Home For a Cowboy Christmas(18)

“No.”

Joe blew out a frustrated breath as he tossed his pen down and tilted his head to look at her. “No to getting yourself sorted out?”

“Oh, I’m going to do that. I said no to being by your side.”

“Suit yourself. You haven’t been with me in a while. No one will miss you.”

Stella lifted her chin. “I’m leaving for New Jersey. A car is taking me to the airport the moment I walk from your office.”

“A trip to your family sounds like a good idea. How long will you be gone?”

“Forever,” she said as she grabbed her purse and got to her feet.

Joe frowned. “You’re my wife, Stella. We can live in separate houses, but you have to be in Denver.”

“I don’t have to do a goddamn thing for you, Joseph Roma. Not for much longer, anyway. I’ve filed for divorce. My family knows everything. They’re expecting me, and if I don’t get on that plane, the entire family will descend upon Denver in a matter of hours.”

“I see,” Joe said softly. “I suppose the alliance our families had is over, as well?”

“That depends on the divorce,” she said before turning and starting for the door. Just as she reached it, she paused and looked at him over her shoulder. “We might not have been in love, but we could’ve had a decent life together. You weren’t there when I needed someone the most. I believe you get back in kind what you put out into the world. One of these days, you’re going to need someone desperately, and no one will be there.”

Joe watched her go, both relieved to have her out of his life and unsure how it would affect his future business dealings. He didn’t have time to think about Stella, the divorce, or the repercussions when he had to focus on Emmy.

He and Tony exchanged a look. Tony nodded and followed Stella out. He would trail her, making sure she got on the plane to New Jersey as expected. Joe wouldn’t have her family after him.





Chapter 9


Dwight stamped his feet on the porch steps to knock the snow from his boots. His breath billowed as he blew out. He was cold to his bones. The snowstorm had finally begun to let up about an hour ago.

Sam waited for him by the door, wanting the warmth of inside as much as Dwight did. He unlocked the door and walked inside the house. His gaze moved around the area, searching for Emmy as he hung his hat and did the same with his coat after removing it. Only the under-cabinet lights in the kitchen were on. Emmy had dimmed the living area lights, and the glow of a fire illuminated the rug and sofa.

Dwight started toward the fire. Sam rushed ahead of him, but it wasn’t the heat from the fire the dog wanted. Instead, he went to the sofa. As Dwight neared, he spotted lean legs covered by a throw blanket. Emmy was curled on her side, fast asleep.

He looked at Sam, who rested his head on the couch near Emmy’s arm. Dark eyes looked from Emmy to Dwight, silently asking for permission to curl up next to her. Dwight shook his head. With a sigh, Sam plopped down on the rug.

Dwight smiled to himself as he went to the fireplace and stretched out his hands to warm them. Damn, it had been a long afternoon. He was hungry and in need of a shower, but all he wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep. He turned and sat on the hearth as he dropped his head into his hands and closed his eyes.

“Tough day?”

His head jerked up at the sound of Emmy’s voice. His eyes locked with hers. “You could say that.”

She pushed herself into a sitting position and swung her legs over the side of the sofa. After carefully folding the throw, she reached down to pet Sam, smiling as she whispered something to the dog. Then her gaze was back on Dwight. “Are you hungry?”

“Starving.”

“I’m pretty good at heating things up. Or I can make you a sandwich,” she offered.

He smiled. It had been a long time since anyone had offered such a thing to him. “It doesn’t matter.”

“You’re covered in mud. Why don’t you jump in the shower while I get your food ready?”

It was an offer he couldn’t pass up. Dwight nodded and got to his feet. Without a word, he removed his boots to leave them there and walked to the master. The moment he got into the bathroom, he began tugging off his clothes. His cell phone dropped from his pants’ pocket to the floor, and 11:42 popped up on the screen.

He retrieved the phone and put it on the counter next to the sink before turning on the shower. The instant steam began filling the room, he stepped beneath the spray. The water stung his skin because he was so cold, but he still didn’t turn it down. Prickles of feeling from his toes ran up his legs as the water warmed him.

Dwight didn’t know how long he stood there before he finally reached for the soap and washed. He kept his eyes closed the entire time. Working on a ranch often left him exhausted at the end of the day, but today had been particularly difficult. He was drained—mentally, emotionally, and physically.

When he finished rinsing, he turned off the water and grabbed a towel to dry himself. His stomach rumbled, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten since lunch. Dwight put on some underwear and a pair of sweatpants and a long-sleeved tee. He sat on the edge of the bed for just a moment.

The next thing he knew, his alarm was going off. Dwight groggily rolled over and stumbled his way to the bathroom, where he had left his phone. He turned off the alarm and braced his hands on the counter as he hung his head. Surely, it couldn’t already be morning. He had just wanted a moment to close his eyes last night. But a check of his phone confirmed that it was indeed morning.