Vegas Vows, Texas Nights

While the cupcakes were baking, she worked on pastries, filling croissants, making cookies and cinnamon rolls. Between the two of them, working nonstop, they’d filled the bakery case shelves by 7:00 a.m. Coffee brewed and her regulars began popping into the shop.

By nine thirty, there was a lull and Katie flopped into a chair in the small lounge by the back door. Exhaustion set in and it wasn’t just from lack of sleep, but acute mental fatigue over what happened in Vegas this past weekend.

Lori gave her a sympathetic look. “Why don’t you go upstairs for an hour?” she suggested. “Get in a nap. I can handle things until it picks up again.”

“Don’t we have deliveries today?” Sometimes they’d get orders from companies or restaurants or clients celebrating big birthdays.

Lori scanned the list on the bakery wall. “It’s Monday and pretty calm right now.”

“Thanks, but I’ll be fine in a few minutes. Just need to get a second wind.”

The second wind didn’t come and by closing time, Katie was truly beat. She had one delivery to make, a last-minute order for a private dinner party happening later tonight. They needed a dozen tiramisu and a dozen lemon raspberry cupcakes, and while Lori closed up shop, Katie arranged the cupcakes in a box and taped it shut.

“Let me take those for you,” Lori said. “I can drop them off on my way home. This way you can go upstairs now and relax, put your feet up.”

“I can’t let you do that. You’ve got studying to do.”

“It’ll take me ten minutes, tops. It’s my way of making up for all the days you let me off early when I had to cram for an exam. Say yes.”

“You really are such a good friend. Yes. Thanks.”

Lori smiled. “Welcome.”

After Lori took off with the delivery, Katie climbed the stairs slowly and once inside her apartment, plopped down on her sofa. She turned on the television, struggling to keep her eyes open until she finally lost the battle.

Normally, Luke spent most of his time in the office in the main house at Rising Springs Ranch. He took a hands-on approach to running things on the property and had a good relationship with Joe Buckley, their ranch foreman. They worked well together and Luke knew Joe wouldn’t let him down.

Today he was at the Boone Springs corporate office, sitting in a room with his name plaque on the desk, staring out the window.

He had Katie on the brain and he’d come into town today, just because he wanted to be close to her. Her bakery was only two blocks away, nestled in between a clothing boutique and a fabric store. Because of the location, the bakery got pretty good foot traffic. Even if it didn’t, Katie would be successful, because her pastries were the best in the county and because Luke had made sure no Boone holdings would ever compete with her.

A little fact he’d kept secret.

While he was serving the country, he’d made his wishes known and his brothers had all been onboard. He’d put the Rodgers family through enough and they’d done what they could to make sure Shelly and her family wouldn’t unintentionally suffer any hardships of their doing.

But for him, it had mostly been about Katie. Wanting to see her succeed, wanting her to have a good life. God, when he’d come back home, he’d wished she had married, or at the very least, been in a serious relationship. Knowing she was still single had made his return torturous, yet he’d managed to keep his distance when he saw her around town or when they volunteered at the horse rescue.

And then Vegas happened.

Frustrated, he forced himself to go over ranching reports he’d pulled up on his computer. He had to get some work done, had to feel productive today, instead of daydreaming about seeing Katie again.

A little after two in the afternoon, his cell phone rang. “Hey, Wes. How’s it going?” Luke usually didn’t hear from the manager of the horse rescue, so he knew this had to be important.

“Hey, Luke. Sorry for the call, but it’s Snow. I’m sorry to say it might be her time. The ole girl isn’t breathing real well. I’ve had Dr. Hernandez out. He gave her some painkillers, but that’s about all he can do for her. Thought you’d like to know.”

Luke’s stomach churned. Snowball was a mustang who’d been severely abused and she’d come to the rescue at the same time he’d returned home. He and Katie both had sort of taken the mare under their wing. They had a soft spot for the old girl. She’d been recovering, but the abuse had taken its toll on her and unfortunately with some of the horses, there wasn’t much else to do but ease their pain.

“Thanks, Wes. Sorry to hear that. I’ll, uh, I’ll come by. I want to see her.”

“Thought you would.”

“I’ll let Katie know, too.”

“I just called Katie. She didn’t answer her phone. I left her a message.”

“Okay, well, I’ll try to get word to her somehow. I’ll see you soon, Wes.”

Luke hung up and rubbed at the corners of his eyes. Giving himself a moment to gather his thoughts, he shook his head. As much as he wanted to see Katie again, he didn’t want to give her bad news.

Five minutes later, he was in his car, driving by the bakery. There was a Katie’s Kupcakes Is Klosed sign on the window. Still, he parked the car in a diagonal spot right in front of the bakery and got out. He tried the shop’s door handle. No luck. Then he cupped his hands to ward off the sun’s glare and peered inside the window. Not a soul was around.

A car slowed on the street and a young girl called out, “Can I help you?”

He recognized her as one of Katie’s employees, though he couldn’t recall her name. She’d made a few deliveries to the Boone corporate office. “I’m looking for Katie.”

“Hold on a sec.” The young woman parked her car and walked over to where he stood by the door.

“I’m Lucas Boone.”

She smiled as if to say she knew who he was; the Boones were usually recognized in town. “Hi, Lucas. I’m Lori. Do you need cupcakes or something? The bakery is closed.”

“No, nothing like that. I need to see Katie. It’s important. Has to do with the Red Barrel Horse Rescue.”

“Oh… I see.” The young woman nibbled on her lips.

“She’s not answering her phone.”

“No, she’s probably resting up in her apartment. She was pretty exhausted today.”

“It’s really important. Can you help me?”

She thought it over for a few seconds. “I know your brother is marrying her best friend, Drea. So, I guess it’s all right if I let you in.”

“Thank you.”

Lori put the key into the lock and opened the door. “I only came back because I left my textbook and notes here and I’ve got this big exam tomorrow night.”

Luke nodded and she let him inside the empty bakery.

“I’ll go upstairs and knock on her door,” she said. “I’ll let Katie know you’re here.”

And a few minutes later, Luke was face-to-face with a sleep-hazy Katie.

“W-what are you doing here?” Katie stood at her doorway, a plaid blanket wrapped around her shoulders, staring at Luke. She didn’t think she’d see him again so soon. His head was down, a concerned look on his face. Her heart began to pound hard. “Lori said something about the rescue?”

“I got a call from Wes a little while ago. It’s Snow. She’s in bad shape.”

The air left her lungs and her shoulders slumped. “Oh no. Not our girl.”