Would anyone notice how lopsided the cake was? Katie tried to camouflage the error with extra frosting. Whereas one half of the cake had a mere quarter-inch layer of frosting, the other side had over an inch.

Even after watching a dozen YouTube videos and an episode of Cake Boss, it looked like an amateur baked it. In reality, that was exactly what happened. Her consolation was that it tasted good, and hopefully everyone could look past the imperfections and enjoy the cake.

If the party started at seven, then Katie would wait until ten after to show up. That would give enough time for everyone to say hello to Bowie, or so she hoped.

The only reason she was going, she told herself, was that Sage had asked her, but she was curious about the man who had left town a decade ago and never returned.

In some ways, they were alike. She’d packed up and left Dallas. Although her departure happened abruptly, she had considered it for years.

There were lots of reasons people ran away, but it always came down to either running from or running to something. In her case, she was racing to have an authentic life. One she couldn’t have in Dallas.

Katie looked at the clock; it was time to go. Dressed in blue jeans and a flowered thermal shirt, she entered the chill of the May night and walked across the street to Bishop’s Brewhouse. She’d never seen the bar so full; except for the day they buried Bea. It seemed like the town came out for deaths and births. Bowie coming back to town was a sort of rebirth.

Katie knew his presence was important to Ben. She could only imagine what it meant to Cannon. With the sheet cake in her hands, she twisted and turned her body through the crowd until she was at the bar.

Sage stood behind the taps, pulling a pitcher of beer. “You came.”

“Did you think I wouldn’t? From the sound of the chitchat around town, this man coming home is like the second coming of Christ—a miracle.” She set the cake on the worn wooden surface and looked around at the crowd. “I’m a true believer in miracles.” Katie never put much faith in anything until the day her heart quit. From that point on, faith was all she had.

“The cake looks amazing.” Sage took it and put it on the back counter. “Was it hard?”

“Hard” was a matter of perspective. It was hard to get the courage to try something new, easy to do it once she decided. Hard to take the reality that it wasn’t perfect, but easy to hide her mistake.

“Not hard at all,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “I imagine it’s like anything you do the first time—scary but worth it.”

She looked to the end of the bar toward the man everyone crowded around. Baking the cake wasn’t nearly as hard as what Bowie had experienced. Even though she didn’t know him, the telltale signs of stress were written on his handsome face. Hard eyes. Creased brow. The strained twitch from a fake smile. Katie knew all too well the look of being present for everyone else when all you wanted to do was be alone. Poor Bowie.

“You want to meet him?”

Sage poured her second pitcher of beer. She looked comfortable behind the bar. Katie was envious that Sage had settled into Aspen Cove so easily, especially when she was the one who didn’t want to stay. All this time, Katie had wanted to stay. She’d found lots of things in Aspen Cove she’d been searching for. She’d found friends. A sense of belonging. A purpose. The one thing that remained elusive was love. It was unlikely she’d find it here, where most men were seasonal visitors, and the ones who weren’t were like brothers or a father. Besides, finding love wasn’t her number one priority. Independence took precedence.

“I’ll wait. He looks overwhelmed.”

She looked back at Bowie, who talked to Cannon. All she could see was his profile. Strong nose. Chiseled jaw. Tan skin. Brown hair. Sitting on a barstool, he was taller than most men who stood around him. His fake smile was heartwarming; she could imagine his real smile would be heart-stopping.

She climbed onto the barstool at the opposite end of the room.

“I’m sure he is.” Sage delivered the pitcher to Bowie and Cannon and came back to stand near Katie. “He didn’t want to come.”

Katie watched the man smile and chat with the town folk. It reminded her of all the visitors she got in the hospital. She’d smile and nod and make nice conversation, but all she wanted was to be alone.

“It’s got to be overwhelming.”

The crowd split, giving her a chance to get a look at the rest of him. When Sage had said he was medically retired from the service, Katie thought maybe he’d lost a limb, but he appeared fully intact.

A tight, olive-colored T-shirt stretched across his chest, leaving little for her active imagination. His biceps bulged, stretching the band of cotton to its limit. Her eyes followed the line of his body. He was half on and half off the stool. One leg stretched out, as if ready to bolt at the first opportunity. His jeans, though worn, looked like they were custom made for him. He was perfect all the way from his cropped hair to his black boots. The only thing missing was a Harley. He had that bad-boy look about him. She’d considered him almost too perfect, but then he’d turned his head toward her and her heart skipped a beat. A jagged scar ran from his temple to his chin, bisecting his cheek along the way.

Magazine men weren’t her thing. Men who sought perfection in themselves often sought it in others, and Katie was far from perfect. She’d learned long ago that the true test of a man was in how he lived with his flaws. Bowie’s scar was the sexiest thing about him. He wore it like a badge of honor. She was intrigued to find out how he got it.

“Can I have a soda?” Katie would have loved to imbibe with the rest, but she rarely drank. Given her health condition, it wasn’t recommended.

Sage poured her a soda. “Let’s give your cake to Bowie.”

“You give it to him. I’m happy here.”

Sage gave her a growl. “Suit yourself. He’s much sweeter than he looks. Then again, wasn’t it you who told me you like them to look like murderers?”

Sage picked up the cake and brought it over to Bowie. She said something that made the entire group look Katie’s way. She gave them all a weak smile and a wave but stayed put.

Katie liked sitting in the corner, taking everything in. Rarely had she had the opportunity to be an observer. A girl could learn a lot about the people of Aspen Cove if she watched long enough. For example, it was obvious which men in town had grown up with Bowie. Mark Bancroft, Bobby Williams, and Dalton Black had that easy look about them. The one that said, “I’ve-got-your-back”. They talked and laughed like they hadn’t lost a day together.

The men who hung back, like Sheriff Aiden Cooper and resident lawyer Frank Arden, were taking it all in, just like Katie. Sitting back and observing. In the corner was a group that included Zachariah Thomas and Tilden Cool, who lived up in the mountains and made moonshine. The only reason for their appearance was the free beer.

Then there were the women. Abby the beekeeper was too old for Bowie, but it didn’t stop her from hanging on to his every word. Lloyd Dawson, a cattle rancher, had come to town with his family in tow. He and his wife Maggie had five daughters, ranging in age from eight to twenty-eight. Poor man. It was his oldest daughter, Poppy, who showed the most interest in Bowie. Katie couldn’t blame her. Living with her parents at twenty-eight was no fun. Katie figured marriage was Poppy’s easiest way out of the house. Her sisters lined the walls like wallflowers, with names like Rose, Lily, Daisy, and Violet. Their only brother, Basil, hung back and drank beer with the sheriff.

Sage waved Katie over. It was a battle lost if Katie thought she’d get away without an introduction. That was, until her phone rang. She knew who it was. Few people had her new cell phone number, and ninety percent of them were in the bar, so when she pulled her phone from her pocket, it was no surprise it was her mother.

She pressed answer. “Hey, Mama. Hold on, okay?”

Her mom continued to talk, but Katie pulled the phone away from her ear. She looked at Sage and pointed to her phone, mouthed the word “Mom” and disappeared out the door to take the call. People were overflowing onto the sidewalk, so she rounded the building and walked to the back of the bar.

“Are you there?” her mother asked.

“Yes, I told you to hold on. I had to get somewhere quiet so I could hear you.”

“It sounds like a party.”

“It’s a welcome-home party for a friend’s brother.” Katie counted to five because she knew it wouldn’t take longer than that to get to the next question.

She only got to the count of three when her mom asked, “Where are you?”

“You know I’m not telling. You have the ability to get in touch with me.”

“About that, why did you change your phone number? Daddy and I were happy to pay for your service.”

Katie inhaled deeply and let the breath out slowly. She’d always considered herself a patient person, but her mom could try a saint on Sunday.

“You were happy to pay for my phone when you could track it. I’m a grown woman, Mama. What’s the point in living if I don’t have a life?”

This was where her mom would spring a tear. “We only want what’s best for you.”

Katie heard people behind her, like someone had opened a door to the bar, but the sound muted right away, so she ignored it and replied to her mother, “You want what’s safest, but safest isn’t always what’s best. I had to run away from you and Daddy just to breathe. Mama, I love you, but I can’t live if I can’t breathe.”

“And I can’t breathe not knowing you’re okay.”

There was no one to see her roll her eyes, but Katie did it anyway. She stood there staring at the woods behind the bar and rolled them in every direction she could.

“You’re talking to me. I’m okay. In fact, I’m finer than frog hair split seven ways.”

“Are you taking your medicine?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m eating healthy. I’m making friends. I even baked a cake today for the party. I’m happy for the first time in a long time. Please be happy for me.” Katie heard a sound behind her and turned to find Bowie tucked into the shadows of the building. He lifted his beer like he was toasting her. She nodded back. “I’ve got to go. Please trust me to know what’s right for me, okay?”

Her mother’s exhale was a sign of surrender. Katie would have loved to tell her parents where she’d run off to, but she knew the minute she did, they would be on her doorstep, ready to drag her back to Dallas. She would eventually tell them, but on her terms.

“I love you, sweetheart. I trust you. It's just that I’m as lonely as a pine tree in a parking lot.” Katie grew up on southernisms, but her mother never ceased to come up with a new one regularly.

“I’ll call soon,” Katie told her. She dialed them at least once a week. There was no sense in making them worry, but there was also no sense in talking to them daily. If she did, she might as well move back home.

“Come home soon,” her mother replied.

That didn’t deserve a response because if Katie said anything but I will, the conversation would go full circle back to the beginning.

“Love you, and tell Daddy I love him, too.” She waited for her mom’s I love you, too before hanging up.

Katie walked over to where Bowie stood in the shadow of the overhang. His back leaned against the brick building, one leg anchored to the ground, the other knee bent with the sole of his boot against the wall. The moon glinted off his skin, making it look almost gold and godlike.

“Welcome home, Bowie.” She pressed her hand in his direction for a shake. “I’m Katie Middleton.”

He smiled.

Help me, Jesus, she said in her head. She was right, there was a difference between his forced smile and the one that came naturally. This smile came from his eyes instead of his lips.

“Nice to meet you, Duchess.”

His hand was so large, it wrapped around hers when he shook it. He had hard-working hands. They weren’t soft and fleshy like the account managers at the insurance office where she used to work. No, Bowie’s hands were calloused and manly and warm and strong.

“Duchess, huh? I can live with that.” She liked that he didn’t call her “Princess” the way everyone else did. He was the first person to call her “Duchess”. “I’m sure you’re trying to get some peace and quiet, so I’ll let you be.”

She turned to walk away, but he stopped her with a question. “You made the cake?”

“I did.” She laughed, remembering the condition of the kitchen when she finished. She swore there was more flour on the floor than in the cake. “If it was terrible, just tell me you’re a diabetic and couldn’t have any. That way, I won’t feel awful.”

“I liked it … a lot. How did you know I like extra frosting?”

“I’m intuitive, or … I made a lopsided cake and straightened it out with the sweet stuff. You choose.”

He gifted her with another heart-heating smile. “I’ll go with intuitive.” He offered her his beer. “You want a drink?”

Katie didn’t want to appear rude. “Thank you.”

She took the mug from his hand. It was no longer frosted, but the beer remained cold. She lifted it to her mouth and let the suds touch her upper lip.

“Has Aspen Cove been good to you?” he asked.

His eyes left her and stared out into the blackness of the night. Up in the mountains, it turned dark the minute the sun set. Tonight, the moon was only a sliver and offered no light.

“I love it here. The people are good. It was a true blessing to come here.”

“I hear Bea gave you the bakery.” He reached for his beer and took a long swallow. “What’s your connection to Bea?”

A moment of awkwardness hung in the air between them. They didn’t know each other, but they had something in common. They both had a connection to Bea, only Katie’s was still a mystery.

“My inner sleuth is still trying to figure it out.”

“You will. The one thing I’ve always known about Bea was she did nothing without a solid reason.”

Katie laughed. “She gave me a list of a hundred, but none of them makes sense. The only thing I can think of is she found out I did a lot of volunteer hours at a children’s hospital.”

Bowie kicked off the wall. “That would make sense. Bea loved kids, and she was always quick to reward good behavior.” He turned and headed to the bar’s back door. “I suppose I should attend my own party. Are you coming, Duchess?”

Katie noticed a slight limp to his walk but ignored it. They entered the bar, where the crowd had diminished. All who were left fell under the categories of close friends and relatives. It made Katie sad that Bowie’s father Ben had to stay away, but she gave him credit for knowing his limitations.

“Everything all right with your mom?” Sage asked as Katie took the barstool beside her.

“She’s still hovering like a true helicopter parent, but hey, she loves me.”

“Can’t fault her for that.” Sage looked down the bar, where the men had congregated. They each had a plate of cake in their hands. Bowie was on his second piece. “Bowie seems to like it. I saw you two walk inside together. Did you get a chance to meet?”

“Briefly. He seems nice.”

“He is nice. I’d love it if you two hit it off. Wouldn’t that be awesome?”

So awesome, but the timing is wrong. She needed to establish herself first. In the five minutes they’d talked, Katie got a feel for Bowie. She’d always known that when she met the one, she’d know it, and something inside her told her he was it. It was more than his looks. His wounds attracted her. She knew what it felt like to hurt—to watch her life slipping away from her and get a second chance to embrace it. Maybe that’s what Aspen Cove would be for Bowie. Maybe coming home was his second chance.

“Still on for fishing tomorrow?” When Sage said the word “fishing”, she turned up her nose like she could already smell their catch.

“Yes.”

Katie bounced with excitement in her seat. Fishing was on her bucket list, and after tomorrow she’d be able to cross it off. If she were lucky, she’d get rowing a boat completed soon, too. She looked at Bowie and wondered if he had a list; if so, would his include silly things like hers? Things like falling in love?