Page 53 of Cowboy Stolen Kiss for Christmas

“Oh, Laura, honey,” Ayaka Lee sighed. “He’s the right one this time.”

“I know.” Way down deep, she knew it was true.

September

Pinetop was reverberating with excitement again. Autumn was a new season, so it ushered in the next wave of festivities across the small mountain town. First, they hosted the Harvest Hop down at the Civic Center. It was followed by their annual Back to School Bash, a carnival that lasted a full weekend. Soon afterward, Bear Mountain Ranch opened its cornfield maze and pumpkin patch.

Laura’s newest toy designs had been an instant hit when her family had first unveiled them last summer. She was preparing to roll out a whole new autumn version of it, complete with scarecrows and cats to clip to the fences.

The only thing that dimmed the joy of the season for her was the continued string of thefts being reported by the local shop owners. They’d plagued the town all summer and were showing every sign of continuing into fall. It was a pity that their once peaceful town was grappling with something so sinister.

Though the local news reported them as petty thefts, probably to keep the fear factor down, quite a few higher ticket items were included in that statement — jewelry, figurines, and collectible coins and stamps. Shop owners were securing more and more items inside locked, glassed-in cabinetry. Extra security cameras were installed from one end of Main Street to the other, even at the toy store where she and her family worked.

Laura hated having to be so careful about everything, but it couldn’t be helped. This was the new normal in Pinetop.

The entrance bell jangled, announcing the arrival of a new customer. Laura glanced up from her easel. “Welcome to Santa’s Toy Factory!” The words died on her lips when she saw who it was.

Brex Morrison moved her way with his hands stuffed in the pockets of his double-breasted blazer. “Is it true?” He searched her features as he drew closer.

“Is what true?” She glanced across the room to gauge how far away her sister was. Lucy nodded at her from the play zone to let her know she was aware of their unexpected visitor.

Brex had been absent from town ever since Laura’s engagement to Ames. She’d been sort of dreading their next confrontation. And now she was simply anxious to get it over with,

“Rumor has it that Ames gave you a ring that belongs in a safe deposit box.” His mouth twisted in disapproval. “Kind of hard for me to compete with that.”

“It wasn’t a competition.” She spoke through stiff lips. “You and I weren’t meant to be. That is all.”

“Is that why you kept the ring I gave you?” His dark gaze glinted with anger.

She stared blankly at him. “What are you talking about?”

“Just for the record, I’m not mad that you didn’t return it.” He removed his hands from his pockets and spread them beseechingly. “All this time, I was hoping it meant you intended to put it back on.” He huffed out a long-suffering breath. “That is, after you punished me long enough for my mistake in letting you go.”

Laura’s insides churned sickly. “You didn’t let me go, Brex. You intentionally ended our engagement. I’ve never understood why, and I probably never will, but it no longer matters.”

“It matters to me!” He sounded incensed.

She ignored his impassioned words. “I’d honestly forgotten about the ring. If you’d like it back, I’ll try to remember where I put it.” She shook her head. It seemed so long ago since she’d taken it off.

“Man!” He snorted. “It must be nice to have so many rings you can’t remember where you put them.”

She saw no point in responding to that.

His dark gaze fastened at last on her engagement ring. “You really should put that somewhere safe.”

“It’s insured.” She moved her hand so he could no longer see the ring. His scrutiny of it was making her uncomfortable. She wished he’d leave the store.

“Doesn’t matter,” he growled. “With all the thefts happening around here lately, it’s foolish to make yourself a target.”

Her lips parted in astonishment. “I’m no longer your concern, Brex.” He’d given up that right more than a year and a half ago.

“You’ll always be my concern, Laura, like it or not!” With that cryptic comment, he spun around and left the shop.

While Laura stared after him, her sister joined her at the easel. “That was unnerving,” she confessed. “I knew he wouldn’t be happy about my engagement to Ames, but…” She shook her head.

“His opinion doesn’t matter.” Lucy’s eyes snapped with anger. “Not anymore.”

“I almost wish I hadn’t offered to give back his ring,” Laura muttered. “I was so upset the day I took it off that I have no memory of what I even did with it.”

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