My heart did a somersault. “Wyatt.”
He met my eyes in the mirror, serious now, voice soft but strong. “I meant what I said, Ivygirl. Every word.”
My chest tightened sweet and sure. “I know. I love you too.”
His slow grin returned, sinful and satisfied. “Good. ’Cause the dress? You’re wearin’ that again tomorrow.”
I swatted him with my makeup brush. He caught my wrist, kissed my palm, and just like that, I was gone for him all over again.
The main house was already buzzing when we arrived. Trucks and cars lined the drive—not just family but what looked like half the town. Through the windows, I could see Louisa orchestrating the chaos with the efficiency of a general, while Owen manned the grill, smoke rising like signals to gather the tribe.
"There are so many people," I said, suddenly nervous.
Wyatt took my hand, squeezing gently. "They're here for you. To welcome you home. Every single person in there has been waiting for this—for you to come back, for us to get our heads out of our asses, for this family to be complete again."
We walked in together, and the noise level dropped for a moment as everyone turned. Then Louisa's voice rang out clear and strong: "Finally! Our girl is home!"
The cheer that went up could probably be heard in the next county. I was immediately engulfed in hugs—Maggie squeezing me tight while whispering that it was "about damn time, Ivy-weed," Clay picking me up and spinning me until I laughed, Hunter offering a quiet smile and a shoulder tap that said more than words.
Luke had indeed come from Dallas, looking like a younger version of Wyatt but with a sharper edge, city polish that reminded me of what I'd shed. "So you finally brought my brother back to life," he said, studying me with eyes that missed nothing. "Good. He's been a ghost for too long."
Liam arrived in his Texas Ranger uniform, having come straight from work. "Welcome home, Ivy. Officially and permanently, I hear."
"Permanently," I confirmed.
"Good. Aunt Lou's already planning the wedding."
"Liam!" Louisa scolded, but her eyes were twinkling.
The afternoon became a blur of food and laughter and stories. The long table under the wedding tree groaned under the weight of dishes—not just Louisa's cooking but contributions from what seemed like every ranch wife in the county. Mrs. Henderson had brought her famous cornbread, Sarah Chen contributed spring rolls that disappeared in minutes, and even Dottie had closed the diner early to bring three of her best pies.
I found myself passed from group to group, everyone wanting to hear about the breeding program, the cooperative we were building, my plans for improving genetic diversity across the county's herds. But underneath the business talk was something else—a genuine welcome and real acceptance. These people had known me as a scared girl, had witnessed my return as a broken woman, and now celebrated me as someone who belonged.
As the sun started its descent, painting everything gold, Owen stood and tapped his beer bottle for attention. The crowd quieted, gathering closer.
"We're here today to welcome Ivy home," he said, his voice carrying that natural authority that made people listen. "But truth is, she's always been home. Even when she was gone, her spirit lingered here. In the creek where she’d hide away with Wyatt, in the barn where she helped birth countless calves, in the very soil of this ranch that knew her footsteps before she could properly walk."
I felt tears starting, and Wyatt's arm came around me, pulling me against his side.
"Sometimes," Owen continued, "people have to leave to understand where they belong. Sometimes the road home is longer than it should be. But what matters is not how long the journey takes, but that you complete it. Ivy, you've completed yours. This ranch, this family, this community—we're all better for having you back. Welcome home, beautiful girl."
The last word broke me. Beautiful girl. Not employee, not consultant, not even future daughter-in-law. Just like a daughter, like I'd always belonged to them.
"Speech!" Clay called out, because of course he did.
I stood on shaking legs, Wyatt's hand steady on my back. Looked out at all these faces—weathered ranchers who'd known me since birth, their wives who'd tried to mother me when my own couldn't, younger folks I'd gone to school with, newer residents who'd only heard the stories.
"I left Copper Creek thinking I was escaping," I said, my voice stronger than expected. "I thought success meant city skylines and corporate ladders and becoming someone completely different. But what I learned is that you can't run from who you are. You can only delay accepting it."
Murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd.
"This place, these people, this life—it's not just where I came from. It's who I am. The scared girl who ran, the woman whoreturned, the person standing here now—we're all part of the same story. And that story belongs here, on this land, with this family."
I looked at Wyatt, who was watching me with such naked love it took my breath away.
"So thank you for waiting. For welcoming me back. For giving me the chance to prove that sometimes, the best thing that can happen is coming full circle. Coming home."
The applause was thunderous. More hugs, more tears, more food pushed into my hands. The party continued as stars began appearing overhead, kids running between tables with sparklers someone had produced, music starting up from speakers Hunter had rigged.
