Playing With You (17 page)

“I brought a variety.” Ricki took the thermos from Garrett in her good hand. He tried to argue with her and take the coffee to the kitchen himself but she shook her head. Under her breath she said, “Let me talk with her a minute. Alone.”

He studied Ricki and gave a nod before letting her take the light bag that held the Styrofoam cups, sweetener, and half and half, too. She followed Deena to the kitchen as Garrett remained in the living room. “I brought a Napoleon just for you,” Ricki said to Deena.

“Thanks.” Deena gave her a smile and looked over Ricki’s shoulder when they were just inside the kitchen. Garrett had stayed by the front door to give them a few moments together. “You really didn’t have to bring him.” She looked at Ricki’s wrist. “I would have made sure you didn’t hurt yourself more.”

Ricki gave Deena a smile. “He wants to help and he’ll be great for anything big.”

Deena gave a vague nod. “Okay,” was all she said.

When Garrett came into the kitchen, Deena seemed to stall, taking her time to eat the Napoleon and a cream puff while Ricki had an éclair and Garrett ate two scones—one was blueberry and the other was cranberry. They drank a good deal of the coffee and when they finished, Deena led the way to the trailer.

Garrett unfastened the tarp and pulled it all the way off, revealing a hodge-podge of items. Deena lowered the tailgate. The first thing she took out was a big wooden chest with a padlock. Garrett tried to take it and carry it for her, but she yanked it out of his grasp.

“I’ll get this.” She held the chest protectively then turned and carried it up the stairs and into the house, her pace hurried.

Garrett handed Ricki a medium-sized suitcase that wasn’t very heavy. “I can handle more than this,” she said.

He shook his head. “Just leave the heavier stuff up to me and Deena.”

Ricki carried the suitcase into the house and Deena directed her down the hall to the left. “My bedroom is on the right,” she said.

Garrett carried in the few pieces of furniture and a lot of the boxes. Like Deena had said, there wasn’t a lot to unload, even though the trailer held more than Ricki had expected.

Ricki had just carried a basket into the house when she bumped her hip against a box that was stacked on top of a larger box. She tried to use both hands to catch the smaller box as it tumbled down, but pain shot through her injured wrist and her other hand wasn’t enough to hold it up.

The box crashed to the floor, the top coming open and picture frames spilling out across the floor. Ricki’s heart fell as she heard the crack of glass.

“Let me help you with that,” Garrett said as he came in from behind her and crouched beside her.

Ricki nodded, tears stinging her eyes from the pain in her wrist. She held it against her chest as she knelt and used her free hand to help pick up the pictures.

“Damn.” She picked up the picture frame with broken glass that held a photograph of a dark-haired woman who had curves like Ricki. Something was familiar about the blue-eyed woman, but Ricki couldn’t place her and she handed the frame to Garrett to set aside. “We’d better leave this one out for Deena.”

Garrett paused as he took the picture with the broken glass from Ricki and glanced at it. He studied it before he set it down and frowned. Where had he seen this woman before? He placed the photograph on a box and looked over a couple of other photos that had fallen out. The same person was in one of the photos and she was standing with a beautiful red-haired woman.

“What are you doing?” Deena’s voice was sharp as she dropped a box with a loud thump and hurried over to Garrett. She grabbed the framed photos he’d been holding from out of his hands. “These are personal.”

“I’m so sorry.” Ricki sounded apologetic as she rushed to speak. “I bumped into the box and knocked it down. Garrett is helping me pick up everything.”

Deena looked like she was fighting for control. “That’s okay, Ricki.” She spoke calmly and sweetly to Ricki, even though Garrett didn’t think there was anything sweet about Deena. “These are a friend’s photos and I promised to take care of them for her.” She moved in front of Garrett, edging him away from the pictures.

“The glass on one of the frames broke.” Ricki gestured to the one that he’d set aside. “I’ll replace it for you.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Deena gave Ricki a smile. “It’s a cheap frame. I’ll get something to replace it.”

“I’ll pay,” Ricki said but Deena shook her head.

Garrett stood from his crouched position and got to his feet. “Ricki, I should take you to urgent care to get that wrist x-rayed.”

She shook her head. “It’s fine.”

Wearing a frown, he met her gaze. “I think you should go.”

“No.” She smiled at him. “It’s not a big deal. I didn’t break anything. All I did was sprain it.”

He eyed her. “If it gets worse, then I’m taking you.” He turned to Deena. “I’ll get the last of your things,” he said before heading out the front door and to the trailer.

Ricki clearly liked Deena and enjoyed their friendship. Garrett, on the other hand, felt uneasy about the woman. Something was off, like he’d suspected from the beginning, but he wasn’t sure what it was.

He shook his head and got up into the trailer and went to the few boxes that were left before grabbing a couple and heading back into the house.

“Let me get you some pain reliever,” Deena was saying to Ricki when Garrett walked in with a couple of the remaining boxes.

“I’m okay.” Ricki was standing now but still holding her arm to her chest.

“Stop trying to be so tough.” Deena stroked the forearm of Ricki’s good arm in a gesture that was almost intimate. “I’ll get some ibuprofen. I have some Advil in my overnight case in my bedroom.”

Deena ignored Garrett as she walked down the hall and disappeared from sight. The picture with the broken glass was no longer where he’d set it. All of the pictures were gone, for that matter, including the box they’d been in.

“How are you feeling?” He went to Ricki and settled his hands on her shoulders and squeezed.

“Fine.” She offered him a smile but her expression was pained.

He kissed her forehead, feeling her soft skin against his firm lips. He breathed in the scent that was all Ricki. “I’m going to get the last two boxes and I want you to rest. Understand?”

He held her shoulders still until she nodded. “Okay.”

Just as he was about to kiss Ricki, Deena returned, carrying a small cup of water and a couple of pain reliever tablets in one outstretched hand.

Garrett stepped out of the way and Ricki took the tablets and put them in her mouth before grasping the small paper cup and swallowing down the pain reliever.

He could have imagined it, but he thought he saw malice in Deena’s eyes when she glanced at him. The woman was a man hater, no doubt about it.

It took one more trip to get the last of Deena’s things. She refused the offer of further help and said that she’d put everything away that was boxed herself.

“Thank you for your help.” Deena hugged Ricki, clearly mindful of her sprained wrist. “I imagine you have something planned for later today.”

Garrett spoke even though Deena’s words had been directed at Ricki. “If you don’t need anything else, we’ll get out of your hair.”

What there was of it. Deena’s spiked hair seemed impossibly shorter at an inch long at most. Last time he’d seen her, he’d detected her dark roots, but her hair was bleached to the scalp once again.

“Next Sunday is spa day.” Deena’s smile broadened as she looked at Ricki. “It’ll be a fun girls’ day out.” She emphasized
girls
. “Make sure you take care of that wrist.”

“I’m looking forward to it.” Ricki’s smile matched Deena’s. “I’ve never been to a spa in Sedona.”

“It’s going to be fantastic,” Deena said.

After Ricki told Deena goodbye, and Ricki had started toward the door, Garrett gave Deena a nod. She just glared at him. Her glare vanished when Ricki glanced back.

Deena waved and Garrett put his arm around Ricki’s shoulders and walked with her to his truck.

“How does an afternoon at the rodeo sound?” he asked as he helped her up into his truck.

“I’d love that,” she said. “I’ve never been to a rodeo.”

“I’m happy to be your first,” he said with a grin.

She returned his grin before he closed the passenger door and headed to the driver’s side.

When he climbed in, she reached over the console and squeezed his hand. “Thank you for coming today. I know you and Deena don’t see eye-to-eye and it probably wasn’t the most comfortable for you.”

He squeezed her hand in return. “As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters.”

“You’re a good man,” she said with a smile.

He pushed aside old negative feelings that wanted to rush forth and he kept his expression composed. “I don’t know about that, but I am thankful for you.” He leaned over and kissed her. Her lips were so soft against his. He drew back and she was smiling at him.

Prickles went up his spine. He glanced at the doorway to Deena’s home and saw her glaring at him before she slammed the door shut.

The rodeo was loud and dusty and packed with cowboys in western hats and Wranglers covering nice asses with Skoal rings on a lot of back pockets. Plenty of cowgirls were at the rodeo, too, and the place smelled of cows, horses, and concession stand food.

The April day remained bright and clear and the sun had been warm enough to give Ricki a slight sunburn and turn her shoulders pink. While they watched the rodeo, she especially enjoyed the women’s barrel racing competition, the men’s bronc riding, and the kids’ goat tying events.

It was evening when they left, the arena’s lights illuminating the parking lot. Hair that had escaped her braid floated around her face in a soft breeze.

They were nearly to Garrett’s truck, his arm around her shoulders, when a man stepped in front of them.

The man squared off with Garrett, face screwed up in fury. “You sonofabitch.”

Ricki blinked and realized it was Andy Johnson. He’d come into the bakery with his wife, Sally, a few times.

Puzzled, Ricki looked at Garrett, whose eyes were narrowed at Andy.

When she looked back at Andy, his face was purple with anger. “You ruined my marriage.”

Ricki frowned.
What?

“You ruined your own marriage.” Garrett released Ricki and stepped away from her, gently pushing her behind him before getting in Andy’s face. Fury was apparent on Garrett’s features. “You’re a cheating bastard.”

“You had no damned business spying on me.” Without warning, Andy swung his fist at Garrett’s face.

Ricki cried out, eyes wide, stomach swooping in fear.

Garrett blocked the swing with one forearm. “Cheating sonofabitch.” With his opposite hand he drove his fist into Andy’s face.

The loud smack of flesh rang through the air as Andy’s head snapped to the side. He shouted as blood poured from his nose.

“Garrett!” Ricki cried out, horror prickling her skin, but he didn’t seem to notice when she called out his name.

Andy went after Garrett again, slamming his fist into Garrett’s solar plexus. Garrett grunted then grabbed Andy by his shirt.

Garrett jerked Andy close, drew back his fist, and landed another punch, this time to Andy’s eye. Skin split and more blood ran down his face.

Andy looked even more enraged. When Garrett released him, Andy stumbled back. He regained his balance, stepped in Garrett’s space, and swung at him.

Garrett blocked the next shot then rammed his fist into Andy’s gut. He didn’t stop there. He punched Andy twice more and the man dropped to the asphalt. Garrett grabbed Andy by the shirt again, and jerked him to his feet. “Sally deserves better than you,” Garrett said as he drew back his fist.

“Stop!” Tears rolled down Ricki’s cheeks as she saw the violence in Garrett’s eyes. She grabbed his arm and held on. “That’s enough!”

Garrett didn’t move for a moment, and then a change went over his features as he seemed to come back to himself. He pushed Andy away and the man tripped and fell back against a truck, which kept him from dropping.

Andy glared at Garrett and wiped blood from his nose with his sleeve. “You’d better stay out of my way, McBride.” Andy had hatred in his eyes. “Or you’ll be sorry.”

Garrett stared the man down and said nothing, fury still on his features that now looked harsh in the parking lot’s artificial lighting. Andy turned and stumbled away.

The violence Ricki had just witnessed churned her stomach. She stared at Garrett as he refused to look at her for a long moment. He seemed to be trying to regain his self-control.

He turned to face her and his chest rose and fell and he looked like he was attempting to slow his breathing. The hardness and fury in his eyes started to fade.

“I’m sorry you had to see that,” he finally said.

Tears threatened at the backs of her eyes and she couldn’t think of anything to say. The violence had scared her and her body hurt from tension.

She moved away from Garrett and walked from him toward his truck. She tugged on the door handle, but the door was locked. He came up to her and took her by the shoulders and turned her to face him.

Refusing to look at him, she stared past his shoulder. “You didn’t need to do that. You could have walked away.”

“You’re right.” He let out a harsh breath. “We’ll talk about it, but not here.”

“Maybe I don’t want to talk about it.” She moved her gaze to his. “Maybe I’ve seen enough.”

He moved his hands from her shoulders. He reached for the door handle as he unlocked the door with the remote. When the door was open, he helped her into the truck. Her whole body felt stiff as he touched her.

Even as angry as she was, she found herself wanting to turn to him, throw her arms around his neck, and hold on to him. But that was the last thing she was going to do.

After he helped her with the seatbelt so that she didn’t have to use her bad wrist, he shut the door behind her. He strode around the truck and climbed in. After his seatbelt was on, he put his hand to his solar plexus and winced.