by Laurel Kerr
“It’s complicated,” Bowie said.
“No, it’s not. Adults just make simple things difficult.” Abby crossed her arms.
Bowie laughed. He rose from the table, ruffling her hair as he walked past. “We’d all better get moving. The school bus will be here, and the animals need their food.”
Abby grumbled, but she still listened. Lou got up to clean the dishes, and Bowie headed to the zoo. As he helped his staff distribute the feed, vitamins, and medicine, he couldn’t chase Abby’s words from his mind.
When he headed into the house for a late lunch, Bowie found himself powering up the ancient computer in the dusty home office he and Lou rarely used. Gnawing on his sandwich, he typed in a search for engagement rings. The prices depressed him.
He sighed heavily. He shouldn’t take the advice of an eleven-year-old girl in figuring out when to propose. He was nowhere close to being able to convince Katie to marry him. He couldn’t even scrape together enough money for a decent ring. So much for grand gestures. He’d have to win her over slowly and not rush this.
Just then, Bowie heard a sound. Lou must have woken up from his midday nap. Bowie quickly pulled up another page on the computer. Turning, he saw Lou enter the room. The man looked groggy, and Bowie hoped he’d changed the screen fast enough. He didn’t need any more helpful hints. Lou was a born romantic, and times had been completely different when he’d asked Gretchen to marry him.
“Hey, Lou,” Bowie said.
“I was about to go check on Tansy,” Lou said, referring to their pregnant zebra.
“It shouldn’t be too long now,” Bowie said. “I noticed some milk discharge when I checked on her before lunch.”
Lou nodded before he turned to leave. Bowie collapsed back into his seat and exhaled.
Lou hadn’t asked him any questions, so maybe he hadn’t seen Bowie’s search. Powering down the ancient computer, Bowie pushed back his chair and headed outside. A news channel from the closest major city was coming to do a human-interest story on them tomorrow, and he wanted the place looking its best.
He spent the rest of the day cleaning out pens and completing the finishing touches on the cougar exhibit. He worked through dinner so that he didn’t lose any light now that it was autumn. He stopped back at the house just long enough to put Abby to bed. Then he forced himself to head out to the office. With all the attention the zoo was receiving and the increase in visitors and volunteers, he wanted to submit more grant applications. Maybe this time, the zoo would actually be awarded one.
Yawning, Bowie sat down at his desk. He was concentrating so hard on filling out the application form and not falling asleep that he started when a knock sounded. Lou entered, surprising Bowie, since the older man was normally heading to bed at this time. And unless there was an extremely sick animal, he rarely came to the zoo at night anymore.
Lou shuffled forward, his steps even more faltering than normal. His arthritis acted up at night. Bowie waited patiently until Lou had settled in the chair across from him. The older man didn’t say a word as he reached into his pocket and placed a dusty ring box on the desk.
Bowie’s throat felt thick with emotion as he reached for the worn, velvet-covered box. He flipped it open to find Gretchen’s engagement ring nestled in the yellowed satin. The main diamond sparkled even in the harsh glare of the overhead fluorescent lights. It was a traditional, elegant setting. Katie would love its simplicity and history.
The sight of Gretchen’s ring triggered a wallop of emotion in Bowie. He had a flashback to the day he’d given Abby her first bath. He’d been terrified of her slipping from his grasp despite the fact that she was in an infant bathtub. Gretchen had helped him, and he remembered how steadily and competently her gnarled hands had held his daughter.
“It’s Gretchen’s engagement ring.” Bowie lifted his gaze to meet Lou’s.
Lou nodded solemnly. “We both wanted you to have it. She asked me to save it for you until you met the right girl.”
Emotion swamped Bowie as his hand fisted over the box. Lou and Gretchen had given him so much. He owed them his daughter and likely his life. Without them, he probably would have ended up dead in a prison brawl like his father. They’d given him and Abby a family and unconditional love.
“Thank you,” Bowie said, his voice sounding rough to his own ears.
“Gretchen would have liked Katie,” Lou said. “She always said you needed to meet a smart girl with a good heart. And you know I’ve been rooting for Katie from the beginning.”
Bowie swallowed. “This means a lot to me. That you’d give this to me. That Gretchen wanted me to have it.”
“We always saw you as a son,” Lou said. He’d told Bowie that before, and so had Gretchen. It still awed Bowie that they’d signed the zoo over to him.
“You and Gretchen were the only real parental figures I ever had,” Bowie said. “My only role models too.”
Lou leaned back in his chair. “I remember the day I first met you in that police station. I didn’t know what to expect. I knew from the first moment that you weren’t just some punk kid looking for a night of mischief. You were terrified about becoming a father, but it wasn’t because you didn’t want the responsibility. You were afraid that you couldn’t provide for your baby and that your kid would end up with your life. Not a lot of teens would have that initial reaction…worried first about the child and not about themselves. I knew right then and there that you’d grow into a good man, a good father, and eventually, a good husband.”
Bowie glanced up at Lou’s last statement. Was that part of what held him back from proposing to Katie? The old fear of rejection? The sting of never being part of a family? The isolation of growing up without a single adult who truly cared about him? Did he still, deep down, see himself as not worthy, not deserving?
Ah, hell.
“Katie’s an intelligent woman,” Lou said, “although it took her longer than I would have liked to recognize the kind of man you are. You might not believe this, but that girl cares deeply for you. Sawyer’s husband talked to me after our meeting. Katie defended you quite strongly to him, and I can see the way she looks at you when you walk into a room. It doesn’t matter that you’re not as rich as you’d like to be or that you’ve never left Sagebrush for more than a long weekend.”
Bowie swallowed at Lou’s words. The man knew him—and his nagging insecurities—so well. “I don’t want to push her away, Lou, by asking too soon. We struggled to get this far.”
“You just keep that ring with you,” Lou said with a fond smile. “When the timing is right, you’ll know. No sense in rushing these things unnecessarily, but at least now you’re prepared.”
Bowie’s fingers tightened reflexively on the velvet box. “Thanks, Lou.”
Lou nodded in response before creakily rising to his feet. “I’d better head back to the house. And don’t stay up too late. A body’s got to rest.”
“I know,” Bowie said, although he still had at least a couple of hours of work ahead of him.
Lou ambled out of the office. When the door shut, Bowie didn’t turn back to the computer immediately. Instead, he stared at the ring. He wanted it. Marriage. Another kid or two. And he wanted it with Katie.
He loved her. Her intelligence. Her depth of generosity. Her humor. Her wild hair. She made him feel more contented, more complete, than he ever had in his life. He already felt like she was a part of him.
Resolve filled Bowie. He was ready, and he needed to find out if Katie felt the same—could ever feel the same. Snapping the box closed, Bowie placed it in his pocket. She wouldn’t be back for a few days yet, which gave him plenty of time to plan.
* * *
“Hey.” Bowie’s deep voice sounded on the other end of the line, and Katie couldn’t help the wide smile stretching across her face. She missed him, and talking to him eased the edge of that lo
nging.
With her schedule, it had been hard for them to chat during her business trip. “Hey, yourself,” Katie said as she unceremoniously kicked off her high heels and settled onto the bed.
“You’re in San Diego, right?” Bowie asked.
“Yup, I took the train here from LA yesterday. I got to see so much of the coast.”
“Abby’s going to squeal when she hears that,” Bowie said.
“Maybe the three of us can come out to California next summer if you have enough help to sneak away. Josh said we’re welcome to crash at his place in the Bay Area. Maybe Lou could join us,” Katie said. She meant it. Whenever she had a couple of stolen moments to sightsee, she kept imagining what Bowie would think and how Abby would react. She already had a bunch of gifts for the girl stashed away in her suitcase.
“It sounds nice,” Bowie said, his tone deliberately casual. “But if we’re going to hit the beach, I might need to take those swimming lessons after all.”
“I miss you,” Katie blurted out. She hadn’t said it yet. She didn’t quite know why. It was probably a holdover from trying to maintain some degree of distance in relationships.
Bowie’s voice softened. “I miss you like hell. I didn’t know a week and a half could feel this long.”
“I know,” Katie said, warmed by his tone. “Just two more days.”
She’d been counting each one.
“How’s it going over there?” Bowie asked.
“Josh really came through for me with his contacts. A lot of the businesses I’ve visited seem really impressed with my work at the zoo and my designs for June and the Prairie Dog.”
Bowie paused, his voice serious when he asked the next question. “Did you get any job offers?”
Katie paused, knowing that she and Bowie needed to have this conversation. She’d been doing a lot of thinking lately. “Yeah. A good one with a great company. The pay would be decent, even for the Bay Area.”
“Oh,” Bowie said, his voice suspiciously neutral. “Do you think you’ll take it?”
Katie nervously played with the duvet cover on the hotel bed. It was hard, knowing if she was making the right decision. Her dream was within reach, but she didn’t think it was what she wanted. Not anymore. Not with Bowie in her life. Did that make her weak? Naive?
“I-I actually don’t think so. It’s an amazing opportunity, but I’m not sure it’s the right fit for me. I’ve gotten a lot of potential freelance work. And it’s kind of nice being my own boss. I know that starting your own business is a risk, but in the end, I could make more money if it takes off.”
“It’ll take off,” Bowie said immediately.
Katie laughed at the utter conviction in his voice. “I don’t think it’s a sure thing, Bowie.”
“With your brains, talent, and drive, it is,” he said without any doubt in his voice. “Just look what you’ve accomplished with the zoo. In Sagebrush.”
Giddy excitement rushed through Katie. Maybe Bowie was right. Maybe she should start her own business. Heck, hadn’t she done it already? If she could manage to drum up work in sleepy Sagebrush Flats, couldn’t she bring in more, especially with the jump start Josh’s connections had given her? She took a deep breath. She didn’t need to decide her future now. She had a few days to respond to the job offer and the plane ride back home to think over her choices.
“Speaking of the zoo, how did your TV interview go?” she asked.
“The segment looked really good, and the news station posted a video online,” Bowie said, the enthusiasm in his voice apparent. “They got perfect shots of the animals. There was even another spike in attendance. Lou said it felt like when he and Gretchen first opened the zoo in the seventies.”
“I have to watch it right now,” Katie said as she pulled out her laptop. “Do you have the link on the website already?”
“Of course. My PR consultant would kill me if I didn’t.” The teasing warmth in Bowie’s voice washed over Katie, making her ache for him even more. Luckily, the video downloaded quickly, so she didn’t have too long to wallow. Bowie appeared on the screen next to Lulubelle and Hank. Although they hadn’t made a public announcement yet, the pair were expecting a little calf. Since camels had a gestation period of well over a year, Lulubelle was nowhere near visibly pregnant yet. She batted her lashes at the camera before she nuzzled Bowie on the shoulder. There was a quick shot of Frida playing with a pumpkin, her favorite fall treat, before the segment switched to Rosie and Sylvia. The cockatoo was bobbing her head as she danced on the capybara’s back while the rodent lay patiently on the ground. The clip finished with the cougar cubs exploring their outdoor exhibit.
“Bowie, that’s great!”
“And I haven’t told you the best news yet… We’re finalists for the polar bear grant!”
Katie straightened in the bed. She knew how much it had bothered Bowie that he hadn’t been able to secure a grant. He blamed himself for not having the right credentials. “That’s awesome, Bowie. Congratulations! I know how hard you’ve been working at that. You and the zoo deserve it.”
“They were impressed with the work Lou and I did with the cougars and our fund-raising efforts. The traffic on our website probably sold them, plus I think the number of new volunteers helped.”
He paused, the silence humming with his excitement even over the phone. “I still can’t believe we’re going to be on a list to receive polar bear cubs! Abby’s over the moon. She’s always loved them.”
“Oh, Bowie, that’s unbelievable,” Katie said. “You’ll do such a good job with them. You and Lou have been so successful with your other orphans.”
“And it’ll be great for Frida! She can help show the cubs how to be proper bears.”
“It doesn’t matter that they’re different species?”
“No. Polar bears are actually a subspecies of grizzlies, and they interact and even breed in the wild. Having cubs will be great for the zoo, and there’s more…” He waited a beat.
Katie laughed. “Not nice. Don’t leave me in suspense.”
“The pig-kissing video went viral,” he said. “Then the rest of the videos did.”
Katie squealed. “How viral?”
“All of them hit news stations, and national newspapers have a link to the videos on their web pages.”
“Oh my gosh!” Katie said. “That’s terrific.”
“Good Morning America called.”
“You’re kidding me!”
“Nope. They want me to come on the show with Daisy, Rosie, and a couple of other animals.”
“Bowie, that’s incredible.”
He hesitated for a moment and then said, “Would you come with me? To New York? They’ll give me some extra tickets.”
“Of course, I’ll be there,” she said. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I’m so proud of you. I love you.”
There was a pause as her last words hung in the air. Katie froze. Had she just said that she loved Bowie? Oh goodness, she had, and she’d meant it. She loved Bowie Wilson. Not the puppy love of a teenager but the honest-to-goodness, death-do-us-part kind of love. And she’d just blurted it out over the phone.
Bowie was the first to break the silence. When he did, his voice was rough with emotion.
“I love you too, Katie,” he said. “I have for a while now.”
Katie’s heart melted. The thirteen-year-old inside her did cartwheels. Bowie Wilson loved her too. The serious kind of love.
She realized she was laughing and crying at the same time. “I can’t believe we’ve just declared our love to each other when we’re miles apart.”
“Me neither,” Bowie said and then groaned. “I want to hold you so badly.”
“Hold me?” Katie laughed. “I want to take you to bed.”
He chuckled. “Well, that too.”
“Two
days,” she said. “Two days, and I’ll be back in Sagebrush with you.”
“I’m picking you up from the airport,” he said.
“Are you sure? Can you be away from the zoo for that long on such short notice? My mom and dad are fine picking me up like we’d planned.”
“I’m picking you up from the airport,” Bowie said, his voice brooking no argument.
“Two days,” Katie said.
“Two days,” he repeated.
* * *
The worst day of Bowie’s life started innocuously. Katie was due to arrive the next day, and he’d be away from the zoo for at least six hours, so he needed to prepare. He spent the entire morning mucking out the enclosures and doing odd jobs. Unfortunately, the food shipment was short, so he had to swing by the local feed store. He thought he noticed whispering, but he didn’t pay it much mind. Since the videos had gone viral, the whole town had started to regard him as a local celebrity. It made Bowie uneasy, so he ignored the fuss.
Bowie loaded the pickup and climbed in. He hadn’t gone far when he heard sirens. Glancing in his rearview mirror, he noticed a police cruiser behind him with its lights on. A look down at the speedometer showed he was only going four miles over the speed limit.
Confused, he pulled over. He didn’t think his taillight was out.
He relaxed when he spotted Mike walking toward him. Maybe Katie’s brother wanted to talk.
Bowie had gotten fairly close to the twins. Both of them had pitched in at the zoo while his arm healed, and Katie’s parents had invited him to a couple of family dinners after her birthday party. Mike and Matt, who rented a house with a couple of other guys, had also asked him over to watch football a few times.
Mike, though, didn’t look pleased to see Bowie. He wore a cop’s expression. Cold. Remote. Disapproving. He looked exactly like his father had when he’d arrested Bowie. Bewilderment returned. Bowie didn’t think Mike was joking. He was serious. Too serious.
For a long, pregnant moment, Mike stared down at Bowie without speaking, his jaw set in an unyielding line. Bowie fought the urge to shift under the unyielding scrutiny. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t want to piss the guy off any more, especially when he had no idea what the hell he’d done in the first place.
