Rachel pulled out her phone. “We can take her to a salon, or I can have one of the stylists meet me at my house. They usually come when I attend a function for the ranch.”
“I’m not ready to leave,” Caroline rushed.
“Then, I’ll have them come here, no biggie. Do you mind if it’s a man?” she asked Caroline.
“No. As long as someone can stay in the room with me,” she added.
“It’s not a problem,” Rachel assured her as she placed the call.
“Congratulations, Caroline. One day, I’ll tell you how I ended up here with these two nuts. Don’t hesitate to call us if you’re struggling. We’re your friends, and we want you to know we’re here for you,” Riley said. “Speaking of friends, I’m getting married this coming weekend. Will you attend? It’s only immediate family, which you’ve already met, and my sister.”
“You don’t have to invite me,” Caroline said. “You’ve only known me for a month.”
“I saw Garrett for less than two weeks and knew I wanted to spend my life with him. I think I can decide if I want you as my friend,” she teased.
Caroline grinned. “I’d love to come. Do you expect the men back by then?”
Riley appeared confused. “Garrett, Julio, and Matthew didn’t leave. I don’t think they’re planning anything until after the wedding. My fiancé said they have two new hires joining the team, who’ll cover for him while we go on our honeymoon.”
Rebecca handed Caroline a piece of cake and steered her toward the living room. “Before you say anything, Jameson went on a different job. I didn’t lie to you. I’m sure he’ll return for the wedding since he’s the best man.”
Caroline nodded and took a bite of cake, pretending it didn’t bother her.
“We can schedule your haircut for this evening. He’ll leave straight from the salon,” Rachel informed her.
“Thank you,” she said, reaching for one of the glasses of water Riley set on the table for all of them.
“Open your present,” Riley insisted. “Jameson asked me to give it to you when you graduated.” She pushed the present forward.
“It’s not like I cured cancer or anything,” Caroline said as she pulled on the bow and removed the tissue. She pulled out a picture frame, holding a photo of Caroline’s parents and her at her college graduation.
“Where did he get this?” she asked, her fingers tracing the outline of her parents. Tears welled in her eyes.
“He found it among Cain’s things. He used the original and asked Matthew to restore it after someone folded it,” Rebecca said, reaching inside the box, pulling out a note.
Caroline,
Congratulations on the move. I stole this from Cain a long time ago. Use it as a reminder to keep fighting for your future. Your parents seemed proud of you. I’m sure they’d encourage you to pursue a happy life if they were here.
Your Friend,
Jameson
She folded the note and put it back in the envelope. A buzzing started from her ears and drifted to her toes. He made it clear he only wanted her friendship, and the truth hurt like a knife plunged into her chest.
“We’ll give you some time to get settled. I’ll let Terry know you have an appointment with Rachel later. Maybe she can come within the next hour,” Rebecca said, rising.
“I’ll pick you up at five, and we’ll have dinner before he arrives. If I can talk Delaney into taking a break from cleaning, I’ll ask her to come,” Rachel said, taking their plates into the kitchen.
“Don’t let her fool you,” Riley whispered. “Rachel can’t cook worth a damn. If Delaney comes, you’ll have a wonderful meal. If she doesn’t, pray for take-out.”
Rachel came around the corner and stuck out her tongue at her friend. “I’m taking your wedding present back,” she threatened.
“We may wear the same shoe size, but I don’t want a pair of Jimmy Choo’s. I’m wearing my white cowgirl boots with my wedding dress,” Riley said firmly.
Rachel’s face lit up. “Oh, yay,” she exclaimed, clapping her hands. “I can’t return the shoes. Matthew will be bummedyou didn’t like your bridal present. I insist on purchasing you something else.”
Riley rolled her eyes. “I hope Delaney gets back to her old self soon. You know she’d insist on you telling Matthew the truth.”
