Master of his heart (Max and Brielle)

He averted his eyes from her, trying to find the right words.

"I get it. You're not all that into me, and you're not gonna settle just for the kids. How about we just say I came to check on you and the kids, and we acknowledge our situation publicly? Does that work for you?"

He was hoping to stop the media from spinning tales about him and the kids.

Emma nodded and quickly headed back to her bed. It was big, but squeezing four people in was still a bit tight.

"I'll set up the guest room for you," she offered.

But Dustin pointed to a makeshift bed he'd already laid out on the floor. Emma was taken aback, unsure how he'd managed to dig up a blanket, especially since there was only one. It wasn't cold, but the floor was no place for a comfy night's sleep. So, she fetched a few extra quilts from the closet to soften it up.

Dustin settled in, pulling Jaime close. "Jaime's a wiggler, always kicking the covers off. I don't want you and Heather catching a chill." Jaime snuggled in and was out like a light. Heather, on the other hand, was perfectly still, even in her sleep.

Emma nodded, turned off the light, but couldn't sleep. Her daughter's gentle breathing filled the room. It had been a year since she'd heard such comforting sounds in her bedroom. She couldn't help but turn slightly, trying to catch a glimpse of Heather sleeping. But the rural setting was dark, lit only by the soft glow of the moon, making it hard to see clearly.

As she blinked into the darkness, she heard Dustin's voice.

"Can't sleep? Want me to bring Heather down here?"

She heard movement as he got up to pick Heather up. Emma wanted to stop him, but he was already on his feet, bending over with Heather in his arms. She grabbed his wrist to say it was fine, but her grip caused him to tip towards her.

To avoid falling on the child, his

hand landed on something soft. He looked up, startled, realizing his hand had landed on Emma's chest, Their eyes met in the dim light for a brief moment before he quickly withdrew his hand, and Emma awkwardly covered herself with the blanket. Heather, nestled between them, continued to sleep soundly, blissfully unaware of the awkwardness.

Emma broke the silence first. "Let Heather stay on the bed. It's not her that's keeping me up." Dustin nodded, "Okay."

They both returned to their spots, but now it was Dustin who found himself wide awake. Maybe it was the nighttime setting that stirred up old feelings, but his mind kept going back to that night, despite the fever, it remained crystal clear. He was no stranger to these situations, but Emma's hesitance was both endearing and frustrating. He sighed, his breathing a bit uneven. Sleepless, he got up and started making breakfast.

When the village chief showed up in the morning, he was shocked to see Dustin cooking.

"Mr. Lynch, where's Emma?"

"She's still sleeping. If it's not urgent, it can wait till later."

The village chief had no choice but to bide his time in the living room, his mouth watering from the delicious smells wafting from the kitchen. By the time Emma finally woke up, the village chief had swallowed hard at least twenty times.

"Emma, the herb garden needs your

keen eye. The buyers from town are coming this afternoon, but I can handle that.. I'll go around and collect the data, no worries there. But for the actual herb growing, we really need your expertise. We all talked and decided to give you the hundred square meters of land in front of your house. It's from the herb profits, a little thank you from everyone."

Despite the village's old-fashioned ways, everyone loved making money. Emma's knack for herb farming had everyone on board, and it paid off season after season. Together with the village chief, Emma turned their village into a hub for herbs. Her vast knowledge meant she could pick out the most lucrative and easiest herbs to grow. Once, Emma had looked down on her closed-off, old-school hometown. But after seeing the world, she realized true wisdom and vision weren't about running away but making a change where you are. If only she'd realized that sooner.