Page 43 of Into the Fire
“Morning, sunshine,” he said softly, his usual rough edges softened. “You feeling any better?”
She gave a weak nod, her throat still scratchy, but her heart a little lighter just hearing his voice.
“Achey. Tired. But…” Her throat was still scratchy. “Better, maybe.”
He nodded and brushed a thumb gently overher temple, just like he had the night before. “You still feel warm, but not as bad. June says you need pancakes, so I figure that’s doctor’s orders.”
A small laugh escaped her, even though it was hoarse. “Can’t argue with that.”
“I started some water for you,” he said, tilting his head toward the bathroom. “A hot shower might help with those aches. Towels are on the rack. Go slow, okay?”
“You don’t have to take care of me,” she murmured, a hint of protest still lingering in her voice.
He lingered a second longer, then stood and stepped back. “Shower. I’ll finish breakfast. And if you feel up to it, maybe some sunshine and fresh air.”
She gave him a sleepy grin as she slowly pushed the coversback. “Deal.”
???
The morning had faded into a perfectly warm day. Levi found Emery sitting on the porch swing, her gaze distant, lost somewhere between the bright sunshine and the slow hum of the ranch around them. He had been right—the hot shower, the pancakes, and the fresh air had her back to feeling human again.
He settled beside her without a word at first, the creak of the swing the only sound as they swayed gently.
Finally, Levi broke the silence, his voice low but steady.
“I’ve been thinking.”
She looked over, meeting his gaze—cautious, but curious.
“This whole trial thing...” He shook his head with a slight grin, but his eyes stayed serious. “I don’t want it to be a trial anymore. I want you here. Not just for June and the chores, but for us—me and you. More permanent.”
Emery’s breath caught a little. “Permanent?”
He nodded. “Yeah. I know things started off hard to navigate, and I get that it’s a lot. But you fit here. With June, with me... I don’t want you going back and forth anymore. Stay here at the ranch.”
Levi reached over, brushing a stray curl from her face, his touch gentle but full of meaning. “We don’t have to be perfect. Just us.”
Emery smiled, a weight lifted from her chest. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yeah. I want that too… Lainey will be back in a couple of days, and then I can make the full switch.”
Emery sat there, still thinking about the letter from her old boss. She needed to tell Levi about it. She’d been ignoring it for days and had shoved it to the bottom of the stack of mail on the counter. But now, sitting here with Levi, the words replayed in her mind. The threats of blacklisting her, ruining her reputation, making sure no one would hire her again... and worse.
Her heart sank. What would Levi think? Thingswere going so well. What if he thought she was trouble—or worse, what if he believed Denny’s lies that she’d actually slept her way to the top, just like the rumors those women in town whispered.
Her hands fidgeted as she imagined how Levi might react if he ever learned the whole story.“You’re not the kind of woman I want my daughter around.” “I don’t need drama. I need someone I can trust.”
The doubt gnawed at her. Maybe Levi would hate her, or pity her. Maybe all the hope she felt about making this work would come crashing down.
What if this was the one thing that would push him away?
What if she let herself fall too deep, only for Denny to come back and tear it all apart?
“Emery… I feel like you’re holding back.”
She looked down at her hands, picking at the frayed edge of her cut-off shorts.
