I glance again at the barn and there he is, Cash, steady as ever, working, sleeves rolled, sweat glistening at his temple. Emmy giggles nearby, tossing pebbles at his boots while he feigns offense, scooping her up like she weighs nothing.
The sight steals my breath. The ranch hands still working at putting in new fence posts where needed.
That man, he’s been standing in the storm of my life without ever demanding shelter. And I’ve been too caught up in the past to see it.
A choked laugh escapes as I head for the barn, Harper shouting something behind me that doesn’t land. I push outside into the sun, the heat washing over my skin, grounding me. My boots hit gravel, fast and sure.
Each step toward him carries everything I haven’t said. My pulse thuds like a drumbeat in my ears, breath catching as if I’ve just run miles.
My chest tightens with every stride, not from fear, but anticipation, the overwhelming need to close the distance between us.
I’m not sure what I’ll do when I reach him, hug him, hit him, kiss him senseless, but I know I can’t stay in this house one second longer with everything I’ve just realized.
This isn’t about the ranch anymore. Or the inheritance. It’s about finally, finally seeing what’s been right in front of me the whole time.
And I’m done wasting time. The quiet stillness of the study isn’t enough, not when my heart feels like it’s about to burst.
I need to find him. Now.
Cash is still near the chicken coop, sawing a piece of wood. The late afternoon sun slants across his shoulders, golden and warm, casting long shadows over the earth he’s so connected to. For a second, I just stand there, watching him, letting the weight of the moment settle.
This is the man who’s been quietly shaping my world without asking for a place in it. And now, I’m ready to let him in.
Somewhere inside me, a decision locks into place, not just to ask the hard questions, but to finally share the answers I’ve been too scared to voice. There’s so much we’ve yet to say, but for once, I’m not afraid of what comes next. Now I want more answers, whether it hurts or not. I want answers.
I take another step toward him, and this time, it’s not just about closing the distance between us. It’s about starting something real. Every step toward him feels like I’m closing the gap not just between us. But between who I was and who I’m finally ready to become I startle Cash. I suddenly jump up into his arms, with my arms wrapping around his neck.
I could tell he realized I just needed him right now, and maybe forever.
Chapter fifteen
Trust Me
Cash
She storms toward me like a dust devil, boots crunching over sunbaked gravel, her hair catching the breeze like fire behind her, the flush in her cheeks a warning flare. She definitely got my attention.
The late afternoon heat rises in shimmering waves off the ground, thick with the scent of fresh-cut wood and horses. Somewhere behind me, the rhythmic clang of a hammer hitting tin echoes from the barn roof. I’ve seen her mad before.
Hell, I’ve been the reason more times than I can count. But this time, something’s different. There’s fear in her eyes, sure, but underneath it, I see something deeper, confusion, hope, maybe even love.
I set down the saw and wipe my hands on my jeans just as she reaches me and jumps into my arms. We stayed that way for awhile. I think she just needed something or someone to hold her for a moment. I was glad to be that person.
“Tell me, tell me all of it."
I grab two glasses of lemonade from the cooler Harper dropped off earlier, and follow Avery up the porch steps.
We settle into the wooden swing that creaks under our weight, the kind of sound that feels like summer and old memories. The heat of her thigh just brushing mine sends a ripple of tension through me.
It’s not uncomfortable, just sharp enough to remind me how much I want this to be real. I don’t move. I let the silence stretch, hoping it says what I haven’t dared to yet. I hand her a glass. She takes it, but she doesn’t drink. "I want to know everything about my dad and you and this ranch"
“I didn’t tell you much before because you needed to figure it out on your own,” I say after a long moment. “This place, the work, your dad, that’s what matters. And now you are seeing it all”
She looks down at her lap, fingers tracing the condensation on her glass. “But you matter. This ranch, the money it's all part of who you are.”
“Yeah,” I admit. “But I’ve seen what that kind of cash does to people. I didn’t want it to be what defined me. Not with you.”
She lifts her eyes, softer now, but still guarded. “You thought I’d walk away?”
