A Town Called Valentine(81)

“Well, I try to be, but I don’t have to try about this. I guess I’ll ask you to dinner and take my chances.”

Emily smiled, knowing she was too curious to refuse. Nate would just have to understand. “Thank you so much. I’d love to come. And please, I’d like to contribute. Let me bring dessert.”

“Then I’m off the hook for having to compete with this.” Sandy ate another bite, watching her. “I hear you helped herd the cattle.”

“No, I clung for dear life to your husband, while he herded the cattle.” Emily laughed. “It was a wild, exciting ride.”

“It’s not a job for the faint of heart,” Sandy said, shaking her head. “You have to love it, and love the life. The long days can be grueling, but being together as a family makes everything worthwhile.”

Emily could have melted inside at the warmth and contentment in Sandy’s voice. After a terrible beginning as a young woman, she’d found everything she ever wanted, children, a home. Emily wanted to change her life, too, and for just a moment, she imagined doing it here, in Valentine, with those mountains standing guard, and the wide-open, vivid blue sky proving that anything was possible. She felt suddenly empty imagining those mountains replaced with towering concrete.

She found herself blurting, “I’ve learned so much in the few weeks I’ve been in town. Life in Valentine Valley is so different from San Francisco.”

“I hope you consider that a good thing.” Sandy lowered her voice as Monica went to wait on a customer.

“It’s made me see things in a different way. Frankly, I’ve felt more relaxed here, more at peace with the decisions I’ve made. I was pretty unhappy when I got here, but now I know things will work out.”

“Because you’ll make it happen.” Sandy smiled. “Sometimes all we can hope is to be at peace with our decisions, especially after a bad marriage. I’m not sure Nate told you, but I can relate to your problems.”

“Yes, Nate mentioned your first husband. I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”

Sandy’s husband left her because she had been diagnosed with MS—not too different from Greg’s leaving her over not being able to have children. And in that moment, it all rushed back on Emily, the sadness, the emptiness. But it didn’t overwhelm her. Suddenly, she realized that Sandy had touched her hand and now gave it a supportive squeeze.

They smiled at each other.

The flower-shop door jingled as it was opened, and Nate strode in. Dressed in jeans and a polo shirt, hat in his hand, he came up short when he saw the three women, and his gaze focused on Sandy touching Emily’s hand.

Monica chuckled and escaped into the workroom.

“Hi, Nate,” Sandy said, grinning up at him.

Emily thought her eyes sparkled with mischief, and Emily sat back in her chair to watch Nate’s reaction.

“Hi, Mom,” he said, then glanced at Emily. “I’m early, I know. Sorry.”

Yet his look told her he was glad he’d come early. Emily gave him an innocent smile. “No problem. Come have a croissant with your mom while I get ready to leave.”

Nate watched Emily as she sauntered into the workroom looking way too satisfied. He put his fists on his hips and studied his mom. “Well?”

“Well what?” she asked innocently. “Oh, Nate, you need to try these croissants.”

“I’m saving my appetite. I imagine Emily told you why,” he said dryly.

“Actually, we didn’t talk much about you at all. I take it you and Emily have a date? Where are you taking her?”

“Into Aspen.”

“That makes sense. She shouldn’t travel all this way and not see it. Who knows if she’ll ever get back here?”

That made Nate grit his teeth, but he hid his reaction with a pleasant, “So what brought you into town? Where’s Aunt Marilyn?”

“I came to meet Emily. Marilyn wanted to relax this morning after the trip yesterday. We’re spending the afternoon at the spa up valley. Have you ever had one of their massages? I feel so alive afterward.”

Nate didn’t want to hear spa stories. “You came to meet Emily? Why?”

“Because I didn’t get to meet her yesterday. And since you’ve been spending so much time with her, I thought I should meet the woman who could pull you away from work.” She shrugged her shoulders as if it all made perfect sense.