Page 8 of Her Second Chance Cowboy

He said it with a teasing grin, but Emma still felt a pang of guilt. “I know, but still. I don’t want to take advantage...”

“You’re not,” Cody said firmly. “I’m here because I want to be. Because this place, and you... you’re important to me, Emma.”

His words hung in the air between them, heavy with meaning. Emma felt a sudden rush of warmth, a fluttering in her chest that had nothing to do with the exertion of the work.

“We should head into town tomorrow,” he said, breaking the silence. “We can get some of the supplies we’ll need for fixing things up here, and speak to a couple of people about some quotes that aren’t taking advantage of you.”

“Well, in that case, the least I can do is buy you breakfast to say thank you.”

Cody’s face lit up, his eyes sparkling. “Now that’s an offer I can’t refuse. Mabel’s Diner, 7 AM? They’ve got the best pancakes in the county.”

Emma laughed. “It’s a date. Or, well, not a date, but you know what I mean.”

She felt herself flushing, but Cody just chuckled, bumping her shoulder with his. “I know what you mean, Emma. And I’m looking forward to it.”

They finished the fence just as the sun was starting to set, the golden light casting long shadows across the pasture. Emma stepped back, surveying their work with a sense of pride.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was sturdy and straight, the wire taut and gleaming. She felt a sudden rush of accomplishment, a sense that maybe, just maybe, she could actually do this.

She turned to Cody, her heart full to bursting. “Thank you,” she said softly. “For everything. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

Cody just smiled, his expression tender. “You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for, Emma. But I’m glad I could help. And I’ll be here, for as long as you need me.”

Emma nodded, blinking back the tears that suddenly threatened to fall. The’d become strangers when she left, but he was welcoming her back like…like family. Like the family she’d missed her chance to have with her dad.

She knew there was still so much work ahead of them, so many challenges to face. But standing there in the fading light, with Cody solid and steady beside her, she felt a flicker of something she hadn’t felt in a long time.

Hope. And maybe, just maybe, the stirrings of something even deeper, something she hadn’t dared to dream of in years.

She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. One step at a time, she told herself. One day, one project, one moment.

Chapter Five

The bell abovethe door jingled as Emma stepped into Mabel’s Diner, the familiar scent of coffee and bacon wrapping around her like a warm hug. She glanced around, taking in the cozy booths and the long counter lined with stools, a rush of nostalgia washing over her.

Cody was already there, seated at a booth by the window. He looked up as she entered, his face breaking into a wide smile that made Emma’s heart skip a beat.

“Good morning,” he said, standing up as she approached. “I hope you don’t mind, I went ahead and ordered us some coffee.”

Emma slid into the seat across from him, inhaling the rich aroma of the coffee. “Not at all,” she said, wrapping her hands around the warm mug. “I think I’m going to need all the caffeine I can get today.”

Cody chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “I know the feeling. But trust me, one taste of Mabel’s pancakes and you’ll be ready to take on the world.”

As if on cue, a plump, motherly-looking woman appeared at their table, a pot of coffee in one hand and a notepad in the other. “Well, as I live and breathe,” she exclaimed, her face lighting up. “Emma Brooks, is that really you?”

Emma looked up, a smile spreading across her face as she recognized the woman. “Mabel,” she said, standing up to give her a hug. “It’s so good to see you.”

Mabel hugged her back, her embrace warm and comforting. “It’s been too long, sweet girl,” she said, holding Emma at arm’s length and looking her over. “Look at you, all grown up and pretty as a picture.”

Emma felt herself blushing, but before she could respond, a booming voice called out from the counter. “Emma? Emma Brooks?”

She turned to see a tall, burly man with a graying beard striding towards her, his face split in a wide grin. “Uncle Frank,” she said, her voice catching in her throat as he enveloped her in a bear hug. He wasn’t a blood relative, but he’d been as close as any family when she’d been small, always popping by the ranch, often staying for dinner and talking for hours about cattle management with her father.

“I heard you were back in town,” he said, stepping back and looking her over. “I’m so sorry about your daddy, sweetheart. He was a good man.”

Emma nodded, swallowing past the lump in her throat. “Thank you,” she said softly. “It’s good to be back, even under the circumstances.”

Frank nodded, his expression sympathetic. “Well, you just let us know if you need anything, you hear? The whole town’s here for you, Emma. We take care of our own.”

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