“Deal.”
We stood there in the snow, the mountains rising around us, and for the first time in longer than I could remember, the future didn't feel like something to brace against. It felt like something to build.
“There is one more thing I need,” I said, taking her hand. “I need to tell you I love you, Morgan Carter. I’ve never said that to anyone before, never even thought I was capable of feeling something that strong and deep.”
She looked up at me, her blue eyes brighter than I’d ever seen them before. “I love you too, Slade.”
“Good. Let's go inside then. We've got plans to make.”
Her fingers tightened around mine. “About the rodeo?”
“About everything.” I looked down at her, this woman who'd driven into town with a job to do and ended up seeing past every wall I'd built. “Starting with making sure you know you're not temporary. Not to me.”
Her eyes went bright again, but this time she was smiling through it. “Good. Because I'm not planning on being easy to get rid of.”
I tightened my arm around her shoulder. “I wouldn't want you any other way.”
We walked back toward the ranch house together, and somewhere in the distance, the marker sat buried under snow and time and secrets. It would need to be addressed—the land dispute, the history, all of it. But right now, standing with Morgan's hand in mine, I finally understood what Dawson had been trying to tell me.
The real risk wasn't in what the marker might reveal. It was in letting fear write the ending before we'd even started. And I was done letting fear win.
EPILOGUE
DAWSON
The bronc didn't trust me yet, but she would.
I stood in the center of the round pen, arms loose at my sides, watching her circle. She was a three-year-old bay with a white blaze and enough attitude to make her worth the trouble. Her ears flicked back and forth, tracking my position without committing to acknowledgment. That was fine. Trust wasn't something you could demand from a horse—or anyone else, for that matter.
The morning air bit at my face, sharp enough to sting. February in Montana didn't mess around. The sun was barely up, painting the snow-dusted pastures in shades of gray and pale gold. My breath came out in puffs, and somewhere behind me, one of the barn cats was complaining about the cold from its perch on the fence rail.
I took a half step to the left. The mare's stride hitched barely, her attention narrowing on me. Good. She was starting to tune in.
“That's it,” I said, voice low and even. “Just you and me, babe.”
She snorted, shaking her head, but her pace slowed. Another few minutes and she'd be ready to turn in and face me properly. I wasn't in a hurry. The best work happened the animal set the tempo, not the other way around.
My phone buzzed in my jacket pocket. I ignored it.
The mare's inside ear tipped toward me, a small concession. I waited, counting her strides, letting the rhythm settle between us. When she finally turned her head, I shifted my weight back and angled my shoulder away. It was an invitation, not a command.
She slowed, then stopped. Then stood there blowing hard, her sides heaving.
I waited.
My damn phone buzzed again.
The mare took a short step toward me. Then another. When she was close enough, I reached out slowly and let her sniff my glove. Her nostrils flared, taking in my scent, deciding whether I was worth the risk.
“Yeah,” I murmured. “I know the feeling.”
She didn't pull away, so I ran my hand along her neck, slow and steady, feeling the tension in her muscles start to ease. This was the part that mattered—the moment when a horse decided you weren't a threat. Everything else built from here.
My phone went off a third time. Fuck. I gave the mare one last pat and stepped back, letting her process. She stood there, watching me with those big dark eyes, and I felt the familiar satisfaction of progress. Small, quiet, earned.
I pulled out my phone as I headed for the gate to see who the hell felt the need to get ahold of me so damn early. I had two texts from Slade and one from Ruby. Didn’t anyone in this town sleep in on the weekends?
Slade: Rodeo committee approved the stock contract. Official notice coming this week.
