Chapter Ten #2
They all turned when Deacon appeared at Rocket's side. "Don't you believe it. Emmett's as soft as you are, Rocket. He just hides it better." He met Harper's gaze and held it. "He might act like nothing affects him anymore, but he has a soft heart."
Harper opened her mouth, about to inform him that she had no intention of ever hurting Emmett.
But she closed it again when she realized that he might not even be talking about her.
In theory, he shouldn't know that she and Emmett were kind of maybe seeing each other.
And if she blurted something out to defend herself, she might give the whole thing away.
She relaxed when Deacon smiled and nodded. "It's good to see him relaxing a bit lately."
"I think so, too."
"I'll take my nose right back out again, then. See ya later." He winked as he added, "But if you're gonna deliver those cookies for Rocket, I can tell you that chocolate chip are his favorite."
Harper could only laugh as she looked around at them. It seemed that keeping secrets wasn't easy around here. But finding good people wasn't hard.
~ ~ ~
Emmett walked Clem Harrington back outside, glad to get out in the sun after the morning clinic.
When Janey first suggested doing them, he'd let her run the domestic animal clinics by herself.
He preferred to be out and about visiting ranches, working with livestock.
But when she showed him how long the waiting list for appointments was, he'd agreed that he should help out.
Especially since many of the names on that list were his ranchers, anyway.
Clem turned and grasped his arm when they reached his truck. "Do me a favor and lift him back up in there for me, would ya, son? Me and Chester are both at the point where we don't have any choice but to swallow our pride."
Emmett picked up Chester, Clem's border collie, and loaded him into the passenger seat. He petted the dog's graying head—he'd known him since he was a pup fifteen years ago. And he'd known Clem for as long as he could remember.
Clem hauled himself up into the driver's seat. "Don't look so sad. It comes to us all, you know. Me and Chester have had a good run, haven't we old boy?"
Chester hopped across the console onto his lap, making Emmett smile.
Clem ran his gnarled hand over his dog's head.
"Between you and Trip, you're keeping us going till it's our time.
" His eyes clouded over as he petted Chester again.
"I just hope he can hang in till I'm ready to go with him.
Haven't done a damn thing without this fella by my side for fifteen years.
I'll be ready to check out when he does. "
Emmett had to clear his throat. "All I can tell you is that I'll keep doing my best for him, Clem."
Chester didn't have that long left, and from something Trip had said when they were all at Deacon’s last week, Emmett had a feeling that Clem didn't either.
"I know that. Oh, and before I go…" He pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and gave Emmett two crisp new twenty-dollar bills.
"Thanks, Clem."
He rasped out a laugh. "Make sure the girls get those, and you tell 'em me and Chester send our love."
"I will. Tanya was asking if we can all come out and visit you guys sometime soon."
"I'd like that." Clem's voice wavered as he added, "You might want to hurry about it, though. They'll feel like shit if I kick the bucket before you make it happen."
Emmett let out a short laugh.
"You know it's true. We'll see you soon, then."
"You will."
Emmett closed the passenger door and stepped back, holding his hand up as Clem's truck disappeared back up the driveway, hoping that wouldn't be the last time he saw them.
He was still standing there, staring out at the road long after they'd gone.
He should go back inside. Chester had been his last appointment of the morning, but he still needed to make his notes and check in with the techs before he went out on his afternoon calls. He should probably eat something, too.
He tilted his head to the side when he saw a truck turn in at the end of the long driveway. It wasn't a ranch truck, it was smaller, cleaner looking. It was a Chevy Colorado. He smiled—he only knew one person who drove one of those.
He reached around to tuck the back of his shirt into his jeans, pushed his shirtsleeves up a little higher, took his hat off and ran his hand through his hair before putting it back on again. Then, he made himself stop fidgeting and wait.
She didn't have any animals—domestic or otherwise, so she could only be here to see him.
A rush of warmth filled his chest when he remembered walking her out last night.
He'd thought he was going to kiss her. He'd wanted to.
The moment had felt right—except that there was something off about it.
It wasn't Harper. He felt like he'd gotten to know her a little better over the course of the afternoon, and as a result, he liked her even more than he had before.
It wasn't him—he'd already decided that if and when the moment came, he wanted to kiss her.
As they'd stood there awkwardly, saying goodbye, it had finally hit him what the weird feeling was.
They were being watched—and he knew who by.
He didn't blame the girls, whatever their motivation—whether they were excited or wary. This was the first time he'd dated anyone since their mom. They weren't spying on him so much as they were looking out for him—and wanting to know what the future might hold.
When Harper's truck came to a stop in front of him, he smiled as she jumped out and came to greet him. He had to admit that she made him curious about the future, too.
"Hey, Harper."
"Hey." She held up a paper bag from the bakery and said, "Rocket asked me to drop these off for Janey since I was passing."
"Oh, okay." The weight of disappointment that settled in his chest took him by surprise. "She should be finished soon, I..." He turned away, about to show her to Janey's office.
"Emmett, wait." She caught his arm and the touch of her fingers on his skin sent shivers down his spine in the best way.
She stepped closer and met his gaze. "I might be about to blow this, but I have to tell you—the cookies were an excuse."
"For what?"
She blew out a sigh. "Make me say it, why don't you? Delivering them to Janey gave me an excuse to come over here and see you."
A smile spread across his face. "You don't need an excuse."
"I don't?" Her smile mirrored his.
"No. In fact..." He looked around. There was no one out here. Janey would still be with Anna Peterson and George, her yellow Lab, for a while.
He stepped toward her, putting them toe to toe. He smiled down at her. "I always thought you were taller."
She chuckled. "Probably because I have such a big personality."
"Yeah, probably." He reached up and ran his palm over her cheek. "I don't think I've ever said it, but you're beautiful, Harper."
To his surprise, she burst out laughing. She sobered up quickly and waved a hand at him. "Sorry, it's just that you kind of did once. Do you remember that awful business with Jim's nephew?"
"I do." Gavin had taken Harper, Jim, and Shelley at gunpoint. Emmett had helped the guys to rescue them. He'd broken into the back of the cabin where they were being held—and been attacked himself—Harper had pounced on him, brandishing a doorstop, which she'd just used to knock Gavin to his knees.
She laughed again. "You said I was like a mountain lion—beautiful but ferocious. That has to be my favorite compliment ever."
He chuckled. "That's good to know because at the time you asked if I'd just called you a cougar!"
"Oh! I did, didn't I? But I'm not because…wait, how old are you?"
"Fifty-eight."
"Me, too. So we're good."
"We're more than good. Are you done talking?"
Her eyes widened indignantly. "I might be, I might not be. Why do you... Oh!"
He cupped her cheek in his hand again and leaned in. Her hand came up to grip his shoulder.
"Is it okay out here like this? I mean, don't you—?"
"I thought you were done talking."
She slapped his shoulder. "I am! So, kiss me."
He brushed his lips over hers, once, twice, three times. Her lips were plump and soft when they met his. It was only a brief kiss, but as he straightened up, he knew it was one that he would always remember.
Her fingers came up to touch her lips. Her eyes shone as they looked into his.
She was quiet for so long that he asked, "Are you okay?"
She nodded rapidly. "More than okay. I'm glad we waited; that was so worth waiting for."
He touched her cheek again. "It was. Harper, I'll no doubt make a mess of this along the way, but no matter what else happens, I want you to know that was special."
He made a face. He probably sounded like a dumb kid.
She caught his hand and gave it a squeeze as she said, "You didn't need to tell me. It was special."
He held her gaze for a long few moments, until the sound of voices around back broke the moment.
"Anyway." She held up the bag. "Cookies?"
"I thought they were for Janey—from Rocket."
"They are. But the chocolate chip ones are for you—from me."