Vegas Vows, Texas Nights

“I can’t help it, Katie. C’mon, you need to rest.”

She didn’t like him telling her what she needed, but his jaw was set stubbornly and they couldn’t stand here all day arguing. “Okay, fine.”

He had the good sense not to gloat at winning the point. He nodded and walked over to the front door with her bags.

She opened up her shop and walked in first. The bakery had been closed for three days, yet the scent of vanilla, cinnamon and sugar flavored the air. The smell of home. She sighed and her body relaxed.

“Smells like you in here,” Luke remarked, as if reading her thoughts.

“How’s that?” she asked.

“Sweet.”

She let his comment hang in the air for a moment. She didn’t feel sweet right now. She felt horrible and guilty. She kept wishing she could escape from this horrible dream. Waking up wed to her sister’s ex was truly a nightmare. And the sooner they rectified it, the better.

“The stairs are in the back, through the kitchen.” She led the way and he followed.

He stopped to take a look at her baking area. “So this is where the cupcake magic happens. I’ve always wondered what this place looked like.”

“Yep, this is it. This is where I spend a good deal of my life.” She couldn’t keep the pleasure out of her voice. She was proud of her shop, proud of what she’d accomplished. And she loved her work.

Luke took in the huge mixer, bowls and cupcake tins, the bins of flour and sugar and the industrial-size refrigerator. Yes, this was home to her.

“I see you here,” Luke said, as if he was picturing her at work.

“It’s not glamourous.”

“I would imagine it’s darn hard work. But work that you enjoy.”

“True.”

“Your bakery is the best in the county, everyone knows that. But I’ve only known you as a horse lover. You spend a lot of time at Red Barrel. How do you find time for both?”

“You run a multimillion-dollar company, how do you find the time?”

He grinned. “You’re quick, I’ll give you that.”

“Apparently, not quick enough,” she mumbled. Or else she wouldn’t have gone to bed with him.

Luke ran a hand down his face. “I wasn’t lying when I said it was mutual, Katie. I know that for a fact. Don’t blame yourself too much.”

She squeezed her eyes shut briefly and nodded. The man she knew at the horse rescue was gentle and caring and kind. He’d been her friend at one time and that was where it all got confusing. Because he had hurt her sister and maybe what Katie thought she’d known about him was all wrong. “Okay, can we just not talk about it?”

“Talk about what?” He played along. “You were going to tell me how you find time to work at the rescue.”

“My workday ends early. And I think the work we do at the rescue is important. Those animals need help.” She lifted a shoulder. “I don’t date. Or at least I haven’t for a while and so I have all kinds of—”

“You won’t be dating, Katie.”

She didn’t like his tone, or the implied command. “Luke, for heaven’s sake. You think I want to complicate my life even more?” She fisted her hands. “And you don’t get to tell me what I can or cannot do.”

“It may have been a hasty wedding, but you’re my wife.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Don’t say that.”

“I’m your husband.”

“For a nanosecond. Remember, you promised that you’ll look into a divorce as soon as possible.”

“I said it and I will. But until that time…” Luke came closer, his incredible eyes soft on her. He took her hand and squeezed. “If you ever need anything, call me.”

“You know what I want.”

He smiled and his blue eyes darkened. “I know what you think you want.”

“What does that mean?”

His hand gently wrapped around her neck, his fingertips urging her forward. Then he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her. It was tender and sweet, not at all demanding, and the pleasure made it hard to pull away.

“I think you should leave,” she murmured, pushing at his chest.

“I was just going.”

When he backed away, she stared at him. There was a moment, one tiny second, when she saw something in him that made her happy, made her wish he didn’t have to go.

“When you hear from your attorney, give me a call.”

He nodded and walked out of the bakery.

Maybe it was a good thing she hadn’t taken him up to her apartment.

“Here’s your herbal tea, Mama.” Katie handed her mother a mug and took a seat beside her on the living room sofa in the home Katie and her sister had grown up in on Blue Jay Avenue. The neighborhood was close-knit, just on the outskirts of Boone Springs, about a ten-minute drive from the bakery. She’d come here as soon as she’d unpacked her bags.

“Thanks, honey. I love the pomegranate and blackberry mix.” Her mother blew on the steam and then sipped delicately. “Mmm. Tastes so good going down.”

“It is good,” she said, concerned over her mother’s health.

Diana Rodgers had tired eyes that told of sacrifice and lack of energy. Her body was a bit broken from ill health. At the age of fifty-eight, she’d suffered a minor heart attack that had taken her away from the teaching job she’d loved. Taking an early retirement had never been in her plans. She’d been a single mother most of her life, working hard at the grammar school with special needs kids. But the job was stressful, and Diana often took her work home with her, a habit her cardiologist couldn’t condone.

“So why aren’t you joining me in a cup?”

“I will a little later. Right now, I just want to hear how you’re feeling.”

“You’ve only been gone three days, hon. I appreciate you coming over as soon as you got home, but I’m the same as I was before you left.” Her mom waved her hand. “Enough about me, how was your trip?”

“It was…nice.” Katie had trouble mustering up any enthusiasm. Oh, and one little detail I forgot to mention… I married Lucas Boone. “Drea and Mason enjoyed it very much. I think everyone did.”

Her mother moved around in her seat a bit and her mouth twisted as it did every time the Boone name was mentioned. “Too bad Drea had to fall in love with him.”