Page 63 of Sheriff's City Girl

Her lips turned downward. “I take it that’s strange behavior for him? To keep you at a distance?”

“Kind of,” I answered her. “Sometimes he does shut down when he’s going through shit—and I know he’s going through a lot of it right now. I mean, he could potentially lose the ranch.”

“And that’s why I think we should give the gala a go tomorrow,” Emma said, giving me a reassuring smile. “I don’t think it’s that crazy. It might not amount to anything, and they might all laugh at us, but at least we won’t have to wonder what would happen if we didn’t try.”

I nodded, agreeing with her. “I just can’t imagine Lucas not having the ranch. It just seems damn near impossible. It’s always been the Lowe Creek Ranch. They settled it before this town even existed. It doesn’t seem right to go and take it from them—all because some assholes are stealing their cattle.”

Assholes that I can’t seem to catch.

I left that part out, not wanting to share my fear of failure and the impending sense of defeat already lingering overhead. The Calvins weren’t letting up either and Annie Calvin had called the office nearly every day since the cattle went missing. We had sent all the brand information—and the damn cow picture—to the USDA, but damn, it just wasn’t going anywhere. It felt like no one was trying…

And the whole community was starting to think that we weren’t trying hard enough.

“I know that its stressful,” Emma’s voice was soft as she watched me get dressed again, opting for a pair of flannel pajama pants instead of my jeans. “I can’t imagine the pressure that you must feel from it all.”

I brushed off her words, though it felt good to be seen for the first time in a long time. “It’s okay. It’s just part of the job. I knew what I was getting into when I signed up, and I’ve been the sheriff long enough to know that some cases don’t get solved that fast.”

She nodded, shifting on her heels. “Yeah, but I meant the worry with the Lowe Ranch. I know that it means a lot to you. You’re losing a part of your history, too.”

I shrugged, feeling the emotions beginning to creep into my chest. “I know that things have to change, but yeah, it’s not a good feeling. I want to do everything I possibly can to prevent it from happening.”

“And that’s exactly what you’ll do. I have faith in you, Mason. We’ll give it our best shot at the gala, and then if that doesn’t work, I’m sure there are other ways to help Lucas.”

“Like win the lottery,” I snorted, letting out a sharp breath. “And even if I did, I don’t know if he’d take the money from me.”

“I bet he would.” Emma tugged her jeans up over her hips, leaving me with a pang of disappointment. She was a beautiful woman, and I’d never get tired of seeing her without clothes. She hesitated for a moment once her jeans were buttoned, chewing on her bottom lip.

“Is something wrong?” I asked her, studying the hard-to-read expression on her face.

She shook her head. “No, not at all… I just wanted to let you know that I had a really great time tonight. Your home is so… cozy. And now I have to go home to mine, which is, well…” Emma paused. “Empty.”

I reached for her hand, pulling her in and kissing the top of her head. “If it were up to me, I probably wouldn’t let you leave, but with Dara here, it’s probably not the best time for the first overnight.”

She nodded. “I get it, and I don’t want to rush you, anyway. I just lost my filter there for a minute.” She looked up at me with a sheepish smile before slipping away. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning at the café though—like usual?”

I ran my fingers through her hair, pushing the dark locks from her face. “Of course you will. I have to say, I’ve gotten kind of attached to the bagels that you make. They put the store-bought ones to shame.”

“Oh, so that’s why you show up every morning. It’s not me, it’s the food,” she teased, her eyes sparkling.

“Oh no, no, I think the bagels are just a plus,” I laughed, and then pressed my lips to hers.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Emma

Isat in the chair by the register, staring at the clock on the wall. It was nearly noon, and Mason hadn’t shown up like usual. It was generally a slow day for some reason, but that wasn’t what was bothering me… It was just the fact that he never skipped his breakfast at the café if it was open—even if he wasn’t working.

Not to mention, the gala was tonight.

I had done all my studying over the ranch and its rich history, using the information that Mason had emailed over. I felt ready for the most part, but there was still something in the pit of my stomach that left me feeling like it might not go the way we wanted it to—and I hoped it wasn’t right. I wanted to see Mason take a win, and I didn’t want to see Lucas lose the ranch…

Even if he was acting a little strange—not that I knew him well enough to make that judgment.

The sound of the door chime brought me out of my stupor, and I whipped my head around to the door, my heart jumping at the thought of it being Mason. However, excitement was quickly replaced with dread as Brittany headed to the counter.

“So… Emma Fisher,” Brittany greeted me, a smile stretching across her face. “I have to say that I never thought I’d see your name on the proposal list.”

Oh shit.

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