1
“Just sold an engagement ring.” Jenna poked her head in the office of All That Sparkles.
“Awesome.” Carolyn Evert looked up from the spreadsheet she was studying. “Which one?”
“The one carat heart-shaped diamond set in platinum.” From the smile on Jenna’s face, she was pleased with herself—and she should be. Both her commission and the store’s profit would be very nice.
“I love that one.” Carolyn sighed. “It’s so romantic.”
The ring had only been on display since the store reopened a week ago. Now that the remodel was complete, the neutral cream colors were gone. In their place Carolyn selected soft gray walls, chrome-edged glass display cases, modern recessed lighting, and pops of a vibrant blue for accent. The store did indeed sparkle.
“The couple looked at it yesterday,” Jenna said with a knowing grin. “I knew they’d be back.”
“You can always peg them. Congratulations.”
“Do you want me to start the closing procedure?” Jenna asked.
Carolyn checked her watch. Ten minutes to close. “Sure. That’ll be great. I want to get out of here on time tonight.”
“Got it.” Her most experienced salesperson scooted back out the door.
The thought of how the ring’s sale would help the month’s bottom line brought a smile to Carolyn’s face as she returned to the spreadsheet. Her monthly expenses for All That Sparkles were significantly higher now due to a loan for the remodel and higher security costs.
She’d disagreed with her mother about the expense. And maybe she was taking a chance, but she subscribed to the theory that you have to spend money to make it. The interior of a jewelry store reflected its reputation and merchandise, she felt. Her mother had relented since she’d entrusted the store to Carolyn, who now held the reins.
Carolyn owed her mother so much. Faith had founded the store after Carolyn’s father all but abandoned the family. Her hard work had put the business on the map in Sheridan Falls. Carolyn was in awe of someone who could do all that single-handed and raise two daughters, and she felt the pressure of measuring up to her mother’s standard as she faced a similar life as a single mom and business owner. Her best efforts might not be enough even with the assistance of dedicated employees—but her self-doubt hadn’t prevented her from taking a leap with All That Sparkles.
She heard the click of the alarm. Someone was being let into the office area of the store. A state-of-the-art security system had been an integral part of their refurbishment. It made her insurance company happy and gave her peace of mind, plus, it allowed them to carry top-end merchandise, such as the engagement ring Jenna was celebrating. It was worth it, she thought, even though she grimaced every time she pulled up the expenditures page.
“Mama,” her son’s voice called, bringing an instant smile to her face. A second later her babysitter entered the office with Austin on her hip, squirming to get down.
“Hi, baby.” Carolyn took her fourteen-month-old son, hugging him tight to her and pressing her face into his thick dark hair that was so like his daddy’s. With his deep blue eyes, no one could doubt who his father was, not that Zach Vale apparently cared. She suppressed a sigh. Silence had greeted her letters and communications to her ex-fiancé telling him that she was pregnant. After sending one last notification of Austin’s healthy entrance into the world, Carolyn had stopped trying to contact Zach, who was off on a mission with his SEAL team. She couldn’t change that, so she focused on her son. “Did you have fun today?”
Austin gave her a grin and showed her a toy tractor he had clutched in his hand, zooming it up her arm.
“He’s been looking forward to coming all day,” Nina said, dropping the bag of baby supplies on a chair. “He loves being here, and he loves his mama.”
“Thanks for bringing him to me.” Carolyn gave her son a kiss before setting him on the carpet to play. She’d felt guilty about working long hours while the store was being refurbished, because she had promised herself she would never let him feel abandoned by a parent. Nothing she’d ever done to get her father’s attention had been enough. She’d tried desperately for years working to be the best student and best athlete, hoping he’d notice. She’d even begged her mother for martial arts classes because her father mentioned that he liked martial arts. She took classes for years, increasing her skill and moving on to grade after grade. Her father never once came to see her demonstrate her skills. Nothing had ever worked to get his attention.
She’d never let her son feel as she had, which might be a struggle down the road. Eventually, she knew Austin would ask about his daddy. All kids did. Whatever she decided to tell him, she’d be careful to never let it seem that he’d been unwanted.
“No problem,” Nina said. “I love the new look of the store. The blue sets everything off. On our way here, we took a little stroll past Castle Jewels.”
“Oh?” Carolyn’s primary competitor had recently updated as well. “Is it nice?”
“Classy looking. Lots of gold accents. But it was kind of stuffy, too. I didn’t feel like I could wander in and browse.” Nina wrinkled her nose. “I think you made the better choice.”
“Hope so.” She watched Austin, who played with the tractor, running it over the pattern in the carpet and making goofy faces and sounds. He was so like his father, who despite being a SEAL had loved the silly side of life, too. It had been her choice to end their relationship, but she couldn’t help missing Zach. There had been a lot to love about him.
“I’ve got to get going,” Nina said. “My boys have a baseball game tonight.”
“I’ll let you out through the secure door.” Carolyn scooped Austin up and led the way to the showroom.
Just as they reached it, the front door flung open, slamming against the wall, and a man burst through, gun in hand. Carolyn froze in place, hoping this wasn’t what it looked like.
“This is a robbery,” he yelled, swinging his gun in an arc to encompass the store. “Hands where I can see them.”
Carolyn took in a sharp breath, fighting the panic she felt. If the robber had entered five seconds earlier, she could have secured her son and Nina in the office, but they were all too visible. She pressed the tiny button on the key she always carried, triggering a silent alarm that contacted the police and her security firm. It also gave them a live audio and video feed.
“Everybody, down on the floor,” the robber commanded. “Except you.” He pointed to Jenna, who stood behind a display of their most expensive pieces.
Carolyn gestured for everyone to comply. It seemed safest to obey him while they waited for help to arrive. On her way down, she grabbed a pair of ear protectors left over from the remodel and slipped them on Austin’s head. Maybe if her son couldn’t hear the drama unfolding in front of them, he wouldn’t be frightened. She smiled at him, whispering they were playing a game, hiding the fear that raced through her.
The robber, focused on shouting at Jenna to dump trays of diamonds and sapphires into a bag, didn’t notice what Carolyn did or that she and Nina tried to cover Austin with their bodies. If the man walked closer, he’d see the boy, but she’d do whatever was necessary to protect him.