Page 15 of Her Last Chance Cowboy

Hannah didn’t know how to answer Emma. But the truth was, she did. She had always wanted more. Not necessarily a redo, but a second chance.

“Don’t go throwing your toys around, please,” Emma picked up another letter and put it on the edge of the tub. “B for ba-by.”

“That’s good, to practice her letters,” Hannah said.

“She’s more interested ineatingher letters than learning them.” She pulled the plastic M out of Mae’s mouth. “M is for Ma-ma.”

“Emma?” Hannah hesitated. “Would you mind coming straight home after school, instead of going to the club?”

Emma studied her carefully before answering. “Sure? Why?” She knew money was tight, but never knew what tightreallymeant. That would have to change, now.

“I don’t want you to worry, but I’m looking for a new job.” The half-truth was as good as she could do right now. She didn’t want to scare Emma. “And since I’m home, you don’t need to go to the club.”

“You’re going to be home?” Her face dropped. Emma obviously had more of an inkling of what this meant than Hannah liked. “Are we going to be okay? You can have the money from tonight.”

Hannah shook her head, her heart hurting. “We’re going to be fine. You get the money. It’s yours.”

“What about Dad?”

Hannah was startled. Emma never talked about her father.

“He doesn’t have any money.”

“Maybe you should ask,” she said quietly.

“I said no, Emma,” she warned. “Let’s get this one into her pajamas.”

Hannah laid out a towel on the fluffy bathmat. Emma picked up the slippery baby and lifted her out of the soapy water.

“Watch the head,” Hannah warned.

“I know, Mom, gosh.” She laid the baby on her back and patted her dry. She grabbed the lotion Olivia had left out. “We should take her on a walk.”

“That sounds nice,” Hannah said, thinking of how much she missed living on the farm.

Emma pushed Mae in the stroller as Hannah walked behind, looking out at the prairie sunset. Golds and oranges, even magentas covered the horizon, reflecting off the clouds for miles and miles.

She thought about the lie she’d told Emma. She had promised never to lie to her, but here she was, telling her a full-on fib. She had no job prospects. Hannah had called around town looking for anything, anyone who was hiring. The diner, the bar, the corner store. Nothing.

What was she going to do?

She had been so embarrassed, having to go back to Tim and beg for her job. And when she saw Jake walking through the doors, her annoyance had reached its peak. He was just like all the others in town who couldn’t stay out of her business. Worse, he talked to her like she was a stupid kid.

She was done being treated that way.

Snapping at him had felt good at the time, but she regretted it later. Maybe he was one of the good ones. Maybe he really was just trying to be a nice guy. Troyhadgrabbed her. Wouldn’t it be worse if he had just turned a blind eye?

Mae loved the walk almost as much as she loved dropping her sunglasses on the ground. Emma pushed her down the rocky, dusty road, and before she knew it, they were right in front of the old Wilson farm. She looked down the long driveway leading to the white farmhouse. A big red barn sat away from the house, and a pig came trotting toward them… with a stick in her mouth?

“Millie! Come, girl!” a man’s voice yelled out.

Hannah’s stomach dropped like an elevator.

Emma laughed. “Is that a pig?”

“Millie! Come!” And there he was. Jake Malloy, running from the other side of the property.

“Does she have a stick in her mouth?” Emma giggled as the pig jiggled down the drive. She started squealing as she sensed Jake catching up. “Grab her collar!”

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