Jesse stood and moved to the small mirror by the back door, examining his reflection. “I feel like a real cowboy now,” he joked, but I could hear the emotion beneath his words.
“You are a real cowboy,” I said. “You’ve earned it.”
He turned back to me, his expression serious despite the playful hat perched on his head. “Thank you, Cole. This means a lot.”
“There’s more,” I said, gesturing for him to follow me. My stomach fluttered with nerves as I led him into the entryway,stopping in front of the wall where my hat hung on its wooden peg. “Look.”
Next to my hook was a second one, newly installed, waiting for his hat. I’d put it up last night after he’d fallen asleep, wanting everything to be ready for today.
Jesse stared at the empty hook, then at me, understanding dawning in his eyes. “My own hook?”
“Your own hook,” I confirmed. “Right next to mine. Where it belongs.”
The symbolism wasn’t lost on either of us. This wasn’t just about a hat or a hook. It was about permanence. About Jesse having his own place here, not just in my house but in my life. It meant he was home, that we both were.
“I love you, you know that?” Jesse said quietly, taking the hat off and hanging it on the hook. “I love you sofuckingmuch, Cole.”
He threw his arms around me, hugging me tight. I wrapped my arms around his waist, holding him just as tight back. This was where he belonged, with me, forever.
“I love you too, Jesse.”
For the first time in my life, everything was exactly where it was supposed to be. And I’d never been happier.
Epilogue: Jesse
Two Months Later: Myrtle Beach, SC
“I don’t know about you, but I could probably live here for the rest of my life,” I said as we stepped off the elevator on the top floor of our hotel. “This place is incredible. White beaches, sunny days, hot guys… what more could you possibly ask for?”
Cole grumbled at the mention of hot guys, but he nodded along anyway. “It’s pretty nice,” he replied. “But it ain’t home.”
“That’s the point,” I chuckled, taking his hand even though there were other hotel guests walking through the halls. Cole faltered for only a moment before lacing his fingers through mine. He’d come a long way. “We wanted a vacation away from the ranch for a little bit. A chance to relax and enjoy something new. It’ssupposedto be different.”
Cole’s hand was warm in mine as we reached our room at the end of the hallway. His callused fingers told the story of our life back at the ranch. I could feel all the fences he’d fixed, horses he’d ridden, and work he’d done with those hands. But there was tenderness in them too, especially when they touched me.
“You just miss your cows,” I teased as I swiped the key card. “Admit it.”
“Maybe a little,” he conceded with that half-smile that still made my heart skip. “But I’m enjoying the view here too.”
The way his eyes lingered on me made it clear he wasn’t talking about the ocean. I felt heat rise to my cheeks despite myself. Even after all these months together, Cole still had that effect on me.
Our suite was ridiculously extravagant—a gift to ourselves that neither of us had regretted. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the Atlantic, catching the late afternoon sun as it painted the water gold. The king-sized bed was still rumpled from this morning’s activities, and the balcony doors stood ajar, letting in the salt breeze as the sky grew golden in the late afternoon.
“God, I’m exhausted,” I said, kicking off my sandals and collapsing onto the bed. Sand clung to my legs and probably half my body, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. “Who knew doing nothing all day could be so tiring?”
Cole snorted, removing his hat and placing it carefully on the dresser. It was the only part of his cowboy ensemble he’d brought to the beach. “Doing nothing? You dragged me up and down that shoreline for miles.”
“Beachcombing is serious business,” I protested, watching as he pulled his t-shirt over his head. His tattooed torso was tanner now after our days in the sun, the ink standing out stark against his bronzed skin. “Besides, you’re the one who insisted on swimming out to that sandbar.”
“Worth it,” he said, unbuttoning his shorts. “The look on your face when that wave hit you was priceless.”
I threw a pillow at him, which he caught easily. “You’re such an ass.”
“An ass you’re dating by choice,” he reminded me, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
“Don’t remind me,” I groaned, but I couldn’t keep the smile from my face. “But you could help me into the shower with you. That would be fine.”
Cole raised an eyebrow, his lips curving into a smirk that sent heat pooling low in my belly. “Shower, huh? That’s what you want?”
