Not holding on so hard to the wounds, but leaning into the healing.
Sierra lifted her head to look at him, a cloud darkening her eyes. “Please don’t break my heart, Rowan. I can handle losing the ranch, losing everything else. But I can’t handle losing you again.”
He cupped her face in his hands, thumb brushing away a tear that had escaped. “I’m not going anywhere, Sierra. Not ever again.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
And he kissed her again. Softly this time, holding back his urgency.
Because, you know, Gramps might be watching.
He finally pulled away, and she met his gaze with a smile. “Now we have another problem,” she said.
He frowned.
“How do we tell Huck?”
Rowan’s chest tightened. “I don’t know. But we’ll figure it out. Together.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “We’re going to build something beautiful here. The three of us. I promise.”
And this time he meant to keep it.
Nine
How was she supposed to tell Huck that the man he’d been hero-worshipping was actually his father?
“Mom, watch this!” Huck demonstrated the wrist motion Rowan had taught him, his small hands working through the complex movement while sitting in the passenger seat of her truck. “Mr. R says the rope has to flow, not fight you. And you have to be balanced and ready to move with your target.”
Sierra’s chest tightened at the pure admiration in her son’s voice. “You’ve really taken to his teaching.”
“He’s so cool. And patient. Like, when I mess up, he doesn’t get mad or anything. He just shows me again.” Huck’s eyes lit up with excitement. “It’s amazing how fast we became friends, you know? Like we’ve known each other forever.”
Of course. Blood calling to blood, father and son recognizing each other on some instinctive level.
“The rodeo’s only a few days away,” Huck continued, practicing his rope movements. “Think I’ll be ready?”
“I think you’ll be amazing,” Sierra said, her voice thick with emotion.
Last night had changed everything. Seeing Rowan in the moonlight, feeling his arms around her, knowing that he loved her and wanted to be here—it was like waking up from a ten-year dream.
But now came the hard part.
She pulled up to the Renegade Elementary School, the old brick building standing proud against the morning sky, with its white trim and classic early-1900s architecture. The two-story structure looked exactly as it had when she’d attended classes here twenty years ago.
“Have a good day, kiddo.” Sierra leaned over to kiss Huck’s forehead. “I’ll pick you up after school.”
“Thanks, Mom!” Huck bounded out of the truck, backpack slung over one shoulder, already calling out to friends gathering near the front steps.
Sierra watched him disappear through the heavy wooden doors, her heart swelling. As she pulled away from the school, she tried out conversations.
Huck, I have something important to tell you about Rowan…
No, that sounded too ominous.
You know how much you admire Rowan? Well, there’s a reason for that…
Too cryptic.
