“Make sure to ice that shoulder for twenty minutes as soon as you get home, Ms. Elbert,” Emmy called to her last patient of the day. She’d already sent her assistant, Hillary, home for the day, and she was looking forward to a nice, hot bath once she got home.

“Excuse me, ma’am, I need a rub down please.”

She turned to see Deke standing in the waiting room, a big goofy grin on his face.

“I’m sorry, but we don’t offer ‘rub downs’,” she said, using air quotes. “I think you’re looking for a whorehouse.”

Deke laughed. His laugh filled the entire room.

“Seriously, I just wanted to come and say goodbye. I’m heading back to Vegas tonight, so I’m driving to the airport today.”

Emmy wiped down her last table and tossed the cloth into the laundry hamper nearby. “Well, I’ll miss you and your witty repartee.”

“I know you will. Listen, I was wondering if I could talk to you?”

Emmy was hesitant, but too curious to say no. “Sure.”

“Can I sit?”

Emmy nodded her head as Deke sat on the edge of the massage table.

“Nash is my best friend.”

“Yes, I gathered that.”

“I only want the best for him. You know that, right?”

“Of course.”

“I think he loves you.”

Emmy’s lungs felt like they emptied and wouldn’t refill themselves.

“What?”

“Look, I’ve known Nash for many years. I’ve never seen him like this.”

“Like what?”

Deke sighed. “Do you know that the whole time I’ve been here, Nash never asked me much of anything about the rodeo?”

Emmy was surprised by that. “He didn’t?”

“Nope. And this is a guy who lived and breathed rodeo a few weeks ago.”

“So what did he talk about then?”

“Family. Therapy. You, mainly.”

“He did?”

“He talked about things you did when ya’ll were growing up, your mother’s memory issues, stuff like that. I know more about you than I do about him, Emmy.”

“Okay. Well, I’m sorry he didn’t talk about rodeo. Maybe he doesn’t want to be reminded of what he’s missed out on these last few weeks.”

“No, you’re misunderstanding me. I think it’s great.”

“You do?”

“Yes. Nash has always needed someone to ground him. He was over-focused on the rodeo. I kept telling him that we’re getting older, and it might be time to settle into a real life, but he would always fight me on it. Now I know why.”

“And why is that?” Emmy asked, confused.

“Oh, you silly woman. He never settled down because he had already met his soul mate a long time ago. No one else was ever going to be good enough, so he settled for bulls and horses.”

“I don’t think…” Emmy stammered.

“It’s okay, Emmy. You’ll realize I’m right soon enough,” Deke said as he started toward the door.

“Deke, why are you telling me this anyway?”

He smiled as he opened the door. “Because I like you, and Nash deserves more in his life. Goodbye, Emmy.”

And with that, Deke walked out, leaving Emmy with more questions than answers and a huge knot in her stomach.

* * *

“So, what are you doing for the 4^th of July?” Nash asked as he stretched his arms out wide. Emmy had him using these stretchy bands that seemed to come straight from Satan himself.

“Ah, let me think. I’m working and then I will spend the evening at home eating ice cream and watching fireworks out the living room window.”

“That sounds… dull. And where will Pauline be?”

“Actually, Mom has a date.”

“A date?”

“Yep,” she said, handing him a harder band. Nash sighed and took it, knowing that arguing was pointless. “Some guy she met at the VFW.”

“Good old Pauline.”

“Of course, we probably won’t be living together by then anyway.”

“What? Why?”

“We talked, and I’m getting my own place.”

Nash stopped for a moment. “Back in Atlanta?”

“No, of course not. Atlanta is in the past for me, I think.”

“Really? I thought you wanted to go back.”

“There’s nothing there for me anymore. Besides, I love my job here.”

“Wow. So you’re staying in Whiskey Ridge?”

“I suppose so. At least for the time being. Mom still needs me around, whether she’ll admit it or not.”

Nash smiled. “I’m happy for you, Em. You found your place, and it turned out to be right here at home.”

“Home? I thought you considered Vegas to be your home?”

Nash cleared his throat. “I do. I meant this is your home.”

“Oh. Right. Okay, let’s switch to legs.”

“So have you found a place?”

“I’m actually going to look at one after we finish. The man lives out of town and has a cottage up near the river that he wants to rent. It’s a great deal, but he’s only here for today so I have to go on my lunch break.”

“Want some company?”

Nash was surprised to hear himself ask that. But for some reason, he really wanted to protect her, and meeting some random guy in the woods near the river just seemed too dangerous.

“If you want to come along, you’re welcome to.”

“Okay. Sounds like a plan.” There was no way he was telling her he wanted to protect her because Emmy wouldn’t take too kindly to him hovering over her. She was definitely an independent woman.

“So, how are things with your Dad and his love?”

“Great. She’s really amazing. I can’t wait for you to meet her.”

“What?”

Nash stopped stretching the cord and it his lip.

“I mean… I don’t actually know what that meant, to be honest. I just thought you’d like her.”

Emmy smiled. “Well, I hope I do get to meet her some day.”

“How about Wednesday evening?”

“The fourth of July?”

“Yeah. We’re having a get together at the house.”

“Your Dad’s house?”

“Yes…”

“No…”

“Come on, Em. Give him a chance to…”

“To what, Nash? Yell at me? Make me feel small and worthless? Yeah, I’ve been on that ride before and it made me throw up,” she said, turning and looking down at her chart.

“He’s different now, Em. I don’t know how to explain it.”

Emmy looked at him and smiled sadly. “I’m happy for you, Nash. I think it’s great that you’re repairing your relationship with your father. I really do. But I don’t have to subject myself to him and the memories… I’m sorry.”

Nash nodded and sighed. “I understand.”

“Are you ready to go see the cottage? He’s meeting me there in fifteen minutes.”

“Sure. Let’s head out.”

* * *

“Mr. Cronin, this place is wonderful!” Emmy said to the older man as they walked out onto the back deck overlooking the river.

“So you’ll take it?”

“Yes, absolutely. I brought the security deposit and first month’s rent with me, so if you want to go ahead and sign the lease, I’d love to move in over the next few days if that works?”

“That would be wonderful. My wife and I will be traveling out West in our RV for the next few months, so having a reliable tenant in our house will be such a blessing.”

Emmy read the lease and signed it before he gave her the keys and then headed out. Nash kept quiet for the most part, letting her take the lead.

When Mr. Cronin pulled away in his compact car, Emmy started jumping up and down.

“Can you believe I get to live here?”

Nash smiled. “Is someone a little excited?”

“This is my dream home, Nash. The big deck overlooking the river. The quiet. The garden area. I can plant tomatoes this year!”

“I hate tomatoes.”

“Yeah, I remember. But I get to live here! How amazing is that?”

For the first time in months - actually, years - Emmy felt positive and hopeful about the future. She actually felt excited, which was almost a foreign feeling to her. The last time she’d truly felt excited was when she was a teenager and Nash had asked her out on a date for the first time. That thought caused butterflies in her stomach for a moment.

“This place really is great, Em. I’m so happy for you,” he said, leaning over the railing and looking down at the moving water below. “Maybe I can get my life back on course soon too.”

Emmy put her hand on his shoulder. “You’re getting there, Nash. All of this will be a memory soon, don’t worry.”

Nash slowly turned and looked at her. “What if I don’t want this to be a memory?”

“What?” Emmy’s breath caught in her throat.

Nash took both of her hands. “Being with you these last few weeks has made me see that I’ve been running from memories for all these years, and maybe they weren’t as scary as I thought.”

Emmy smiled. “Some of them were.”

“Thank you for not hating me, Emmy.”

She couldn’t help herself as she hugged him tightly, taking in the scent of his cologne. “I could never hate you, Nash. You were the great love of my life.”

Dang. Why had she said that? Freaking cologne.

Nash pulled back and looked at her. “You still are the great love of my life, Emmy.” Before she could respond or think of any rational thought, he slid his hand up the side of her face and leaned in, pressing his lips softly to hers.

Emmy froze in place, closing her eyes as she took in the moment. It had been so many years since she’d felt his lips against hers, smelled the faint aroma of strong coffee on his breath.

And then he was gone. He pulled back and took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry, Em.” He turned and looked at the river once more. “Too many memories. It almost feels like no time has passed.”

“But it has,” Emmy said softly. Truthfully, she wanted another kiss more than she wanted her next breath, but she wasn’t about to admit it to him.

“Yes, it has. And, no pun intended, a lot of water under the bridge.”

“I think a pun was intended,” she said with a sad chuckle. “I wish things could’ve been different.”

Nash turned to her again, a sadness in his eyes. “Me too. But we’re in a good place now, right?”

“We are.”

“Good. I don’t want to lose that. I’ve missed having you in my life all these years. More than I knew, I think.”

Emmy touched his arm. “I’ve missed you too.”

“And we both know that starting something up wouldn’t be…”

“Right. Of course. You’re going across the country, and this is good. This relationship we have now is… good.”

Nash smiled. “Seeing you smile again makes me happy.”

Emmy looked out over the river. “I finally feel hopeful again. You know, like there might be a real life out there for me. For so long, I thought I needed Steve to take care of me, but now I realize that I can take care of myself. I feel peaceful here in Whiskey Ridge, and I didn’t think that was possible. That cloud of darkness that I used to feel when I came back here is gone, and now it feels like home again.”

“You belong here, Em. You always have. And the next man you fall in love with dang well better take care of you or he’ll have me to deal with.”

Emmy smiled, but her heart ached at the same time. The next man she fell in love with? That didn’t seem possible.

“So, since you’re in a celebratory mood, will you please reconsider my dinner invitation?” Nash crinkled his eyes and put his hands together in a praying position.

“Why is this so important to you?” she asked.

“I don’t know. I guess because I need some closure?”

“And how would this be closure exactly?” she asked, leaning against the deck railing.

Nash laughed. “I don’t really know, to be honest. I just know I want you there, Em. Please?”

She took a deep breath and smiled. “Fine. But only because I want to brag about my new house and see who this patient woman is who has decided to hitch her star to your father’s wagon.”

* * *

“So he kissed you?” Debbie said, her eyes wide as she sat across from Emmy on the expansive deck. The river was roaring today, making conversation a little more difficult than normal.

“Yes, but it was over very quickly, trust me. He pulled back like I was a live power line.”

“Did he say why?”

“Sort of. He doesn’t want to lose our friendship, he likes where we are, blah blah blah.” Emmy sipped her coffee and looked at her cousin.

“And how do you feel about that?”

“Well, I told him…”

“That’s not what I asked. I asked how you feel.”

Emmy smiled at Debbie. “I have no idea.”

“I think you do.”

“It doesn’t matter, Deb. He’s almost well enough to go back to Vegas. He has a life there. And he sure isn’t going to give all that up for Whiskey Ridge.”

“No. But I bet he’d give it all up for another chance with you.”

Emmy sighed. “I don’t want him to.”

“What do you mean you don’t want him to?”

“I want Nash to be happy, and if Vegas is where he’s happy, then that’s what I want for him. If being with me is going to make him miserable because it would require him to come back to Whiskey Ridge, then I don’t want that for him.”

“Em…”

“Debbie, please stop. Nash and I are destined to be just friends and that’s all. And that’s okay.”

Debbie smiled at her sadly. “I think you want to believe that, my sweet cousin, but I sure don’t think it’s the truth.”