Page 35 of Pretend To Be My Cowboy
Gnawing on her lower lip, her mind strayed to the purple bedroom. “April’s seen this place, huh?” she said to the pig as it shuffled its big belly in her direction. “She even lived here for a while.” Emma lifted her head and the pig gave a snort in response. “Do you remember her?”
The pig snorted.
“No, probably not. I guess it’s been a while, huh?”
Two smaller gray piggies came running out of the barn, no doubt to see what all the fuss was about. The smaller one ran right up to the fence and made a snuffling noise that had Emma giggling despite her most recent setback.
Not that Rose was a setback, really. She’d most likely sell, because Dahlia would insist that she do.
And selling was for the best.
Emma frowned down at the cute, ugly, smelly little pigs. “Itisfor the best, right?”
They didn’t answer. Not even a snuffle.
Emma rested her elbows on the fence and dropped her head into her hands with a sigh. She should call April soon. She kept putting her off, and she couldn’t quite say why.
Or...maybe she could.
April was different from the others. She was the only one who’d had any real relationship with Frank O’Sullivan and Emma wasn’t sure how to feel about that.
Was she curious about her youngest sister’s life here on this ranch? Was she jealous? Did she want to know what Frank was really like...or was ignorance bliss?
“It’s confusing,” she admitted to the smallest pig.
She was pretty sure he… she… it… was the most sympathetic to her plight.
The larger pig came back in her direction. Was Emma imagining things or was that swine judging her?
“Okay, fine,” she muttered. “I’m imagining things.”
But she wasn’t imagining this kick of guilt or the fact that there was one call she’d yet to make today. The one to her favorite sister, who’d no doubt be worried sick if she didn’t check in.
“I think I have to stay.” Maybe saying it aloud to the judgy pink pig would make it easier to tell her sister. “Not for long,” she added quickly, aware of just how ludicrous she’d sound if anyone overheard. “Just another week or so. I mean, I’ve got the time, right? School doesn’t need me back until mid-August, so there’s really no rush.” She let out a loud exhale. “Except Lizzy will be so upset with me. She’ll argue that I can do all this from Chicago, but...” Emma gripped the fence, gazing to her left and taking in the breathtaking view. That blue sky, those green fields dotted with cattle.
Emma nodded. Staying longer was the right thing to do, she could feel it in her gut. It was clearly going to take more time than she’d thought to get ahold of each sister—she still didn’t even have a clue how to contact Sierra, although she had plans to start cyberstalking her on social media just as soon as she found a spot with better wifi.
She looked around her at the wide open range and the utter lack of civilization. “Which is where, do you think?”
She arched her brows when Mr. Snuffles’ sidekick lifted its nose with a snort.
Emma laughed. “Anywhere but here, amiright?”
They didn’t laugh.
“Tough crowd,” she muttered.
The sound of a throat being cleared behind her sent a cold shock running down her back. She bulged her eyes.
Oh no.
With her breath on hold, she dared to take a peek. Slowly. So very slowly.
Please, please don’t be—
“Nash.” She choked out his name, internally cringing at how ridiculous she must have looked while he stood there holding his cowboy hat and eyeing her with the most ludicrously sexy grin.
It was a smile that said he was trying really hard not to laugh at her, but somehow even that looked good on him.
