True Love Cowboy by Jennifer Ryan

Jon released Emmy’s hand so she could knock on the door.

His dad opened it a few seconds later with a big smile for his favorite little person. “Hey, sweet girl. I’ve been missing you.” His dad sank to one knee and wrapped Emmy in a hug.

Jon loved seeing his little girl smile and how his dad closed his eyes, breathed her in, and held her like she was a precious gift.

She was to both of them.

Emmy leaned back. “Did you get me something?”

“Go check your toy chest.”

Emmy tried to get past him, but his dad held her by the waist as she struggled to break free, giggling and laughing the whole time until his dad let her go. She raced over to the wood box, lifted the lid, and squeezed the plush gray-and-white puppy stuffed animal.

“I love him. Thank you.”

Jon closed the door behind him and joined his father by the coffee table. “It’s not the dog she wants, but let’s hope that keeps her happy for a little while longer.”

“The stables are looking good. The house is finished,” his dad pointed out.

Jon got the hint. With the house done, he could take Emmy down to the local animal shelter to pick out the puppy she really wanted. Soon.

Jon spotted the boxes his dad had come by and packed up at the house. They’d finally sorted what his dad wanted to keep, what could stay, and what needed to be donated or thrown out to make room for Jon’s things. “Do you need some help unpacking that stuff?”

His dad waved that off. “I’ll get to it later.” He lifted his chin toward Emmy. “Everything go okay this week?”

Jon nodded and tilted his head toward the kitchen so they could move away from Emmy and talk.

His dad took a jug of iced tea from the fridge and poured them each a glass while Emmy played with the puzzles she took out of the toy chest. His dad bought her something new each time they came for a visit so she’d have something to do here.

“Tell me,” his dad prompted.

“The phone calls and video chats every night are helping. Emmy had a good week at school. Steph has kept the house clean, fed Emmy decent meals, and they generally got along this week.”

“That’s good.”

“Yeah.” He didn’t have a whole lot of faith that Steph would do what she was supposed to without him checking on her every day.

“Well, Emmy looks good.”

Jon wished he didn’t have to worry about her having on clean clothes, that she’d had a recent bath, and her hair was brushed. Those things should be a given. “Yay for Steph. She made it through four days.”

His dad pressed his lips tight, not liking Jon’s sarcasm. “It’s a start.”

“Steph has had a lot of starts where Emmy is concerned.”

“Take the win. Enjoy your weekend with her.”

“I plan on it.” Plus he’d had a great week with Trinity.

“I take it that smile has more to do with the gorgeous blonde you’re seeing.”

Jon couldn’t help it. Just thinking about her made him happy. “I’ve never had anything like this.”

“When it’s right, it’s good. Makes a man want to hold on to it.”

“I can’t even think about losing her. With everything going on right now, the move, the renovation, the Steph drama, Trinity has been the bright spot in all of it. She’s just so easy to be around. When I’m with her . . . everything just feels right.”

His dad clamped his hand on Jon’s shoulder. “I’m happy for you, son. You know I like Trinity, but I especially like her for you and Emmy. She’s good and kind and just what the two of you need.”

“Emmy loves her. When I picked her up from school today, even though she knew we were coming to see you, she asked if Trinity was coming with us.”

“You should have invited her.”

“She’s working. But it says so much that Emmy can’t wait to see her. Emmy sees us together and she just accepts that our weekends include Trinity. They’re so good together.”

“Do you wish things could have been that way with Steph?”

Jon shook his head. “I always knew Steph and I were a just-for-fun kind of thing. Trinity . . . I think she’s a forever kind of thing.”

“Wow.” His dad smiled. “I’m happy for you, son.”

“I’m worried,” Jon admitted.

“Why? Because of Steph?”

“What if she can’t hack it here on her own and wants to go back to California? I can’t make her stay. A custody battle could take years if her father backs her and pays for a lawyer to drag it out. I may have to do what’s best for Emmy and go back to California and fight Steph there.”

“Don’t borrow trouble. She had a good week. Wait and see if she can turn that into more. Maybe she got the wake-up call she needed and is really trying to do right by Emmy and make a new life here.”

“I hope so, because the thought of leaving Trinity to go back and fight with Steph leaves me cold. I’d hate to do it, but . . .”

“Trinity knows Emmy comes first. You two would work something out. Maybe your lawyer would get the courts to make Steph stay here until you settled the matter.”

“I don’t know. You’re right. I’m worrying about what could happen instead of focusing on what’s happening right now.” He’d keep up the check-in calls and video chats with Emmy when Steph had her and hope that helped keep Steph accountable. He hoped the longer she lived here, the more she’d settle in and make this home.

“Forget about all this for the weekend. Enjoy the time with your girls,” his dad encouraged.

He liked the sound of that. Because when he was with Emmy and Trinity, he was happier than he’d ever been.

And Emmy loved spending time with her grandpa. Tonight they’d eat pizza and take a walk to the nearby park where Emmy liked her grandpa to push her high on the swings and catch her at the bottom of the slide.

Jon hoped they didn’t have to move back with Steph and leave the two people he loved behind.