Chapter Ten
The sound of tires crunching on the gravel drive echoed through the crisp morning air, pulling Emma’s attention away from the task of grooming Daisy. She frowned, wiping her hands on her jeans as she stepped out of the barn to see who had arrived.
A sleek, black SUV was making its way up the drive, kicking up a cloud of dust in its wake. Emma felt a sense of unease settling in the pit of her stomach as she watched the vehicle come to a stop in front of the house.
The driver’s side door opened, and a man stepped out, his expensive suit and polished shoes looking out of place against the rugged backdrop of the ranch. He was tall and lean, with a sharp, angular face and cold, calculating eyes that sent a shiver down Emma’s spine.
“Can I help you?” she called out, her voice sounding more confident than she felt.
The man smiled, a thin, insincere thing that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “You must be Emma Brooks,” he said, his voice smooth and cultured. “I’m Alexander Blackwell, I’ve been speaking to your estate agent with regards to buying this property.”
Emma felt her stomach drop, her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to process what he was saying. “I... I wasn’t expecting you,” she managed to say, her voice sounding strained even to her own ears. “Jenna didn’t mention anything about a visit.”
Alexander shrugged, his eyes roaming over the ranch with a critical gaze. “I thought it would be best to see the property for myself,” he said, his tone almost dismissive. “After all, I’m considering making a substantial investment here.”
Emma bristled at his words, a surge of defensiveness rising up inside her. “I understand that,” she said, her voice growing stronger as she met his gaze head-on. “But this is still my family’s property, and I would have appreciated some notice before you showed up unannounced.”
Alexander’s smile widened, but there was no warmth in it. “Of course,” he said, his voice dripping with false sincerity. “My apologies, Ms. Brooks. I didn’t mean to overstep.”
Emma nodded, her jaw clenched tight as she tried to rein in her emotions. “It’s fine,” she said, her voice clipped and businesslike. “Just... just let me know next time, okay?”
Alexander inclined his head, his eyes glinting with something that Emma couldn’t quite name. “Absolutely,” he said, his voice smooth as silk. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to take a look around the property. Get a feel for what I’m considering buying.”
Emma hesitated, a sense of unease prickling at the back of her neck. She didn’t want this man poking around her family’s land, didn’t want him passing judgment on the place that held so many memories for her.
But she knew she couldn’t refuse him outright, not if she wanted to keep the sale on the table. “Of course,” she said, her voice tight with barely concealed frustration. “Let me just... let me just go put the horse back in her stall.”
She turned to head back to the barn, her mind racing as she tried to figure out how to handle the situation. But before she could take more than a few steps, Cody stepped out of the barn.
“Emma?” Cody’s voice was low and concerned as he caught up to her, his eyes flicking over to where Alexander was standing by his car. “Everything okay?”
Emma sighed, running a hand through her hair as she turned to face him. “That’s Alexander Blackwell,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “The potential buyer for the ranch.”
Cody’s eyes widened, his brow furrowing as he took in the man’s expensive suit and polished demeanor. “What’s he doing here?” he asked, his voice rough with barely concealed anger.
Emma shook her head, feeling suddenly exhausted. “He wants to take a look around the property,” she said, her voice dull and lifeless. “Get a feel for what he’s buying.”
Cody’s jaw clenched. “You don’t have to do this, Emma,” he said, his voice low and urgent. “You don’t have to let him push you around like this.”
Emma closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she tried to center herself. “I know,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “But I don’t have a choice, Cody. If I want to keep the sale on the table, I have to play nice.”
Cody’s eyes flashed with something that Emma couldn’t quite name, a mixture of frustration and protectiveness that made her heart ache. “This isn’t right,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “This is your family’s land, Emma. Your legacy. You shouldn’t have to bow and scrape to some city slicker who doesn’t even know the first thing about ranching.”
Emma dragged in a shaky breath. “I wish that was true,” she said, her voice filled with a quiet resignation. “But this is the way it has to be, Cody. I can’t... I can’t keep holding on to something that isn’t mine anymore.”
Cody looked like he wanted to argue, but he simply nodded, his shoulders slumping a little. “Okay,” he said, his voice soft and gentle. “But I’m here for you, Emma. Whatever you need.”
“Right now I wouldn’t mind you putting Daisy away so I can deal with him.”
Cody nodded again. “You’ve got it. Just…be careful, okay?”
Emma felt a rush of gratitude and affection, a warmth spreading through her chest at his words. “Thank you,” she said, her voice filled with emotion. She swallowed it quickly, squaring her shoulders as she turned to face Alexander once more. “Best get this over with,” she said, her voice filled with a newfound determination.
She led Alexander around the property, showing him the house and the barn, the fields and the pastures. He asked questions as they walked, his tone growing more and more critical with each passing moment.
“This barn looks like it’s seen better days,” he said, his nose wrinkling in distaste as he took in the peeling paint and the sagging roof. “And the house... well, it’s going to need a lot of work to bring it up to modern standards.”
Emma felt a surge of anger rising up inside her, but she tamped it down, forcing herself to keep her voice level and calm. “The barn and the house have been in my family for generations,” she said, her voice filled with a quiet pride. “They may not be flashy or modern, but they’re built to last. Just like the people who live and work on this land.”
Alexander raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a smirk. “Be that as it may,” he said, his voice dripping with condescension, “I’m not interested in buying a piece of history, Ms. Brooks. I’m interested in turning a profit.”
Emma felt her hands clenching into fists at her sides, her jaw tightening as she tried to keep her temper in check. “I understand that, Mr. Blackwell,” she said, her voice filled with a forced politeness. “But this ranch is more than just a piece of property. It’s a way of life, a legacy that has been passed down through generations of my family. And I won’t let you treat it like just another commodity to be bought and sold.”
Alexander’s eyes narrowed, his smirk fading into a cold, hard line. “I think you’re forgetting who holds the cards here, Ms. Brooks,” he said, his voice low and menacing. “I’m the one with the money, the one who can make or break this deal. And if you’re not careful, you might just find yourself out of options.”
Emma felt a chill run down her spine at his words, a sense of fear and uncertainty settling in the pit of her stomach. But before she could respond, she heard the sound of footsteps behind her.
“Everything alright here?” Cody’s voice was low and dangerous as he came to stand beside her, his eyes fixed on Alexander with a steely glare.
Alexander’s lips twitched, his eyes flicking over to Cody with a dismissive gaze. “Just having a friendly conversation with Ms. Brooks about the future of this property,” he said, his voice smooth and insincere. “Nothing for you to concern yourself with, Mr...?”
“Hawthorne,” Cody said, his voice clipped and hard. “Cody Hawthorne. And I think you’ll find that anything that concerns Emma concerns me.”
Emma felt a rush of warmth and gratitude at his words, but it was tempered by a sense of frustration and unease. She didn’t need Cody fighting her battles for her, didn’t need him putting himself in the middle of this mess.
“Cody,” she said, her voice low and urgent as she turned to face him. “It’s okay. I can handle this.”
But Cody wasn’t listening, his eyes still fixed on Alexander with a fierce intensity. “I think it’s time for you to leave, Mr. Blackwell,” he said, his voice filled with a quiet authority. “You’ve seen what you came to see, and I think it’s clear that Emma isn’t interested in your offer.”
Alexander’s eyes flashed with anger, his jaw clenching tight as he took a step forward. “I don’t take orders from ranch hands,” he said, his voice low and threatening. “And I certainly don’t appreciate being told what to do on a property that I’m considering buying.”
Cody’s hand clenched into a fist at his side, his body tensing as if he were preparing for a fight. But before he could make a move, Emma stepped between them, her hands coming up to rest on his chest in a gesture of restraint.
“Cody,” she said, her voice soft but firm. “This isn’t helping.”
Cody’s eyes met hers, and for a moment, Emma thought he might argue. But then he nodded, his body relaxing as he took a step back. “Okay,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “Okay, Emma. I’m sorry.”
Emma felt a rush of relief, but it was short-lived as she turned back to face Alexander. “I think it’s time for you to go, Mr. Blackwell,” she said, her voice filled with a quiet strength. “I appreciate your interest in the property, but I’m not ready to make a decision just yet. And I won’t be pressured or bullied into doing something that I’m not comfortable with.”
Alexander’s lips thinned, his eyes glinting with a cold, hard light. “Very well,” he said, his voice filled with a barely concealed anger. “But don’t take too long to make up your mind, Ms. Brooks. My offer won’t be on the table forever.”
With that, he turned on his heel and stalked back to his car, slamming the door behind him as he climbed inside. Emma watched as he pulled away, her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to make sense of what had just happened.
Cody’s hand came to rest on her shoulder, his touch gentle and reassuring. “Are you okay?” he asked, his voice soft and concerned.
Emma took a deep breath, her eyes fluttering closed for a moment as she tried to center herself. “I don’t know,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I just... I don’t know what to do, Cody. I feel like I’m being pulled in a million different directions, and I don’t know which way to turn.”
Cody’s hand tightened on her shoulder, his eyes searching her face with a quiet intensity. “You’ll figure it out, Emma,” he said, his voice filled with a quiet conviction. “You always do. And no matter what happens, no matter what you decide, I’ll be here for you. Always.”
“Thank you,” she said, her voice filled with a quiet gratitude. “I don’t... I don’t know what I would do without you, Cody.”
He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners in that way that always made her heart skip a beat. “You’d do just fine,” he said. “But I’m glad I can be here for you, all the same.”
Emma leaned into him, just for a moment, letting his strength and his warmth seep into her bones. And as she stood there, surrounded by the rolling hills and the endless sky of the ranch that had always been her home, she knew that no matter what happened, no matter what the future held, she would always have this moment, this memory of standing beside the man who had become so much more than just a friend.
And for now, that was enough.