Vegas Vows, Texas Nights

by Charlene Sands

  And then Luke’s hand found hers under the table. The comfort he lent felt good even if he was the last person who should make her feel anything. But his encouragement, his compassion, seeped into her and soothed her raw nerves. She had to think about the baby and what was best. When she was with Luke, she had trouble thinking of anything else but being with him...as a family.

  And yet her worry about her mom and sister always seemed to ruin that fantasy.

  Mason stood up then and thanked everyone for being a part of the wedding. He’d put gifts on the table and encouraged the groomsmen to open their small blue boxes. Luke was forced to let go of her hand to open his gift. She was hit with a wave of relief and sadness at the same time as he broke their connection.

  “Gold cuff links,” he said, glancing at her.

  She smiled. “Those will look good on you,” she said. “They’re very nice.” And they probably cost a fortune.

  At times, she forgot about the Boone wealth and what it meant. But Luke wasn’t defined by his wealth. He was down to earth and kind and generous. He ran Rising Springs Ranch, shared the corporation with his brothers and owned half the town.

  He was a man’s man, a guy any girl would love to have by her side.

  Tears touched her eyes again. She was being hormonal, her elevator emotions going up and down.

  “Hey, if you don’t stop looking so sad, I might have to kiss you into a better mood,” Luke said softly.

  She gasped and eyed him, giving him a don’t-you-dare look.

  “Smile, Katie.”

  “For Drea and Mason?” She glanced over to where they sat at the table. They were busy eating their salads and chatting with each other, happiness on both of their faces.

  He shook his head. “For me.”

  Goodness, what was with his ego? “I have no smiles for you,” she said through tight lips.

  Luke grinned. “Katie, you’re forgetting about the work we did at the rescue,” he said loud enough for others to hear, if they were so inclined. “You were very diligent.”

  Her nerves rattled. Of course, no one would know what they were talking about, but she knew, and it was a visual she couldn’t get out of her head. Being naked in the barn with Luke and having him make love to her had been exciting. He’d always managed to draw her out of her wholesome shell and make her do wild and sexy things. “I...know. Sometimes I get carried away.”

  Luke stared into her eyes. “But it’s very much appreciated.”

  Heat rushed to her face. “Is it?”

  “Yes, you have a knack, with stallions especially, that’s really inspiring.”

  She rolled her eyes, hiding a smile. There were no stallions at the rescue right now. “You give me too much credit.”

  “Doubtful.”

  Just then, Drea rose from her seat. “I, too, want to thank all of you for being a part of our special day. I can’t wait until Mason and I become man and wife with all of you very special people in attendance. And I have gifts for my wonderful bridesmaids, too.”

  She walked around the room, giving the girls beautiful embossed gift bags made of soft lavender linen, the same color as their gowns. When she got to Katie, she kissed her cheek. “Thank you for everything, my bestie. This one is special, just for you. Because you’re my maid of honor.”

  “Thank you,” Katie said, giving Drea a smile straight from the heart.

  “Please open your gifts,” she said to everyone.

  Katie opened hers by pulling a drawstring and then reached inside. She pulled out a black velvet box and opened the lid. “Ah! This is beautiful.” She lifted out a gold-and-diamond drop necklace. She was touched and truly surprised. She’d never owned anything this exquisite before. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “Say you’ll wear it tomorrow.”

  “Try to stop me.” She hugged the necklace to her chest.

  Drea grinned. “I had help picking it out.”

  “Mason?”

  She shook her head. “Luke. Actually, he has pretty good taste.”

  “You picked this out?” she asked him.

  He nodded. “It looked like you. Bright and sparkly.”

  She blinked and didn’t know what to say. He was constantly surprising her.

  “I will treasure it,” she told Drea.

  An hour later, Katie walked out of the restaurant and heard footsteps hitting the ground behind her. “Katie, wait up.”

  She sighed, stopped and turned around to Luke. “What is it?”

  “Let me walk you to your car.”

  “That’s not necessary.”

  “No, but I’d like to.” His jaw set tight and it was no use arguing.

  “Suit yourself,” she said lightly and as she began walking again he fell in step beside her. He was quiet, pensive, and she didn’t know what to make of his mood.

  Once she reached her Toyota in the parking lot, she spun around to face him. “Well, here I am.”

  “I can see that.”

  “Thank you for walking me. Now it’s time for me to get going.”

  “Where to?”

  “Home to pick up my things and then I’m spending the night at Drea’s cottage. We’re getting our hair and makeup done there in the morning. Drew’s getting the place ready for us right now.”

  He nodded.

  “I really should get going.”

  A tick worked in his jaw. “Katie, where do we go from here?”

  There was an urgency about him that she didn’t quite understand. Why was he being so persistent? “Luke.” She glanced around. There were a few people getting into their cars near her. “This is hardly the time or place.”

  “Then you tell me a good time and place and I’ll be there.”

  She sighed. “I don’t know. We have issues. And I can’t think about them at the moment. Why are you bringing this up now?”

  “Because you’ve been avoiding me. You haven’t been answering my calls or texts. I didn’t want to say anything tonight, but at some point you’re gonna have to face reality.”

  “And what reality is that?”

  Luke’s eyes narrowed. He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again.

  “Look, I just needed a...break,” she said.

  “From what?”

  “From...you.”

  His lips went tight and the look in his eyes darkened. “From me?”

  “Yes, if you must know. I can’t think when you’re around.”

  “That’s right, I make you crazy.”

  “Yes, yes, you do and it’s horrible.”

  His brows rose in surprise and a hurt look crossed his features. “Fine. I’ll give you all the space you need,” he said, his tone sullen.

  “You don’t have to get mad.”

  “I’m not mad,” he said, his voice a harsh rasp. He opened her car door and gestured for her to get in. She slid into the driver’s seat, giving him a last look.

  Then he slammed the car door.

  And refused her another glance.

  Eight

  Katie cried on the way to the MacDonald cottage. She wanted to shed all her tears before she spent the night with Drea. This was to be their special before-the-wedding slumber party. Just the two of them, like they’d planned since they were kids. She wouldn’t spoil the fun by being a miserable companion.

  But she’d hurt Luke, made him angry. And she didn’t feel good about any of it: the divorce, her deception about the baby. She wasn’t lying when she told Luke he made her crazy. He did, because he was the right man for her, under the wrong circumstances.

  Why did it have to be him? Recently, she’d asked that of herself every single day. She couldn’t take it any longer. She didn’t want to hurt the people she cared about. It was time to own up to the truth. She would reveal her secr
ets and finally deal with the consequences.

  After the wedding.

  With that thought in mind, her tears stopped flowing. At least she had a plan now and it made her feel one thousand percent better. As she entered the gates of Rising Springs Ranch, she stopped the car and tidied herself up, wiping her tears and putting on a fresh coat of lip gloss. Tonight, she would be the best, best friend to Drea she could be and they would have a fun time.

  Katie started her car up again and slowly drove down the road past the main house heading to the cottage. With her maid of honor dress and shoes in the back seat as well as her toiletries, she was totally prepared.

  What she wasn’t prepared for was seeing the flames up ahead, blazing bright and licking the night sky.

  Her throat tight, she drove farther down the road and immediately stopped when she spotted Lottie and Drea with looks of horror on their faces. She parked the car on the side of the road and ran to them, the acrid smell of soot and ash filling her lungs.

  “Oh no!” Half of the cottage was on fire. “What happened?”

  Drea was shaking uncontrollably. “Oh, Katie. My d-dad’s in there. I don’t know how it h-happened. But he left the dinner early to come home and fix up the house for us.”

  “Luke’s gone in after him,” Lottie cried out.

  “Luke? Oh my God. How long has he been in there?”

  “He ran in as soon as he spotted the flames. Firefighters are on the way, but Luke refused to wait.”

  Katie’s heart raced. This couldn’t be happening. Not to Drew and Luke. Her Luke. She’d never forgive herself if something happened to him. She should’ve told him...she loved him. She did. She loved him, but was too frightened to confess. And now she was scared to death she’d never get the chance to tell him.

  He needed to know she was carrying his baby. She needed him to know he was going to be a father. Maybe he wouldn’t have taken such a chance with his own life. But Luke was tough, a Marine, and of course he’d head straight into a burning house to save a friend.

  She closed her eyes and prayed for both of them.

  She couldn’t lose Luke now, not when she was finally able to admit her true feelings for him.

  The wind shifted and they were blasted with heat, forcing them to step back several yards. To think, Luke was in there, trying to save Drew. Smoke billowed up and they waited impatiently, holding hands, tears spilling down their cheeks.

  From a distance, sirens could be heard. The fire engines were on the property now, but Katie kept her eyes trained on the front of the house. “Luke, please, please be okay,” she whispered.

  And then from out of the smoke and flames, Luke staggered down the steps, his face a mass of black soot, as he half walked, half dragged Drew with him.

  “Thank God!” Lottie exclaimed, running over to the fence and opening it.

  Both men looked worse for wear, but they were alive and breathing on their own.

  “Daddy, are you okay?” Drea ran over to help.

  “He will be,” Luke said. “I found him knocked out on the floor by the back door. He’s got a big knot on his forehead.”

  Drew looked up and gave his daughter half a smile. “One of the candles I set out for you gals got too close to your curtains and caught fire. I went running through the house to get the hose and tripped over a box of your softball trophies,” he told her.

  Drea’s face paled. “Oh, Daddy. I’m so sorry.”

  “I wanted to surprise you and Katie with the trophies. I’ve been cleaning them up and damn fool that I am, I didn’t quite...” He began coughing hard, his face turning red from the exertion.

  “It’s okay, Dad. No more talking right now.”

  Katie glanced at Luke. He looked exhausted, too, and coughed every now and then. She wanted to run over to him and hug him tight, but the firefighters had just pulled up and were shouting orders. Paramedics took Drew and Luke to their van for observation, while the firefighters set their hoses up to battle the flames.

  Katie stood by the van, watching them tend to Luke. Every so often, he would glance her way and she’d smile and wave, wiping tears from her eyes. She’d been given a second chance with him and she wasn’t going to blow it.

  Lottie and Drea stood by Drew’s side as he was being examined. “You really should go to the hospital for a complete checkup,” the paramedic was saying.

  “You said I’m fine. I don’t need any more checking up.”

  “I said there’s no sign of smoke inhalation. But that needs to be confirmed.”

  “My daughter is getting married tomorrow, and I need to be there.”

  “Dad, it won’t take too long,” Drea said.

  “I’m just fine, Drea.”

  Lottie touched the paramedic’s arm. “Let me speak to him, please.”

  “Okay, ma’am. I’ll be back in a few minutes after I call this in.”

  Lottie smiled at Drew. “You had me in tears.” She walked over to him, arms extended, and gave him a big hug. “I’ve never been so frightened in my life. To think you might’ve died in that house. And I can’t have that. I can’t lose you. I can’t stand the thought of us not being together a moment longer. Drew Joseph MacDonald, I love you very much. And if you’ll have me, I want to marry you.”

  Drew blinked and rubbed his sore head. “Did I hear you right? You want us to get married. Maybe I did hit my head too hard.”

  “Yes, yes and no. Yes, you heard me right. Yes, I want to marry you. And no, you didn’t hit your head too hard. At least I hope not. You’d better say yes, because I’m not going to let you alone until you do.”

  “Promise?”

  “I promise.”

  Drew smiled. It was a whopper, and Lottie smiled right back at him.

  Katie and Drea exchanged glances. Drea had prayed for her father to find happiness. Now her prayers were being answered.

  “I love you, Lottie. And I’m honored to marry you,” he said. “Don’t know if I’ll have a house for us to live in though.”

  “We’ll figure it out. It’ll be our little adventure.”

  “Now you’ve got me looking forward to having an adventure with you.”

  “Oh, and one more thing, Drew,” Lottie said. “You need to be checked out tonight at the hospital.”

  “No, I don’t—”

  “You do. And so does Luke. But don’t worry, I’ll go with you and make sure you get to the wedding on time.”

  “Bossy woman.”

  “You love it.”

  He grinned and pulled her close. “Guess I do.”

  And then he kissed her.

  * * *

  Once the paramedics were through checking over Luke, Katie walked over to him, put her arms around his neck and kissed him solid on the mouth. She didn’t care who witnessed it, or what they thought. She just wanted Luke, period.

  He snuggled her close, his eyes gleaming. “Are you going to propose to me?” he asked.

  She brought her mouth to his and kissed him again. “Silly man. I’m already your wife.”

  “But you don’t want to be.”

  “I’m rethinking that, Luke.” She smiled at him and he blinked.

  “You are?”

  She nodded.

  Luke’s expression changed and his mouth spread into a grin.

  Katie put her hands on his soot-stained face, looked into his blue eyes. “You saved Drew’s life. It was a brave thing to do, but it scared me half to death.”

  “I just reacted. I couldn’t let him die inside the house. I had to go after him.”

  “You risked your life.”

  “It was worth it. And there’s an added plus.”

  “Oh yeah? What would that be?”

  “You’re here with me. And your eyes have a certain gleam. Sort of like the way you’d look at Snow
, or one of your delicious cupcake concoctions.”

  “You do realize you just compared yourself to a horse and a cupcake,” she said softly, admiring his handsome face and thinking of what might have happened to him.

  He chuckled. “Katie, you’re too much.” He bent his head and kissed her, and it was better than anything in the world. But he needed more medical attention and she needed to wrap her head around loving him. She backed away, imploring him, “Be patient with me. For just a little while longer.”

  Before he could respond, Drea walked up with Drew and Lottie, all three holding hands. Drea stepped up. “I’ll never forget what you did tonight, Luke.” She was obviously rattled, the prospect of losing her dad keeping tears in her eyes. “You’re a good man.”

  They embraced, Drea hugging him tight.

  “Does that mean I’ll be your favorite brother-in-law from now on?”

  Drea smiled. “Risk would have to do something pretty great to top this. Saving my dad, that’s a pretty high bar.”

  Drew walked over to him. “Let me shake your hand, Luke.” Then he swiped the air and put his hand down. “Forget that.” He wound his arms around Luke and gave him a big manly hug. “Thank you, son. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you.”

  “You’re welcome, Drew.”

  “I don’t know what else to say. You risked your life to save mine. I’ll be grateful to you for the rest of my life.”

  “No need for that,” Luke said humbly. “Just make Aunt Lottie happy.”

  “I plan to.” Drew gazed at Lottie with love in his eyes. It was beautiful to witness.

  Lottie gave Luke a big hug, too. “Don’t know what I would’ve done if I lost you both. You’re like a son to me and I love you very much.”

  “Love you, too, Aunt Lottie.”

  “So then you’ll get checked out at the hospital?”

  “I’ll make sure of it,” Katie intervened.

  Luke grabbed her hand. “You’ll go with me?”

  “Yes.”

  And if Shelly got wind of it, she’d have to tell her the truth. But luckily, she happened to know Shelly wasn’t working tonight. She was taking her mother over to her friend’s house for a nice long visit. It bought Katie a little time to reveal the truth.