Page 9 of Seaside Cowboy's Fairy Tale

Once Rachel entered the house that smelled of comfort and freshly brewed coffee, Kennedy sent her an apologetic glance. “Based on your waitress uniform, you were working undercover. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“That’s fine. If anything, you gave me an excuse to get out of a sticky situation.” Tex’s image flashed in her vision, and longing nearly unraveled her composure again.

What was wrong with her? The attraction was untimely, inconvenient, and uncharacteristic of her. Besides, nearly every time she’d been attracted to a guy, her profession intimidated him.

“Hi, Rachel.” Kennedy’s husband, Austin, greeted her in the living room. The beagle darted to him.

“Hello, Austin.”

Small world. Austin was also Tex’s brother, and the similarities in features—though Austin’s hair had reddish tints—as well as the name association of Austin and Texas made Rachel think of Tex again. She shouldn’t. Really, she shouldn't.

He shouldn’t have gotten under her skin this much, and surely, her little crush would disappear soon. As a small-town veterinarian and cowboy, Austin was much more on the surface, and she’d find no double meanings in his vocabulary. Tex was more complicated, someone who hid his core from others.

Did he have a reason for that? Her heart made a strange movement in her chest.

Enough thinking about Tex!

Rachel needed to be present in the moment, though the fatigue from the sleepless night started seeping into her bones.

Austin was also the reason for Kennedy’s newfound happiness and her newfound sunshine. And with the way he looked at his wife and now drew her close, he dearly loved her. Seeing it illuminated an uncomfortable void in Rachel’s life. She wanted someone to look at her like that. Not just someone. Tex.

Stop!

Rachel wasn’t envious. She was glad for her friend, and after many years of domestic servitude as a teen, she’d decided domestic bliss wasn’t for her. Then regret stung again. Why did the first man she’d been attracted to in years have to be one forbidden to her?

“Would you like anything to drink?” Kennedy asked. “Juice, sparkling water, lemonade? I also just made a fresh pot of coffee.”

“No. Let’s talk about what happened, first.” This wasn’t a social visit. Rachel would need coffee later to combat fatigue, but for now, she’d rely on the fresh adrenaline surge. “Now, walk me through what happened. The dogs weren’t here when the burglary occurred, right?”

The puppy lifted her head from her comfortable spot in Kennedy’s arms and barked as if to say she and her furry companion would never allow anything to be taken if they were in the house.

Kennedy stroked the puppy. “No, and neither were we.”

Rachel would get back to that. “My guess, the police have already started investigating?”

“Yes. Brushed for fingerprints and all.” Kennedy led them to a small office where paintings entirely covered one wall.

The beagle first trotted after them, then found a sunny spot on the floor, and stretched there.

Some of the paintings were watercolor seascapes done by the local town artist, Austin’s sister-in-law. Other oil paintings depicted equestrian themes. Kennedy removed a painting with a stunning beach sunrise and braced it on the floor, revealing a safe which she opened without inputting a code. So, it was open already.

Rachel frowned at the empty safe. “What was in here?”

Kennedy leaned into her husband with the trust Rachel hadn’t felt for any man yet. “Mostly, this safe had a few everyday pieces I bought myself. I moved most of my family heirloom jewelry to a deposit box at the bank and the rest to a well-protected safe in one of our hotels. Except for one heirloom diamond ring. I’d left it here so I could get it resized. It was slightly loose on my finger.” A shadow passed over Kennedy’s face. “Mom loved that ring especially. It was the most valuable piece stolen.”

Kennedy’s well-known socialite mother used to be famous for her lavish parties and exquisite diamonds. Kennedy preferred a much simpler lifestyle and jewelry.

“Its history goes back centuries to a small European kingdom. She said there’s a mystery behind that ring and a local legend about betrayal, love, and revenge that might or might not be based on the truth. I don’t remember the details, but I have it written down. The legend has a missing bride, too. Like something out of a fairy tale.”

Huh. This was getting interesting, and Rachel looked up as she pulled on gloves. She doubted it, but some fibers could be left in the safe or around, though surely the thief wouldn’t have left fingerprints. “I’ll want that legend. I’ll also need a detailed list of everything taken from the safe with their approximate values and who knew about them. Photos if you have them, especially of the ring.”

As the most valuable item, it could have been the reason for the break-in.

Kennedy nodded. “Sure. I’ve been working on the list and photos for the police, so I’ll email you a copy of everything.”

Austin hugged his wife and kissed the top of her blonde head. “Sorry you lost all that jewelry.”

“I’m fine about the loss. And it’s not your fault the thief or thieves got inside. I just feel... I feel our privacy was violated. Having someone in our home...” Kennedy shuddered. Growing up with rich socialite parents, she’d value her privacy.

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