style="font-size:15px;"> Before he reached the shop at the base of the mountain, he spotted Roce’s Escalade parked in front next to his mother’s Land Rover. He shut off the engine and climbed down, eager to take his little girl back to his house. She’d become his whole world.
As he opened the shop door and felt the warmth envelop him, he saw his precious Libby in the arms of a shapely woman in a light-colored sweater and jeans standing at the counter talking to his mother. She had to be Roce’s girlfriend. There was no sign of his brother. Where was he?
Eli couldn’t help staring. She had the kind of otherworldly gossamer hair he’d always longed to run his hands through. While he was still mesmerized by her, Libby saw him and called out, “Dada!” His brunette daughter started squirming to get to him.
He moved toward her as the woman turned around. Eli was almost blinded by eyes that were the same deep blue as some of the sapphires in his mother’s shop. Libby reached for him and hugged him around the neck, breaking the spell that had held him captive.
“All the light bulbs have been replaced.” Roce’s voice came from the back room. He emerged and gave their mother a kiss. “Hey, bro.” He smiled at Eli. “How are things going? Libby gets bigger and cuter every time I see her.”
“I think so, too,” he muttered, caught totally off guard. “She’s my little cowgirl. Aren’t you, sweetie?” After kissing her cheek, he eyed his mother. “Thanks, Mom. Just so you know, I’m headed home. If you’re going to the rodeo with us, you need to be at the ranch in an hour.” On that note, he headed for the door.
“Wait—don’t forget this.” His mother held up Libby’s little parka.
He’d forgotten because he couldn’t get out of there fast enough. Eli reached for the coat and put it on his daughter, aware of the younger woman’s engaging smile.
“Bye-bye, Libby.”
He suffered another shock because his daughter smiled back. “Bye.”
Their exchange trapped the air in his lungs because Libby had never said that word before. Once back at the truck, he fastened his daughter in the car seat and started down the mountain road.
Eli knew he’d been rude to leave like that. So rude, in fact, that he hadn’t even answered his brother’s question about his welfare. But the sight of Libby in that woman’s arms had jolted him. Normally his daughter wasn’t comfortable with strangers, but she’d seemed perfectly content with this one just now.
As for Eli, he hadn’t been involved with another woman since meeting Tessa two and a half years ago. After a quick marriage and early pregnancy followed by a divorce, he’d devoted his life to Libby and had lost all interest in women, or so he’d thought.
So what in the hell had just happened to him? He’d stood there helplessly assessing her attributes as if he’d never seen a beautiful woman before. What made it worse was the fact that she was Roce’s girlfriend.
Had his brother noticed Eli’s behavior?
Of course he had! Roce didn’t miss anything.
Damn and damn.
* * *
BRIANNA TRIED TO concentrate on the reason why she’d come to the shop in the first place, but the arrival of the little girl’s gorgeous daddy had brought a tension she couldn’t shake. Was it anger she’d felt as he pulled his daughter away from her?
She’d offered to hold her while Mrs. Clayton showed her the sapphires. The little fourteen-month-old was so adorable and Brianna had loved entertaining her. Yet the father had seemed anything but pleased. Brianna wasn’t exactly pleased, either.
Not only had she felt a strong and immediate physical attraction to Roce’s brother—something that rarely happened to her just by looking at a man—it wasn’t until he was putting the parka on his daughter that she noticed he wore a wedding ring.
Life played mean tricks on you. Roce Clayton didn’t wear a ring, but he hadn’t caused her heart to race when they looked at each other.
Time to snap out of it, Brianna.
After a moment’s hesitation, she chose the stone she loved the most from one of the trays. “Can you set this dark pink sapphire aside? My uncle will come to pick out the setting he wants and pay for it then. Will you be open Monday evening? He can be here by six. Their anniversary is on Wednesday.”
“We’ll take care of all of it on Monday,” Mrs. Clayton said, smiling kindly. Brianna could see where her two sons got their good looks. They all bore a resemblance to each other.
The pretty dark-blond widow whose short hair was cut in a becoming style also possessed a charming nature and was wonderful with her granddaughter. She turned to Roce. “I’m ready to go if you are.”
“See you back at the house, Mom.” After he gave Libby a hug, they walked out to his car and started down the mountain.
“Thank you so much for bringing me here. I found exactly what I wanted for my uncle. Your mother is so knowledgeable about these stones. It was fascinating listening to her.”
“Dad had the gem shop built for her to run. What started out as a hobby turned into a career for her. Over the years she’s made quite a name for herself. She brings in business from all over the country.”
“With your father gone, I’m assuming it has become even more important. She’s a lovely woman and her granddaughter clearly adores her.”
He nodded. “Dad fell for her the first time he saw her.”
“That’s so wonderful. It was the same with my brother and his wife. Love at first sight.”
He grinned at her. “I would say it doesn’t exist, but then I see it happen to other people all the time.”
Brianna was thinking the exact same thing. Her mind flickered back to Roce’s brooding brother. Did he have a fairy-tale love story, as well? When they reached the ranch house and Roce pulled up next to her truck, she opened the door. “Thanks for driving me up there. I really appreciate it.”
“It was my pleasure. I guess you heard us talking about the rodeo. Have you ever been to one?”
“Yes, actually. Plenty of times. My father and uncle were both bull riders years ago. We’re going to the arena tonight.”
“Then you’ll see our baby brother, Toly, and his partner, Mills, competing in the team roping event.”
“Uncle Clark said one of the Clayton boys would be in the lineup. We’ll be rooting for them.”
“I have to be there early to check over their horses. Why don’t you and your family join ours in the bleachers? We’ll save seats for you down in front.”
“That’s very generous of you. Thank you.”
“Good.”
“One thing, though, Roce. Can you please not mention that I went to your ranch today, and ask your brother and mother to do the same? Uncle Clark wants to keep the ring a secret.”
He
