Many thanks to heartlandiansoisle for looking this over for me!

Eight minutes into listening to Mrs. Bell describe Sugarfoot's latest antics in excruciatingly specific detail, Lisa caught a glimpse of the cupcake stand out of the corner of her eye. Still smiling and nodding at appropriate moments, she allowed herself to feel a small flash of relieved triumph. Jack had disappeared somewhere around the three-minute mark (Lisa had long ago learned the art of surreptitiously checking the clock, and if she'd started checking it a little too frequently, well, Mrs. Bell hadn't seemed to notice), and she was beginning to wonder if she'd ever find a polite way out of the one-sided conversation. The cupcakes—they were her salvation.

When Mrs. Bell finally paused to take a sip of her champagne, Lisa reached to grasp the other woman's free hand and smiled. "Well, listen, it was so good to talk to you! I'm so glad Sugarfoot's doing well." She gestured to the cupcake table with her other hand. "It looks like we ran out of red velvet cupcakes. I need to bring out some more if you'll excuse me."

"Of course, dear!" With a bright smile, Mrs. Bell patted her hand before releasing it and wandering off to corner her latest victim—er, to talk to Clint.

Blinking in the much dimmer light of the kitchen, Lisa opened the fridge and pulled out the box labeled "Extra Red Velvet Cupcakes" in Lou's precise cursive. Mrs. Bell really is a sweet lady, she reminded herself. And that sweet little pony is her world. But my word! I did not need to know everything about his bedtime and morning routine.

The front door squealed open, and Lisa glanced up from carefully plucking the cupcakes from the box to see Jack stepping inside. "Hi there. Where did you disappear off to?"

Jack half-grinned as he pulled off his snow-covered boots and slipped on his dress shoes. "Just needed some air." He nodded toward the crowded living room. "It's kinda warm out there."

Something in his eyes—a slightly evasive, worried glint—made Lisa narrow her own eyes. As much as she wanted to push him and find out what he'd really been doing or what was really on his mind, Lisa figured now wasn't the time—not at Amy and Ty's wedding reception.

Jack ambled over. "Need any help with that?"

Lisa raised her eyebrows. "No, thank you. I've managed not to smear any of the icing, and I'd like to keep it that way." She shot him a teasing grin.

A corner of his mustache quirked up, Jack reached forward and snagged a cupcake. Lisa swatted his arm but laughed as he peeled off the paper.

"Y'know, I wasn't sure about this cupcake thing," he said around a mouthful of red velvet. "But they sure do taste better than a regular wedding cake. You and Lou did a fantastic job, Lis, as always."

Lisa smiled warmly. "Aww, thank you." Pressing her lips together to hold back a laugh, she handed him a napkin. "You've got icing in your mustache."

Jack chuckled and wiped his mouth. "C'mon, I want to get in one more dance with my wife before the evening's done."

They headed back out to the reception, Lisa arranging the cupcakes on the stand before taking Jack's hand and following him to the dance floor. He nodded at Lou, who nodded back with a smile and pressed a button on the stereo remote.

The opening guitar strains of "Sweet Baby James" came over the speakers, and Lisa smiled up at Jack as they danced around the room. "Wow, this takes me back. I remember learning how to drive and hearing it on the radio."

Jack huffed a laugh. "I'd rather not mention how old I was when it came out, but it's been one of my favorite songs ever since."

"There is a young cowboy who lives on the range. His horse and his cattle are his only companions. . . . "

Hearing the first few lines, Lisa quirked her eyebrows. "I can't imagine why. He could've written it about you." She smirked, and Jack laughed. "Though I suppose if he had, it would've been 'His horse and his cattle are his favorite companions' instead."

Jack smiled slowly and nodded, but Lisa watched as that concerned look crept back into his eyes. When the look stayed put even through the chorus, she decided to just ask. "Is there something wrong?" She rubbed her thumb across his shoulder. "Jack?"

Jack met her gaze and sighed. "It's Paint." He shook his head. "He's not doing too well, Lis. I went out to check on him, bring him a blanket. He'd barely eaten anything."

Lisa narrowed her eyes. "Oh, Jack, I'm so sorry."

"Ehhh." Jack shook his head again. "I told Amy about it, and she and Georgie have some ideas for how to help him. It'll just take time." His gaze dropped to the floor for a moment before coming back to her. He smiled ruefully, and Lisa read in his eyes what he didn't say.

He's not sure Paint has that much time. Oh, Jack. Pressing her lips together, she tightened her grip on his hand.

Amy and Ty joined them on the dance floor, and Lisa watched as Jack buried his worry to grin at the newlyweds. Then he looked at her and smiled more deeply this time, his eyes nearly disappearing in his crinkled skin. As they danced in three-quarter time around the room, he sang along to the last chorus in his soft, rough voice. "So goodnight, you moonlight ladies. Rock-a-bye, sweet baby James. . . . "

An hour later, the reception was winding down. The cupcakes were completely gone, about a dozen guests had left, Katie was asleep on the stairs, and Lisa had caught the beginnings of a slightly anxious look in Amy's and Ty's eyes that said they were just about ready to leave.

She and Lou were in the mudroom, gathering up the sparklers and lighters, when Jack strode in. "I'm gonna do night check," he said, sitting on the bench and moving to pull off his dress shoes.

"Can't it wait, Grandpa? We're about to do the send-off!" Lou said, holding up the old ceramic vase they'd decided to use to hold the sparklers.

Jack pulled on his boots. "I'll only be a minute. I want to get it done before we have to start cleaning everything up."

Seeing Lou get that argumentative look in her eyes, Lisa stood up. "How about I go with him, hmm? That way, you can text me when it's time, and we can head right back."

"All right. But don't take too long. I'm going to go wake up Katie."

Once Lou was out of earshot, Lisa gave Jack a pointed look. "Do you want me to come with you, or do you want to be alone? I can always come get you when it's time for the send-off."

Jack gave her a grateful smile. "Think I'd like the company, actually."

"All right." Lisa let Jack help her into her long winter coat, and then she stepped out of her black pumps and into her boots. It felt strange wearing them without socks, but it was still preferable to walking across the yard and into the barn in high heels.

The cold stung Lisa's legs, but she huddled close to Jack as they hurried to the barn. "These winter weddings have been gorgeous, but d'you think it would be too much to ask Georgie to get married in the summer?" she asked, burrowing her hands more deeply into her pockets.

Jack just laughed and wrapped his arm more tightly around her. They reached the barn, and she rubbed her hands together and shivered while Jack turned on the lights. As she suspected, he headed straight for Paint's stall.

"How you doing?" He rubbed Paint's chestnut ears, and Paint snorted softly.

Lisa reached forward and stroked Paint's blaze. She wasn't sure if it was the lighting in the barn, but she thought the hollows under the old horse's eyes were more pronounced. He'd been such a good companion to Jack, carrying him over thousands of miles of Canadian countryside, keeping him company on cattle drives, and standing by him when he had his heart attack. She felt her throat tighten at the thought of how quietly devastated Jack would be when the inevitable happened.

"Well, he did eat some more of his food," Jack said, hoisting the half-empty bucket over the door.

"That's a good sign," Lisa said with a nod. Her phone vibrated, and she pulled it out of her coat pocket and checked the screen. "Well, that was fast. We need to head back."

Jack nodded and, with a last pat for Paint, headed for the doorway.

After he shut the barn doors, Lisa took his hand and leaned close again as they walked up the yard. "I'm sure Amy and Georgie will do everything they can to help Paint. But if he needs anything else, you let me know, all right? I know how expensive vet bills can be, and I don't want that to get in the way of him getting better."

Jack looked down at her, gratitude and sorrow mingling in his eyes. "Thanks, Lis." Hand in hand, they silently dealt with their sadness and headed back to the house to give Amy and Ty the joyful send-off they deserved.