CHAPTER FIVE

Derringers, Diamonds, and Discounts

"Why did you rent a hack?" Isabella asked as they drove through the streets of San Francisco.

"Because I don't want you on your feet too much today," Nick replied.

"I'm fine, Nick. I'm fine."

"And I want you to stay that way."

They were leaving downtown San Francisco. "Where are we going?"

Nick grinned. "It's a surprise."

"I thought we were going to get furniture for Sam's house."

"We will. If we have time."

The driver turned down a cobblestone street that shook the small carriage. "You okay?" Nick asked.

"Yes, Nick. I'm fine."

The hack finally stopped on a side street. Nick spoke to the driver, then lifted Isabella out of the carriage. He took her hand and led her to a small shop. A jewelry store.

Isabella tilted her head. "Why—"

"It's time you had a real wedding ring set."

"I have a real wedding ring."

Nick sighed. "Do you have to argue with me about everything?"

"I didn't argue with you about the chocolates."

Nick chuckled. "No, you didn't." He paused as he opened the door for her. "So, you behave yourself in here and we'll get you some chocolates to take home."

Isabella raised her eyebrow. "You behave yourself in here and maybe we'll stay over another night."

Nick's dimples grew. "Woman, you vex me."

The proprietor, a heavy-set bald man, came in from a backroom. "Yes, sir? How may I help you?"

"My wife needs a better wedding ring. One with a big diamond and whatever other jewels she wants on it."

"I really love the wedding ring I have now," she stated firmly. "And I don't want to give it up."

"You can still wear it on your right hand," Nick suggested.

"No. It's on my left because that makes it closer to my heart."

The proprietor went to the corner of the store and sat on a stool. "Please just holler when you need my help."

Isabella noticed a small silver derringer—a Remington model 95 with a pink pearl grip—behind a glass counter. She walked closer to it and examined it.

"You want a gun?" Nick asked from behind her.

"I wouldn't mind having one," she stated.

"Sir." Nick waved the bald man over.

"Yes, sir?"

"My wife would like to look at the derringer."

"Yes, sir." He unlocked the cabinet and took out the derringer.

"Point forty-one rimfire?" Nick asked.

"Yes."

Isabella held it in her hand, then pointed into the distance. She felt the weight of it.

She handed it to Nick. It disappeared in his large hand. He examined it. "You could shoot a rabbit or a squirrel with it. Other than that, I can't tell much about it." He moved closer to her and looked into her eyes. He smiled and looked at the proprietor. "We'll take it."

"Nick!"

"You want it."

"I just want to think about it."

"Your eyes are sparkling. You've already made up your mind." Nick stepped back and nodded at the proprietor that they would take the gun. Then he went back to the rings. "Look at this, sweetie."

He pointed to a gold solitaire with a two-carat diamond.

She glanced at it. "I am not giving up my real wedding ring."

"You don't have to," he said quietly. "You can wear this one on your right hand."

Isabella looked at him. "Could I?"

"Of course you can."

She smiled. "I really like this pearl one better." She pointed to one with a large pearl in the center surrounded by small diamonds.

The proprietor removed it from the case and allowed her to put it on her finger.

"It's too big," she said, disappointment on her face.

"The band?" Nick asked.

"Yes. See?" She held up her hand and the ring slipped off.

Nick looked at the proprietor. "How long will it take to re-size it?"

"Not long. If I don't have any interruptions, an hour or two."

Nick nodded. "We can go get some lunch and come back."

The bald man measured her finger. While her attention was on that, Nick noticed a matching necklace and bracelet.

"You sit down there a minute while I pay for this." Nick pointed to a chair and waited for Isabella to sit. He hurried over to the cash register. While the proprietor wrote out the bill of sale, Nick quietly said, "I also want the matching bracelet and necklace."

The proprietor stopped writing and looked up at him. "Very good, sir. Let me get the numbers and we'll get this paperwork done." While he took the tags off the bracelet and necklace, Nick stood between Isabella and the proprietor and pointed out the window at a bird on the eaves of a storefront across the narrow street. "That's a cedar waxwing."

"How can you tell this far away?" she asked.

"I have great eyesight," he answered.

She looked into eyes. "No, I think you have a great imagination."

Nick grinned. "Look at the white under the eye and the little spot of red on the wing."

Seeing the proprietor return to the cash register, Nick left her there and met the bald man.

"I need your name and address here," he said, pointing to the place on the form.

"I assume you'll take a bank draft?"

"I'll have to telegraph your bank."

Nick nodded. He wasn't happy about the added time, but they could go ahead and look at the bedroom furniture while they waited.

The proprietor looked at his name. "Barkley? Stockton? Are you related to Jarrod?"

Nick nodded. "He's my big brother. He's the one that told me to come here."

The proprietor laughed. "I won't have to telegraph your bank. You make out that bank draft and we'll be good."

"Jarrod said you'd give me a thirty percent discount," Nick lied.

The proprietor laughed harder. "That sounds like Jarrod. But I'll tell you what. I only give him ten percent, but I'll give you fifteen percent as long as you show him the bill of sale and rub it in."

Nick chuckled. "I sure will! I love to make big brother lose his words."

They shook hands, and Nick took Isabella's arm. Not knowing how long they would be, he hadn't asked the hack to wait. "You feel good enough to make it to the café at the top of the hill?"

"Of course!" She headed out the door and started up the hill.

"Don't go too fast now," Nick cautioned. "I don't want you to get winded."

"What were you laughing about with the jeweler?"

Nick chuckled and told her about the discount.

"Nick!" she scolded.

"Hey, I would've paid him extra just to pretend like he gave me a bigger discount. Just to torment Jarrod."

Isabella shook her head. She took Nick's hand and squeezed it. "I love you, my husband."

Nick stopped right on the sidewalk, leaned down, and gave her a passionate kiss. "I love you, too, my wife."

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Later, after they'd eaten, returned to the jewelry store, and hired a hack to take them back to the hotel, Nick left Isabella there to rest. He went back out and sent a telegram to the ranch stating they wouldn't be back until Friday. That gave them all day Thursday to shop for furniture. He returned to the hotel, using his key to get in so Isabella wouldn't have to get up.

She sat on the bed with her feet up on a pillow, admiring her new ring. "It's beautiful, Nick. Thank you."

"I'm glad you like it." He hadn't given her the matching necklace and bracelet. He wanted to wait until the time was right. "Do you feel like going out to dinner tonight, or do you want room service?" He lifted the quilt off her legs. "Mrs. Barkley, your ankles are swollen."

Isabella sighed. "I know."

He tucked the quilt back around her feet, then kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I'll go down and order room service. What would you like?"

"Coffee."

"Guess again."

"Oh, Nick. I'm so tired of being an invalid!"

"You're not an invalid. You're just having a difficult pregnancy, and everything will be fine—as long as you don't overdo, and you eat good—and you limit your coffee." He wrapped his arm around her. "We'll get through this. Now, what do you want for dinner?"

"Something Mexican."

"Okay. There's a Mexican restaurant just up the street. I'll run up there and get us something. Anything in particular?"

"No. You know what I like."

Nick nodded. He kissed her, then left.

On his way through the hotel, he stopped in the restaurant and ordered a tray of raw fruit and vegetables with a variety of dips and asked them to leave it at the desk with silverware, plates, and milk for him to pick up on his return. Then he went to the Mexican restaurant. He wanted to make sure she liked what he got, so he ordered four different meals. While he waited for it to be prepared, he went to the confectionary store next door and picked out two more pounds of chocolates. Then he picked up the Mexican food and returned to the hotel. His order was waiting at the desk, but he had no more hands.

A bellhop stepped forward. "Please allow me to help you, sir."

Nick nodded at the order at the desk.

The bellhop followed him up the stairs and held the chocolate while Nick balanced the dinners in his hand and unlocked the door.

The bellhop held the door and helped Nick put the food out on the table in the living area. "I'll set this up for you, sir."

"Thanks." Nick tipped the man, then went to the bedroom to check on Isabella. She was sleeping.

Nick hesitated. Should he wake her? He remembered all too well the panic he felt when she hadn't awakened when they arrived from Roseville. And that panic still stabbed at him. He paced the floor.

"Nick?"

He turned quickly and ran to her side.

"Sorry. I dozed off." She sat up. "Something sure smells good."

"Let me put your slippers on you." Nick bent down and lifted her foot. The swelling had gone down. He smiled and kissed each toe, then put the slipper on. Then he did the same to the other foot.

Isabella giggled. "I thought you got food."

He kissed the tip of her nose and wrapped his arms around her. "I love you, Izzy."

"I love you, too, Nick, but I think our food is getting cold."

Nick grinned and walked with her. The table was set—with a tablecloth, lit candles, the food still covered but laid out. The fruit and veggie tray sat in the center of the table, and two glasses of milk by the plates. Nick hadn't drunk so much milk since he was a kid. But he needed to support Isabella in every way he could. He uncovered the food.

"Nick!" Isabella looked over the variety of food. "How many people are coming here to eat with us?"

"Uh, just us," Nick said.

"Nick! We can't waste all this food."

"I guess I did get a little excited." He held her chair for her. "I'll tell you what. After we eat, I'll put aside all the food that wasn't touched and give it to the wait staff." He opened the tray of fruit and vegetables. "The doctor said fruit and vegetables were especially important."

"You've got enough food here for ten people."

"Well, not ten people like me and Heath, but maybe ten people like you and Audra."

Isabella said a blessing over the food and they ate. A lot. Nick kept some of the fruit and vegetables to snack on later but took the rest of the food down to the bellhop who'd helped earlier. He gave him the food, telling him it hadn't been touched, and gave him another tip for setting up their table.

Back in the room, Isabella straightened up the remnants of their meal.

"Someone will be up to do that," Nick said. He held out the bag of chocolates. "And look what else I found while I was out."

Isabella's dark eyes sparkled. "Nick, I have never been spoiled so much in my life. Not even close."

"You deserve to be spoiled," Nick said. "Every day."

"How hard was it for you to walk away from your life in Stockton and go to Roseville?"

"Once I met you, it wasn't hard at all. The days we spent together in your little house will always be some of my most cherished memories. I was happy there, Izzy. Happier than I'd been for a long time. And I'm still happy. Rich or poor, big house or small, counting pennies or splurging, having you next to me is the only thing I need. You are the source of my joy." Nick scooped her into his arms and carried her to the bedroom.

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