Page 56 of Pretend To Be My Cowboy
“Yes, sir.” She stuck out her free hand and shook it while he introduced himself.
“Patrick Donahue.”
Nash took a deep breath. “Dad, this is Emma O’Sullivan.”
His father froze for just a fraction of a second while pumping her hand. But then his gaze narrowed slightly. “Frank’s daughter?”
“One of them,” she answered. If her tone was a little too mild, bordering on sarcastic, Nash was likely the only one who noticed.
“Well, what a pleasure.” His father was looking from Emma to him and back again, clearly not sure what to make of this development.
Nash didn’t give him a chance to ask.
“If you’ll excuse us, we’re gonna make the rounds,” Nash said, wrapping an arm around Emma’s shoulders.
She fitted against his side like they’d always been joined at the hip. “Lead the way,” she said, smiling up at him.
He let out a loud exhale as they walked away and she laughed softly. “I didn’t think he was so bad.”
He winced. Guilt flickered through him. He hadn’t meant to make his father out to be a bad guy. He wasn’t. He just wore blinders, that was all. But the fact that his father had restrained himself just now rather than diving right into talk about buying the land was a good sign.
Maybe she hadn’t needed him to protect her after all.
“So?” she asked. “Where to next?”
He spotted his grandparents sitting on lawn chairs by the fire pit. “Let’s start with my grandma and grandpa. They know just about everyone in this town, and they have all the stories you’ll ever want to hear about how this place was settled and its history going all the way back to the nineteenth century.”
“Ooh, fascinating,” Emma said. “I’d love to meet them.”
But his mother spotted them first and dropped the hose, hurrying over with outstretched arms.
Correction. She was heading toward Emma with outstretched arms. She didn’t spare a glance at Nash as she tackled poor Emma in a bear hug.
Emma returned the hug, flashing Nash a private smile over his mother’s shoulder before she pulled back to answer the questions being flung in her direction.
“Ma, please,” Nash said, groaning as his mother slipped an arm through Emma’s and started to drag her off toward his sister. “Don’t hog her all night.”
His mother lifted a hand in a dismissive wave as Emma turned to give him one last laughing grin before being hauled off.
18
Emma was having a blast. She had no idea what Nash had been so worried about. From the way he’d been fretting on the drive over, she’d started to get a little nervous herself, wondering if maybe his family was full of hypercritical snobs or something.
Judging by the size of the house and the vast acreage of their property, it had been a distinct possibility. They were wealthy, that was for sure. Wealthy and large—she still couldn’t get over how many people were at this gathering.
And she was pretty sure Nash’s fears about his father and his family’s interest in the O’Sullivan land was overblown too. Why, his father hadn’t even mentioned it. And while his mother and sister had been surprised and excited to discover her connection to the neighboring property, they hadn’t mentioned a potential sale either.
But then, they both were way more focused on the fact that she was dating Nash. And going to the wedding. Casey, in particular, was talking a mile a minute about the big day and Emma could only grin. The girl was a sweetheart. Younger than Emma by a few years, and filled with an infectious energy that made her a joy to talk to.
“...and that, of course, was a gift from Ryan’s parents.” Casey leaned in as if Ryan’s parents might overhear. Doubtful, considering Casey had just told her that they’d be flying in for the wedding next week from their home in Michigan. “But honestly, Emma, what am I supposed to do with two insta-pots? I don’t even cook!”
Emma opened her mouth to respond, but was cut short by Casey and Nash’s mother, who caught her by the arm. “Casey, I need to borrow Emma, sweetheart. Everyone wants to meet Nash’s new lady friend.”
Emma bit her lip to smother a laugh. New lady friend, huh? From what she could gather, she was the first ‘lady friend’ Nash had ever brought to a family gathering.
Emma took a deep breath to squelch a little thrill. It didn’t mean anything, obviously. This was only for show. She couldn’t allow herself to forget that.
She had just enough time to catch sight of Nash deep in conversation with two older men—his uncles, maybe. He caught sight of her at the same time and raised a hand as if to call her over...but his mother wasn’t having it.
