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“From what I’ve heard, it’s a fancy steak house. Perfect for romantic dates. Not exactly family-friendly. Rosie’s is exactly what Wattle Creek needed. It serves comfort food. It welcomes everyone. You don’t need a reservation or to dress up. You’re just welcome as you are. And the servers are pretty easy on the eye,” I added with a wink.

Tillie reached for her wine again, taking a sip. “I’ll let Emmy know you think so,” she teased back, the smile lighting up her face.

“Rosie’s will be fine, I know it will be.”

“Thank you,” Tillie replied, offering me a genuine smile.

“We just need to figure out how to get you some help so you’re not falling into my bed each night too exhausted,” I suggested, intending it exactly how it sounded.

“Who said I’d be sleeping in your bed each night?”

I wrapped my hand around her ankle and dragged her into my lap. “Who said anything about sleeping?”

Chapter sixteen

Tillie

From the moment I found Cody lounging in the hot tub with a beer, I knew something was up. Even though he was still his charming, cocky self, there was something behind his confidence he was hiding.

But before I had a chance to get to the bottom of it, he’d managed to deflect. Between the feel of his hands on my tired feet and the sexual innuendos he was throwing out, it wasn’t hard for him to knock me off-balance.

With the hot tub jets pulsating against my back, I focused on the man in front of me and my wine.

“Okay, say I believe you. How do I do it? How do I let go?” I challenged. If Cody knew me as well as he thought he did, he’d already know that letting go, that loosening the reins, wasn’t going to be easy.

He sighed heavily, looking pensive. “Well, first, you hire someone to help. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Baby steps,” he suggested.

I nodded. “Baby steps. I can do that,” I replied, pretty sure I could. Maybe.

“As amazing as Emmy is and as capable as you are, you’re both going to burn out if you keep going at this pace. Why don’t you see if there’s someone who can help you? Even if it’s just part-time to start with.”

“I had been thinking about it,” I confessed.

“Maybe it’s time to stop thinking about it and make the leap,” Cody pushed a little harder.

“Mmm, maybe,” I replied. “But enough about me and my problems. How did you go in Fort Marshall? Everything okay with your appointment?” I asked, redirecting.

Cody’s groan and eye roll told me everything I needed to know and confirmed everything I already suspected.

“That good, huh?”

“Something like that,” Cody mumbled miserably.

He let go of my foot and sank down in the water, the water bubbling around his neck.

After a long moment, he sat back up and reached for his beer. My curiosity was piqued, though, when he picked at the label instead of taking a drink.

“I have to fly to Dallas,” he announced, making it sound like it was the last thing in the world he wanted to do.

“When?” I asked as my pulse kicked up a notch.

“I’m on a flight tomorrow afternoon.”

“Oh.” My stomach sank. I set my wine glass back on the ledge and knotted my fingers in my lap. “For how long?” I dared to ask.

“A couple of days, I think. Won’t be sure until I get there, though,” he offered vaguely.

After a long silence, one where I stared at the stars overhead, and the valley laid out in front of me, I leaned forward to rest my hands on his knees. At my touch, his head swiveled, and he locked his gaze with mine.