Page 76 of The Cowboy Comes Home

When he finally left, he grabbed what things of his that had migrated here in the last couple of weeks and took them with him.

Chapter Thirty-Six

It was allcatching up with him. Tucker had had worse weekends, a lot of them, but not in a long time.

He had tried to focus on his work all week. Today he’d thought starting one of the bigger tasks Jackson wanted done would do it, putting together all those picnic tables he wanted to put out under the big trees, so the visiting kids could gather and share the pain of their losses over some tasty treats. Then Jackson had unexpectedly shown up and pitched in to help, saying Nic had an appointment and he had time before a client arrived.

“What’s up, bro?” Jackson asked. “You’ve been hanging around here a lot more.”

He shrugged. “Making up for the time off.”

Jackson picked up a wrench to help tackle putting the bench sections together. “You don’t need to do that.”

He shrugged again, hoping his friend would drop it. He should have known better.

“It sort of seems like you’re…avoiding something. Or someone.”

Tucker’s grip on the slat in his hand tightened. “Nic put you up to this?”

“She might have mentioned she was worried about you,” was all Jackson replied.

“Tell her to worry about Emily. She’s the one who needs it.” It hurt even to say her name.

“She does worry. She knows there’s always a chance Emily could get hurt.”

“She’s a cop. There’s more than just a chance.”

“It’s a dangerous profession. But then, so is yours. On your next job you could have a stunt go wrong.”

Assuming there is one.Tucker grimaced, not wanting to pursue that point just now. “As careful as I am?”

“You saying she’s not?”

He hadn’t looked at it quite that way, and it shut him up for a while. They worked in silence until they heard the sound of a vehicle pulling in from the road. Jackson looked, straightened, and set down the last bench they’d just finished.

“There’s no guarantee in life,” he said, as if they’d never stopped the conversation. He nodded toward the sedan nearing the office. “They could have had an accident on the way here. Splatter could have nailed me with that wild kick of his.”

“But she puts on a uniform and a gun and goes out asking for it.” Jackson hesitated, but two young kids were getting out of the car now, and Tucker waved him off. “Go. I’ve got stuff to do in the barn.”

“Just one more thing. Where do you think Emily would have been, if the two of you had been together when you were hurt?”

Jackson left him staring after him, not waiting for an answer. He probably didn’t need the answer because he already knew it, just as Tucker himself did. Emily would be right there, at his side, through it all. Because that’s who she was.

Braver than me. Tougher than me. Deserves better than me.

Once in the barn he tried to ignore Pie, who was giving him the equine equivalent of a side-eye. He heard footsteps and thought it was Jackson coming back for something. But when he looked he saw, to his surprise, Lily Highwater approaching. He’d barely seen her at the survival party and had actually been glad of it. He felt a little awkward with her after pouring his guts out like he had.

Sorry stuck his head out as she neared, and she paused to pat the now-happy sorrel. She noticed Pie then and laughed at his positioning.

Then, with a smile, she headed toward him.

“I just wanted to tell you,” she said when she stopped, reaching out to pet the pony too, “that we’ve gotten so much reaction and response to your profile. I think I must have heard from everybody who was in the stands that day in Fort Worth. They have never forgotten you. Plus reaction from at least half the entire population of Last Stand, all welcoming you back home to Texas.”

He let out a compressed, embarrassed breath. “Wow. Don’t know what to say to that. Except thanks.”

Her smile widened. “Thank you. Don’t think I don’t know what it took for you to pour all that out. I hope you don’t regret it.”

He shook his head, short and sharp. “I think I needed to do it once, so I’d never have to do it again.”

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