Cooper nodded. “Thanks for your help.” Emma could tell he was overwhelmed with everything. His eyes flickered around the room, taking everything in.
Her entire family were standing there now, waiting for their orders. Every one of them had stopped everything to help look for Sadie. Emma’s eyes teared up as she looked at all the familiar faces, ready to help find a scared little girl.
Spike walked over. “We have quads and other all-terrain vehicles everyone can use, so just let us know where we’re looking next, and I’ll make sure everyone has what they need.”
Emma squeezed Cooper’s hand, making sure he could see he had people here willing to help. This was one time he wasn’t alone.
Cooper’s jaw was moving as he looked like he was struggling with the emotions he was feeling. This whole day had been a rollercoaster of worry, then elation, and now fear for his niece.
“I appreciate it.”
One of the other girls who worked in the coffee shop walked over, handing Emma some sandwiches and a thermos of coffee. “Don’t worry about anything here. I’ve got everything under control.”
Emma made a mental note to make sure the girl got a raise.
They all came up with the plan, and everyone was assigned an area to look. As each of them left to start searching, Emma watched Cooper who stood staring at them all going through the door.
“We’ll find her, Cooper. She’s just scared, but I’m sure by now, she’s ready to come home.”
“I just hope we’re not too late. It’s going to be dark soon, and I can’t bear to think of her being out there by herself. Not to mention how cold it gets at night now.” He thrust his fingers through his hair. “I should have reassured her more. Or better yet, I should have just left with her and not ever put her through any of this.”
“Cooper, stop. You know you couldn’t have prepared her any more than you did. And if you’d run, you would have lost her for sure.”
But he wasn’t listening. He was headed to the door, determination evident in his eyes.
Emma raced to keep up, and as they came outside, Jack and Erin stood there with Tank wagging his tail, pulling on his leash when he saw Emma. “We went and grabbed Tank. We thought maybe he could help us find her. He’s not the smartest dog, but he’s loyal, and if he loves you, I’m sure he’d go to the end of the earth for you. Do you have anything of Sadie’s we could let him smell to see if he can maybe pick up a scent? I know it’s a long shot, but you never know.”
Cooper nodded. “I have one of her sweaters in my truck parked over in the lot by the station. We can grab it.”
They all followed as Cooper led them around the building. Tank somehow seemed to sense something was urgent, and he needed to be on his best behavior, because Emma had never seen the dog so focused.
Cooper grabbed the sweater and let Tank sniff it. Tank wagged his tail happily at the familiar smell of his new friend.
“We’ll keep driving around. If you pick up any trail, let us know.” Cooper was getting into his vehicle, so Emma moved to the other side to climb in with him.
“I’ll keep the sweater so Tank can sniff it every now and then. You never know what we might be able to find. And, Cooper? I know we may have gotten off on a rocky start, but I promise you, the Roberts family sticks together and we won’t stop until we find your niece. You both matter to Emma, so it matters to us too.”
Emma could feel her chin start to quiver with emotion. She was tired, and trying to be strong for Cooper all day had taken a toll on her. She’d never loved her family more than she did at this moment.
Suddenly, Tank pulled hard on the leash, ripping it free from Jack’s grip. “Tank! Stop. What are you doing?” Jack’s voice echoed in the empty lot as the dog raced away toward the back of the building.
They all ran after Tank, trying to catch him before they ended up having to search for the dog too. When they came around the corner, his back end was sticking out from the wooden structure that surrounded the coffee shop dumpsters. His tail wagged enthusiastically, and Jack went over to grab him by the collar and pull him back. “Seriously, Tank, this is not the time to be rooting through the garbage looking for scraps.” Jack’s voice was angry as he struggled with the dog who was trying to get back in between the metal bins.
Tank pulled away again, this time whining as he pawed at the ground, trying to get to something. He finally squeezed in enough, and just as Jack went to grab him again, they heard a small voice.
“Stop it, Tank. Get off me.”
As Jack got the dog back, Emma peered in and saw Sadie crouched between the dumpsters, trying to hide.
Cooper reached in and pulled her out, taking her in his arms and crushing the small body to him. “Sadie Marie Levine. What were you thinking, running away like that?”
By now Sadie was crying, burying her face into her uncle’s shoulder.
“I didn’t want to have to leave you. I was scared the judge would say I had to go live with that man who knows my daddy. But I just want to stay with you.”
The words came out through broken sobs, making Tank worry even more about his friend. He was over pushing his nose against her leg as it dangled down from Cooper’s waist.
As Cooper made his way to the back door of the coffee shop, he shouted over his shoulder. “Jack, make sure you give that dog a steak for me tonight. He’s earned it.”
Nineteen
“I still don’t know if this is a good idea. I like animals, but a dog is a big commitment.” Cooper reluctantly let Emma drag him into the building, with Sadie leading the way.
“Cooper, I told you, she needs something that gives her a sense of security, and what better way than with a dog. Maybe we can find one like Tank for her.”
Cooper dug in his heels. “Okay, I will admit I have a genuine fondness for that dog, but he’s kind of big and clumsy and in your face. I don’t know if I can deal with that every day.”
They had just pulled into the rescue center after having Wednesday lunch at her parents. Emma had only just mentioned to him yesterday after Tank found Sadie, that she thought it would be a good idea for her to have a pet of her own.
Sadie had overheard, and had been asking him about it ever since. Cooper was sure Emma hadn’t even tried to keep it from Sadie, knowing full well he wouldn’t be able to say no to his niece.
And of course, once Jack caught wind of it, he’d been coaxing Sadie even more at lunch today. He’d told her dogs are great for snuggling at bedtime, and for sharing all your secrets with because they can never tell anyone else. He’d offered to come and help them choose one, but Cooper had said he was going to have a hard enough time keeping the other two reined in, without Jack adding to the excitement.
They started to make their way around the pens, and Cooper’s heart broke at all the sad faces looking out behind the cages. The barking echoed loudly in the small penned area in the concrete building. They all looked so desperate for someone to take them home. This was one of the reasons he didn’t want to come in here. If he wasn’t careful, he knew he’d be leaving with every single one of these dogs.
“Uncle Cooper, come here.” Sadie’s voice reached his ears as he made his way behind Emma.
The volunteer who worked there stopped and looked into the pen that Sadie was pointing at.
“Oh, that’s Belle. She probably won’t look your way, sweetie. There are other dogs more suited to a little girl. Why don’t you come take a look at them?” The woman smiled down at Sadie, then started to walk down the aisle a bit more.
But Sadie was watching Belle intently. “What’s wrong with her?”
The woman stopped again and came over to the pen. “Nothing really, she’s just sad. When we rescued her, she was nothing but skin and bones, and she was terrified of people. We don’t think the people who owned her before were very nice to her. Now she just stays in her pen and doesn’t even look at people.”
Cooper crouched down beside Sadie and looked in at the small d
og in the back corner. It was a mix of brown and black fur, in a shaggy mess that hung down over her face. Out of all of the cute dogs they’d walked past, trust Sadie to find this one.
“Why don’t we see what else there is? Maybe we can find a nice big dog like Tank.” He ignored Emma’s sharp blow of air as she made sure he remembered she had mentioned the same thing moments ago and been shot down.
“Hi, Belle. I’m Sadie.”
Sadie had obviously decided to ignore any attempts to look at the other dogs until she’d had a chance to spend some time with this one. He figured it wouldn’t hurt to stay there a couple more minutes. They weren’t in any hurry.
The small ball of fur slowly turned her head toward Sadie, and lifted her eyes to meet the girl who was speaking to her. Cooper was sure he noticed the small mass of fur covering the tail start to move.
The rescue worker gasped softly at seeing the dog turn toward the voice, so she crouched down on the other side of Sadie. Emma stood behind him, holding her hand on his shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’ve never seen poor Belle even look at anyone in the eyes before. She must like the sound of your voice.”
The woman was astounded as they sat and watched.
“How old is Belle?” Cooper thought he may as well ask even though he was still hoping Sadie would choose a different one because if she was an old dog, he didn’t know if could face explaining another death to Sadie. It would be cruel to let her get attached to an animal that couldn’t be with her for a long time.
“We figure she’s about three. She came to us in such a mess, it was difficult to know for sure.”
Sadie stuck her finger through the holes in the metal cage. “You’re a pretty girl, Belle. That’s just what your name means. Like from Beauty and the Beast.”
The dog lifted her head from her paws and now her tail was slowly wagging back and forth. Her ears perched forward as though she was listening to every word Sadie said.
“I can’t believe it,” the worker’s voice was a hushed whisper.
Sadie just kept her fingers in the pen, patiently waiting for the dog to come over to her. Cooper was just thinking it would never happen, when the dog slowly rose to her feet and timidly walked toward Sadie. She tentatively touched her wet nose to the outstretched finger.
“Would you like to come home with me, Belle?”
Somehow, Cooper had known Sadie would pick this dog the minute she’d seen her, so he wasn’t really surprised. But he wasn’t sure they were ready for a dog that might have behavior issues.
“Are you sure this dog is a good fit, Sadie? Wouldn’t you rather have a dog you can run and play with like Tank?” Cooper was concerned this dog wouldn’t recover and Sadie would fret all the time. She’d had enough in her young life already to worry about over the years. He just wanted her to have a chance to be a carefree little girl.
Emma kneeled down beside him, putting her arm across his shoulders. “I think she’s lovely.”
Of course she would.
Cooper turned his head slightly, with his eyebrow raised. Emma gave him the most radiant smile he’d ever seen, not willing to take his hint.
“Please, Uncle Cooper. She needs someone to love her, just like I had you to love me.”
If his heart had never been ripped from its chest before, he was sure it was now lying on the ground at his niece’s feet. There was nothing in the world that was going to stop him from taking that dog home for her.
Twenty
“So, you promise me that you’ve told the station you aren’t coming in if any calls go out?”
Emma sighed. “Cooper, I already told you, tonight is just you and me. I promise.”
“Good.” Cooper put his hand out for hers, and led her out the back door. “Because you don’t want to let the listeners down. They’ve gone to so much trouble to vote and make sure this night goes off without a hitch.”
Emma shook her head as she stepped up into the truck, letting him close the door behind her. Cooper had gone on the air yesterday and announced that in the few weeks he’d been dating Emma Roberts, they’d never had a full date, one that lasted the entire evening without an interruption.
Once again he’d put it to a vote, letting the residents of Silver Springs decide if Emma should let Cooper have a chance for another first date, without anyone else being allowed to interrupt.
So much had happened since that first night she’d gone out with Cooper. Emma still couldn’t believe how everything had played out. And now she couldn’t even imagine life without Cooper, Sadie, or even little Belle.
The dog had moved in and become an entirely new dog within a few days. She would run outside and play with Sadie, and every night, she slept as close to the little girl as her body could get.
Cooper climbed in beside Emma and flashed her a smile. It was good to see the happiness in his face, after the worries he’d been facing. He was a different person now that he knew everything was finally working out.
“So, where are we going?”
He ignored her, grinning and starting the engine to pull away.
They drove for a while, until they were on the edge of town. “You know, there isn’t much left out here for us to do. Unless you’re planning on taking me hiking in the dark.”
He laughed. “No, I just thought the farther I got from home, the harder it would be for anything to drag you away from me.”
“You make it sound like we’re always surrounded with complete chaos and intrusions.”
The sun was making its way down behind the mountains in the distance. She peeked over to enjoy the view of him as they made their way out of town. He was focused on driving, but the corners of his lips were turned up in a smile, his dimples showing through the stubble on his jaw.
He glanced over and caught her looking. “We are always surrounded with chaos. In case you hadn’t realized, our first date ended with you running out on me. Since then, we’ve only been able to have quick visits and dates that involved bumping into at least one or more Roberts family member.”
His eyes went back to the road and his smile slipped slightly. “Then all the stuff happened with Sadie, and I haven’t had the chance to properly woo you.”
Her breath shot out in laughter. “Woo me?”
He turned down a dirt road just outside of town, and followed it until it came into a small clearing surrounded by brush. If a person didn’t know it was here, it would be impossible to see.
All around, were solar lights just starting to glow in the fading sunlight. The tallest tree had a string of lights streaming over into the other bushes around it. In the middle of everything was a blanket lying on the ground with a few pillows on one end.
“What’s this? How did you ever find this place?” Her voice was soft as she looked around in disbelief.
He stopped the vehicle and looked around with a hint of a smile on his face. “I used to come here a lot when I was in Silver Springs. So many times, I just needed a place to be alone and to think.” He turned his head and grinned. “Sometimes, I’d even sit here and think about a certain brown-haired girl who worked at the ice cream shop. I’d try to come up with ways to convince her to go out with me, but every time I’d actually see her, I’d chicken out. So instead, I just asked her to go for a ride on my bike, hoping she’d see how much I liked her.”
Emma sat in stunned silence as she realized she was seeing a place that had been a haven for him, and he was now sharing it with her.
He ran around to let her out the door. As he opened it, he bowed low, putting his hand out for her. “Prepare to be wooed.”
* * *
She leaned back against his chest as he wrapped the blanket around them tightly. The air was chilly, so she let herself snuggle up against his warmth. Her head went back and rested on his shoulder.
They’d had a small picnic dinner composed of a salad and fried chicken he’d picked up, after admitting he knew there was no sense in him even trying to cook anything edible
for them. He’d also brought a Thermos of hot chocolate to take the chill out of the evening air.
“This was the perfect night. You didn’t have to do all this.”
“Yes, I did. We needed time to ourselves. And I needed to say thank you.”
“For what?”
He gave a short laugh. “For not running when you saw what you were getting yourself into by being with me. For being there when my niece needed someone she trusted with the judge, then organizing your family to help me find her. Just knowing she needed a dog to give her a companion…should I continue?”
He squeezed her closer to him, bringing his head down and brushing his lips across her temple.
They sat for a while, both just staring up at the stars that filled the sky, listening to each other breathing.
“Emma, I know we’ve only been together for a short time, but I can’t imagine my life without you. I’m going to hold you tight while I say the rest so you can’t run away.”
She tensed up, unsure what he was about to say. His arms pulled her in even tighter, until she was sure she wouldn’t be able to breathe.
“Cooper, you can loosen up a bit. I’m not planning on running.”
“Good. Because I’m not planning on letting you.” He released his hold and twisted her around to face him. His fingers came up and brushed her hair back behind her ears, continuing to trail down her neck.
“Since the first time I saw you, when I was just seventeen-years-old, I knew there was something special about you. Every time I asked you to get on that bike with me, you said no. But your eyes were saying something else. I knew you wanted to, but were fighting against what your head was telling you.”
Her cheeks heated. “So, you always knew I had a crush on you?”
Nodding, his grin spread across his face. “I hoped so. But I’m glad you’re finally admitting it out loud.”
She playfully slapped his arm.
Rocky Mountain Heart Page 8
