Page 45 of Sheriff's City Girl

I just wanted to fix everything.

But Emma wasn’t in the café when I had stopped in that morning, and Jess was back to her usual self, avoiding my questions on the way to school. It was just a typical day with Jess, but I hated the way that I had left things with Emma. Unlike Jess, Emma didn’t have to be around me.

“Mason,” Jackson snapped, his tone growing impatient. “What the hell is going on with you? Are you not worried about this rustling?”

I shook my head, clearing my head. “Of course I’m worried about it. But I don’t know what to do if Lucas won’t agree to make a statement. I get that he…” I trailed off as I held back the information about insurance, not sure if it was okay for me to share it. “I don’t know. He’s just a private guy, and I don’t know how to use the county resources on the whole mess if he won’t actually report it.”

“But he said that you could investigate it, right?”

“Yeah,” I said wearily. “I know that, but how are we supposed to do that when I don’t have any statements from him? We’re blowing through resources anyway.”

Jackson’s brow furrowed. “Are you giving up on it? Because there’re thousands of missing cattle—and we ain’t found them.”

“I’m not giving up, but I don’t know what to do at the moment. I’m still mulling it over.” I grabbed up the bagel from the console of the Bronco that I bought from the café from Sarah rather than Emma.

“Well, hopefully, we can figure it out, Mason. I don’t want to see Lucas just keep losing cattle. I’m thinking about patrolling the fences when I’m not on shift.” The grit of my deputy was admirable.

“I won’t stop you from doing that. I was considering doing some night rides myself, but I can’t leave Jess at home alone.”

“Ask Emma to watch her,” Jackson suggested, his tone completely nonchalant—like he wasn’t insane for mentioning it.

“I can’t do that. They barely know each other,” I argued, shaking my head. “I don’t let the women I date around my kids.”

“Jeez, man, she’s sixteen years old, probably dating herself. I’ve seen her around with that Graham kid.”

That caught my attention. “You mean like Graham Hudson’s kid?”

“Yeah, that’s the one. He’s been riding around with Jake out there at the Lowe Ranch, too. I’m surprised you haven’t seen him. I noticed him there the other day when I stopped by to see if Jake wanted to go out this Friday—and bring his sister.”

I normally would’ve rolled my eyes at the mention of the hand’s sister, but I was laser focused on the fact that it was apparently common knowledge my kid was hanging around with that developer’s son. “She hasn’t mentioned him.”

“Well, is that really a surprise?” Jackson chuckled. “Teenage girls don’t tell their dads about that kind of shit—well, most don’t. She probably knows that Brittany is his stepmom, too.”

Too small of a world.

“Anyway, speaking of the Graham family, they were talking about some charity gala being held at their new house. Apparently, all these rich folks get together, and then people come and advocate for their causes. At the end, people donate to the ones they feel worthy—kind of twisted, if you ask me.”

“What kind of causes?” I asked, perking up at the thought… Would these people be willing to support the ranch that holds community events? Surely, Graham would give into the pressure to support his community… He had preached it.

“Here,” Jackson handed his phone over to me, having pulled up the gala information. “I got an invite, because well, you know…”

“Your dad’s a billionaire back in New York City.”

“Details,” he waved me off. “Don’t even talk to the guy. Brad is more like a dad to me than my own dad will ever be.”

“Yep,” I said with a sigh, the wheels already turning in my brain. I had no idea how to mingle with these people… But I had an idea of who might—besides Jackson, that is. He could come along, but I needed someone who was warm, welcoming, and well liked by everyone.

And I knew just the woman for the job.

Chapter Twenty

Emma

“Idon’t know what I was thinking,” I grumbled, shaking my head as Lily sat perched in the chair behind the counter with me. “I seriously thought that he wanted to date me, and then he introduces me to his daughter as a friend. I felt so awkward that I just left.” I tossed the rag down into the laundry basket. It had been a long day, even though I had let Sarah open and run the shop for the first half of the day.

“I don’t know. I think that you should give him the benefit of the doubt,” Lily said with a shrug. “I mean, he was just caught off guard with Jess showing up. She probably caught him off guard—and on top of that, you and I both know that she was not with Dara.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t rat her out. I don’t want to get in the middle of their relationship. I can already tell they’re not on the same page right now.”

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