Fern’s eyes widened, and she blinked up at him in surprise. She waved toward Honor’s hand. “I was only gasping at Honor’s engagement ring. It’sstunning.”
Honor grinned, like all women when complimented on such things, and she showed off the diamond, twisting her wrist to let the sunlight catch the facets.
While they discussed settings and white gold versus platinum, Crew finished his bracelet.
“When is the wedding?” Fern asked.
“Two weeks.”
“Only two? You must be so excited!”
Honor responded that she was planning things last minute, which seemed to be a tradition in the Malone family.
From across the patio came a low crash. They all looked up to see that one of the veterans who struggled with dexterity had dropped his bowl. It landed on the concrete and beads scattered.
“Oh! No worries, Ryan. Let me help.” Honor tossed Fern a smile and rushed to his aid, leaving Crew alone with Fern.
Their gazes connected, and he felt the electric shock to his core.
Her gaze darted to his mouth, and she ran the tip of her tongue across her own. “You finished your project.”
He nodded and reached for her hand. Her fingers were smooth despite her job. When he slipped the bracelet onto her wrist, her jaw dropped.
“Crew! This isbeautiful!” She drew her wrist upward to study the beads. “How did you know green is my favorite color?”
He couldn’t stop the smile tugging at his lips or the way his eyes went soft when he looked at her. “Lucky guess.”
“I’m…sotouched…that you made this for me.” She slipped her hand up to his jaw and stared deep into his eyes. “I don’t have anything to give you.”
If only she knew. If only he had the guts to say how she made him feel like a better man every minute he spent in her company.
He covered her hand with his own. “You already have.”
* * * * *
Fern pottered around the greenhouse, trying to let the homey tasks soothe her soul. Things were calming down since her car broke down. It was still in the shop, but Crew told her yesterday that the authorities verified that Chris wasn’t in Willowbrook and most likely wasn’t responsible for the truck, though it wasn’t totally ruled out yet.
There were no new incidents at work with objects showing up in the wrong places. No strange trucks lingered too long outside her apartment except for the Black Heart Ranch trucks, but the logo on the side gave Fern a tingle of warmth that the team was looking out for her.
Customers came and went, hands full of flats of plants and bags of soil, asking about sun exposure and watering schedules and whether it was too late to plant basil.
Everything was completely ordinary.
Fern found herself alert for danger anyway, but nothing pricked at her nerves. By early afternoon, the tension she carried since her car broke down eased enough that she could breathe fully again.
She hung up her gardening apron, clocked out and climbed into the car that Willow had insisted she borrow until her own was repaired.
That was when she realized just how the Malone family had become so successful—because they got what they wanted. Arguing with Willow was like arguing with the mountain. She smiled every time she thought about their exchange.
She drove to the Black Heart Ranch with the windows cracked, letting the warm, fragrant air wash through the car.
Crew was already outside when she arrived, sleeves rolled up, the late sun catching on his forearms. Every time she spotted that new tattoo, she got a little breathless. Since so much had happened the past couple days, she hadn’t asked him about the art. But seeing it now made her body tighten all over with anticipation of his touch.
Several of the guys were with him, hauling lumber for what looked like a fence repair, laughing as they argued over measurements. Fern paused just outside the old fence, taking it in.
This—this was what safety looked like. Not security cameras or locks or constant vigilance. Just people working together, building something meant to grow.
Crew spotted her immediately. His face changed when he did, some of the lines on his forehead smoothing, and his eyelidsdrooped lower like the world sharpened into better focus when she showed up.
