The Cowboy and the Cop

by Christine Wenger

  “Luke! I have the perfect gift for Luisa. A tiny oven. She can bake little things like cakes and cupcakes. I wanted one when I was her age, but it never happened.”

  “You think she’d like an oven?”

  “Believe me, she’ll go crazy. Just call Slim and make sure she doesn’t have one already.”

  He punched in numbers on his cell phone. “Hi, Slim, it’s Luke. Yes, everything’s okay. Just a quick question—does Luisa have one of those little ovens that she can bake with? Great. Okay. Yeah. Amber and I...we are going to visit her, and we thought we’d bring her a gift. Yes, we’ll tell her that you and Juanita will be up to visit later. Sure.”

  Luke turned to Amber and gave her a thumbs-up. “It’s a go on the oven.”

  “She’ll love it, Luke. Believe me.”

  When they arrived at the hospital, they were asked to cover up with a gown and pants, a hairnet, gloves and a facemask, and nets to cover their shoes.

  Amber’s heart broke when she saw little Luisa and the other children gathered in the playroom. Most were attached to IV poles and several wires going from their little bodies to machines that beeped. Many of them had lost their hair. Luisa was one of them.

  “Luisa!” yelled Luke, gently giving the girl a hug.

  “And you’re with Officer Amber!” She giggled. “Uncle Luke, is Officer Amber your bestest girlfriend?”

  Amber bit her bottom lip so she wouldn’t laugh. It seemed to her that all of Beaumont wanted to know the answer to that question.

  “Uh...sure. Amber is my bestest girlfriend, just like you are, Luisa.”

  “Nice save,” Amber mumbled then turned to Luisa. “Sweetie, would you like to help us pass out even more gifts? We’ll be just like Santa Claus.”

  Luisa whispered, “Sure. Just like Santa, but I’m ten. Santa’s for kids.”

  “I believe.” Luke raised his hand as if taking an oath.

  Amber did the same. “I believe.”

  Luisa giggled and raised her hand. Wires hung down and Amber’s heart was breaking for what these little kids had to go through. “Okay. I believe, too.”

  They passed out balloons, and passed out dozens of books and toys for the other kids in the children’s wing.

  Luisa grinned. “You know, Uncle Luke, I watch you on TV. Well, when the TV wasn’t broken, I did.”

  “It hasn’t worked?” Luke asked. “For how long?”

  “A long time,” she replied. “We can’t even play movies.”

  “Sweetie, expect a television by tomorrow. And one that plays movies.”

  Amber was falling even more for Luke. The man was a pushover for the kids. If one asked for a real car, he’d get it for them. “Expect a car by tomorrow,” he’d say.

  Little Luisa loved the stove, or at least the picture of it on the box. The head nurse said that the oven would have to go home due to a hospital safety hazard.

  “I’m sorry, Uncle Luke and Officer Amber. I can’t have my oven here.”

  Luke hugged Luisa. Amber could tell that he was afraid to hold her very tight, she was so fragile. “Don’t worry about a thing, Luisa. We’ll drop it off at your house, and you can use it when you get home. It’ll be something that you can look forward to.”

  Amber’s heart melted. Luke would be wonderful with children.

  “Awesome,” Luisa said. “I can’t wait to get home and bake with my oven.”

  Luke let her go and smiled widely. “Your mom and dad send their love, and they’ll be up later.”

  “Awesome,” she repeated.

  “You just get better, sweetie,” Amber said. “And then we’ll be over to your house to have a piece of cake that you baked in your little oven.”

  “Promise?”

  “We promise.” Luke crossed his heart.

  Luisa looked from Luke to Amber, then back to Luke. “Will you visit me here again?”

  “You know it!” Luke punched the air with a fist.

  “Will you talk to the kids about how you ride bulls?” she asked.

  “If you want me to, I will.”

  “And, Officer Amber, will you talk about how you arrest criminals?”

  The fact that she’d almost arrested Luisa’s father made Amber shudder. If it wasn’t for Luke, Slim would be in jail at this moment.

  If her little girl was in need of money to pay for her leukemia treatments, and if she were as desperate as Slim, she’d probably have done the same thing.

  Luke made the right call not to prosecute.

  Luke and Amber promised that they’d be back as soon as possible.

  “And I never break a promise,” added Luke.

  “Amber, let’s go to R.J.’s Major Appliances. I’m going to get those kids a TV or two.”

  “You got it!”

  They got back in the truck and drove to R.J.’s about ten miles away. The ride gave them both time to reflect.

  “Those kids break my heart,” Amber said, tears brimming in her eyes. “But they’re the strongest people I know.”

  “It’ll be fun telling them about bull riding,” Luke said.

  “And law enforcement.”

  “You know, Amber, my bull riding pals would love to visit the kids. They’re very generous with their time.”

  At R.J.’s, Luke didn’t buy just one TV, he bought four of the biggest that R.J.’s had, along with a collection of cartoons and children’s movies.

  On the way to her apartment, Amber offered to buy the TVs. “Let me buy it all, Luke. You’ve been sinking all your money into the ranch. It’d be my pleasure. I want to do it for the children.”

  “No way. I have plastic. I can charge it.”

  “Luke, please, I insist. Let’s not get all crazy over this. If you hadn’t thought of it, I would have. The kids are in my heart, too. I’m only sorry that I haven’t visited them before this. I’m feeling really guilty.”

  “Okay, Amber. I understand how you feel. I’m feeling a little guilty, too. Slim was right. The Beaumonts ignored their help—loyal people who have families and bills and...”

  They pulled over to the side of the road and Amber took Luke’s hand. Looking into his sky blue eyes, she said, “It’s not your fault. Big Dan had his own problems and things to deal with. Slim knew that. He should have contacted you and told you the situation.”

  Luke ran a finger down her cheek. “He definitely should have. He could have left me a message through the PBR.”

  Amber rubbed the nape of his neck. “Or I could have gotten to you sooner. I meant to, but life got in the way. I meant to.”

  Kissing the back of her hand, Luke said. “When God passed out guilt, we got in line twice. Let’s just say we’re fixing things now, in more ways than one.”

  They pointed the truck toward her apartment over the Happy Tea Pot, and fifteen minutes later they were in Amber’s bed.

  “You have the strongest arms,” she said, running her hands over his muscled biceps as he was poised over her.

  “I love your blue eyes,” she said. They were now deep with passion.

  Luke kissed her nipples. “And I love looking at you—the way your hair fans out on the pillow, the way you look at me like I’m the greatest person on earth, the way you understand me...” He entered her and whispered, “And I love making love with you.”

  They made love so gently, so lovingly, and when it was all over, the beauty of it had tears pooling in Amber’s eyes.

  “Did I hurt you?” Luke said. “Tell me.”

  “No. Of course not. It’s a happy cry,” she said.

  “That again?” He held her to him until they fell asleep.

  * * *

  THEY WOKE TO the sound of Luke’s cell phone ringing.

  “Is this important, Re
ed? I have something I’d like to do, then I’ll call you back.”

  Disconnecting, he turned to Amber. “I don’t think we’re done yet, do you?”

  “You read my mind,” Amber said. She kissed his chest, his neck, and he groaned. She knew just the right spots that he liked, and he reciprocated.

  “Amber,” he whispered. “You’re quite a woman. I liked how you handled the investigation, and loved how you interacted with the kids in the hospital. You’re great with a hammer, and I love being with you.”

  He kissed her with all the love he felt in his heart, in his soul, and then with his body, he showed her.

  * * *

  LATER, HE SAT up and called Reed back as he chugged coffee in Amber’s kitchen.

  “Hey, Reed! How’s it going?” Luke asked. “Where are you two musketeers?”

  “Albany, New York. At the arena here. I won the go-round last night. Jesse won tonight. But this is the last event, Luke. We have money, and we’re both coming home. We’ll help you get ready for the Beaumont Ranch Rodeo.”

  “We’re going to have a charity dance and barbecue the day before the rodeo and during it. All proceeds go to buying an ambulance or two.”

  “Terrific. Should be a blast. How’s Dad?”

  “Dad is sober, staying at the rehab facility without too much lip, and is opening up during group. I sign him out when he has furlough, and we go to the ranch. He looks over everything and picks up a hammer and does some work. He’s opening up about Mom and is talking about being the guide for tours through the ranch.”

  “Good. Really good,” Reed said.

  “He’s looking forward to seeing you both,” Luke said. “He genuinely is. And your bedrooms will be ready. In fact, everything is going to be ready soon.”

  “Great, Luke. Great job.”

  “I couldn’t have done it without my musketeers and without Amber Chapman. She’s a special woman, a very special woman. See you soon, bro.”

  Amber came into the kitchen wrapped in a terry robe, but Luke knew that under that, she was wearing nothing. It wouldn’t take much to loosen her belt and—

  She looked on the verge of tears. “What’s wrong, Amber?”

  “I heard from the state police. I have to start there in five days.”

  “What about the Beaumont Ranch Rodeo? What about the barbecue? What about us?”

  Tears pooled in Amber’s eyes. “We knew that there was no us. We knew it right from the beginning. You’re going on the PBR circuit. I’m going to work for the state police. Even if you win the Finals, that won’t be enough for you. You’ll want to win it again and you’ll go back. You love riding with your brothers and all the other cowboys.”

  “Yeah, but I love you more. I’d give up riding for you.”

  She shook her head. “I’d never ask you to give up riding.”

  She blinked and tears ran in small rivulets down her cheeks. “Oh, Luke, I love you, too, but I don’t see how a long-distance relationship would work. We are both going to throw ourselves into our careers, and that’ll be it. It was good while it lasted, but we both knew that it would end. Maybe not so soon, but we both knew there was a deadline. We’ll both do fine. You’ll see.”

  “So, that’s it, huh? That’s how you feel? You love me but goodbye?” Luke asked, feeling empty inside. He didn’t understand why she didn’t want to work at their relationship. “Does this have anything to do with the other guys leaving you? So this way, you’ll leave me first?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.”

  Luke thought he might have struck a nerve. “So I’m being ridiculous, huh?”

  “Yes.”

  “Maybe you’re right, Amber. Who are we kidding? No sense even trying to see each other. No sense keeping our relationship going.”

  “We had a good time, Luke.”

  “Are you saying we just had a fling, nothing more? Just a good time? Just good sex?”

  She bit her lip. He knew that was not what she really thought—she said that she loved him—but she just wanted a clean break. Okay. If that’s what she wants—

  He drained his cup of coffee. “So I’m being ridiculous, and I was just a fling?” She couldn’t mean that; she was just running away for some reason.

  “It wasn’t like that, Luke. It’s just that we are going separate ways. We have our dreams to fulfill.”

  “I’ll be out of your apartment tomorrow,” Luke said, feeling numb. “The ranch house is livable and mold-free.”

  “Livable? For how long?”

  “About a week.”

  “And you didn’t move?”

  “I didn’t want to, Amber. I’ve been really happy here with you.”

  “Now we have no choice. We are both packing up to move.”

  “Dammit, Amber, you sure move fast.”

  “I have to move fast.”

  “Where are you going to live?”

  “At an extended stay hotel for now. They sent me a list of places.” She looked around. “I’m going to hate to leave this apartment when I get hired permanently. I really love it. I wonder if there’s a way I can keep it. Maybe my mother would like to move in here. Or maybe—”

  “You’ve spent more time planning what to do with your apartment than you’ve spent planning anything about us, but I can take a hint.”

  Amber had already decided that their relationship wasn’t worth working at, so then why was he acting like a lovesick bull?

  “Luke, I’ll continue to work on your rodeo up until the point when I step into my car. And you can always call me on my cell phone if you need help.”

  “Don’t worry. My brothers will pick up the slack.”

  “They’ll have to because I have to work all weekends until further notice. I’ll be shadowing another officer. That means that I won’t even be able to attend the barbecue or the rodeo.”

  Luke was speechless. Finally he said, “Gee, that’s too bad because I was hoping you’d be the announcer. From what I understand those attending want to see me ride, so I was going to ride.”

  “That’s too bad, Luke. I would have announced.”

  “Not necessary now. You take care of packing up and getting ready to leave. I’ll take care of the rodeo plans,” he said. “Oh, and, Amber, when you pack, don’t forget the couch. And when you look at it, think of us and how we made love on that couch!”

  * * *

  AMBER DROVE UP Interstate 87 north toward Spirit Springs to start her job with the Oklahoma State Police. She tried listening to talk radio, but it made her want to scream. She trolled the dial until she found a country station. Turning up the music, she sang at the top of her lungs just so she wouldn’t have to think.

  Her thoughts intruded anyway.

  She didn’t want to think about how her life was changing, how she was going to miss her crazy family and friends, how she would miss the rodeo, and there were many, many more things she’d miss.

  Above all, she was going to miss Luke. Maybe she had left him before he could leave her. She’d cared for him since as far back as she could remember, and she’d always look for him to visit Beaumont. Much to her dismay, his visits had been few and far between, and he always left for the PBR.

  She would follow him on TV. And listen to any gossip or bits of information about him. How strange was that?

  She’d wanted Luke and she’d had him. They’d lived together for several glorious weeks. They’d worked together; they’d solved the rustling problem together.

  They’d made love.

  When she’d told him about leaving early for her new job, she hadn’t felt happy, and this was a job she’d been wanting for six years or more.

  She was going to miss the Beaumont Ranch Rodeo. There hadn’t been a rodeo for at least three years.

&
nbsp; It had always been the hit of the town, a fund-raiser for things like ambulances and fire trucks, and it was during the rodeo that the Beaumont brothers came home. She’d even worked on this rodeo and loved being a part of it, but now she couldn’t even attend.

  She’d blown it. She’d blown it big time with Luke.

  But she was going to give this job a chance. She owed that to herself.

  * * *

  LUKE HAD HELPED Amber put some things into her car. Since she’d let him stay in her apartment, it was the least he could do for her.

  Then he watched her drive away out of his life.

  He liked how she always rolled up her sleeves and pitched right in, helping with the ranch, helping with the rodeo, working hard to catch who was rustling his cattle. She helped his father; she wasn’t scared to deliver a baby; she could cook and bake like a pro.

  He missed making love with her. Hell, he missed just being with her, and she’d only been gone two days.

  Amber had continued to surprise him on a daily basis, but her biggest surprise was how she’d cut him loose. She’d hurt him badly and he couldn’t even talk to her and reason with her. She’d closed herself off.

  He still believed that she was afraid he’d leave her first, but he’d had no intention of doing that. He’d thought they could work out something with their schedules, once she knew hers, but she hadn’t even been willing to do that.

  But he wasn’t going to give up on Amber. No way.

  He was just going to give her some space to figure out what she really wanted.

  * * *

  LUKE WAS BUSY with the Friday night barbecue. Smokin’ Sammy’s House of Hickory was setting up, so that should have been it, but Luke had scrambled to rent picnic tables from Oklahoma City, so he hoped that they’d get there in time.

  He’d also ordered a bunch of tables and chairs along with a bunch of umbrellas.

  The bounce house was up and ready. A lime green castle loaded with colorful balls was ready, too. The kids would have a great time.

  Slim Gomez had groomed the shrubs and the lawn to show off the native flowers he’d planted.

  The ranch house was done. The barns were done. Slim’s house was done. Some of the outbuildings needed help yet, like the bunkhouse, but his brothers were available to help with the construction now, if they ever stopped sleeping and became vertical. Those musketeers were pooped.