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

Chapter Nine

The coffee was just coming to the boil when Emma heard the rumble of trucks pulling up outside the house. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for the day ahead as she stepped out onto the porch.

Garth was the first to climb out of his truck, a wide grin splitting his weathered face as he caught sight of her. “Well, well, well,” he drawled, ambling over to the porch steps. “If it isn’t little Emma Brooks, all grown up and taking on the world.”

Emma couldn’t help but smile at the old rancher’s teasing tone. “Good to see you too, Garth,” she said, stepping down to give him a quick hug. “And who’s this handy set of muscles you’ve brought with you?”

She gestured to the tall, lanky figure unfolding himself from the passenger seat of Garth’s truck. He had the same easy grin as his father, but there was a sharpness to his features that hinted at a keen intelligence behind the laid-back exterior.

“This here’s my boy, Chris,” Garth said, clapping a hand on his son’s shoulder. “He’s been helping me out on the ranch, but I figured he could take a day off to lend a hand with the festival preparations.”

Emma squinted. “Not little Chris with the sketch book?”

“Not anymore,” Chris said, tipping his hat to her. “At least, not the little part.” He looked around as Emma tried to reconcile the tall, confident man in front of her with the gangly teen she’d seen in school, two years her junior. “Sounds like you’re taking on quite the project here.”

Emma shook his hand, her grip firm and sure. “It’s a labor of love,” she said, her eyes drifting over to where Cody was unloading supplies from the back of his truck. “But I couldn’t do it without the help of folks like you and your dad.”

As if on cue, another car pulled up, and Emma felt a grin spreading across her face as she recognized the occupants. “Mabel!” she called out, waving at the older woman as she climbed out of the driver’s seat. “And is that little Sally I see hiding back there?”

Mabel chuckled, her eyes sparkling with mirth as she made her way over to the porch. “Not so little anymore,” she said, gesturing to the tall, slender teenager who was trailing behind her. “Sally just turned eighteen last month, can you believe it?”

Emma shook her head, marveling at how quickly time seemed to pass. She remembered Sally as a chubby-cheeked toddler, always underfoot and getting into mischief. Now, she was a young woman, with a shy smile and a quiet grace that reminded Emma of her mother.

“Well, come on in, everyone,” Emma said, ushering the group towards the house. “I’ve got coffee and muffins waiting in the kitchen, and then we can head out to the festival grounds and start making some plans.”

As they settled around the kitchen table, Emma felt a warmth spreading through her chest. These were her people, the ones who had known her since she was a child, who had watched her grow up and leave the ranch behind. And now, they were here to help her bring a piece of her father’s legacy back to life.

But even as she laughed and joked with the others, Emma couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that had been growing in the pit of her stomach ever since she’d woken up that morning. She had been so caught up in the excitement of planning the festival, in the rush of nostalgia and belonging that came with being back on the ranch, that she had almost forgotten the real reason she was here.

She was supposed to be fixing up the property so she could sell it, so she could go back to her life in the city and put all of this behind her. But with every passing day, every moment spent working side by side with Cody and the others, that prospect seemed to grow more and more distant.

Emma shook her head, trying to push away the conflicting thoughts and emotions that were swirling around in her mind. She needed to focus on the task at hand, on making sure that the festival was a success. Everything else could wait.

As they finished up their breakfast and headed out to the festival grounds, Emma couldn’t help but steal a glance at Cody. He was walking alongside Chris, the two of them deep in conversation about the best way to set up the stage and the sound system. There was an ease to their interaction, a familiarity that spoke of a long-standing friendship.

Emma felt a pang of something she couldn’t quite name, a mixture of longing and jealousy that she quickly tried to tamp down. She had no right to feel that way, she reminded herself. Cody was a friend, nothing more. And besides, she was leaving soon anyway.

They spent the next few hours walking the grounds, discussing the layout and the logistics of the festival. Emma was impressed by how quickly everyone fell into their roles, how seamlessly they worked together to bring her vision to life.

Garth and Chris took charge of the heavy lifting, hauling lumber and equipment from the trucks and setting up the framework for the stage and the booths. Mabel and Sally focused on the decorations, brainstorming ideas for how to make the space feel festive and inviting.

And Cody... well, Cody seemed to be everywhere at once, offering advice and encouragement, lending a hand wherever it was needed. Emma couldn’t help but watch him as he worked, admiring the way his muscles flexed beneath his t-shirt, the confident set of his shoulders as he took charge of the situation.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she almost didn’t hear her phone ringing, the sound muffled by the noise of the construction and the chatter of the others. She pulled it out of her pocket, frowning when she saw the name on the screen.

It was Jenna, the real estate agent she had hired to sell the ranch. Emma’s stomach clenched with a sudden sense of dread as she stepped away from the group to take the call.

“Hello?” she said, her voice sounding strained even to her own ears.

“Emma, hi,” Jenna said, her tone brisk and businesslike. “I have some news for you. I’ve found a buyer who’s interested in the property, as is. They’re willing to offer a substantial amount, even without any repairs or renovations.”

Emma felt like the wind had been knocked out of her, her breath catching in her throat as she tried to process what Jenna was saying. A buyer? Already?

“That’s... that’s great,” she managed to say, her voice sounding hollow and unconvincing even to her own ears. “What’s the offer?”

Jenna rattled off a number that made Emma’s head spin, a figure that was far higher than she had ever expected to get for the ranch in its current state. “It’s a good offer, Emma,” Jenna said, her voice taking on a note of urgency. “And there’s no guarantee you’d get a better one even after all the repairs are done. You know how unpredictable the market can be.”

Emma swallowed hard, her mind racing as she tried to make sense of what she was hearing. If she accepted the offer, she could be back home in the city by Monday, back to her old life and her old routines. She could put all of this behind her, the memories and the emotions and the complicated feelings that had been growing inside her ever since she’d returned to the ranch.

But as she looked out at the group of people working so hard to make the festival a reality, at the way they laughed and joked and supported each other, Emma felt a sudden surge of guilt and uncertainty. How could she leave now, when they had all rallied around her to help make her father’s dream come true?

“I... I don’t know, Jenna,” she said, her voice wavering slightly. “Can I have some time to think about it?”

Jenna sighed, and Emma could practically hear the frustration in her voice. “You can, but I wouldn’t take too long,” she warned. “Offers like this don’t come around often, and the buyer might not be willing to wait forever. Just... just think about it, okay?”

Emma nodded, even though she knew Jenna couldn’t see her. “I will,” she promised. “I’ll let you know as soon as I’ve made a decision.”

She hung up the phone, feeling like a weight had settled on her chest. She knew she should be excited about the offer, about the prospect of finally being able to move on with her life. But all she could feel was a sense of dread and uncertainty, a fear that she was about to make a terrible mistake. Worse, a betrayal.

She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself as she walked back over to the group. Cody looked up as she approached, his brow furrowing in concern when he saw the expression on her face.

“Everything okay?” he asked, his voice low and gentle.

Emma forced a smile, trying to push away the turmoil that was churning inside her. “Yeah, everything’s fine,” she lied, her voice sounding unconvincing even to her own ears. “Just a call from the real estate agent. Nothing important.”

Cody looked like he wanted to press further, but he simply nodded, his eyes filled with understanding. “Okay,” he said, his hand coming up to rest on her shoulder for a brief moment. “Just remember, we’re all here for you, Emma. Whatever you need.”

“I know,” she said softly, her voice filled with gratitude. “Thank you, Cody. For everything.”

He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners in that way that always made her heart skip a beat. “Anytime,” he said, his voice filled with warmth and sincerity.

As they turned back to the group, Emma tried to push away the doubts and fears that were swirling around in her mind. She needed to focus on the festival, on making sure that everything went off without a hitch. She could worry about the future later.

But even as she threw herself back into the planning and the preparation, Emma couldn’t shake the feeling that she was standing at a crossroads, that the decision she made in the coming days would change the course of her life forever.

And as much as she wanted to believe that she could have it all, that she could keep the ranch and the festival and the life she had started to build here, she knew deep down that it was impossible. She would have to choose, sooner or later.

And if Jenna’s words were anything to go by, sooner might just be coming around faster than she’d planned.