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“You’re changing the subject. What about this—I’ll pay for the rings after all. Will you help me out then?”
“It’s not about money. Dom, I feel obligated to point out again that this is wrong. Deceiving your mother. And your grandmother. It’s like tampering with the laws of nature. It’s like unleashing the powers of the universe. Maternal powers. Times two. Messing with the woman who gave you life and the woman who gave her life.” She shook her head. “That’s the double whammy. It’s a scary thing to do. I just don’t know—”
“You’re stalling. And being overly dramatic.”
“I bet you’re one of those doctors who doesn’t believe in alternative medicine, aren’t you?”
“I’m a doctor whose objective is to help the patient feel better using whatever works. If that method is deception, then I guess it can be filed under ‘the wrong thing for the right reason.”’
“The end justifies the means?”
“Why not? I told you, I use my powers only for good.” He folded his arms over his chest. “What do you say? Mine is a just cause.”
“But when they get back from the trip, you still have to tell them the wedding isn’t going to happen. It’s what they want most in the world.”
“It’ll happen,” he said. “I just need to find another bride.”
“Silly me. What was I thinking?” she said, smacking her forehead. “Of course brides just grow on trees.”
“I didn’t mean it like that. All I need is time to look for someone.”
“Like you’ve got tons of time.”
“What does that mean?”
“Your fiancée told me she didn’t have an engagement ring because you couldn’t find time to shop. And you couldn’t find a few hours to come with her to put in your two cents on wedding rings. What makes you think you’re going to have the spare time to find another woman to marry you?”
“Can we focus on one problem at a time, please? Or would you like to continue to borrow trouble?”
“If it will prevent you from putting me on the spot, I can keep it up indefinitely.”
One dark eyebrow rose. “Are you going to help me or not? Yes or no.”
“I can’t just give you an answer off the top of my head. It’s not that simple.” She sighed. “There’s a lot to think about. I just don’t know.”
“I’m going back to Houston on Sunday. Is tomorrow enough time to make a decision?”
“It will have to be.”
Sky had no idea why she hadn’t simply told him no. Right then and there. No way, no how. Not in this lifetime. But it was too final. And somehow, the simple, two-letter, one-syllable word to end this crazy scheme once and for all would not come out of her mouth.
Procrastination is a crime; it only leads to sorrow. Tomorrow she had to tell him she couldn’t impersonate his fiancée. Then tell him goodbye forever. She didn’t know when or how it happened, but she would certainly be sorry about that.
The following afternoon Dom paused in the doorway of the Black Arrow Courthouse and surveyed the ravaged building. Black soot covered the interior walls. Evidence of water damage was testament to the efforts it had taken to put out the fire he’d been told had happened several months before.
A little while ago he’d stopped by Sky’s shop to see her, but she hadn’t been there. The older woman behind the counter who introduced herself as Sky’s mother, Alice, had told him where her daughter could be found. She’d volunteered the information that Sky was taking the opportunity to say goodbye to her brother before he left for Washington.
As he wandered through the courthouse, Dom noticed that the damage seemed to be confined to several rooms containing records. The caustic smell of smoke permeated the building and tickled his throat.
Voices drifted to him. He followed the sound, which led him to a wing off the main building and a courtroom untouched by the fire. The bench, witness chair, defense and prosecution tables and spectator seating had suffered no ill-effects that he could see. As her mother had said, Sky was there with three men.
He stopped in the doorway and watched from behind the spectator chairs. With their backs to him, the group continued their discussion, the sound of their conversation echoing loudly in the empty room. Two of the men were roughly his height, which made them about six feet tall. Both had dark hair like Sky’s. He’d bet they were two of the “big burlys” she’d warned him about last night and he wondered which one knew three hundred ways to kill a man.
The third guy had different coloring. As Dom stood there, he heard the man say, “Bram, why don’t you take care of arranging for damage estimates on the courthouse, the newspaper office and Black Arrow Feed and Grain. When you have a bottom line, send it to my father.”
Bram ran a hand through his short black hair. Even from this distance the sheriff’s badge on his tan shirt was visible. As were the leathers around his waist that included a big gun. “Look, Rand, I know you’re family. But this isn’t your problem. Or your father’s. I’m sure Joe Colton has better things to do.”
So he was Rand Colton, Dom thought. He’d heard of the wealthy Coltons of California. Apparently Sky was somehow related.
Rand held up his hand. “It is our problem. My uncle Graham is responsible. Someone in the family is always cleaning up after him, usually my father. Graham is furious about the fact that his father Teddy was never legally married to his mother. But he only hired Kenny Randolph to find and destroy birth records and any other documents linking the Coltons here in Oklahoma with Teddy Colton. Graham wanted money, not mayhem. Although that’s what you get when you hire a convicted felon, he never intended for anyone to get hurt or for property to be damaged. Someone from my branch of the family caused the problem and we intend to make it right. Family sticks together.”
“I second that,” Sky chimed in.
“My father sent me here to take care of it.” Rand turned sideways, revealing his grin, then he looked at the other two men. “No one says no to Joe Colton Senior. I don’t want to hear any more about it.”
“Whatever you say,” Bram said, nodding. “Frankly we’re still in a state of shock about the inheritance. Still trying to figure out what to do with it. No thanks to Kenny.”
Rand nodded. “Jesse, when you get back to Washington, can you use your spy-guy expertise to get a lead on Kenny?”
Jesse nodded. “I’ll see what I can do.” He looked at Sky. “Did you distribute that mug shot of Kenny to the rest of the family? Everyone needs to know what he looks like and keep their eyes open.”
“It’s taken care of,” she assured him. “But he’s long gone by now.”
“Don’t be too sure, little sister. None of us can afford to let our guard down. He attacked Willow, so we know he’s not above harming a woman.” He glanced at Bram. “You did check out the jewelry store and her apartment above for security?”
Bram nodded. “Along with your father. Uncle Thomas agreed the system is state of the art. He insisted on having it monitored. If it’s tripped, help will be there in minutes.”
Jesse looked at her. “Maybe you and I need to go over some of those self-defense moves I showed you—”
“We’ve got company,” Rand said, looking suspiciously at Dom.
“Hi,” he said. The three men turned as one to watch him move closer. Maybe he could use some self-defense moves. He noticed the color that crept into Sky’s cheeks when he met her gaze.
Three speculative gazes slid to her as Sheriff Bram Colton said, “I don’t recall seeing you before.”
“Just got into town yesterday,” Dom explained. “I’m a friend of Sky’s.”
Dom couldn’t help thinking this was like a scene from a B Western, where the handsome stranger walks into the saloon. He wondered if Sky thought he was handsome and was surprised when he realized it mattered to him that she did.
He remembered her remark last night about sex being less complicated. He wasn’t so sure, but it would probably be dynamite. Studying her now, he noted that flushed cheeks were the only clue that she was uneasy. Otherwise, she was serene and sophisticated. Dressed in a slim black skirt, high heels and a cream-colored sweater that smoothed over her gently curved hips, she looked refined and feminine. Every inch the up-and-coming businesswoman. It was a bonus that she was sexy as hell.
“Dr. Dominic Rodriguez, this is my brother Jesse, my cousin Bram, and Rand Colton, my newfound cousin.”
Dom shook hands with the men, then met Bram’s black-eyed gaze. “I couldn’t help overhearing, Sheriff. Mug shot? I heard you talking about the thug hired by the other branch of the family. But why is Sky involved in distributing his picture?”
“She volunteered.” Grimly, Bram looked at the other two men. “The whole family has a stake in catching the creep. He assaulted my sister Willow and damaged several buildings here in town while he was gathering information about us,” he said ruefully. “When Graham finally gave up the scheme, Kenny was hung out to dry and he swore to get even with all the Coltons. He’s a slippery little weasel and he’s wanted for a lot of bad stuff. Until we put him away for good, we all have to watch our backs.”
“I see,” Dom said. There was enough testosterone in this room to sink a boatload of bad guys. And it was rubbing off on him.
He studied Sky, her clear eyes, creamy skin, shiny black hair. She stood straight and proud and fearless. For reasons he didn’t understand, that made him want to keep her close to him so he could protect her. Whoa. What was that all about? She didn’t need him. The thought bothered him and to save his soul he couldn’t figure out why.
Still, she was probably right. This Kenny scumbag was no doubt long gone. He’d be an idiot to show his face anywhere near a Colton—especially since the family was littered with lawman types.
Jesse cleared his throat. “Sky, we’re finished here. If your friend—”
“We’re not friends exactly. More business acquaintances.”
Studying her carefully, Jesse’s eyes narrowed. “Any business I should know about?”
“Down boy. Don’t make Dom defend himself. He’s a doctor and needs his hands for surgery.” She looked sadly at her brother. “But I have to go. It’s time for me to get back to the store. And you have a plane to catch. I guess this is goodbye.”
“Yeah.” He pulled her into a bear hug. “Take care of yourself, sis. Stay out of trouble.”
“You know me.”
“Yeah. So I say again, stay out of trouble.”
She laughed, then stepped away. “I love you. Take care.”
“You, too. Don’t worry about Kenny. We’ll get him. Besides, he wouldn’t dare show up around here. So you’ll be safe in Black Arrow.”
“I know.” She kissed his cheek, then stepped out of the circle of his arms. “Say hi to Samantha for me. His new wife,” she said to Dom.
At least someone managed to pull off a wedding, he thought.
“Congratulations.” He held out his hand.
“Thanks,” Jesse answered, squeezing his palm—hard.
Dom nodded. “Nice to meet you. All of you,” he said, shaking hands all around.
“’Bye guys,” Sky said, raising her hand in farewell as a chorus of deep voices responded.
Dom followed her outside where the cold Oklahoma day forced her to stop and put on her black coat. The sun was shining and the sky was blue, but the cold wind turned her cheeks and the tip of her cute turned-up nose red.
“How did you know where I was?” she asked, flipping up the collar of her coat.
“Your mom.”
She nodded. “Of course. I don’t even know why I asked. She fills in for me at the shop all the time. When I need backup.”
Interesting choice of law enforcement lingo. But the majority of her family was in that line of work. “Can I buy you lunch?”
She shook her head. “I’ve already used up my lunch hour on family business.”
“You wouldn’t be trying to duck me, would you?”
“What was your first clue?”
“Since you’re the boss, you should be able to take as much time off as you want. Especially with your mom as backup. You know. That whole force-of-nature thing you told me about. Seems to me your business is in good hands.”
“Pretty good logic. But there’s one flaw in your theory. What makes you think my mom doesn’t have to be somewhere?”
“Does she?”
“No. She’s a retired schoolteacher. And since my dad retired from his security consulting business she’s been looking for reasons to get out of the house. Too much togetherness, I suppose. But I don’t want to take advantage. I told her I would be back in an hour.”
He leaned a shoulder against the post holding up the sidewalk overhang. “There’s this handy little invention. You may have heard of it. It’s called a telephone. Many are portable and can be used from any location where there’s cell reception.”
“You’re a real comedian,” she said, but started laughing. “I have one of those handy, dandy gizmos. But I don’t choose to use it. I choose to get back to work.”
“So you are running away from me.”
“That would be cowardly.”
“If the shoe fits.” He lifted one eyebrow. “Have you made up your mind yet? You said you’d sleep on it. Are you going to help me out?”
She turned worried gray eyes on him. “I think it’s a bad idea, Dom.”
“It’s a good idea.” He angled his chin toward the fire-damaged courthouse. “You said yourself that family sticks together.”
She slung her purse strap over her shoulder. “Explain to me how deceiving your mother and grandmother is sticking together.”
“It’s for the greater good.”
Equal parts of exhilaration and irritation coursed through him. Debating with her was more stimulating than anything he’d done in quite some time. Her gray eyes turned darker as anger swirled in their depths—like a stormy sky about to let loose. He found himself holding his breath in anticipation.
“It’s a lie and that’s wrong.” She shook her head. “No matter how you try to whitewash it, it’s just plain dishonest. Truth, good—deceit, bad.”
“That all depends on how you look at it.” He shrugged. “I say they’ll thank me for it.”
“At the same time they’re giving me the hate glare.”
“You won’t be around to see it.” He felt a prick of something that could only be disappointment at the thought of her not being around, as in he wouldn’t see her. “Look, Sky, bottom line, it would mean a lot to me if you would do this favor. I need an answer. Will you or won’t you be my fiancée?”
As he asked the question, two older women walked by. They stared questioningly at Sky. She looked as though she wanted the earth to open up and swallow her. “Hi, Hazel. Hello, Ruthanne.”
“Who’s the handsome stranger?” the silver-haired woman asked.
“A friend,” Sky answered. “Nice to see you both,” she said as they continued down the sidewalk. When they were out of sight, she glared at him. “Now see what you’ve done? Those two are the biggest gossips in Black Arrow. In an hour, everyone in town will think I’m your fiancée.”
“What a coincidence. I’ve got an engagement party that needs a fiancée. How about it?”
“Can we talk about this later? And privately?”
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