If she could eke out a bit of happiness or contentment during the times when Maureen was settled, so be it. Otherwise, she was constantly on call, ready to catch Maureen after her many inevitable falls.

  Lucy had vowed that the fiasco with Peter would be the last time, but here she was, freezing her butt off in the high mountains of Colorado, the glass eyes of a stuffed caribou gazing down on her as she packed the rest of her mother’s things.

  “Talk to him,” she said softly when she had the suitcase zipped up tight. “Garrett seems like a good man and he clearly adores you. Maybe—”

  “Not until after the wedding.”

  “Has Bobby signed the divorce papers?”

  Maureen bit her bottom lip. “He will. He promised.”

  “Mom, he’s a snake.”

  Maureen stood and walked into the bathroom connected to the bedroom. Lucy heard the sound of drawers opening, then water running from a faucet. When her mother reappeared, a fresh coat of lipstick brightened her smile and she was pinching her cheeks to bring the color back into them. “Help me with Caden.” Her voice had returned to its normal raspy, girlish tone, somewhere between Marilyn Monroe and Betty Boop.

  “Why didn’t you mention him to me before I got here?” Lucy asked, even though she knew the answer. “You made it sound like Garrett’s only son had died.”

  “His older son, Tyson, was killed in a rock climbing accident two years ago. Apparently Caden had been estranged from them both before that.”

  “Why?”

  “An argument over a ‘no-good woman’ is all Garrett would say about it. I think he was ready to sell the ranch before that, but now that Caden’s running things, he feels like he has to stay out here.”

  “Maybe he wants to stay,” Lucy offered.

  Maureen shook her head. “He’s tired and this was the house he shared with his first wife. She died twenty years ago, and nothing has changed in all that time.” She glanced up at the mounted animal head and shuddered. “He needs a break.”

  “With you?”

  “I love him.”

  It was difficult for Lucy to believe her mother could truly love anyone except herself. But there was no sense in arguing about it now.

  “Promise me you’ll tell Garrett everything before the wedding, Mom. You can’t get married until Bobby signs the divorce papers.”

  Her mom made a face. “Bobby’s my past, sweetie. Garrett is my future.”

  “You can’t have a future until he knows. If your love is real, it will survive the truth.”

  Maureen blinked. For a moment, her eyes lost their guarded quality, and Lucy could see so much hope and vulnerability in them. Her breath caught.

  “Do you think so?” Maureen whispered.

  “There’s only one way to find out.”

  “You’re my best thing, Lucy.” Maureen stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Lucy’s shoulders. “It’s the two of us against the world.”

  Lucy sighed. “The two of us.”

  Chapter Three

  “She’s using you.” Caden lifted his father’s duffel bag into the back of Garrett’s hulking silver truck.

  “Have a little faith,” Garrett said, clapping a big hand on Caden’s shoulder.

  “I don’t want to see you hurt again.” Caden shook his head. “After Tyson—”

  “I’m better now.” Garrett’s blue eyes clouded but he kept his gaze firmly on Caden. “You don’t have to worry about me anymore, son.”

  Son.

  That word was like a knife slicing across Caden’s gut. Garrett and Tyson had rescued him from the foster-care system and given him the family he’d always craved. But he’d been an angry and stupid kid, constantly pushing boundaries and testing his adoptive father’s love because he never truly believed he deserved the happiness he found on the ranch.

  He slammed the truck’s tailgate shut. “I watched Tyson self-destruct because of a woman and have to live with my part in that. I pulled you back from the brink after his death, and I’m not going to lose you to someone like Maureen Renner.” He sucked in a breath when emotion clogged his throat. Then he whispered, “I can’t lose you, too.”

  “You’re not losing me.” Garrett reassured him in the same gentle tone he’d used when comforting Caden after the nightmares he’d woken from for several months after he’d come to live at Sharpe Ranch. Caden hadn’t been willing to let his new father nearer than the foot of the bed at that point. So Garrett had sat on the edge of the sagging twin mattress and talked—telling stories about his childhood or his blissful marriage to Tyson’s mother—until Caden had been able to fall back asleep.

  G
arrett’s deep voice had been a lifeline in the dark all those years ago. Now Caden had to squint against the bright morning sun, even though a wide-brimmed Stetson shaded his eyes. It was a perfect Colorado day, with the expansive sky already deep blue. Although the temperature still hovered in the high teens, the sun seemed to warm everything, and the cattle were grazing contentedly on grass and hay in the far pasture.

  Caden’s heart remained frosty. He’d seen firsthand how much damage a scheming woman could do to a gentle man, and Garrett was one of the kindest souls he’d ever known.

  “Think of it as gaining a family,” Garrett continued as he hit the remote start on the key fob he held. The diesel engine of the truck roared to life, muffling Caden’s disbelieving snort.

  “I don’t need a family,” Caden muttered, and although his father didn’t argue with him, they both knew it was a lie. As was true of many kids with tumultuous early lives, Caden craved security and stability like a junkie craved his next fix.

  “Tell that to your barn full of rescues,” was Garrett’s only response. The man never tired of teasing Caden over his penchant for attracting stray animals.

  “I’m going to look into her past,” Caden said, ignoring the flash of anger in his father’s eyes.

  “I don’t give a damn about her past. She makes me happy, Caden. You should try a bit of happiness on for size. You’d be surprised what a comfortable fit it becomes.”

  “I’m happy,” Caden lied again.

  Garrett stepped closer until the toes of their boots touched. At six feet, he’d seemed such an imposing figure the first time Caden had visited the ranch. Now Caden was at least three inches taller than him, but Garrett still remained a force to be reckoned with. “You deserve to be happy.”

  Caden tried to hold his father’s gaze but turned away after a moment. How could Garrett say that, let alone believe it, when Caden was the reason Tyson was gone?

  “Take care of Maureen’s girl while we’re away.”

  Caden swung back, grateful to have a reason to let his temper fly. “She doesn’t belong on the ranch, and she sure as hell doesn’t need access to your finances.”

  “I met with her this morning. She’s got a good head on her shoulders. I’ve lost track of the business side of things recently. That’s the part Tyson handled and—” The old man pursed his lips and ran a hand through his thick crop of silver hair. “Anyway, it’s good to have fresh eyes reviewing things.”

  “More like a fresh attitude.” Caden kicked a toe into the dirt. “I don’t trust her, either.”

  “Give her a chance,” his father coaxed. “It makes me feel better to know you won’t be out here all alone.”

  “Chad’s here,” Caden said, referring to the young bull rider who worked winters on the ranch. “He’s company.”

  “Chad’s too busy in town chasing women.” Garrett wagged a finger. “You could stand to go in with him a time or two. It’s amazing what a difference it makes having a woman in your bed at—”

  Caden held up both hands. “Stop before you make my ears bleed. I don’t want to hear about my dad’s romantic escapades.”

  Garrett chuckled. “You could learn something, young man. Be nice to Lucy. She’s important to Maureen which makes her important to me.”

  Caden’s jaw tightened at the thought of spending any more time than necessary with Lucy Renner, but he nodded. He’d learned from a young age there was no point in arguing with Garrett Sharpe when the man had his mind set on something. Caden was just going to have to prove what a mistake marrying Maureen would be. And he had two weeks to do it.

  * * *

  Later that afternoon, Lucy stood looking out the main house’s big picture window, taking in the snow-covered peak of the mountain looming in the distance and the expanse of open fields that surrounded the property. She’d lived in Indiana until the age of eleven when Maureen had transplanted them to Florida for husband number two.

  Lucy liked the change of seasons, but the thick white snow that blanketed everything for miles was a revelation. It was difficult to believe animals could survive outdoors in this climate, although the serenity of the scenery spoke to something deep in her soul. Colorado felt fresh, clean and full of new promises, which she assumed was part of the allure for her mother.

  Maureen loved nothing more than to reinvent herself with each new adventure that came along. Lucy found herself reluctantly smiling at the thought of her mom herding cattle or churning butter or whatever it was ranch wives did these days.

  It had been hours since the happy couple had driven off toward the regional airport, where they’d board a private plane to take them into Denver to catch a commercial flight to New York City.

  “First-class,” her mother had whispered into Lucy’s ear as they stood in the driveway earlier, saying their goodbyes. “I haven’t flown first-class since Jerry.” Maureen’s marriage to husband number two, Jerry Murphy, had lasted only a few months, but Maureen had made the most of her time with the wealthy restaurateur from Naples, Florida.

  Lucy had seen Caden’s shoulders stiffen and guessed that he’d overheard Maureen. Great. One more reason for Caden to mistrust them. How could Lucy explain her mother’s childlike immaturity when half the time Lucy didn’t understand it herself?

  Garrett seemed to take it all in stride, and Lucy got the impression he tried to be purposely over-the-top to illicit a reaction from Maureen. There was something inherently magnanimous about the older rancher, as if he enjoyed having someone with whom to share the trappings of his wealth.

  As soon as the truck had disappeared down the long, winding drive that led to the highway, Caden turned and stalked away.

  Lucy returned to the main house and wandered from room to room, imagining life here before the force of nature that was her mother descended. How did a father and son, a widower and a bachelor surrounded by the memories of a beloved wife and brother, spend their evenings?

  From Garrett’s effusive compliments about her mother’s cooking, he wasn’t accustomed to home-cooked meals. Lucy could relate to that. The only time her mother had ever cooked when Lucy was growing up was when Maureen was trying to impress a new boyfriend.

  She moved toward the bookshelves in the family room, which were filled with volumes on outdoor life and classics she’d expect a man like Garrett to read—Hemingway and Twain—with the occasional modern thriller thrown in for good measure. A collection of framed photos took up an entire shelf, and she could piece together the Sharpe family history from the faces smiling out at her.

  There was one of a beautiful young woman holding a toddler, who grinned widely and wore cowboy boots a size too big for him. The woman’s hair was pulled back into a low ponytail and she wore no makeup, but she didn’t need any. She stood in front of a split-rail fence with a dozen cattle grazing behind her.

  The next photo showed the same boy, who Lucy assumed was Tyson Sharpe, as a gangly adolescent with his arm slung around Caden’s shoulder. Lucy could easily recognize his mutinous scowl, although in the photo he was all gangly arms and skinny shoulders. He was glaring at the camera, a fact that his brother seemed to enjoy immensely.

  Another photo showed both Tyson and Caden wearing graduation gowns and caps, Garrett with an arm wrapped around each of them. Caden had started to grow into his body by that point, and Tyson had also become a wildly handsome young man with thick blond hair and a careless grin so different from that of his brother’s tight smile.

  Lucy’s breath caught at the final photo. It showed Tyson and Caden at the base of a sheer cliff, both wearing climbing gear. Caden was a few inches taller than his brother, but what punched at Lucy’s chest was the pure joy displayed in the photo.

  Caden’s head was thrown back in laughter, and Tyson was grinning and looking at Caden with a good bit of love and adoration. The bond between the brothers had
clearly been solidified at that point. At least in the second the photo was snapped, Caden had dropped his defenses to revel in whatever moment they were having.

  She couldn’t help but be curious as to the circumstances of Tyson’s death and why Caden seemed to take the blame for it. She wished she’d asked her mother for more details, although there was a good chance Maureen wouldn’t be aware of the situation since it didn’t affect her directly.

  The sound of the front door opening and male voices coming closer interrupted her musings. She whirled away from the bookcase and took two hurried steps toward the middle of the room, feeling somehow like she’d been spying on Caden by looking at the photos.

  He appeared in the hall a moment later, and color rushed to Lucy’s cheeks as his stark gaze landed on her. She cursed her pathetic and weak body, which reacted to the way he was studying her with an involuntary shiver.

  How was she supposed to keep her distance from this man when she could almost feel the current of attraction pulsing between them?

  “Are you casing the place now that my dad’s away?” he asked drily, offering an acute reminder of why it would be easy to stay away from him.

  Because he was a jerk.

  “You must be Maureen’s daughter,” the other man said and strode forward to take Lucy’s hand. She guessed he was younger than Caden by at least five years. His light blond hair fell over hazel eyes that were wide and welcoming. “Your mom is awesome. She’s pretty hot, too. A real MILF—”

  “Chad.” Caden’s voice was like a slap, cutting off Chad midsentence. Lucy had to admit she was grateful. She should have been used to how men both young and old reacted to her mother. Yet it still made her as uncomfortable now as it had when she was a kid. There were many years she’d lied to her mother about school activities just to avoid Maureen showing up in her plunging necklines and thigh-grazing hems to flirt with unsuspecting teachers or the fathers of Lucy’s few friends.