Fake Marriage Box Set

“I don’t think I did anything,” I replied. “Things were going great between us and then she just stopped showing up at the ranch.” I shook my head as I rubbed the back of my neck. I felt better getting some of this off my chest, even if it really wasn’t helping me figure out how to solve this Emma problem.

“You love her though, right?” Tex asked.

I nodded, sighing as I answered. “Yeah, I do. I just don’t know what happened.”

“Relationships aren’t all sunshine and roses,” Big Tom said, leaning over onto his elbows on the table and staring hard at me. “You have to work at them to make them successful.”

I took a sip of my coffee, not really wanting it, but just needing the time to think through this. When the waitress wandered over to take breakfast orders, I asked for toast and nothing else. I hadn’t been very hungry lately. Emma not being around had twisted most of the desire to do much of anything right out of me.

“Women aren’t easy to figure out,” Laraby said. “I’m still trying with my wife, and it’s been close to fifty years.”

The table erupted with laughter, a few of the men pounding on the table with their open hands and making our mugs of coffee jump. I couldn’t help but smile.

“The important thing is to try,” Big Tom said. “Emma seems like a straight shooter. If she’s upset, it’s probably because you did some dumbass thing that you might not have even realized you were doing at the time.”

I nodded, even though I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what I might have done. It wouldn’t surprise me to find out I’d done something terrible without realizing it. I just wished Emma would tell me.

“If you love this girl, don’t let her go without a fight,” Winston piped up, and I lifted my eyebrows. He didn’t often weigh in on most matters, choosing to hold his tongue while the other men talked. When he did speak, everyone else fell quiet, even Big Tom.

“Winston’s right,” Laraby said. “You have to find a way to talk to her.”

“I tried calling, but she won’t answer the phone,” I said. “And, she hasn’t been to work all week.”

“She’s got to live somewhere, son.” Big Tom stared hard at me. “Go find her and get this figured out now before it’s too late. She might tell you to leave her the hell alone, but at least you’ll know. If you don’t find out what happened, you’ll be kicking yourself for the rest of your life.”

I knew that much was true.

I drove back to the farm after breakfast, thinking of what I’d say when I pulled up and saw Emma’s little blue car in the driveway. But she wasn’t there. Lacey wasn’t due in, either, but at least I knew what was going on with her and that she’d be back on Monday. It was going to be another long, lonely day on the ranch. It just didn’t feel right around here without Emma.

Instead of getting right to work, I went to the porch and sat down next to Riley.

“I don’t know what to do, old boy,” I said. “I must have done something wrong, and now Emma won’t come to work or speak to me. What would you do in my place, Riley? Would you go after your girl even if she didn’t seem to want a damned thing to do with you anymore?”

I looked down at the curled up shape of my scruffy old mutt, but he hadn’t even lifted his head at the sound of my voice. Sighing, I sat back in my seat to puzzle this out.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Emma

Saturday

I was out back with Kasey, drinking coffee while we watched Daddy walking around the barn, looking for things that needed set right. I’d come over before the sun rose to help out with the horses and a few other chores on the property. Now I was relaxing for a minute before the sunshine strengthened and the heat of the day set in. I’d told Daddy I’d help him in his garden today. Anything that kept me busy all day was good.

“You were right,” I told Kasey, just coming right out with it because I wanted this part of the conversation over with.

My conversation with Jack had done the opposite of ease my mind. I hadn’t been able to forget the sight of Lacey in Pete’s arms, and nothing Jack had said made me feel any better about it. I needed to hear what another woman had to say. And, Kasey was always there to listen to my problems. She knew me better than anyone, and there was no one I trusted more in this world besides Daddy. If she agreed with Jack that this wasn’t an issue, I might consider talking to Pete. If not, I’d let things lie the way they were.

Kasey glanced over, eyes wide with surprise. She looked fifteen again, with no makeup on, her hair pulled into short pigtails, and wearing a matching pajama set. “What do you mean?” she asked.

“What you said about Pete and Lacey having feelings for each other.” I kept my eyes on the small, solid shape of Daddy as he walked to the front of the barn and then disappeared inside. I could feel Kasey’s eyes burning into the side of my head, but not looking right into them helped.

“I saw them together, hugging like they were in love. I don’t know why they went to so much trouble convincing me they were friends just to turn around and rub their feelings for each other in my face like that.”

I tightened my jaw, swallowing back the tears that were burning in my eyes all of a sudden. I went from being angry to heartbroken in a span of a few seconds. I just wanted to move on with my life, but I couldn’t help how hurt I felt.

Kasey sighed long and low. “I tried to warn you.” But she didn’t sound like she was rubbing it in my face. I looked over at her, and her big eyes were shiny with how upset she was for me. “I’m sorry, Em. Pete’s such a nice guy. I really thought things were good between you.”

I nodded, trying to smile a little but not quite making it. “I did, too.”