Falling for Rayne (20 page)

             
Rayne shrugged, not feeling that hungry. “Can I just nibble some of yours?”

             
Garrett smiled and nodded. “As if you had to ask.”

             
Their waiter left to put in their order and they talked for a few minutes about whether or not Ivy should go to rehearsal that night. Rayne was all for it, but Garrett wasn’t sure.

             
“She needs to stay safe Rayne,” he said with a firm shake of his head.

             
Rayne leaned forward and rested her hands on the table. “Garrett, she’ll go crazy cooped up in the house. Besides, Asher and three other guys will be there to protect her and I’ll send Cleo too.”

             
Garrett sighed but smiled and sat up as he looked over her shoulder. She turned and smiled as she saw Wren walk toward them in a white apron and chef’s hat.

             
“I’m so glad you came by, Rayne. You too, Garrett,” Wren said as she stopped by their table. “Have you ordered yet?”

             
Garrett shook his head. “Just an appetizer. Do you have a suggestion for us?”

             
Rayne grinned in excitement. “Garrett raves about your food, Wren. And I’m open to anything. I have a very adventurous palate.”

             
Wren raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Well, I suppose flying all over the world to play the piano, you’ve probably tried just about every cuisine there is. Let me surprise you then. Are you okay with that?”

             
Garrett smiled and nodded. “I’ve only been to two places. Washington and Iraq. Go easy on me Wren.”

             
Wren shook her head and put an arm around Garrett’s shoulders. “Never. You in, Rayne?”

             
Rayne shut the menu and pushed it to the side. “I’m in and I’m excited. “

             
Wren clapped her hands. “I love pushing myself and you’ve given me an opportunity to do that. I’m at my best when I’m trying to show off. Hopefully I won’t embarrass myself.”

             
Garrett grinned and sat back. “You could put a hot dog in front of me and I’d be grateful. Don’t stress out over it now.”

             
Wren shook her head. “No stressing.
Performing
. Like Rayne does. Speaking of which, you should probably make Garrett go with you next time you travel to Europe. Our boy here needs to get out and see the world a little. The nice parts this time.”

             
Rayne smiled and looked at Garrett who was shrugging off Wren’s suggestion. Seeing Europe with Garrett would be wonderful. Exciting.
Romantic
.

             
“I’d love to take him with me next time,” she said softly as she stared at him.

             
Garrett smiled and looked at her, his eyes warming and his face softening.

             
Wren sighed loudly. “And on that note, I’m heading back to the kitchen to start on your meal. Enjoy yourselves,” she said and hurried away.

             
Garrett reached across the table and took her hand in his large tanned one. “I wouldn’t care where we were or what we were doing as long as I’m with you,” he said quietly, his eyes serious.

             
Rayne bit her lip and looked away. “I really hope you mean that Garrett.”

             
Garrett kissed her knuckles softly and she sighed a little too. “I mean it.”

             
Rayne smiled and covered his large hand with her smaller, pale one. “Are you still scared I’ll turn my back on you and go back to San Diego or Europe?”

             
Garrett frowned and looked away. “Of course I am. That will always be there at the back of my mind. But it turns out I’m willing to gamble my heart on you.”

             
Rayne studied Garrett for a minute and tried to put herself in his shoes and had to admit that from where he was coming from, his willingness to gamble on her was huge.

             
“Okay then. I’m in too.”

             
Garrett grinned and gnawed on his lower lip. “I guess this is serious then.”

             
Rayne smiled slowly at him, loving the way his eyes crinkled at the edges when he smiled at her. “Serious as a heart attack.”

             
Garrett laughed lightly. “Are you prepared to be in a serious, committed relationship with a man as stubborn and hardheaded as I am?”

             
Rayne nodded slowly. “As long as you’re prepared to wear that gold necklace I’m ordering for you as soon as I get home.”

             
Garrett leaned his head back and laughed as the waiter arrived with their calamari. Rayne was hungrier than she’d thought and ended up eating half. But as soon as they were done, Jason brought their entrees.

             
“You two are in for a treat. This isn’t even on the menu,” Jason said with a touch of reverence in his voice.

             
Rayne rubbed her hands excitedly as he placed her plate in front of her.

             
“Paella Gnocchi with Chicken Meatballs, Mussels, and Shrimp. If it tastes half as good as it looks you’re going to be
very
happy,” he said sounding jealous.

             
Rayne grinned and looked up at Garrett who didn’t look so sure. “I don’t think my palate is as adventurous as yours is. I’ve never eaten mussels before.”

             
“Don’t be a chicken.” Rayne picked up her fork and saluted Jason with it. “Please give Wren our sincerest thanks for creating such a beautiful dish for us.”

             
Jason nodded with a grin at Garrett and then walked away. She took her first bite and closed her eyes in pleasure as bright, bold and fresh flavors washed over her tongue. “This is heaven,” she whispered and took another bite.

             
Garrett sighed again but took a bite and closed his eyes too in order to concentrate. “You know, it’s not that bad,” he admitted, taking another bite.

             
Rayne laughed in shock. “
Not that bad
? Honey, this is amazing,” she assured him and took another bite.

             
Garrett smiled at her and paused. “
Ah
, you just called me, Honey. I love it. I think we should be more unique though. I don’t want to hear you call me Honey when we’re out walking and have ten other men turn around. For you, I was thinking something like, Cookie, or Honey Cakes, or Cup Cake.”

             
Rayne’s eyes went wide in amusement. “You’re serious? You want to call me,
Honey Cakes
?
Okay then
, I guess I could call you…” she paused, trying to think up the most ridiculous name and grinned. “I could call you, Mac Daddy, or Sweat Pea, or Pumpkin.”

             
Garrett grimaced and took another bite. “Maybe we should just stick with our given names. If any of my buddies heard you call me Pumpkin I’d never live it down.”

             
Rayne laughed. “Pumpkin it is.”

             
Garrett shook his head at her and they both laughed. After they finished their lunch they stopped by the kitchen and Rayne gave Wren a hug and thanked her for their perfect lunch. Wren seemed pleased by their reaction and insisted they come again next week.

             
They walked out into the warm summer sun and Garrett pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly. She didn’t want him to go back to work, but knew he had to.

             
“Thanks for being there for me today,” she said and leaned up to kiss him.

             
Just as Garrett tilted his head toward her, he froze and Rayne could feel his entire body go stiff. She let go of him and turned around to see what had caught his attention.

             
Garrett was staring in shock at an older woman and man coming out of the bank across the street.

             
“
Garrett
?” she asked softly.

             
Garrett continued to stare at the couple and she looked more closely. The woman had to be in her fifties and she had bright red hair, pulled high in a poufy pony tail that would have been better suited for someone much younger. She was wearing a skin tight flowered dress and four inch high heels. The man was dressed in a worn out suit, two sized too big for him and what hair he had left was combed back and looked shiny.

             
“Honey?” she tried again and he blinked and shook his head.

             
“Rayne, I . . . I gotta go. I’ll call you later,” he said tersely and walked across the street as he kept his eye on the couple.

             
She walked slowly toward the parking lot, keeping her eye on Garrett and the couple but it was obvious Garrett had forgotten about her. His whole focus was on the woman. She gave up trying not to look nosy and stopped at the corner of the restaurant and watched as Garrett walked up to the woman and tapped her on the arm lightly.

             
The woman looked up in surprise and then smiled big, her face lighting up and she grabbed her companions arm and yanked it, gesturing to Garrett proudly. Rayne began to feel sick to her stomach as she wondered if this was Garret’s mom.
It couldn’t be.
The woman who had abandoned Garrett and Asher when they were little boys couldn’t be this happy, flashy looking woman.

             
She continued to watch and saw Garrett put his hands on his waist as he talked to the couple. The woman frowned after a while and shook her head. The man she was with smiled and held his hands out to the side as he talked fast and she watched as Garrett’s jaw clenched and he shook his head. He talked for a few more minutes and she could tell from the woman’s expression that she was getting mad.

             
When Garrett motioned to the bank with his hand though, the smile was back on her face and the woman and man looked at each other triumphantly. Garrett nodded his head and all three of them walked into the bank.

             
Rayne leaned up against the restaurant and frowned. Something about the exchange she’d just witnessed was off. Garrett looked so grim and sad and the woman looked so gleeful. If this was Garrett’s mom, something bad had just happened.

             
And she didn’t know what to do about it. He had just shown up at the police station for her, but if she barged in there right now and demanded to know what was going on, he’d just be embarrassed and hurt. And she didn’t want to do that to him. He’d been through enough without that on top of everything else.

             
She got in her car and drove home, all happiness and joy from lunch now gone as she worried about Garrett. 

             
As soon as Rayne got home, she forgot about Garrett as Ivy and Cleo demanded all the information from her meeting with Tate Matafeo. She calmly told them everything and glanced at her watch.

             
“It’s been an hour and a half though. He should have called me by now.”

             
Cleo glanced at the clock and frowned. “Let’s give him another hour and then we’ll call him.”

             
Ivy nodded. “If he’s interviewing Graham, maybe he got a confession? Maybe right now, Graham is sitting there in an interrogating room, crying his eyes out because he’s eaten up with guilt over trying to kill me.”

             
Rayne grimaced and sat down on Garrett’s nice, soft leather couch and leaned her head back. “That or he’s confessing to killing our parents,” she said, feeling sad and angry all at once.

             
“Why though? Why kill mom and dad and try to kill you over money? Garrett’s right. It doesn’t make sense. I mean, he has enough. He’s oozing with money.”

             
Cleo sat down on the floor cross legged and stared at her hands. “Isn’t that the definition of greed? Always wanting more?”

             
Ivy nodded her head. “That’s Graham for you. Weird, greedy guy who has a sick obsession with my sister.”

             
Cleo stared at Rayne for a moment and smiled. “You know, I looked up that whole half-cousin thing online to see if it was for real. And it is. If he’s your half-cousin, genetically speaking, it’s no big deal if you guys get married and have kids. It sounds weird and gross, but it’s not illegal in California and most people don’t care. Maybe Graham is innocent and he’s just some poor guy who fell in love with Rayne and can’t get a clue?”

             
Rayne and Ivy stared at her as if she’d spouted a second head. “You’re defending him?” Rayne asked carefully.

             
Cleo nodded. “I guess I am. Innocent until proven guilty. It’s kind of the American Way.”

             
Ivy sighed loudly. “But he’s so convenient. If it’s not Graham, then who in the heck would kill our parents and try to take me out?”

             
Cleo shrugged and stretched her legs out in front of her. “That’s the question, isn’t it? Rayne’s investigators in California didn’t come up with anything. Let’s just hope Tate can do a better job.”

             
Rayne groaned and grabbed a throw pillow, hugging it to her chest. “I can’t live my life always looking over my shoulder. I want this to be done. This needs to be over so I can finally be free.”

             
Ivy raised an eyebrow and smiled a little. “You mean so you can fall in love with our very handsome landscaper, am I right?”

             
Rayne closed her eyes and leaned back against the couch, getting comfortable. “What makes you think I haven’t already done that?” she asked with a sly grin.

             
Ivy and Cleo both started screaming at the same time and jumped up and down before attacking her on the couch and beating her with the throw pillows.

             
“You went and fell in love and didn’t tell me!” Ivy screamed as she laughed and threw another pillow at her.

             
Rayne laughed and ducked before getting hit by the pillow but was tackled by Cleo and tickled mercilessly. “We’re in the middle of trying to stay alive and you figure now’s the perfect time to fall in love? Who does that?” she demanded, laughing as she tortured Rayne.

             
Rayne gasped for air and turned on her stomach as she tried to get free and looked up to see Asher and Becket staring at them with stunned expressions.

             
“No way did we just see three grown women in a pillow fight,” Asher said, grinning at the women.

             
Becket’s smile was slower but just as big. “I always dreamed I’d see it someday, but the real thing is much better.”

             
Rayne glanced back at Ivy and Cleo who were staring at the men with narrowed eyes. They each grabbed a pillow and threw it as hard as they could at the men, making them laugh and duck.

             
“Now, let’s calm down. Ivy’s shoulder and arm don’t need all of this excitement,” Becket said, catching another pillow right before it hit him in the face.

             
Ivy sighed and touched her bandaged arm. “I was using my good arm and I didn’t tackle Rayne like Cleo did. I know my limitations, thank you,” she said primly before sitting down in the large leather chair.

             
Becket grinned at her and walked over, handing her a bakery bag. “We were at the bakery and Jane said you should have this.”

             
Rayne walked over and touched Becket on the arm. “Thanks.” Becket nodded his head and shrugged as Asher walked over with Cleo.

             
Ivy opened the bag and pulled out a cupcake with white frosting and a large strawberry on top.

             
“It’s a Strawberry Shortcake cupcake,” Asher added helpfully. “She says Ivy reminds her of strawberries.”

             
Rayne grinned at the look of rapture on Ivy’s face. “That’s such a coincidence because Strawberry shortcake is Ivy’s favorite dessert,” she said, wondering if maybe Jane was a little magical when it came to baking.

             
Ivy took a big bite and groaned loudly. “This is divine.
So
divine,” she whispered and took another bite.

             
Rayne frowned and looked at Cleo. “Dang, and now we have to sit here and watch her eat it in front of us. So unfair.”

             
Cleo laughed. “And all she had to do to get it was to get shot. Now we know.”

             
Becket grinned and pulled another bakery bag from behind his back. “These are for you,” he said, handing it over.

             
Rayne and Cleo squealed happily as they peaked inside.

             
“The marbled one is for Rayne and the Red Velvet is for Cleo,” Asher said as he continued to eat a donut he was holding.

             
Rayne took a bite of her marbled vanilla and chocolate cupcake and smiled happily. “The best of both worlds.
Bless her
,” she added, sinking her teeth into the creamy icing and spongy, moist cake.

             
“Our work here is done,” Becket said and glanced at his watch. “I’ve gotta get back to the job. We’re half-way done setting your new flagstone walkway.”

             
Asher nodded and popped the last bit of donut in his mouth. “And I’ve got to get going on our quarterly taxes. We’re actually going to be in the black this month thanks to the Nyman’s,” he said happily and with a wave, turned around and walked out.

             
Becket paused before turning away and looked back at Ivy. “If you need me to get you anything at the store, call me. Okay?”

             
Ivy blushed and nodded her head, looking adorable with icing smeared all over her face.

             
Cleo sighed and waited for the front door to shut before she handed Ivy a napkin. “That man just offered to shop for you. Forget cupcakes, now I’m really jealous.”

             
Ivy laughed lightly and wiped her face. “Don’t be jealous Cleo. He’s just being nice. A man like Becket would never seriously be interested in someone like me.”

             
Rayne took in a big breath, ready to blast that to bits but Cleo looked back at her and shook her head and held up her hand to stop her. Cleo sat down in front of Ivy and leaned back on her arms.

             
“Well, you might be right. Becket’s been to war, he’s a Marine and he’s seen a lot and experienced more. You guys probably don’t have much in common.”

             
Ivy frowned and nibbled on her cupcake. “So I guess that means the only woman right for Becket would be a fellow Marine who has experienced the same exact things he’s experienced,” she said tightly.

             
Rayne smiled to herself and looked down. Cleo was a genius. Cleo smiled calmly and studied her nails.

             
“Well, there’s that and the fact that you’re only twenty-three and he’s twenty-seven. That’s kind of a big age gap.”

             
Ivy’s eyes narrowed and she sat up in her chair, wincing as she put weight on her shoulder. “Four years? That’s why you don’t think Becket and I would work out? Four measly years?” she demanded.

             
Rayne had to turn around and pretend to look out the window as her smile grew bigger and bigger.              

             
Cleo sighed loudly. “It would never work, Ivy. Becket is just too different. He’s hardworking, he’s kind and sweet
and
he’s mature. He’s pretty much every woman’s dream come true.”

             
Ivy stood up slowly and glared down at Cleo. “If Becket and I ever got together, we’d work just fine. Jeez, you make it sound like I could only be with a shallow, immature idiot,” she said and stomped off toward her room.

             
Rayne turned around and grinned at Cleo who was looking after Ivy.

             
“Ivy will figure it out. She’s just nervous,” Cleo said with satisfaction in her voice.

             
Rayne walked over and touched Cleo’s shoulder. “You’re a wise woman, Cleo.”

             
Cleo sighed and her smile slipped for a moment and Rayne saw the sadness underneath. “I just wish I could be wise when it comes to my own life.”

             
Rayne frowned and nodded. “It’s always easier to see everyone else’s mistakes. Why the frown?”

             
Cleo shrugged and shook her head, her blond hair falling over her shoulder. “It’s nothing really. I guess I’m just a little tired. I think I’ll go take a nap since I’ll be going with Ivy to practice with the band later tonight.”

             
Rayne nodded her head. “Good idea. I think I’ll take Jack for a walk.”

             
Cleo nodded. “I took everyone out this morning, but Jack’s probably missing you. Stay close to the house though and take your mace and phone.”

             
Rayne saluted and Cleo smiled before walking away. Rayne changed into shorts and a bright blue t-shirt, she grabbed her sunglasses and a water bottle along with doggie treats before opening the sliding glass door and calling for Jack. He was sitting under the shade of the tree next to Patch but immediately stood up and came to her.

             
Rayne shut the door and attached his leash and headed for the door. “Be back in about a half an hour,” she called out before walking outside into the sun.

             
She leaned down and ran her hands over Jack’s short coat. “Let’s go have some fun.”

             
She walked down the street with Jack happy to be outside in the sunshine and sighed happily. Her life was very strange and messed up in some ways but very good and happy and wonderful in other ways.

             
She noticed all the pretty yards and flower beds and nicely trimmed hedges and felt a deep yearning to see her own yard. If she cut across town and walked really fast, she could walk past her house and see all the changes that had happened the last few days. She was dying to see the flagstone steps and the gazebo and the purple asters and bright pink coneflowers Garrett was planting.

             
She had to see it.
She glanced around guiltily, knowing she had told Cleo she’d stay close, but it was too much. She’d just walk quickly past once and then go home. No one would ever know. Besides, it was the middle of the day and honestly, who would try to kill her in the middle of the day?

             
Rayne hurried off down the street and Jack was happy to keep up. She paused to let him investigate a nice white fence and gave him a doggie treat before she began speed walking again.

             
It took her twenty minutes to reach the end of her street and she frowned at her watch. There went getting home in thirty minutes. Cleo was taking a nap though, so she wouldn’t even know. Ivy was in her room resting, so it was no big deal. She glanced at her phone and frowned, wishing she had heard from Tate. It was weird that he hadn’t called yet. When she got back, her first call would be to him.

             
She walked slowly down the street now as she saw her yard come into view. She smiled brightly noting the changes that had happened in the three days she’d been gone. She paused to let Jack relieve himself and leaned up against a tree and had to admit Garrett had been right to remove the tree. Her yard looked five times bigger and more open and sunny. The gazebo was up and the flagstone pathway leading to the house looked beautiful. The flower beds looked perfect with the edging. Most of the flowers she and Garrett had picked were perennials and they all had different blooming times, but she could just imagine what they were going to look like next year.