Page 51 of Cowboy Elite 2: Mike

“Well, I have no doubt you’ll have him shaped up in no time.”

Liv was showing Charlotte how to pipe frosting rosettes, the little girl's tongue stuck out in concentration, her hands surprisingly steady, when Lyle came up the porch steps with the day's mail.

"This came for you," he said, holding out a plain white envelope.

No return address. Just her name. Liv Ramsey, printed in generic block letters.

The frosting bag slipped in her hands.

“Thought about giving it to Mike to open,” Lyle said, watching her.

To spare her bad news she realized. Because in reality, Liv Ramsey didn’t exist, so there was no reason she should be receiving mail and they both knew it.

“Thank you for giving me the choice.” She wiped her hands on her apron and took the envelope, trying to keep her fingers from shaking.

Inside was a single card. Cream-colored, expensive stock.

Hope you're enjoying the countryside. It was printed in generic block letters.

That was it. No signature. No other message.

But Liv's hands went cold anyway.

Charlotte looked up from her frosting. "Is it a birthday card?"

"Something like that, sweetie." Liv forced a smile and tucked the card back in the envelope. "Why don't you go show your Aunt Heather what you made? I bet she'll want to take a picture."

Charlotte bounded off, pigtails flying, leaving Liv alone on the porch with Lyle.

"That's not nothing," he said quietly.

"No." She met his eyes. "It's not."

"Want me to show Mike?"

"Might as well." She handed him the card and pressed her palm flat against the porch rail, steadying herself.

Lyle nodded slowly. "I'll tell Joe to check the security footage. See if we can figure out who delivered it."

"Thank you."

He squeezed her shoulder once, solid and reassuring, then headed inside.

Liv stood there for a long moment, staring out at the pastures she'd been learning to love, the ranch life that had been so foreign to her life mere weeks ago but felt like a part of her now. What in the world made her think she should plan a bake sale two weeks away when she had no solid guarantee she’d even be here two hours from now?

Living life minute by minute took every ounce of courage she possessed.

The evening guests started filtering in around five-thirty, hungry from their day of trail rides and eager for the dinner spread Arletta and Mike had been preparing all afternoon. Mike hadn’t said anything about the card, but she knew he’d discussed it with his brothers. Which was fine with Liv. They had the expertise in stuff like this. She didn’t. She trusted them to come up with a plan.

He’d watched her all afternoon, though, never far from her side, which was both a blessing and a curse. Because Mike’s closeness was a sensual distraction that made her jumpy.

The dining room filled with the comfortable chaos of families laughing, couples holding hands, solo travelers striking up conversations with strangers who wouldn't be strangers by dessert, all bonding over food and horseback rides.

Liv refilled the coffee station and glanced up when a man approached, stopping beside her. He had on new boots. Not broken-in new. Store-tag new. The kind city folks bought when they wanted to look like cowboys but didn't want to put in the work.

Liv noticed because lately she'd forced herself to notice everything.

"Excuse me, miss." His smile was wide and practiced. "You the one responsible for those cinnamon knots everyone's raving about?"