in those small corners of her beautiful eyes as well, and I
wondered why.
“Is Grace
taking care of your dog?” I asked.
“How do you
know I have a dog?”
“I saw him
running around the back, and Jack told me it’s yours.”
“No, Dino will
stay at my parent’s while I’m away. What else did Jack tell
you?”
I recalled my
chat with Emma’s nephew as I’d given him a piggy back ride.
Thankfully Emma wasn’t aware that her brothers had invited me over
to their family’s home a full hour earlier to discreetly
interrogate me about the dangers of my case and feel me out. After
all, they already knew I’d be spending a lot of time with Emma, as
that was the point of me taking her away from the city, like we
agreed. Although I must say that the nature of their personal
questions and subtle threats had me wondering whether they wanted
me to keep my hands to myself as well. That was something I
definitely couldn’t promise. Yet my fifteen-minute conversation
with Jack, who seemed to take a liking to my cowboy hat, gave me
more information about Emma than anyone could have.
“Jack said not
only do you need a man who can give it to you, but also one who can
take care of you and love you the way his daddy loves his mommy.
‘Unconsciously’ was the word he used, though I’m pretty sure he
meant to say ‘unconditionally.’ You know, his vocabulary is quite
extensive for a little kid.”
She laughed.
“You need to remember that Jack is only four and still believes in
Santa and the Easter Bunny, so his words don’t mean much.”
“Are you
telling me you don’t believe in Santa?”
She chuckled,
shaking her head. Her laugh vibrated through my body. “You’re
definitely one of a kind. But Jack hasn’t been stabbed by life’s
sharp thorns of reality.”
I knew she was
lying about Jack. A shadow passed over Emma’s face when she tried
to hide the truth. The little boy was right – unconditional love
was something Emma had once lost.
“Have you been
stabbed, Emma?” I pulled up beside the general goods store. If we
were going to stay at the ranch, I had to pick up a few groceries
for the house. After our brunch, the fridge had been emptied.
Emma shook her
head sideways, and I knew she’d just put a wall up between us. “I’m
pretty much built like a machine when it comes to getting hurt, and
refuse to let anyone to do so. There aren’t many things anyone can
say to hurt me.”
“That doesn’t
answer my question, Emma.”
She rolled her
eyes, and I sighed.
“Is this it?”
She motioned with her head at the town coming up, changing the
topic.
“Yup, that’s
Ogden.”
“Looks like a
Western movie set.”
“You’ll find
people here a bit nosy, which may be good for your job. I need to
get some groceries. If you’d like to look around, I can meet you
back here in an hour or so? Sheriff’s office is that way, local
post office and I guess what you can call a motel.” I pointed them
out. “Just tell them you’re with Eric, if anyone asks.”
Emma’s cheeks
flushed, but she recovered in two beats of my heart. I was
beginning to love that pinkish shade on her face. It was so rare
and unique, I doubted she even knew she was doing it. The few
freckles that decorated her skin darkened, and her eyes
brightened.
“So, I’ll meet
you back here in an hour?” she asked.
“Sounds good.”
I rushed around the front of the car to open the door, reaching
just before she pulled on the handle.
“Thank you,”
she whispered.
“You’re
welcome.” I stepped closer, leaning in. “And one more thing, Emma.
I’m really glad you’re staying with me, and I hope you can find
some time to relax while working, too.”
“If anyone can
relax, it’s me, Cowboy.” She was lying again. “But not while I’m on
the clock.”
“Then I will
make it my mission to make sure the clock stops for you once in a
while.”
“You’re the
one that’s paying the bill. If you want me to take it easy,
wondered why.
“Is Grace
taking care of your dog?” I asked.
“How do you
know I have a dog?”
“I saw him
running around the back, and Jack told me it’s yours.”
“No, Dino will
stay at my parent’s while I’m away. What else did Jack tell
you?”
I recalled my
chat with Emma’s nephew as I’d given him a piggy back ride.
Thankfully Emma wasn’t aware that her brothers had invited me over
to their family’s home a full hour earlier to discreetly
interrogate me about the dangers of my case and feel me out. After
all, they already knew I’d be spending a lot of time with Emma, as
that was the point of me taking her away from the city, like we
agreed. Although I must say that the nature of their personal
questions and subtle threats had me wondering whether they wanted
me to keep my hands to myself as well. That was something I
definitely couldn’t promise. Yet my fifteen-minute conversation
with Jack, who seemed to take a liking to my cowboy hat, gave me
more information about Emma than anyone could have.
“Jack said not
only do you need a man who can give it to you, but also one who can
take care of you and love you the way his daddy loves his mommy.
‘Unconsciously’ was the word he used, though I’m pretty sure he
meant to say ‘unconditionally.’ You know, his vocabulary is quite
extensive for a little kid.”
She laughed.
“You need to remember that Jack is only four and still believes in
Santa and the Easter Bunny, so his words don’t mean much.”
“Are you
telling me you don’t believe in Santa?”
She chuckled,
shaking her head. Her laugh vibrated through my body. “You’re
definitely one of a kind. But Jack hasn’t been stabbed by life’s
sharp thorns of reality.”
I knew she was
lying about Jack. A shadow passed over Emma’s face when she tried
to hide the truth. The little boy was right – unconditional love
was something Emma had once lost.
“Have you been
stabbed, Emma?” I pulled up beside the general goods store. If we
were going to stay at the ranch, I had to pick up a few groceries
for the house. After our brunch, the fridge had been emptied.
Emma shook her
head sideways, and I knew she’d just put a wall up between us. “I’m
pretty much built like a machine when it comes to getting hurt, and
refuse to let anyone to do so. There aren’t many things anyone can
say to hurt me.”
“That doesn’t
answer my question, Emma.”
She rolled her
eyes, and I sighed.
“Is this it?”
She motioned with her head at the town coming up, changing the
topic.
“Yup, that’s
Ogden.”
“Looks like a
Western movie set.”
“You’ll find
people here a bit nosy, which may be good for your job. I need to
get some groceries. If you’d like to look around, I can meet you
back here in an hour or so? Sheriff’s office is that way, local
post office and I guess what you can call a motel.” I pointed them
out. “Just tell them you’re with Eric, if anyone asks.”
Emma’s cheeks
flushed, but she recovered in two beats of my heart. I was
beginning to love that pinkish shade on her face. It was so rare
and unique, I doubted she even knew she was doing it. The few
freckles that decorated her skin darkened, and her eyes
brightened.
“So, I’ll meet
you back here in an hour?” she asked.
“Sounds good.”
I rushed around the front of the car to open the door, reaching
just before she pulled on the handle.
“Thank you,”
she whispered.
“You’re
welcome.” I stepped closer, leaning in. “And one more thing, Emma.
I’m really glad you’re staying with me, and I hope you can find
some time to relax while working, too.”
“If anyone can
relax, it’s me, Cowboy.” She was lying again. “But not while I’m on
the clock.”
“Then I will
make it my mission to make sure the clock stops for you once in a
while.”
“You’re the
one that’s paying the bill. If you want me to take it easy,
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