Six months later, spring came to the ranch.
Wildflowers bloomed purple and gold across the pastures, carpeting the hills in color. The mountains still wore caps of snow, but the valley had thawed, and everything smelled like new grass and possibility.
White chairs arranged in neat rows faced the mountains. An arch woven with wildflowers stood at the end of the aisle, Liam waiting beneath it—impossibly handsome in a tailored navy suit, his sandy hair actually combed for once.
The firehouse crew filled the first rows, dress uniforms pressed and uncomfortable, the lot of them looking like kids forced into church clothes. Cal sat with Lucy and Gabrielle, who was toddling between the chairs, fascinated by everything. Owen stood at Liam’s side as best man, steady and solid as always.
And Mia.
Mia rode Honey down the aisle.
The horse that wouldn’t let anyone close now carried a twelve-year-old girl in a lavender dress, both of them steady and sure. Honey’s coat gleamed in the afternoon light, her mane braided with ribbons that matched Mia’s dress. She walked calmly, confidently, trusting the girl on her back completely.
Mia’s smile was radiant. Not performative. Certain. The smile of a child who finally believed she was home.
She reached the front, slid off Honey’s back with practiced ease, and passed the reins to Owen before taking her place beside the arch. Her eyes found mine across the lawn, bright and unguarded, and she grinned like she’d been holding that joy in all morning.
My turn.
I walked toward them. Toward Liam, waiting beneath the wildflowers, eyes already shining. Toward Mia, bouncing on her heels, barely containing herself. Toward a life I’d trained myself not to imagine. A future I’d once thought was for other people.
The crew whistled and cheered. I barely heard it. My focus narrowed until there was only Liam.
He was crying. Openly.
The man who cracked jokes after bad calls, who deflected pain with terrible puns and easy smiles, stood there with tears on his face because of me.
Because I was choosing him.
I reached him. Took his hands. Felt the tremor there. Let myself smile without bracing for anything to be taken away.
“Hi.”
“Hi yourself.” His voice scraped a little. “You look?—”
“If you saydifferent, I’m walking back down that aisle.”
A broken laugh escaped him. Wet. Disbelieving. “Beautiful. I was going to say beautiful.”
“Better.”
The officiant cleared his throat. We turned toward each other, hands still joined, and the world seemed to fall back just enough to give us space.
We’d written our own vows this time.
Liam went first.
“Fourteen months ago, you walked across a firehouse kitchen and offered to save my life. I thought you meant the ranch.” His fingers tightened around mine. “Turns out, you meant something much bigger.”
I blinked hard.
“I spent years thinking I needed someone to choose me. That if I was patient enough, good enough, the right person would finally decide I was worth staying for.” A breath. “You taught me that love doesn’t work like that. It isn’t about waiting to be chosen. It’s about choosing. Every day. Even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard.”
His eyes never left mine.
“I choose you, Riley. Every day. Every fight. Every four-AM call and every sleepless night. I choose this family. I choose this ranch. I choose you. Always.”
The tears came freely then.
