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

Chapter Eleven

The evening air was crisp and cool as Emma and Cody rode side by side, the rhythmic thud of their horses’ hooves against the packed earth a soothing counterpoint to the chirping of the crickets and the distant howl of a coyote.

They had been working hard all day, putting the finishing touches on the preparations for the festival and tending to the endless list of repairs and chores that came with running a ranch. But as the sun had begun to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink, Cody had suggested they take a break and go for a ride.

Emma had hesitated at first, her mind still whirling with all the things she needed to do. But the thought of spending a few quiet moments with Cody, away from the chaos and the noise of the ranch, had been too tempting to resist.

So they had saddled up Ghost and Scout, and set out across the rolling hills, the cool breeze whipping through their hair as they rode. They talked and laughed as they went, the easy camaraderie between them a balm to Emma’s frayed nerves.

“I can’t believe how much we’ve gotten done in such a short time,” Emma said, shaking her head in wonder. “The festival grounds look amazing, and the repairs to the house and the barn are coming along faster than I ever could have hoped.”

Cody grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “That’s because you’ve got the whole town behind you, Emma,” he said, his voice filled with warmth and pride. “Everyone wants to see this festival succeed, and they’re willing to put in the work to make it happen.”

Emma felt a rush of gratitude and affection, her heart swelling with the knowledge that she was surrounded by people who cared about her, who wanted to help her honor her father’s memory.

But as she opened her mouth to reply, she saw something out of the corner of her eye that made her blood run cold. A glow in the distance, a flickering orange light that could only mean one thing.

“Cody,” she said, her voice tight with fear. “Look.”

Cody followed her gaze, his eyes widening as he saw the glow. “Is that...?”

“The ranch,” Emma finished, her heart pounding in her chest. “Something’s on fire.”

For a moment, they sat frozen in shock, their minds struggling to process what they were seeing. But then, as if a switch had been flipped, they urged their horses into action, racing back towards the ranch as fast as they could go.

As they drew closer, the glow grew brighter and more intense, the crackling of the flames and the smell of smoke filling the air. Emma’s heart was in her throat as they crested the final hill, her eyes scanning the scene before her with a growing sense of horror.

The barn was engulfed in flames, the old wooden structure blazing like a bonfire against the night sky. The heat was intense, the air shimmering with it as they drew closer.

And then, with a jolt of pure terror, Emma remembered. “Daisy,” she gasped, her eyes wide with fear. “She’s still in there.”

Before Cody could stop her, before he could even open his mouth to protest, Emma vaulted from Ghost’s back and ran towards the burning building, her heart pounding in her chest as she raced against time.

She could hear Cody shouting after her, his voice hoarse with fear and desperation. But she couldn’t stop, couldn’t turn back. Not when her beloved mare was trapped inside, not when there was even the slightest chance she could save her.

Emma burst through the doors of the barn, the heat and the smoke hitting her like a physical blow. She coughed and choked, her eyes watering as she squinted through the haze, searching for any sign of Daisy.

And then she heard it, a high-pitched whinny of terror and confusion, coming from the far end of the barn. Emma ran towards the sound, her feet pounding against the dirt floor as she dodged falling beams and leaping flames.

She found Daisy in her stall, the horse rearing up on her hind legs in a panic, her eyes rolling in fear. Emma grabbed a halter, her hands shaking as she tried to calm the terrified animal.

“Easy, girl,” she murmured, her voice low and soothing even as her own heart raced with fear. “It’s okay, I’m here. We’re going to get you out of here.”

They stumbled out of the stall, the smoke so thick now that Emma could barely see her hand in front of her face. She could feel the heat of the flames licking at her skin, could hear the creaking and groaning of the barn as it began to collapse around them.

She looked frantically around, blundering forward still holding Daisy’s lead rope until she reached the other occupied stall. A frantically lowing sounded from inside—the injured calf. It wasn’t halter trained yet, but she refused to leave any living creature behind in this hellish inferno. She did the only thing she could think of—she flung the door open and let the calf loose, shooing it in the direction of the barn doors. It went with a clatter of hooves, bellowing as it bolted for the exit.

“All right, Daisy,” she said, coughing as the smoke hit her lungs. “Now us. Come on. Come on, girl.”

She urged the horse on, and, snorting and quivering with fear, Daisy took a step behind her.

“That’s it, good girl.” She broke off, coughing, then urged Daisy on again. “You can do it.”

But even as she spoke, Emma heard a loud cracking sound from above, and she looked up to see a beam, engulfed in flames, teetering precariously over their heads.

She had just enough time to throw herself over Daisy, shielding the horse with her own body, before the beam came crashing down, sending up a shower of sparks and embers.

Emma gasped in pain as a burning ember landed on her arm, searing through her shirt and into her skin. But she ignored it, gritting her teeth as she tugged on Daisy’s lead rope, urging the horse forward. But ahead was nothing but smoke and darkness, and she wasn’t even sure where the barn exit was anymore. The smoke was so thick, disguising everything, and fire seemed to lap at every surface.

Just as she was beginning to think that she might not make it out alive, that the flames and the smoke and the heat would consume her, she heard a voice calling her name.

“Emma!” Cody shouted, his voice hoarse with fear and desperation. “Where are you?”

“Here!” Emma gasped, her voice barely audible over the roar of the flames. “I’m here, Cody!”

And then he was there, bursting through the wall of flames like a knight in shining armor, his face streaked with soot and his eyes wild with fear.

He grabbed Emma around the waist, hoisting her into his arms as if she weighed nothing at all.

“Daisy,” she gasped against his shoulder, but he was already taking the lead rope from her hand, urging the horse forward with them.

And then he was moving back the way he’d come, his feet pounding against the dirt floor as he carried her out of the burning building and into the cool night air.

Emma gasped in lungfuls of fresh air, her lungs burning with the effort. She could feel Cody’s heart pounding against her back, could hear the ragged sound of his breathing as he set her gently down on the ground.

“Emma,” he said, his voice rough with emotion as he cupped her face in his hands. “Are you alright? Are you hurt?”

Emma shook her head, tears streaming down her face as she looked up at him. “I’m okay,” she said, her voice shaking. “Thanks to you. You saved my life, Cody.”

Cody’s eyes were dark with emotion, his jaw clenched tight as he looked down at her. “I thought I’d lost you,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “When I saw you run into that barn, I thought...”

He trailed off, his voice breaking. Emma reached up and brushed a strand of hair from his forehead, her fingers trembling slightly.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just... I couldn’t leave Daisy in there. Or the calf. I had to try to save them.”

Cody nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. “I know,” he said, his voice filled with a quiet understanding. “You’ve got a heart as big as the whole damn state of Montana, Emma Brooks. It’s one of the things I lo... one of the things I admire most about you.”

Emma felt her heart skip a beat at his words, at the intensity of his gaze. For a moment, they were caught in each other’s eyes, the rest of the world fading away until there was nothing but the two of them, standing together in the cool night air.

But then the sound of sirens in the distance broke the spell, and Emma looked up to see a group of locals rushing towards them, their faces etched with worry and concern.

“We saw the fire from town,” Chris called out, his voice rough with emotion. “Is everyone okay? Was anyone hurt?”

Emma shook her head, feeling a rush of gratitude and affection for these people, for the way they had rallied around her in her time of need.

“We’re all fine,” she said, her voice still shaking slightly. “Thanks to Cody. He... he saved us all. Daisy, too.”

She patted the shoulder of the elderly mare, who stood quivering but unharmed.

Chris nodded, his eyes flicking over to Cody with a look of respect and admiration. “The fire brigade is on their way,” he said, his voice filled with reassurance. “They’ll have this under control in no time.”

Emma nodded, feeling a sense of relief washing over her. But even as she watched the locals working to contain the blaze, even as she heard the sound of the fire trucks drawing closer, she couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that had settled in the pit of her stomach.

The barn was gone, reduced to a smoldering pile of ashes and charred wood. All the hard work she had put into repairing it, all the memories it held of her father and her childhood, had been lost in the flames.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and she turned to see Cody standing beside her, his eyes filled with a quiet understanding.

“It’s just a building, Emma,” he said softly, his voice filled with a gentle reassurance. “What matters is that everyone is safe. We can rebuild the barn, but we could never replace you.”

Emma felt tears welling up in her eyes, but she blinked them back, taking a deep, shuddering breath. He was right, she knew. The barn was just a thing, a collection of wood and nails and memories. What mattered was the people, the animals, the land that she loved so deeply.

That was what remained.