19
The smell of grilled chicken and smoky mesquite drifted through the open air, mixing with the sound of laughter, music, and kids running and playing.
The sun spilled across the ranch in a warm haze as families filled the open yard with lawn chairs, picnic tables, and mason jars full of sweet tea and lemonade.
Lainey’s attention drifted towards a picnic table, where Jess sat relaxed on the bench with his back leaning against the table and his legs stretched out and crossed at the ankle, flipping a bottle cap between his fingers like he didn't have a stress in the world.
Typical. His navy tee was snug at the sleeves, showcasing a glimpse of the farmer's tan on his arms. He was talking to one of the ranch hands, but Lainey didn’t miss how his eyes kept flicking toward her.
Which, of course, meant she had been looking.
“You need something?” her voice light but unmistakably sharp as she walked over and opened the cooler near the table to grab a cider.
Jess grinned like he’d been waiting for her to bite. “Just wonderin’ how long you were gonna stare before sayin’ something.”
Lainey scoffed, crossing her arms. “I wasn’t staring. I was squinting. Sun’s in my eyes.”
“Uh huh.” Jess pushed off the bench and started toward her, a lazy swagger in every step. “You always squint that hard when you’re checking a guy out? Might be a medical concern.”
“I’m a nursing student,” Lainey deadpanned. “I’d know.”
He was in front of her now, too close for comfort, too cocky for sanity.
“You’re the cousin, right?” Jess asked, tilting his head. “The one who practically dragged Emery out here?”
“That's me,” Lainey said, refusing to be intimidated. “And you’re the brother, right? The one who never shows up to work on time?”
“Ouch.” He placed a hand over his heart. “Wounded,” He took the bottle of cider from her hands like it was his.
“Excuse you?” she scoffed, but he didn’t so much as blink.
“Mm,” he hummed, ignoring her raised brow and gripping the cap with his teeth. With a quick twist and a crack, the cap popped off, and he spat it into the grass like he’d done it a hundred times, which he probably had.
He took a long swig, the curve of his mouth turning into a smirk as he handed it back to her, now missing a few sips.
She tilted her head. “I can understand why they said you need adult supervision.”
From across the yard, Levi shot them both a look like he knew exactly what kind of trouble was being stirred up.
“Levi told me to play nice,” Jess said under his breath. “But you bein’ so uptight sure is makin’ it hard to relax.”
“I'm sure you’ll survive,” she said flatly, taking a sip herself to prove she wasn’t rattled before turning on her heel and leaving him standing there.
Jess just chuckled, like he hadn’t just stolen her drink and her composure in one move. “This is gonna be fun.”
Emery caught the whole thing from the other side of the yard and barely bit back a grin. When Lainey joined her near the porch, Emery just raised an eyebrow.
“What?” Lainey asked.
“Nothing,” Emery said innocently, popping a chip in her mouth. “Just wondering how long you’re gonna pretend you don’t like cowboys.”
“I don’t like that cowboy,” Lainey insisted.
Emery smirked. “Right. That’s why you’re blushing.”
“I’m sunburnt. Besides, that man is a walking, talking headache. How do you put up with him?”
Emery shrugged with a teasing smile. “Oh, he’s not so bad… once you get to know him. He grows on you.” Looping her arm through her cousin's and changing the subject, “I’m proud of you. For not giving up on your dreams. Even with things being a lot to juggle right now.”
Lainey smiled, then bumped her gently. “I definitely am glad to have pre-reqs done and be that much closer to graduating. And right back at you, Em, I’m proud of you too.”
Emery raised an eyebrow. “For what? Playing Little House on the Prairie or mastering the perfect peanut butter to jelly ratio?”
Lainey gave her a look. “No. For being brave enough to start over. For letting yourself land somewhere soft, for once. I know you didn’t plan on any of this.
Housesitting, falling for anyone, helping raise a kid who loves you and wants to be your shadow—but look at you.
” Her voice dropped a little. “ You look happy. Like, truly happy.”
Emery's smile faltered for a second, softening into something more tender. Her eyes found Levi across the yard, crouched down helping June untangle the string of a balloon from a lawn chair. He looked up and caught her watching him, and just gave a wink and a gentle smile. The kind that said I see you, I’m yours.
“I didn’t know I could feel this,” Emery admitted. “Like I belong somewhere. With someone.”
“Well,” Lainey said, grinning, “he looks at you like you're made of rainbows and sunshine. And your smile is more genuine than I’ve ever seen. That says a lot.”
They stood in comfortable silence for a moment, the breeze catching Emery’s hair.
“You deserve this,” Lainey added softly. “You always have. I hope you know that.”
Emery turned toward her cousin and pulled her into a quick hug. “Thanks for dragging me out here.”
Lainey laughed. “Anytime. Though technically, I bribed you with a free place to stay and a freezer full of ice cream.”
“Details,” Emery murmured with a smirk.
They pulled apart as June came tearing up the steps, barefoot and wild-haired, tugging Lainey's hand, begging her to come play horseshoes with her.
Kids chased each other barefoot through the green grass. Levi stood at the far edge of the corral, talking shop with a few of the neighboring ranchers, while June bounced between the food table and her friends with the energy of a windstorm.
Emery stood near the grill, refilling a basket of cornbread muffins, her hair down and catching in the breeze. Margaret stepped beside her, a full glass of tea in hand and a soft, proud smile on her weathered face.
“You know,” Margaret told Emery, her voice a little quieter than it had been the rest of the evening.
“I’ve been watching my son carry the weight of the world on his back for years.
He’s always tried to hide his feelings, but since you came along…
” She gave a small shake of her head. “That smile I thought we’d lost forever?
It’s back. And there's a light in his eyes again that I’ve not seen in ages. ”
Emery’s cheeks flushed. She looked down, fingers smoothing a wrinkle from the tablecloth.
Margaret squeezed her arm. “You brought hope back into this place, honey. Don’t think that any of us missed it.”
Before Emery could respond, a sudden commotion near the food table broke the moment. Someone shouted.
“She’s choking!”
Emery’s head snapped up.
It was June—face red, hands grabbing at her throat. The plate she'd been carrying had crashed to the ground. Panic ripped through the crowd like a lightning strike.
Everything stopped. Every sound, every motion.
Emery moved.
Her heart thundered in her chest, but her feet flew. “June!” she screamed, bolting across the yard.
Levi looked up from the corral, confusion sharpening into terror as he saw what was happening. “June!” His voice cracked across the open space. He dropped his drink, shoving past people in his path, sprinting full tilt. He wasn’t close enough.
But Emery was already there.
She dropped to her knees behind June, adrenaline overriding fear. “Okay, Juney, I’ve got you,” she whispered fiercely, arms wrapping around the little girl’s torso.
She’d never done this. She didn't know if she was doing it right. She didn’t know if she was strong enough. But she had to be. One hand fisted above the other, she pulled hard. One thrust, two—
June gasped. Nothing.
“Come on, June, come on,” Emery begged, sweat beading at her temple as the world paused.
Third thrust. And a fourth. A wet, choking noise, and then a piece of food shot out of June’s mouth and hit the grass.
June sucked in a ragged breath and burst into sobs.
Emery collapsed fully onto the grass, wrapping the child tightly in her arms, her breath shaking as she held June close against her chest.
Levi, still in full sprint, came skidding to a stop and dropped beside them a second later, his arms scooping them both up in his strong hold.
His chest heaved against Emery’s back as he wrapped them in his embrace, burying his face in June’s hair, then turning and pressing his lips to Emery’s temple.
“Jesus,” he whispered, voice broken. “You saved her… You save me.”
June clung to both of them, still crying, her tiny fingers curled in Emery’s dress. Emery still held her tightly, whispering soft reassurances even as her tears slipped free.
Levi pulled back just enough to cup Emery’s face with both hands, eyes burning into hers. “I don’t care how long it takes, or how many damn stars I gotta count—I’ll spend the rest of my life thanking God above for sending you into my life.”
“She’s okay,” Emery breathed. “She’s okay, Levi,” she said to him, but in a way, she needed to reassure herself just as much.
He leaned forward and kissed her hard, full of gratitude and something deeper—something that anchored itself into her soul.
Around them, people began to breathe again. They went back to their conversations as the chaos faded. The fire pit crackled. The sun dipped lower on the horizon.
But Levi didn’t let go. Not of Emery. Not of June. He just held them there in the grass, like they were his whole damn world.
Because they were.