Her Second Chance Cowboy (Crystal Creek Sweet Romances #1)

Chapter Four

The sound of tires crunching on gravel pulled Emma’s attention from the stack of papers in front of her. She glanced out the window, her heart skipping a beat when she saw Cody’s familiar blue truck pulling up beside the house.

She pushed back from the kitchen table, smoothing her hair and straightening her shirt as she made her way to the front door. She told herself she was just being polite, that it had nothing to do with the way her pulse quickened at the thought of seeing him again.

Cody was already out of the truck by the time she stepped onto the porch, his boots kicking up dust as he made his way towards her. He had a coil of rope slung over one shoulder and a toolbox in his hand, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled up at her.

“Morning, Emma,” he called, his deep voice sending a shiver down her spine. “I thought I’d come by and see if you needed any help with the horses or the cattle today.”

Emma felt a rush of gratitude, mixed with something else she couldn’t quite name. “That’s really kind of you, Cody,” she said, stepping down to meet him. “I could definitely use a hand.”

Cody’s smile widened, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes that gave Emma pause. “I saw a woman leaving as I was driving up,” he said casually, setting his toolbox down on the porch steps. “Everything okay?”

Emma hesitated, her stomach twisting with a sudden sense of unease. She knew she needed to tell Cody about her plans to sell the ranch, but something held her back. Maybe it was the way he looked at her, his eyes filled with a warmth that made her feel like she could tell him anything. Or maybe it was the fear of seeing that warmth turn to anger, or worse, to disappointment.

“That was Jenna Lawson,” she said finally, her voice sounding strained even to her own ears. “She’s a real estate agent.”

Cody’s eyebrows shot up, his mouth tightening into a thin line. “A real estate agent?” he repeated, his voice carefully neutral. “What for?”

Emma took a deep breath, steeling herself for his reaction. “I’m selling the ranch, Cody,” she said softly, looking down at her hands. “I can’t keep it. It’s too much work, and I have a life back in the city, and I just...”

She trailed off, feeling a sudden rush of tears threatening to spill over. She blinked them back, forcing herself to meet Cody’s gaze.

To her surprise, there was no anger in his eyes, only a deep sadness that made her heart ache. “I understand,” he said quietly, his voice rough with emotion. “It’s a big decision, Emma. I know it can’t be easy for you.”

Emma shook her head, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. “It’s not,” she admitted. “But it’s the only choice I have. The ranch needs so much work, Cody. I don’t even know where to start.”

Cody’s expression softened, his hand coming up to rest on her shoulder. “Show me,” he said gently. “Show me what needs to be done, and I’ll help you figure it out.”

Emma felt a rush of relief, mixed with a sudden, irrational surge of hope. She led Cody into the house, spreading the papers out on the kitchen table.

“Jenna gave me a list of repairs that need to be done before we can put the ranch on the market,” she said, tapping the top sheet. “It’s a lot, Cody. The roof needs to be replaced, and the plumbing and electrical systems are shot. And that’s just the house. The barn needs work, and the fences are falling apart, and the pastures are overgrown...”

She trailed off, feeling overwhelmed all over again. Cody leaned over the table, his eyes scanning the list of repairs and the estimates Jenna had provided.

Suddenly, he let out a low whistle, his eyebrows drawing together in a frown. “These prices are way too high, Emma,” he said, his voice tight with anger. “You’re being taken advantage of.”

Emma felt a flicker of doubt, mixed with a sudden surge of defensiveness. “What do you mean?” she asked, her voice sharper than she’d intended. “Jenna said these were standard rates for the work that needs to be done.”

Cody shook his head, his jaw clenching. “Standard rates, my foot,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. “I know people who can do this work for half the price, Emma. And I can help with a lot of it myself, if you’re willing to stick around for a while and pitch in.”

Emma stared at him, her mind reeling. The thought of staying at the ranch for longer than she’d planned made her stomach clench with anxiety. The longer she stayed, the greater the risk to her career back in the city. Other people might land the clients she’d been chasing, spearhead the campaigns she’d been building. But the idea of saving money on the repairs, of getting the work done faster and more efficiently, was tempting.

“I don’t know, Cody,” she said slowly, biting her lip. “I have a job back in the city, and I can’t just drop everything...”

Cody’s expression softened, his hand coming up like he wanted to cup her cheek before he let it drop again. “I know,” he said gently. “But think about it, Emma. This is your father’s legacy. Don’t you want to do right by him, to make sure the ranch is in good hands before you let it go?”

Her throat tightened with emotion. She knew Cody was right, that her father would have wanted her to take care of the ranch, to make sure it was sold to someone who would love it as much as he had.

“Okay,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “I’ll stay. For a little while, at least. Until the work is done.”

Cody’s smile was blinding, his eyes sparkling with a joy that made Emma’s heart skip a beat. “That’s my girl,” he said softly, and the words echoed through her mind. My girl . “We’ll get this place fixed up in no time, Emma. You’ll see.”

Emma nodded, feeling a sudden rush of determination. She knew it wouldn’t be easy, that there would be long days and hard work ahead of her. But with Cody helping, it might just be possible.

They started with the barn, spending long hours clearing out the debris and repairing the crumbling walls. Emma was clumsy at first, her hands unused to the rough wood and heavy tools. But Cody was patient, showing her how to hold a hammer and drive a nail, how to measure and cut and sand until the wood was smooth and straight.

As they worked, Emma found herself watching Cody, marveling at the easy way he moved, the strength and grace in his hands. He seemed to know instinctively what needed to be done, his eyes always scanning, searching for the next task.

She asked him about it as they took a break in the afternoon heat, sitting on the porch steps, sharing a thermos of iced tea. “How do you do it?” she asked, her voice filled with wonder. “How do you always know what needs to be done, and how to do it?”

Cody smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “I’ve been working this land—here, and my own ranch—my whole life, Emma,” he said softly, his voice filled with a quiet reverence. “It’s in my blood, I guess. I can feel it, in a way. The pulse of the earth, the rhythm of the seasons. It’s like the land speaks to me, telling me what it needs.”

Emma felt a sudden rush of envy, mixed with a deep longing. She had never felt that kind of connection to the land, that sense of belonging that Cody seemed to carry with him like a second skin.

And then he laughed. “That, and a whole lot of learning things the hard way. Like if we don’t fix that fence over there soon, you’re going to have some ornery cattle breaking their way into the barn, looking for food. Ghost won’t take too kindly to that.”

“No, I imagine not,” she said with a wry smile.

Emma drained the last of the iced tea, the cool liquid soothing her parched throat. She stood up, brushing the dust from her jeans. “Well, I guess we’d better get to that fence then,” she said, holding out a hand to help Cody up.

He grinned, his calloused palm warm against hers as he levered himself to his feet. “Lead the way, boss.”

Emma laughed, shaking her head. “I’m hardly the boss, Cody. I don’t have a clue what I’m doing out here.”

“You’re learning fast,” he said, his tone sincere. “And you’ve got good instincts. You’ll get there.”

They grabbed the tools they needed from the barn and headed out to the pasture, the sun beating down on their backs. The fence was in worse shape than Emma had realized, the posts leaning drunkenly and the wire sagging in places.

“This is going to be a big job,” she said, her heart sinking.

Cody just shrugged, that easy smile still on his face. “We’ll take it one post at a time. Here, I’ll show you how to set a new one.”

He walked her through the process, demonstrating how to dig the hole, secure the post, and attach the wire. Emma watched carefully, trying to commit each step to memory.

When it was her turn, she took the post hole digger from Cody, the weight of it unfamiliar in her hands. She positioned it where Cody indicated and pushed down, grunting with effort as the blades bit into the hard-packed earth.

It was slow going, and before long, Emma’s muscles were screaming in protest. She paused to wipe the sweat from her brow, feeling a sudden rush of frustration.

“I don’t know how you do this every day,” she said, her voice strained. “I feel like I’ve barely made a dent.”

Cody’s hand landed on her shoulder, his touch gentle. “You’re doing great, Emma. Take a break if you need to. This isn’t a race.”

But Emma shook her head, determined. “No, I’m fine. Let’s keep going.”

They worked steadily, the sun moving across the sky as they made their way along the fence line. Emma felt herself falling into a rhythm, her body learning the motions even as her mind wandered.

She thought about her father, about the love and care he had poured into this land. She thought about the sacrifice Cody was making, giving up his time to help her.

A sudden realization hit her, and she turned to Cody, her eyes wide. “Oh, Cody! Your ranch. I’ve kept you here all day, and you have your own work to do. I’m so sorry, I didn’t even think...”

But Cody just waved a hand, cutting her off. “Don’t worry about it, Emma. I took care of what I needed to do at my place before I came over.”

“Wow,” she said, blinking. “I guess I’d forgotten how early life starts in the country.”

“You know us country folks, we start our day before the sun’s even up.”

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.