Page 2 of Cowboy’s Christmas Baker

“It’s beautiful out there, isn’t it?” Julie practically sang. “I love the holidays.”

“Me too,” Mal said, a little tightly. “How can I help you?”

“Well, I wanted to order a wedding cake,” Julie said, the twinkle in her eyes telling Mal she was expecting a big reaction.

“That’s wonderful,” Mal told her as warmly as she could. “I heard about your engagement, and I’m so happy for you.”

“Thank you,” Julie said with a huge smile. “The wedding’s not for six months, but I wanted to make sure to lock you in now. Everyone knows you’re the best baker in Pennsylvania, and I want my fiancé to have the best, no expense spared.”

“That’s very kind,” Mal managed.

Julie continued, waxing poetic about flavors, decorations, and the number of wedding guests, which was pretty large for their little town. Her budget was pretty impressive too. On paper, this was a dream job. Mal did her best to keep up, jotting as much as she could in her little notebook.

“So what do you think?” Julie finished up breathlessly.

“It sounds like a wonderful project,” Mal told her. “I’d love to do it. I have a little questionnaire I like to use for inspiration on bigger projects like this one. Can I send you home with it and have you give it some thought and fill it out for me? We can meet up again when you’re ready.”

“Of course,” Julie said happily, taking the form Mal had placed on the counter. “What a great idea. I’ll be in touch soon.”

“That’s great, Julie,” Mal said.

“Hey, can I get a coffee with milk and two sugars for the road?” Julie asked.

“Of course,” Mal told her.

She quickly prepared the beverage and held it out to Julie, but forgot not to look at her hand during the exchange.

As Julie reached for her coffee, the ring on her finger caught the light perfectly. It was just a simple gold band with a tiny chip of a diamond, but the sight of it deflated something in Mal’s chest.

“On the house,” she managed, turning away and pretending to fuss with the mugs hanging on hooks behind the counter so Julie wouldn’t have to see the unshed tears burning in her eyes.

“Oh, wow,” Julie chirped. “Thank you so much. I’ll be in touch really soon.”

A moment later, the bells over the door jingled again and she turned back to her friends, determined to keep it together.

“Oh, honey,” Ana said.

And that was all it took. To her horror, Mal let out a loud, awful sob and hot tears began to stream down her cheeks.

“For Pete’s sake,” Valerie bit out, sliding out of her seat and moving to turn the sign on the door from Open to Closed.

“We’ve got you,” Ana said, patting the seat next to hers and opening her arms to Mal.

Mal went to her, collapsing beside Ana and letting herself melt against her best friend as she cried like a baby.

“I can’t believe she had the nerve to march in here like that,” Valerie grumbled as she came back to sit across from the two of them, facing the windows like she was on lookout duty for any more unwanted visitors. “Everyone knows you had a thing for Declan. Did she really have to rub your nose in it like that?”

“It’s fine,” Mal said, sniffling. “I really don’t think she knew.”

“Mal’s right,” Ana agreed. “Julie’s not like that.”

“Why her though?” Valerie wondered out loud, ever loyal to Mal.

“She’s nice,” Mal admitted honestly. “She really is. I’m happy for them. Or at least I’m trying to be.”

And it was true. Julie Rodman was sweet as sugar. She worked at Gabriel’s Drugstore and volunteered at the animal shelter. If Mal’s brother Dean had brought her home as his fiancée, Mal would have been thrilled.

It was just a little harder to accept when it was Declan, since Mal had imagined her own wedding with him more times than she cared to admit.