Maybe her uncle was giving her very different advice from her mother because Aunt Sara had often wished that she was Liz’s mother. Or perhaps it could be because he knew how badly she wanted to settle down.

A broken heart is a broken heart whether it’s the week before Thanksgiving or the day after Christmas, she thought as she eased out of Raylen’s arms and padded barefoot to the kitchen. She started a pot of coffee, popped open a can of cinnamon rolls, put them in a pan, and slid them in the oven. While they cooked, she laid half a pound of bacon over a stand-up rack and stuck that into the microwave.

“I thought we were going to sleep in,” Raylen said from the doorway.

“I woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep, so I decided to cook breakfast for you,” she said.

“When you wake up early, it means you are settling down into small town life,” he said. Raylen crossed the room and hugged her tightly. “Liz, the past couple of nights have been wonderful, even if we were too tired for sex.”

His phone rang and he grabbed it from the counter.

“That one is mine,” she said.

Two phones side by side, she thought. Was it an omen that someday they might go through the rest of their lives together?

He laid her phone back down and picked his up in time to answer on the fourth ring.

“I’m on my way.” He turned around and headed back to the bedroom in a hurry.

“What?” Liz asked.

“Glorious Danny Boy got out of the barn and jumped a fence or two. There’s a mare out in the pasture that’s about to bear his colt. I guess Danny Boy wants to check on her. She’s going to drop a foal before long and we’re just hoping all this excitement doesn’t kill her. Dewar has already called the vet to be on standby. I’m sorry, darlin’, but…” He left the sentence hanging.

She followed him back to the bedroom. “Do you need me to help?”

“Thanks, but no thanks. Dewar and I can take care of it. Are you going to help with the carnival tear-down?” Raylen asked as he got dressed.

“Call me as soon as you find him, please?” she asked. “Yes, I’ll be at the carnival helping them tear things down and move up here for the night.”

“I promise to keep you updated. See you later.”

No quick kiss, just a rush out the door.

There’s your omen, Marva Jo’s voice whispered in her ear. Ranch first for him. Carnival should be first for you.

The microwave dinged as Raylen left, letting in Hooter and Blister at the same time. She pulled the bacon out and checked the cinnamon rolls. They were almost done, and the coffee had stopped dripping. She poured a cup and ate a piece of bacon while she waited on the rolls.

Blister jumped up on the counter and meowed.