Sleigh Bells In Crimson

It only made Caden dislike her more.

“Lucy will help you,” Maureen offered, her typically brilliant smile tight. “The two of you can put up the tree. She loves Christmas. Traditions are so important to our family.”

Another muffled snort from Lucy. “Mom, I came out here because you told me you needed help planning the wedding.” Lucy’s voice was calm and slightly amused, but Caden noticed her hand was clenched so tightly at her side that her knuckles had gone white. “I can’t stay here if you’re gone. I need to get back to my life.”

Maureen’s glossy lips turned down at the corners. “I do need you, Lucy-Goose. Especially since we’ll be in New York.” She placed her fingers on Garrett’s cheek and gave him another deep kiss. “My teddy bear and I need a getaway.”

“You’ve got a two-week honeymoon cruise planned,” Lucy muttered.

“I’ve always wanted to see the Rockettes’ holiday show,” Maureen insisted. “Don’t ruin this for me, honey.”

Caden saw Lucy’s chest rise and fall, as if she was struggling to keep from losing it. “I’ve got a life in Tampa. I can’t ignore it until the new year.”

Maureen rolled her big green eyes. “Don’t be silly. You haven’t had a decent job since you got fired six months ago.”

“And whose fault was that?” Lucy snapped.

“It was a misunderstanding that got blown way out of proportion.” Maureen gave her daughter a quelling look. “I know you don’t blame me.”

The air crackled with tension between the two women. “I blame myself,” Lucy said after a moment. “For so many reasons.”

“I can put you to work,” Garrett offered, pulling Maureen even closer, if that was possible. “Maureen said you’re real good with finances.”

Lucy gave a slight nod. “I have an accounting degree.”

“I’ve been looking for someone to put the books to right on the ranch. Nothing’s been the same since Tyson...”

His voice trailed off and Caden closed his eyes, unwilling to bear witness to the pain he knew he’d see etched in his father’s gaze.

“Oh, my Lucy’s a whiz with numbers,” Maureen said, throwing her arms around Garrett’s neck. “That would be perfect.”

“Not for me,” Lucy protested, and Caden felt a strange connection to this beautiful, prickly, unreadable woman. In the barn she’d been fiercely protective of her mother, but here it felt like she was as opposed to this whole charade as Caden.

“I’m happy, Lucy-Goose.” Maureen stepped away from Garrett and walked toward Lucy. An image of a coyote approaching a defenseless and cornered jackrabbit sprang to Caden’s mind.

He could almost feel Lucy shrink back, although she remained ramrod still. He had the strangest urge to step between the two women and shield Lucy from whatever invisible power her mother was aiming in her direction.

“You want me to be happy. Right, sweetie?”

There was a fraught moment when Caden wasn’t sure how Lucy would respond. He could feel the emotions swirling through her from where he stood. Then her shoulders slumped and she whispered, “I do.”

Maureen wrapped Lucy in a tight hug and murmured something in her ear that Caden couldn’t quite make out. Then she bounced back to Garrett’s side.

“I have a lasagna in the oven. Shall we have our first family dinner together?”

“Sounds good to me,” Garrett said.

“I have a headache after traveling all day,” Lucy told the group, all the spunk and sass he’d heard earlier in the barn gone from her voice. “I think I’m going to head up to bed.”

“Take care to drink enough water,” his father told her, moving forward with Maureen at his side. “It’s easy to get dehydrated at this altitude, especially coming from sea level.”

“I will,” she whispered. “Thank you, Mr. Sharpe.”

“Call me Garrett,” his father said with another chuckle. “We’re family now.”

Not yet, Caden thought. There was still time to turn around this sinking ship, and based on the exchange between Lucy and her mother, maybe an unexpected ally had just arrived on his doorstep.

“You’ll join us, Caden,” his dad said.

He wanted to refuse, but there was so much hope in his father’s eyes. He couldn’t disappoint the old man again. Not after everything Caden had put him through in the past and his secret determination to run off Maureen Renner.

Guilt stabbed at his chest when he thought of how sad his father would be when his engagement ended. But Caden had to believe it was better to end things now, before Garrett made things legal. He knew what could happen when his father’s heart was truly broken, and he couldn’t allow that to happen again.

“I just need to wash up,” he told Garrett and earned another wide smile.

Maureen led Garrett out of the family room, toward the kitchen. Caden expected Lucy to move toward the stairs, but instead she walked forward and touched the tip of one finger to several of the brightly colored Christmas lights.

“You can help me stop this,” he said into the quiet.

Her shoulders stiffened and she gave a slight shake of her head but didn’t turn around.

“Come on,” he coaxed, moving closer. “You have to see this for the farce it is.”

“Your father seems happy.”

Caden opened his mouth to argue, then shut it again. He couldn’t deny his dad’s upbeat spirit since Maureen had come into his life. In fact, Caden couldn’t remember the last time he’d heard Garrett laugh and smile the way he did when Maureen was near.

But that didn’t matter. It wasn’t real. It wasn’t right. And he sure as hell didn’t believe Garrett and Maureen were meant to be.

“It won’t last,” he answered instead. “With her track record, you know it’s true. You could talk to her.”

She turned to him now, her eyes flaring with emotion he didn’t understand. “Does my mother seem like the type to be influenced by anyone else’s opinion?”

“She’s going to hurt him,” he said quietly.

“You don’t know that,” Lucy shot back, but her gaze dropped to the floor.

Caden muttered a curse under his breath. “You’re going to hurt him,” he accused, lifting a finger and jabbing it at her. “A gold digger and her accomplice daughter. And now my father wants to give you access to his finances.” He blew out a breath. “Hell, was this the plan all along? Are you two professional grifters or something?”

“Of course not,” Lucy answered, but there was no force behind the words. None of the anger he would have expected at his bold accusation, which made him understand how close he’d come to the truth.

“I won’t let this happen.” He stalked toward her, crowded her back against the mantel, trying to use his size and his anger to intimidate her.

But he realized his mistake at once. This close, the scent of her perfume wound around him, and he could see the freckles dotting her cheeks. He wanted to trace his fingers over the pattern they made, feel her softness against his rough skin.

And there was something more. A sorrow in her eyes—a loneliness that called to the empty space inside him and made him feel a little less like the outsider he knew himself to be.

He gave himself a mental head shake when her gaze softened and she swayed toward him. What was it about Lucy Renner that broke through his defenses like they were made of air?

She was dangerous to him and, more important, to his father. The thought of how broken Garrett had been after Tyson died brought Caden back to reality like a bullet piercing his skin.

“I’m going to make sure this wedding doesn’t take place,” he said through clenched teeth. “Even if my father can’t see you for what you are, I do.”

Lucy’s head snapped back like he’d slapped her. “You don’t know me,” she whispered.

“But I’m going to,” he promised. “Every detail until I expose you and your mother. Mark my words, Lucy Renner. You will not survive me.”

Before she could respond, he turned and stalked out of the room.

* * *

“You have to let him go.” Lucy sat on the edge of the bed in the master bedroom of the main house the following day. “Stop it now, Mom, before it goes too far.”

Maureen pulled a dress out of the closet and turned to Lucy, holding it in front of her chest. “For our New York trip, Garrett made reservations at Tavern on the Green. I’ve always wanted to eat there. It’s a landmark, you know? One of the Real Housewives even renewed her vows there. What do you think about this? Too fancy or not enough?”

Lucy sighed. The dress was perfect. It was a deep forest green color with a scoop neckline, fitted without being slutty. Maureen would be stunning in it. Lucy should know. She’d helped her mother pick it out back when Maureen was trying to catch husband number three. “Why Garrett Sharpe, Mom? He isn’t your type. Fitting into his life is a stretch, even for you.” She pointed to the mounted caribou head above the bedroom’s stone fireplace. “Are you going to start wearing camo now?”

Maureen grinned. “Do you know they sell pink camo at the sporting goods store in downtown Crimson?”

“That’s not the point and you know it.”

“I love him, Lucy-Goose.”

The words made Lucy’s stomach roil. “I told you after last time—”

“It’s not the same,” her mother insisted as she folded the dress and placed it in the open suitcase on the bed.

“Of course it’s not. Garrett has a son who is both overprotective and beyond suspicious. It’s a terrible combination for you. When he finds out—”

“Garrett knows I’ve been married before.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.”

Maureen slammed the suitcase shut. “You have to make sure it isn’t an issue.”

“How am I supposed to do that? The man trusts me even less than he trusts you.”

“Don’t underestimate your charms, sweetie.”

Lucy groaned. “This isn’t like when I was a kid and I could be cute or invisible, depending on what your man of the hour wanted. It makes it sound like you’re trying to pimp me out.”

“Of course I’m not.” Maureen gave the suitcase’s zipper a hard pull, then let out a little cry. “The dress is caught in it. I’ve ruined it.” She turned and dropped to the bed, covering her face with her hands. “Caden Sharpe is going to ruin everything.”

“Don’t cry,” Lucy said when her mother’s shoulders began to shake. She’d always hated her mother’s tears. As a girl, she’d done everything in her power to keep Maureen’s spirit lifted. It was no easy task, especially after a breakup with whatever man Maureen had fallen in love with in any given month.

Lucy had too many memories of her mother in a weeping puddle on the bathroom floor, but even worse were the times when Maureen was quietly despondent. Those periods of depression had terrified Lucy because she never knew what her mother might do to end the pain.

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.

Garrett’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.