“Don’t forget sexy.”
Charlotte gave a strangled laugh that died off in another sob.
“Oh, honey. I hate that you’re hurting. Can you tell me what happened?”
“I don’t even know. We didn’t argue or anything. He just told me first thing this morning that it was over. We had an agreement that he’d tell me if this wasn’t working for him instead of just taking off like Vince did.”
“But he did take off.”
“He offered to stay until I found a replacement. But I can’t work with him, feeling this way about him. You know it hurt me when Vince left... but this feels so much worse.”
“You love Gunner.”
“So much. Oh, Emmie, I didn’t know how much until today. And now it’s too late.”
Emerson rubbed Charlotte’s back for a while. Until the sobs died down again. Then after Charlotte drew away and blew her nose on a paper towel, Emmie asked, “Do you want to talk about the other? The Robinsons?”
Might as well get it all out there. She had to talk to someone. So she told Emerson about the run-in with Gavin last night and finished with Cooper’s visit.
“It sounds like there might be some hope, at least where Cooper’s concerned.”
Charlotte sniffed. “I guess. He was really pretty understanding.”
“Maybe the rest of the family will come around. You didn’t mean any harm.” Emerson took Charlotte’s hand and gave her a pained look. “Char, I need to say something: I’ve been kind of a brat about Craig and the Robinsons. I should’ve been more supportive. I should’ve been happy for you.”
“And I should’ve been honest with you from the start. I understand why you were worried. We’ve always been so close.”
Emerson’s eyes went glassy. “I felt threatened by them. I was afraid of losing you.”
Charlotte dragged her sister into her arms, holding her tight. “Oh, sweetheart, that could never happen. You’re my family and you always will be no matter what.”
“I know that in my head. It’s my heart that’s having trouble.”
And no wonder. Emerson’s mother had abandoned her after all. And then their mom had died suddenly. “I love you, honey, and so did Mom.”
“I know. I was just feeling a little bitter about how she handled the ranch in the end, but she didn’t mean to slight me. She just loved it so much she wanted to preserve it. I can see why she confided in you. She was always so hopeful we’d run it together. And now she’s gone and sometimes I feel like I’m losing you too.”
Charlotte drew back and palmed her sister’s face. “I will never leave you, Emmie.”
“I’ll never leave you either.”
Charlotte gave a wry grin. “Except to run a bakery clear across the state?”
“Let’s not think about that right now. What do you need from me? I can take a bit of time off from the bakery—I have some PTO. I can pitch in around here the next couple weeks. Isn’t Trail Days this weekend?”
Charlotte’s stomach dropped. She had a booth, and since they’d begun offering lessons, she’d advertised pony rides also. Plus, she’d have to see Lisa at the event and would probably run into all the Robinsons at some point. “I don’t even want to think about all that right now.”
“You won’t have to. I’ll handle the pony rides, and you run the booth. We’ve got this.”
Her heart turned to mush. “Really? Are you sure Vivian won’t mind you missing work?”
“She’ll understand that family comes first.”
Charlotte grabbed her sister in another hug. “Thank you for this. And thank you for listening. I can’t tell you what it means to have you in my corner.”
Emerson leaned back and met her gaze. “Always. We’ll get through this together. That’s what family does.”
Forty-One
