Page 114 of Pretend To Be My Cowboy
As much as she wanted to pepper her sister with questions, she knew now was not the time.
“How about I go get a room ready for you, okay?” Emma said, brushing a hand over Lizzy’s blonde hair which had always been so much smoother and more manageable than hers. “For now, why don’t you lie down in my room, hmm?”
Lizzy nodded with another sniff, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Lizzy’s whole life had always been smoother than hers. Everything had seemed to come so easily, which meant any life crisis felt monumentally bigger. This break up must be killing her.
She wasn’t used to disappointment, let alone heartbreak.
When Lizzy was settled in Emma’s room, half asleep the moment her head hit the pillow, Emma went back to the kitchen to find Nash waiting for her with a concerned frown. “Is she all right?”
“She will be,” Emma said with more confidence than she felt. “At least, I hope she will be. She’s never faced anything this big before, but she’s strong, you know? She can bounce back. I just wish I knew what happened.”
Nash reached out and pulled her into his arms, holding her so close she could hear the steady beat of his heart. “Let me know what I can do to help.”
She nodded. “Thanks. I didn’t tell her about us yet. Or...this.” She made a broad sweeping gesture to encompass the house and the whole town.
“There’s time,” he said as he dropped a kiss on top of her head. “We have all the time in the world.”
The words wrapped around her and made her smile. “For now, I just want her to know she has a home here. This place is hers too, obviously. It’s all of ours.”
She heard his murmured assent, a low rumble through his chest.
“We’ll take care of her. Together.” With a low laugh he added, “Heck, she’ll have half the town wanting to set her up with bachelors and the other half force feeding her chicken soup if word spreads that everyone’s favorite kindergarten teacher has a sister in need.”
Emma laughed at the image. “That right there is why I love this town.” She smiled as she remembered one of the first things he’d said to her about this place. “Neighbors helping neighbors.”
He rubbed her back and kissed her head one more time.
“Thanks for being so great with her before,” Emma said. “I appreciate that, and I’m sure Lizzy did too.”
“What are big brothers for?” he teased. “She might not know it yet, but she’s my family, just like you are.”
“I’m your family, huh?” she said with a laugh as she tipped her head back to look at him.
“Oh sweetheart, you’re not just my family.” He took one of her hands in his and held it over his heart. “You’re my heart. You’re my home…” He kissed her lightly on the lips. “And you are the love of my life.”
Epilogue
The night sky was vast and expansive, not a cloud in sight, allowing the moon to soak the land with its pale glow. Stars twinkled above them and Nash gazed up with a contented smile.
He didn’t think he’d ever felt this at peace, sitting on a wooden lounger, which he’d dragged onto the lawn at Emma’s request.
“Let’s sit out under the stars. I know it’s late, but I don’t care. I’m just not ready to say goodnight to you yet.”
He wasn’t about to argue with that. Yeah, he’d feel it when he had to get up at the crack of dawn tomorrow, but Emma wanted snuggle time. It’d be the perfect way to end a busy day.
He’d settled down on it and Emma had climbed between his legs, nestling her back against his chest so he could wrap his arms around her.
He lightly played with the ends of her hair, and his heart filled to overflowing when she let out a dreamy sigh.
“I could stay here all night,” she said.
He chuckled, loving the romantic idea. Kissing the side of her head, he leaned his cheek against hers and softly asked, “How was your day? I didn’t get to hear about the rest of it? Did the interview go well?”
Emma swiveled her head to grin up at him. Her smooth skin glowed in the moonlight and all he could see was an angel.
“It went really well. Abigail offered me the job on the spot. Just like you said she would.”
