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The closet door slammed open, and the blanket was jerked away

from her. “There you are. I know you hid my bottle. Give it back, you

thieving little bitch.”

“I didn’t take your bottle mama. It was right by the couch where

you left it.” She whimpered when Joss pulled her to her feet by the

hair on her head.

“That’s the empty one. I’m talking ‘bout the bottle I had in the

cabinet over the fridge. Full bottle, still sealed. Where the fuck is it?”

“I don’t know, Mama! I didn’t take it! I can’t even reach the top

of the fridge!” She was crying loudly now, a mixture of pain and fear

engulfing her.

Joss continued to grip a handful of her hair as she marched her

out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. The cabinets hung open,

their contents strewn about the counters. “You have five seconds to

get that damn bottle or I’m going to whip your ass, girl.”

“I don’t have it, Mama!”

“One…”

“Mama!”

“Two.”

51

Lori King

“Please! Mama, I’ll help you look for it!”

“Three…”

Lauren shot awake, panting for air, and covered in sweat. The

terrifying nightmare was a memory from the day she’d first been

taken away. Her mother had beaten her nearly unconscious before the

neighbor lady called the police to check on the screaming. They’d

packed her up and sent to her see Danica Washington, a Montford

social worker.

Danica had been kind enough to take her to Crawley Creek

where Lauren managed to find some semblance of peace for a few

weeks before the courts made her go back home. The hell had gone

on, year after year, cycle after cycle. Each time she was removed

from the trailer, she was taken to Abe and Sera Crawley. They fought

for her, but they couldn’t convince the courts that Joss was a

permanent threat. Her mother was very good at manipulating the

facts to make herself look better, and she did more thirty-day rehab

programs than Lauren could count.

Thanks to the government’s red tape, Lauren grew up in fear.

Her only escape was her time at Crawley Creek, her only real friend,

Vincent Rhone. He’d been the first one to treat her like she wasn’t

broken. The first one to accept her as a Crawley Creek kid even

though she didn’t live at the ranch. The first man to love her for who

she was.

She didn’t buy his story about needing to move on, and never

really loving her in the first place, but at the time, it hurt like hell to

hear it. She took his advice and moved on with her life, but she’d left

her heart at Crawley Creek.

Sitting there in the dark, haunted by her memories, she cried for

the first time in eighteen years.

52

August 6 – Wedding Countdown T-minus 2 days

Lauren was stolen away from breakfast by an overly excited

Hawke and Roman who wanted to show her their improved shooting

skills, and she quickly found herself on their makeshift practice range

with a rifle in her hands. There was nothing like the feel of a gun in

her hands to give her a power trip, and she enjoyed the practice.

“Damn girl, you still shoot better than us,” Hawke lamented,

watching her from a wood log they’d helped Abe put in place over

twenty years before.

“Just because I run a business now doesn’t mean I’m not a

cowgirl at heart,” she responded lightly. “I hit the shooting range

every now and then to keep from getting rusty.”

“And do you ride as well as you used to?” Roman taunted.

She laughed and shook her head, “Sadly, no. I can’t afford to

keep horses of my own, and I don’t have a lot of extra time to ride.

I’ve missed it.”

“You’ve always been welcome here,” Hawke said, taking her

place in front of the target and loading his own rifle.

“I know, but the place isn’t the same without Abe and Sera.”

Roman threw his arm over her shoulder, and hugged her to his

side. “So how ya been, Lola? Any fellas we need to scare the living

daylights out of back home?”

Laughing at the ridiculous nickname, she gave him a shove.

He’d begun calling her Lola when he was a kid because he said she

reminded him of a character named Lola Bunny on a cartoon he

liked. “Like I’d tell you if there was. No way am I spilling my

personal secrets.”

Lori King

“I’m hurt.” Roman feigned an injury and slumped onto the log.

“And here I was just protecting my baby sister.”

“Baby sister? I’m older than you, dumbass,” she said with a

snort. Roman had been brought to Crawley Creek during her senior

year of high school, so she didn’t have as much time with him before

she left for college, but she still thought of him as a brother. “And the

last thing I need is protection. I can handle anything men can throw at

me. Besides, I’m not the one talking weddings.”

“Whoa! Franki and I aren’t ready to set a date just yet,” Roman

was quick to say. “We plan on getting married, but we’re not in a

rush. She’s still settling in, and still grieving.”

“How long has it been?” Lauren asked softly.

“A little over a month. I see her improving every day, but I don’t

want to rush her through the process. Besides, I don’t want the rodeo

Drannon’s trying to wrangle.”

“Me either,” Hawke agreed. “And there’s no way I would wear a

tux to stand next to one of you jokers while you get chained to a

woman.”

“Chained to a woman?” Lauren repeated.

“You know what I mean.” Hawke rolled his eyes. “I’ll be glad

when this wedding bullshit is over.”

“Well, I have to say I’m happy to see D happy.” Lauren said,

picking up the spent shells and tucking them back in the empty box.

“It will be great to see another generation of kids on Crawley Creek.”

“We should get our first placement soon. They’re just waiting on

some official status to be recorded in the court or something. It seems

to take forever to get anywhere with the foster care system.” Roman

picked up her rifle and propped it on his shoulder along with his as

they walked toward the barn.

“I think it’s fantastic that Crawley Creek is going to continue

being a place for kids who need a home, and it suits Drannon and

Lacy. Are you sure it suits the single life you’ve got going though

Hawke?”

“Hell, no,” he agreed, “But Sera would want it this way.”

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Claiming His Cowgirl

They all nodded, and Lacy turned back just in time to see Vin

duck back into the garage from where he’d been watching them. Her

heart jumped in her chest, and she wondered if he still felt something

when he saw her. Unfortunately, she was too afraid to ask, so she just

pretended not to notice him and enjoyed reconnecting with her

brothers.

~ ~ ~ ~

The rain started on Wednesday afternoon, and it didn’t stop. It

poured all evening, covering the ranch in a dreary haze. Lauren spent

the rest of the day snug in the family room of the main house

enjoying getting to know Franki, and the new psychologist, Jeanette.

She even got a chance to meet the elusive Destiny, who had braved

the downpour to get some milk when she ran out. Marilyn asked her

to dinner, but the quiet woman politely refused. Lauren didn’t blame

her for being withdrawn considering what she’d been through, but

she noted the concern on Jeanette’s face as the other woman left the

main house Thursday morning.

“She’ll come around,” Lauren murmured softly to Jeanette.

She smiled. “I know, but it’s in my nature to want to help. She is

still going through the stages, and honestly, I don’t think she’s ready

for help yet.”

“Probably not. I can’t imagine what she’s going through.”

“I wouldn’t want to,” Jeanette agreed. “So, I know the other

guys are all former foster children that lived here growing up, are you

a foster child too?”

“Yeah, kind of. My mom was in and out of my life. When she

was in it, my life sucked; when she was out of it, I was here,” she

explained, trying to keep the emotion from her tone.

“I see.” Jeanette was peering at Lauren from above a pair of

black-rimmed reading glasses, and Lauren laughed.

“Oh, no ya don’t! Don’t try to doctor me. I’m only here through

the weekend, so it would be a waste of both of our time.”

The pretty girl flushed, and gave her a guilty grin. “I’m sorry,

it’s just part of the shtick. I can’t help it.”

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Lori King

“So tell me, why would an educated woman like yourself want

to hole up on a cattle ranch in the middle of bum-fuck North

Dakota?” Lauren asked.

“I’ve always planned on treating veterans with PTSD, but there

are limited resources available to them that aren’t military or

government run. My Uncle Craig—he and my aunt Peggy raised

me—always told me that anything run by the government was built

to screw people.”

Lauren cracked up, laughing so hard her face turned hot. “So you

took this job because it’s not run by the feds?”

“It seemed like the perfect solution. I get to work one-on-one

with veterans and with children. Win-win.”

“You like kids?” Franki piped up from the armchair she was

dozing in.

Jeanette nodded her way, “Sure. I grew up with a pack of

cousins, and we’re still very close.”

“Good thing. I figure it won’t be quiet around here for long once

we start getting kids assigned out here.” Franki yawned. “Sorry, I’m

wiped out for some reason. This weather’s killing me.”

“I hope it stops raining soon. Otherwise, the wedding is going to

be one big, muddy mess this weekend,” Lauren observed, glancing

out the window at the hazing rain. “That would break Lacy’s heart.”

“I shudder to think how she’d react. That woman is like an

obsessive-compulsive, detail-oriented, maniac bride,” Franki joked.

“Drannon told Roman that she damn near had a meltdown when the

one baker in town who does wedding cakes said she was all booked

up.”

“So what’s she going to do for her wedding cake?” Lauren

asked.

Franki shrugged. “Last I heard, she and Marilyn were discussing

making cupcakes and decorating them themselves.”

“Good grief,” Lauren grumbled, “Why didn’t they just ask me

for help?”

“You bake?” Jeanette asked.

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Claiming His Cowgirl

“I do more than bake. I run a catering business back in

Arkansas.”

Franki sat up, her face beaming. “I forgot you were a cook, too!”

“I thought you did emergency management?” Jeanette asked in

confusion.

“Yeah, I do, but that’s only my day job. It’s not what I really

love to do.” Jumping to her feet, she adjusted her shirt and planted

her hands on her hips. “Where’s Lacy at now? I need to get a jump

on this project if I’m going to have time to do it right.”

“I think she’s in the study. She was supposed to be having a call

with the photographer,” Franki said, standing up and stretching. “I’ll

go with, maybe between the two of us we can talk her out of DIY

cupcakes.”

“Well don’t leave me behind!” Jeanette declared with a laugh,

following along. “I know how to crack eggs and turn on an oven, but

after that, you’re on your own.”

Pushing open the door to the study, Lauren called out Lacy’s

name. The redhead glanced up from her computer with a look of

confusion followed by relief.

“Dustin, I need to go, but I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time to

take the bridal shots before the wedding. Yes, I understand, but the

ceremony is at sunset, so…okay, yes, that will be fine. Thanks.” Lacy

hung up the phone with a heavy sigh. “I’m so glad to see friendly

faces that don’t want anything from me.”

“Actually…” Franki said, drawing the word out and doing her

best to look worried.

“Oh, no. What now?” Lacy asked, a wrinkle appearing between

her eyes.

“I hear you’ve had trouble with the wedding cake plans,” Lauren

began, getting right to the point.

“That and many other things. This whole damn wedding is going

to be a clusterfuck at this rate. Why?” She cocked her head in

curiosity.

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Lori King

“Would you be willing to let me do your cake?” Lauren held her

breath. There was no way Lacy could know how much this meant to

her. To create a cake for Drannon’s special day would be fantastic.

“You’d do that?” Lacy looked surprised.

“Of course! I’d do anything to help make this day perfect for you