Thunderbolt over Texas

“Do you actually think I’d listen to anything you have to say right now?”

Bradley made a move.

“Keep walking,” Cole barked, squaring his shoulders and shifting himself between Sydney and Bradley.

Bradley hesitated for a split second. Then he held up his palms and took a step back. “Hey. Nothing to do with me. I’ve got bigger fish to fry.” He turned to walk away.

“Hand it over,” Cole demanded in a cold voice.

“You have to let me explain,” she pleaded, searching her brain for something that would work as an explanation. She still couldn’t give Grandma away.

“Explain?” He laughed coldly. “Explain why you ditched me in a hotel and bought the Thunderbolt for yourself.”

“It’s not for-”

“You’ve been stringing me along from the beginning.”

“Will you listen to me?” What could she say? What would make sense? If only Bradley hadn’t shown up. If only Cole had stayed back at the hotel.

He threw up his hands. “I can actually see you making up the lies.”

“I’m not-” Okay, well, actually, she was.

He shook his head. Then he swiped his thumb across her bottom lip. “As far as I’m concerned, every word that comes out of your pretty little mouth is a lie.”

“I never lied to you.”

“Yeah? Then what the hell happened to ‘Cole. I’ve got a lead on the brooch. I know who’s got it. We can buy it back.’ Did I miss that part? Was I not paying attention?”

“It’s not that simple.”

He folded his arms over his chest, gazing down at her with contempt. “It’s exactly that simple. Now hand it over before I call the cops.”

“You’d have me arrested?”

His blue eyes glittered like frozen sapphires. “Damn straight.”

“What if-” What could she say? How could she explain it without betraying Grandma?

“You going to give me another logical story, Sydney? Been there. Done that.” He held out his hand. “Give.”

Sydney’s shoulders drooped. It didn’t matter what she said. It didn’t matter what she did. “You’ve tried, convicted and executed me, haven’t you?”

“I may be a little slow on the uptake, but I like to think I’m not a complete idiot.”

Sydney yanked the purse from under her arm, fighting back a surge of stinging tears. At least Grandma would have the brooch, she told herself. And Cole would have his inheritance.

She dragged open the zipper. Maybe he would get married someday. Maybe some beautiful bride would give him beautiful children, and he’d pass all the traditions on to them.

She should be happy about that. But she just felt hollow and nauseous as she retrieved the jewel case.

“This the real one?” he asked with a derisive sneer.

She glared at him without speaking.

His voice dropped to a menacing growl as he clicked open the case. “If it’s not, you know I’ll come after you.”

She wasn’t about to dignify his accusation. “Tell Grandma…” She stuffed her purse back under her arm, squeezing it down tight. “Tell your grandmother I’m sorry.”

His blue eyes hardened to stone in the bright sunshine, and he snapped the case shut. “I don’t think so.”

Sydney winced.

She’d lost the Thunderbolt. And she’d lost Cole.

Her body suddenly felt too heavy for her frame.

She searched his face, but there wasn’t a crack of compassion, no sign of conciliation. Anything she said now would be a waste of breath.

She blinked once, then turned away. She took a couple of wooden steps toward the curb and put up her hand to hail a cab.

Cole didn’t call her name, and she didn’t look back.

Eleven

Cole wheeled his pickup into a wide spot in front of Grandma’s house. The flowers were still blooming. The barns were still standing. And the horses still grazed in the fields.

He’d been to Heaven, then Hell, then home again, but the Texas landscape stuck to its own rhythm, not even missing his presence. He killed the engine, trying to shake the vacant feeling that had built up inside him, forcing himself to drum up some enthusiasm for the good news he was about to give his grandma.

He felt the breast pocket of his shirt for the hard, rectangular package, reassuring himself that the last four days hadn’t been a dream-or a nightmare.

He kicked open the driver’s door, snapping himself out of his mood. Nobody needed to know he’d been taken for a fool. They only needed to know the brooch was back. He’d gloss over Sydney’s betrayal and gloss over his own gullibility.

He crossed the dirt driveway and took the front stairs two at a time.

“Grandma?” he called as he opened the door.

She appeared in the foyer, wiping her hands on a dish towel. “I heard your truck. Do you have news?”

He forced himself to smile as he slipped the case out of his shirt pocket. “I have great news. I found it.”

She searched his face for a moment. “And everything’s okay?”

That wasn’t exactly the reaction he was expecting. He smiled wider. “Of course it’s okay. We have the Thunderbolt.” He held the case out to her.

Her pale blue eyes shimmered with tears and she reached for the case, opening it carefully to gaze at the brooch. “Where’s Sydney?” she asked, glancing to the open doorway behind him.

Cole inhaled, turning to close the door. “She’s in New York.”

Grandma stilled. “Why? Why didn’t she come home?”

“She had things to do.”

“What things?”

“Grandma…”

“What things? Cole Nathaniel? This is her triumph-”

Cole winced and bit back a sharp denial.

“-her achievement-”

He clenched his jaw tight to keep himself silent.

“She needs to be here with us to celebrate.”

“Grandma.”

“Don’t you ‘Grandma’ me.” She snapped the case shut.

“She’s gone.”

“What did you do?”

“Sydney is not our friend,” he said as gently as he could.

His grandmother glared up at him, waving the Thunderbolt case. “That’s ridiculous. You’re marrying her.”

Cole ran a hand through his hair, gripping the base of his neck. He needed to get out of here. He needed some air. He needed not to be answering questions about Sydney right now. “No, I’m not marrying her.”

“Oh, yes, you are.” Grandma nodded. “I’m not letting you talk yourself out of this girl. It’s time to grow up, Cole. It’s time to take on your responsibilities.”

“I’ll marry someone else. I promise.”

Grandma shook her head and clicked her cheeks.