Free Emily's Cowboy by Donna Gallagher

wished with all her heart she hadn’t.
    Mac listened sympathetically to Emily’s sorrowful tale, a captive audience, shaking his head and tutting in all the right places. Finally, he spoke.
    “Em, honey, you need to show him. You need to put yourself out there for Gareth and prove to him you are ready for him and to return to the world, no matter what the result is. Gareth loves you, Em. It has been pretty darn obvious to all of us around you both, and I might just add that as a father, that was not an easy thing to see, to watch blossom, that love between you. There were times I wanted to take a shotgun to him—all those nights you crept into the house, looking dishevelled. A blind man would have known what Gareth and you were up to. But you know why I didn’t shoot him in his young backside, Em? Because Gareth is a good man, and more importantly, because he loves you. What more could a father ask for than that?”
    “Oh, Dad…” Emily’s voice was choked with emotion in response to her father’s heartfelt and wise words. “And there I was, thinking I was pulling the wool over your eyes all this time, and you knew! Bit embarrassing really, and really quite uncomfortable… Ewww… Let’s not talk about this again, okay?”
    Despite the fact that her Dad had known she was having sex, and specifically when, Emily ignored the embarrassment this new information brought. “What shall I do, Dad? Any ideas? Seeing as you are all-knowing, apparently.” Emily smiled at the father she loved so much. She was so relieved he was going to be okay, still around to give her advice and love her unconditionally, despite her flaws.
    “Go to a game, sit with his friends. Show Gareth with actions, not words, that you can face what will be a moment of scrutiny, and the inevitable questions that will follow. For him. Rook’s number…he left it in the bedside cupboard. Find it, call him. Ask him and his fiancée to help you.”
    Mac was right. Her dad had come up with the perfect way for her to show Gareth she wanted to be with him, part of his life. Emily found Rook’s number and placed the call.
     
    * * * *
     
    In what was probably a much better result in the long run, Pippa had answered Rook’s phone. It had been so much easier for Emily to talk with Pippa, another female—to tell her all her fears, her desires and her mistakes. A deluge of words and emotions had rushed from Emily’s mouth like water spewing through the open floodgates of Warragamba Dam. Pippa had then insisted on coming to the hospital so that they could continue their conversation in person.
    Pippa had listened and understood what Emily wanted to achieve, agreed with the plan, and had offered to help, to introduce her to some of the wives and girlfriends of other Jets players and have Emily seated with them for company. They’d both agreed that they would keep Gareth in the dark about the plan, that Emily would just be there at the end of the game, amongst the other partners waiting at the door as the men left the changing room.
    Pippa had even been outraged on Emily’s behalf that Gareth had spoken so brutally, but conceded the fact his intentions had been in Emily’s best interest, even if delivered perhaps too harshly. Pippa had tenderly inspected her scar tissue, so professional and yet caring at the same time that Emily had not thought to turn away from her light touch. Pippa had promised Emily that it was not as bad as she imagined—yes, noticeable, but not the monstrous face Emily had portrayed it to be. She’d offered advice on new lotions and medicated ointments that would help relieve some of the discomfort Emily felt in the damaged tissue when she was overtired or stressed.
    Emily had stayed with Pippa and Rook for the rest of the week, visiting her father during the days and spending the evenings getting to know her gracious hosts better. Clearly Pippa and Gareth were very close, so Emily was enjoying the fact that Pippa was in her corner