“You ready?” Devlin asks from the doorway, keys in hand. He’s fully dressed now, with jeans buttoned, boots on, and a flannel shirt over his white tee. He looks good. So damn good that for a second I consider asking him to take me back to bed instead of to work. Ignoring my responsibilities is so tempting.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I reply, grabbing my bag. “Let’s go before I change my mind.”
Outside, the morning is crisp, the kind of early autumn day that makes you want to curl up with a blanket and a hot drink. Instead, I’m climbing into Devlin’s truck, my heart racing at the thought of returning to the place where I was assaulted.
Devlin starts the engine but doesn’t put the truck in drive right away. Instead, he turns to me, his expression serious. “Remember, you don’t have to do this today. You can call in, take more time.”
I shake my head. “No, I need to go back. The longer I wait, the harder it’ll be.”
He studies my face for a moment, then nods, satisfied that I mean what I say. “All right then. Let’s go.”
As we drive down the winding road from his cabin toward town, I stare out the window, watching the trees and pastures roll by. Devlin reaches over and takes my hand, his much larger one engulfing mine. He doesn’t speak, just holds on, his thumb tracing small circles against my skin. It’s a small gesture, but it grounds me, reminding me I’m not alone in this.
“Tell me something I don’t know about you,” I say suddenly, needing the distraction.
He raises an eyebrow. “Like what?”
“Anything. Something nobody else knows.”
He’s quiet for a long moment, thinking. “I used to be afraid of horses,” he finally says, his voice low.
I turn to him, surprised. A giggle works its way past my lips. “What? You? But you work with them every day.”
“Exactly why nobody knows,” he says with a small smile. “When I was really young, I fell off one of the ranch horses. Got the wind knocked out of me. I was scared to get back on for months.”
“What changed?”
“Jesse,” he says simply. “He didn’t know I was scared, just thought I was being lazy, avoiding chores. Called me a coward. Even back then, we were assholes to each other. My younger brother has always been my biggest competitor and the person to push me to do all the things I need to.” His jaw tightens. “So I got back on the next day.”
“And you weren’t scared anymore?”
“Oh, I was terrified,” he admits, his fingers tightening around mine. “But I was more afraid of my brother thinking I was weak.After a while, it got easier. Now I can’t imagine not working with them.”
I understand what he’s not saying—that sometimes you have to face what scares you, even when every instinct tells you to run. It’s what I’m doing today.
“Your turn,” he says, glancing at me. “Tell me something I don’t know about you.”
I think about it, trying to find something that feels right to share. “I used to dream about owning a coffee shop,” I say finally. “Not just working in one, but having my own place. With a little bakery inside and big comfy chairs where people could sit and read.”
“Why didn’t you?”
I shrug. “Life, I guess. My parents weren’t exactly supportive of dreams. And then I needed to pay bills, so I took the pharmacy job because it paid better. I got a scholarship to get my pharmacy tech license, so it was easier for me to take that opportunity. And now…” I trail off.
“And now?” he prompts.
“I don’t know. Maybe someday.” I look out the window again, watching as we get closer to town. “Do you think it’s stupid? The coffee shop idea?”
“No,” he says firmly. “I don’t think any dream that lights you up like that is stupid.”
We fall into silence as we approach Murphy’s General Store, where the pharmacy is located. My stomach clenches at the sight of the familiar storefront, and my hand tightens around Devlin’s involuntarily.
“Hey,” he says softly. “Look.”
I follow his gaze and feel a rush of emotion as I spot Lennon standing by the entrance. She’s not alone. Payton, my coworker, is there too, along with Joseph, my boss. They’re all waiting. For me.
“They came,” I whisper, blinking back sudden tears, my throat tight.
“Of course they did,” Devlin says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. He pulls the truck into a parking space and turns to me. “You’ve got a lot of people in your corner, Atlee. More than you realize.”
