Page 32 of Sweet Temptation

Stifling a chuckle, Rachel leaned forward. “Mrs. Shannon, I think I would have liked going to college with you.”

“It’s Eleanor, dear, and likewise.”

“So,” Jackie inched forward in her seat, “does this mean we’re going to help teach Brad a lesson”?

Pushing to her feet, her grandmother looked at the three of them. “Sometimes, helping karma along can be an awfully entertaining way to pass the time.”

Chapter Thirteen

Pushing scrambled eggs around her plate, Jackie’s fork scraped against the dish in the otherwise quiet kitchen. Garret wished there was something he could do or say to take away the weight that Jackie carried since learning Brad was a serial stinker. Usually, Saturday morning breakfast at the ranch meant pancakes stacked high, bacon crisp and plentiful, and conversation flowing freely. Today, everyone privy to the plans for the day seemed just a tad off kilter.

His mother refilled coffee cups without comment.

“So,” he broke the silence as Rachel checked her watch for the third time in ten minutes, “what time are you two heading into town?”

Rachel set her empty mug down with a decisive thunk. “As soon as Jackie finishes pretending to eat.”

“I’m not pretending. I’m thinking.” Jackie abandoned any effort at eating and pushed her plate away. “And I’ve pretty much run out of thoughts. Time to hit the road.”

Garret leaned forward, lowering his voice even though his mother had disappeared into the pantry. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

The determination in Jackie’s eyes gave him his answer before she spoke. “I have to. I just keep thinking, if someone had warned me about Brad back in Houston, I could have avoided a lot of heartache. Angela deserves the same chance.”

Something twisted in Garret’s chest—admiration, maybe, or something deeper he wasn’t ready to name. “I’m just trying to figure out what this guy’s endgame is. He can’t possibly be planning to be a bigamist, shuttling between two towns and two wives.”

“I’ve been wondering the same thing,” Jackie tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Why propose to Angela when he never even hinted at marriage with me? I mean, even if shuffling between two families from Millers Creek to Honeysuckle is easier than between West Texas and Houston, none of this makes sense.”

Rachel snorted. “Maybe Angela has money.”

“Does she?” Jackie’s forehead creased in thought. “But that makes me wonder—does his wife have money?”

“Could be why he stays married.” Garret hefted a shoulder in a brief shrug. “Keep the financial security of one relationship while pursuing others on the side.”

“Maybe…” Jackie nodded slowly. “But why go so far as proposing? Why not string her along like he did with me?”

“We can speculate all day, or we can get moving and find our answers.” Rachel stood, slinging her purse over her shoulder. “Ready to go?”

Jackie took a deep breath, squared her shoulders. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Garret rose as they did. Something compelled him to reach for Jackie’s hand as she passed, stopping her with a gentle tug. “Call me if you need back up.”

Her smile softened, eyes warming. “I will. But entertaining Grams, showing her around the ranch and the animals, that’s the best help you can give me today.”

The urge to go with her, to protect her from a potentially outraged woman—or worse, an unscrupulous ex—was stronger than he’d expected. Without thinking, he leaned in and brushed his lips lightly against hers. “For luck,” he murmured, pulling back just enough to see surprise flicker across her face.

A throat cleared behind them, and Garret turned to find his mother standing in the kitchen doorway, a dish towel in hand and a knowing smile on her face, her eyes settled on their still-joined hands.

Jackie’s cheeks flushed pink as she squeezed his fingers once before letting go.

“You girls have a good time in town,” his mom called out. “And don’t worry about Eleanor; we’ll take good care of her.”

“Thank you. We won’t be long.” Jackie’s gaze lingered a moment longer, locked with his, before she slipped out the door with Rachel close behind.

As the screen door swung shut, his mother’s smile widened. “That girl’s good for you,” she said simply, before turning back to the kitchen.

Garret remained at the window, watching Jackie and Rachel climb into Rachel’s car. He told himself he was playing his part well—the devoted boyfriend seeing his girl off. The uncomfortable truth, settling like a weight in his chest, was that less and less of it felt like acting anymore.

The rhinestone-studded “OPEN” sign in the window of Shear Perfection glinted against the morning sunlight as Rachel pushed open the door. A bell tinkled overhead, announcing their arrival to the salon’s lone occupant.

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