Читать книгу Vegas Vows, Texas Nights - Charlene Sands - Страница 11
ОглавлениеA Boone limo picked up the entire wedding party at the airport, taking everyone directly to their homes on the outskirts of town. Katie was among the last to be dropped off since she lived in the heart of Boone Springs, her apartment just above the bakery. It was a modest place, with one bedroom, one bath, but the rooms were spacious enough and her large home kitchen served as a backup when orders in the bakery exceeded their limit. That didn’t happen often. Katie ran an efficient place and there was nothing like rolling out of bed at 4:00 a.m. and working in her jammies downstairs until the bakery opened at seven o’clock.
As the limo pulled up in front of the bakery, she was struck with a pang of relief. “This is my stop,” she said to her friends remaining in the limo. “I hope you all had a great time.”
Drea gave her a big hug. “It was wonderful. Amazing girl-bonding, my friend. Thanks for all you’ve done. Love you for it.”
“Love you, too.”
Katie glanced at everyone and waved a farewell. “All of you made the party for our dear friends something to remember.”
“After last night, I’ve forgotten more than I remember,” Mason said, smiling.
“You had the best time with your friends and family, especially with your fiancée.” Drea gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Just ask me, I’ll fill in the blanks.”
Katie had some blanks she’d like to have filled in, too.
“One thing I do know, Luke and Katie worked hard on organizing this. Thank you,” Mason said. “You two make a good team.”
A rush of heat crawled up her neck. “Thank you. It wasn’t that hard, really, and it was fun.” The only difficult part had been working with Luke. Her husband. Oh God.
The limo driver grabbed Katie’s bags and opened the door for her.
“I’ll get off here, too,” Luke told the driver.
Katie glared at him.
“It’s a short walk to the office,” he explained. “And I need to check up on something. Benny, if you could drop off my bags at the ranch I’d appreciate it.”
The limo driver nodded. “Yes, sir.”
Katie climbed out, Luke right behind her.
“I’ll take those.” He grabbed her bags from the driver’s hand.
Katie noticed some raised eyebrows in the limo and wanted to melt right into the cement. What on earth was Luke doing? She didn’t want to arouse suspicion. It was bad enough she’d had to lie to her best friend about where she’d been last night. But Luke was oblivious as to how his behavior appeared to everyone.
“Bye,” Drea said. “Thanks again, hon. We’ll talk soon.”
“Okay,” Katie said, giving her friend a smile.
When the limo drove off, she turned to Luke. “Give me my bags, Luke.”
“I’ll carry them up for you.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“I know, but I’d like to.”
“Why?”
“Your hangover is hanging on. You’re pale and looking a little weak.”
“The only reason I look ill is because of what happened between us. Makes me sick to my stomach.”
His mouth twitched, but she wasn’t at all sorry she’d been so crude. Well, maybe she was a little bit sorry. This was just as much her fault as it was his.
“All the more reason for me to help you. I feel responsible.”
“Don’t.”
“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.”
“Mom, Mason’s a nice guy.”
“He’s rich and feels entitled, just like all the Boones.”
She meant Luke.
That sick feeling in Katie’s stomach acted up again. “Drea’s happy and that’s all that matters.”
Her mother sipped her tea. “So, what did all you gals do at the bachelorette party?”
Katie shrugged. “The usual things. We saw the sights, ate like there was no tomorrow, had a spa day, went to a concert, and then on the last night the entire group got together for a party at a nightclub.”
There. She’d given a short, encapsulated version of her long weekend. Enough said.
“You had to deal with Luke?”
Before she could answer, Shelly walked into the house, dropping her shoulder bag on the edge of the sofa. “What about loser Luke?”
Katie’s heart started pounding. Shelly was still bitter. “Hi, sis. What are you doing here?”
“Checking in with Mom, just like you.” Her sister, dressed in nurse’s white, walked over to give her mother a kiss on the cheek. “Hi, Mom. How are you today?”
“Feeling pretty good. Your sister made me some tea. Would you like a cup, sweetheart?”
“Thanks, but I’m fine. Just thought I’d stop by here first, before heading home and changing clothes. Dr. Moore asked me and a few colleagues to attend his seminar tonight. I have to leave soon. So, what about Luke?”
“Nothing,” Katie said.
“Your sister had to plan Drea’s bachelorette party with him.”
“We didn’t plan the bachelorette party together. He was in charge of entertaining the groomsmen. All we did was coordinate the party at the end of the weekend together.”
“Ugh,” Shelly said. “Poor you.”
“It wasn’t that bad.”
“I feel sorry for any woman who gets involved with him,” Shelly said flatly. “I should’ve known better.”
“He wasn’t ready for marriage,” Katie said. God, they’d had this conversation for years. It was truly beginning to grate on her nerves. Shelly never was one for letting go. She’d never forgiven their dad for divorcing their mother. She’d never accepted their father’s new wife. Clearly, a broken engagement, even if it was three days before the ceremony, was much better than a divorce later on.
“Why are you defending him?” Shelly asked.
“Maybe I just want you to move on with your life, Shel. Maybe I’m not defending him so much as I’m looking out for you.”
Shelly sighed. “Okay, got it. Easier said than done.”
“It’s so nice to have both of my girls here with me today,” her mother said softly.
“I wish I could stay longer,” Shelly said. “But I’m meeting everyone at the hospital in an hour.”
“That’s fine, honey. You go on to the seminar. I’m proud of the way you girls are so conscientious about your work. That means you, too, Katie.”
“I know, Mama.” Her mother had always told her how proud she was of what she’d accomplished at the bakery. Her business was on solid ground now but it hadn’t always been that way. Her mom had faith in her, had always given her support. “I’ll stay and visit with you a bit longer.”
“Wonderful.” Shelly gave her a rare smile.
Her sister had had a rough time facing her friends after the marriage debacle and then to have her “almost” groom leave town for years, leaving her with no hope, no way to reconcile her sadness, no way to rant and rave at him. That was probably the greatest injustice. Shelly had never gotten the closure she’d needed.
After Shelly left, Diana got up to take her teacup to the kitchen. “I made soup, your favorite, chicken and dumplings. Will you stay and have some with me?”
“Sure, that sounds yummy.”
Katie was beat, tired and nervous, but having comfort food and her mother’s company would distract her from the giant mistake she’d made in Las Vegas last night.
Katie raced down the stairs, stubbing her toe on the last step. “Ow, damn it.” As she entered the bakery, not even the soothing scents of all things sweet helped lighten her mood this morning. She’d overslept by an hour and now she was totally behind schedule. Gosh, she’d had so much on her mind, sleep had eluded her, and when she’d finally fallen asleep, it had been deep and heavy. She’d dreamed that a faceless beast was chasing her and she’d kept running and running until she’d woken up in a sweat.
Was that dream trying to tell her something?
She flipped on the light, tied on her lavender Katie’s Kupcakes and Bakery apron and got to work, gathering up her ingredients, prepping her cupcake tins.
The Monday morning special was always a carrot zucchini cupcake infused with a light apricot filling. She called it her Start Smart Special, a healthier alternative to a sugary treat. It was a fan favorite for those guilty of indulging over the weekend.
Her assistant, Lori, knocked on the back door. Katie opened it to her smiling face.
“Hey, good to see you. How was your trip?” Lori asked, as she walked past her and took off her sweater.
“Uh, it was okay.”
“That so? Just okay?” Lori sounded as if she had her doubts. They’d worked closely together for six years and knew each other pretty well. Now Lori was putting herself through college at night aiming for a degree in business, so the bakery hours were perfect for her. The shop closed at two in the afternoon. “Sounds like it wasn’t fun. Did something happen?”
“No. Nothing. I’m just tired. I overslept.”
“You never oversleep. Maybe you had too much fun in Vegas.” Lori winked. If she only knew. “You’re gonna have to give me deets. I’ve been cramming all weekend, stuck at my place, fantasizing about your fun weekend.”
“There are no details.” Katie shrugged. “We had a good time. Saw a show. Got massages, did some dancing. Usual stuff.”
“You were excited about it when you left here. I thought for sure you’d have some good Vegas stories to entertain me with this morning.”
Lori put on her apron and they began measuring out ingredients. She started on chocolate ganache cupcakes with marshmallow filling while Katie worked on the special. They had their routine down to a science and being behind schedule meant one or two cupcakes would have to get the boot.
“Sorry, Lori. Nothing much to report,” she fibbed. “How about we eliminate anything pumpkin, since the fall season has been over for a while,” she said, changing the subject.
“Good choice.”
“And if there are any complaints, you know what to do.”
“Always.”
It was her motto to keep the customer happy by giving away a free cupcake or two to ward off hostility. Although that rarely happened with her regular Boone Springs customers. They were like family. She knew most of them by name, as well as where they lived and how many kids they had. She often catered birthday parties and other occasions.
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.”
“Yep. I’m afraid so.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Thought you’d want to know. Wes tried to call you.”
“I—I was fast asleep. I didn’t hear my phone.”
“I’m on my way out to see her. Maybe for the last time.”
Oh man. All she could think about was the raw deal Snowball had gotten, a life of abuse and pain. Her owner had neglected her and she’d come to the rescue undernourished, scarred and broken. It wasn’t fair. They’d tried their best to save her, and now Katie wasn’t about to let her take her last breaths alone. “I’ve got to see her, too.”
“I’ll take you.”
“No, you go on.” She ran a hand through her hair. She must look a mess. “I need to run a comb through my hair and freshen up.”
“I’ll wait.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Katie, I’m here, my car’s out front and we’re driving to the same place. Let’s not waste any more time when we can spend it with Snow. Just do what you have to do, I’ll be waiting downstairs.”
He was right. Snow was too important to her to quibble with him about driving arrangements. “Okay, fine. Give me a minute.”
Five minutes later, she was dressed in jeans and a red shirt, her hair in a knot at the top of her head. She splashed water on her face and put on lip gloss to keep from biting her lips and then dashed down the stairs and out the door of the bakery.
Luke waited for her out front, leaning against his black SUV, his hands in his pockets, a pensive look on his face. Her stomach was still in a twist about her ultra-secret marriage to her sister’s ex. And now, the sweet mare she’d tended for the past year might be dying.
“Ready?” Luke asked, opening the door for her.
“Yes… I think.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean. Snow’s a special one.”
Katie climbed in and grabbed her seat belt while Luke closed the door and took a seat behind the wheel. They drove off in silence and as they approached the canyon, she shivered.
“Cold?” he asked.
“A little.” She hugged her arms to her chest. “I forgot my jacket.” She’d forgotten how chilly the canyon could get in the later hours of the day.
“I can warm you up real fast,” he said, giving her a smile.
His dimpled grin brought heat to her body instantly. She flashed back to Vegas and those hours they’d spent in bed together.
He reached for the dials on his dashboard and soon a flow of warm air surrounded her. “Better?”
She nodded.
“I’ve got an extra jacket in the back. I won’t let you freeze to death out here.”
That he was talking about “letting” her do anything or not gave her nerves a rattle. He wasn’t really her husband—just thinking it seemed completely foreign to her—but he was taking care of her needs and that wasn’t something she was used to, with any guy. “Thanks.”
A few minutes later they approached Red Barrel Horse Rescue and Luke parked in the gravel lot in front of the small building that served as the office. “I’ll go in and let Wes know we’re here,” he said. “You want to stay in the car and keep warm?”
“No, I’ll go with you.”
“Sure,” he said. He stretched way back and grabbed two jackets from the back seat of his car. “Here you go.”
He handed her a suede jacket lined with lamb’s wool, while he took a lighter weight cotton one. They tossed them on, hers almost reaching her knees, and Wes came out of the office to greet them.
The men shook hands, then Wes gave her a gentle hug. “I knew you two would come out as soon as you heard. Snow’s in the barn. I’ve made her as comfortable as possible.”
Luke met her eyes, then looked back at Wes. “We’d like to see her now.”
“You two know the way. Stay as long as you want.”
“Thanks,” Luke said, his hand closing over hers gently. They began walking toward the barn and Katie took note of all the other horses in the corrals on the property. They were the lucky ones who’d been given a second chance at Red Barrel. There were so many others who were sick and hungry running wild in the canyons.
Once they reached the wide wooden doors, Luke turned to her. “No matter what happens in there, just know we did the very best we could for her.”
“I know that,” she whispered. “It’s just that she’s a special one. And she’s been through so much.”
“Well then,” he said, his eyes softening. “Let’s make her final hours the best they can be.”
She held on to a breath. And then exhaled. “Okay.”
They walked out of the daylight and into the darkened barn. A cold shiver ran through her. It was definitely jacket weather in the canyon.
“There she is,” he said, pointing to the largest paddock in the barn.
Katie moved closer to the stall and as she laid eyes on Snow, she clutched her chest. “Oh, sweet girl.” It hurt so much seeing Snow weak, giving up the fight.
“She’s down,” Luke said. “But she’s still with us.”
“Yes, she still is. You’ve waited for us, haven’t you, my pretty Snowball?”
Snow lifted her head and eyed them both before laying her head back down on a pillow of straw.
Katie took off her jacket and entered the stall, laying the jacket on the straw beside the mare. “Do you mind?” she asked Luke.
“Not at all,” he said, doing the same with his jacket.
They lowered down and sat on the jackets next to Snow.
“Hey, girl. I’m here,” she whispered in her ear. “You don’t have to do this alone.” Katie laid her hand on Snow’s mane and used the gentlest touch to comfort her. “I know you’re struggling to breathe. Just stay calm. I’m here.”
Luke stroked Snow’s flank and whistled a soft, mellow tune. He was actually pretty good and not only did the whistling relax the mare, it soothed Katie’s nerves as well.
“That’s nice,” she said, closing her eyes. “How did you learn to do that?”
“A buddy of mine taught me when I was overseas.”
Katie opened her eyes. “When you were in Afghanistan?”
He nodded. “We had time to kill when we weren’t on active duty. You know, something to fill the void from being away from home.”
“Must’ve been hard.”
“It wasn’t a walk in the park,” he said.
“Yet you signed up for it. When you had family here and a multimillion-dollar company to run. You didn’t have to enlist.”
“I felt like I did. I think the time away helped.”
“Are you talking about my sister now?”
He nodded. “I never meant to hurt her. I know she hates me, but a lot of time has passed since we broke up.”
“You mean, since you walked out on her? Humiliated her?”
“Yeah,” he said, frowning. “If that’s the way you want to put it.”
“It’s just that my family trusted you,” she said, stroking Snow’s mane. Luke hadn’t stopped his caresses either. “And your decision sort of came out of left field.”
“What can I say that I haven’t already?”
Katie was at odds with her feelings. She wanted to support Shelly and their mom, but Luke had a point. He couldn’t marry a woman he didn’t love. It was just too bad he’d come to that conclusion right before the wedding was to take place.
“I know they hate me, Katie. But do you?”
The question took her completely off guard. “Hate’s a strong word.”
“So you don’t?”
“Let’s just say I hate how things played out.”
Luke nodded. “Fair enough.”
“Speaking about the way things played out, any news from your attorney about our dilemma?”
Luke frowned. “No.”
She drew a deep breath. “Too much to hope, I guess.”
Snow became agitated, moving around on her bed of straw.
“I think you need to keep whistling,” Katie said. “It really does help her.”
Luke put his lips together again and the melodic sounds filled the barn. Soon, Snow calmed and her breaths came more evenly.
Afternoon gave way to evening, and the ole girl hung on. Snow’s eyes were closed now, her breathing more labored. “That’s my girl, Snow. Ease over the bridge now. You’ll be in a better place soon.” Katie bent to kiss her and stroked up and down her nose.
Luke took a break from whistling. “I remember when I first spotted her. She was covered with sores and bruises, yet she had soulful eyes. They were filled with such life, such hope.”
“I was appalled at the way she’d been treated. For heaven’s sake, the poor thing didn’t have a name,” Katie said.
“Yeah, I remember. Her coat was black underneath the dirt, and that circle of white on her forehead right smack between her ears couldn’t be missed. It looked like she’d been struck by a fat snowball.”
“And I named her Snowball.”
“I named her Snowball,” Luke said, raising his voice an octave.
She smiled, seeing the feigned indignation on his face. In truth, she didn’t know who’d said it first, but they’d agreed on the name. “Okay, maybe we both named her Snowball.”
Luke smiled, too. “I think that’s the way it happened. Finally, we agree on something.”
Katie liked this Luke, the one who showed compassion. A man who could laugh at himself and not put on airs. He was a zillionaire, yet he never seemed to flaunt it. “It’s the magic of Snow. She’s…”
They both gazed down at the mare. She was still. No longer breathing. “Oh no.”
Katie looked at Luke as both their smiles faded. The mare had taken her last breath as they were conversing. Snow had heard them, recognized their voices and felt at peace enough to slip away without struggle.
Tears stung Katie’s eyes.
Luke, too, was pinching the inner corners of his eyes.
“She’s g-gone.”
“She is,” he said. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her in close. “But she went knowing she was loved.”
Katie couldn’t hold back any longer. She nodded, bobbing her head as the truth of his words sank in. She wept quietly and turned to Luke, her tears running down her cheeks and soaking his shirt.
“It’s okay, Katie. Don’t cry, sweetheart.”
“I knew this day would come, but I didn’t think it would be so soon. I thought we’d have more time with her.”
She had never owned a pet. She’d never had an animal to care for, to nurture and love, until she’d started working at the rescue. She loved all the horses here; they all had a story. But for some reason Snow was special. She’d touched Katie’s heart and they’d shared a deep connection, a bond that she didn’t have with any of the others. Katie had taken it as a personal challenge to make Snow’s days comfortable.
Luke clearly felt the same way. His eyes moist, his expression sad, he couldn’t mask his sorrow either. He brushed his lips across her forehead. She needed his warmth right now, his strength.
“There’s nothing more we can do.” His voice was shaky and he seemed reluctant to release her, to let go of the bond they’d shared. “We should go.”
She nodded, wiping her face with the back of her hand and then attempting to pat his shirt dry from her tears. “Sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he said softly.
“I hate to leave her.”
“I’ll let Wes know she’s gone. He’ll take good care of her from now on.”
It was hard to let go. To say goodbye.
Luke rose and helped her up, entwining their hands. “Ready?”
“I think so.” She glanced at poor Snow one last time, her heart breaking.
Luke picked up the jackets and brushed the straw off them. “Put this on. It’ll be cold outside.”
He gave the fallen horse one last glance, too, a look filled with sadness and regret as he grabbed a woolen blanket from the stall post and covered her body.
Katie slipped into his jacket and he clasped her hand again, his warmth and strength seeping into her. He led her out of the barn. “C’mon, sweetheart. Let me take you home.”
She didn’t mind the endearment this time; she couldn’t fight it. Couldn’t argue. She’d had a rough twenty-four hours and she was just too numb to think anymore. His shoulders were there for her to lean on, he seemed to know the right things to say and this one time she would accept what Luke had to offer.
Without guilt.
