I take a bite of the pancakes, warm and fluffy; the syrup sinks into every crevice. They melt on my tongue. My worn-down body welcomes the carbs like finding an oasis in the desert. The quiet builds as everyone eats. Chewing and the clinking of forks fill the room.
Ross shifts beside me and glances over with a curious tilt of his head. “So.” He draws out the word. “What do you think of Willowside so far?”
I finish my bite before answering. “I haven’t really seen much of it. Just the bar, the clinic, and here.”
“It’s not exactly Pueblo.” Oli grins. “But it’s got its charms. Good people, quiet, and safe. It’s all here.” He puts weight behind that last word, looking right at me.
Ross nods. “And the best bar in the county.”
Caleb rolls his eyes and reaches for his coffee, his mouth twitching like he’s trying not to smile. “He’s biased.”
“Am not!” Ross gives Caleb a playful shove. “It’s objectively true. Jethro’s a genius with cocktails. And the food there is awesome. Just not as good as the food I make.” He gestures at the spread between us. “You’re tasting brilliance.”
A laugh bubbles out of me and warmth spreads through my chest. “It really is good.”
Ross throws up his hands like he’s just nailed a winning shot.The satisfaction rolls off him in waves. “See?”
“We’ll have to take you on a proper tour of the town.” Oli nudges my shoulder with his. “The lake, the park, the...” He trails off and looks at the others.
“The library?” Caleb offers, dry tone as ever.
“Hey, the library’s nice,” Oli insists. “Big windows. Prairie views.”
“And Luca’s bakery,” Ross adds. “Best donuts in the state, I could eat a dozen by myself.”
I poke at the scrambled eggs, fluffy and perfectly seasoned. “How did you guys end up here? I’ve lived in Pueblo most of my adult life, and I’d never even heard of Willowside. I knew of La Junta, but not this place.”
Ross leans back and stretches out his legs until he’s settled against the pillows. “It was kind of random. We were on a road trip. Just tired of the city, the crowds, the hustle.”
Oli sips his coffee. “We wanted a place to breathe. To build something together.”
Caleb slices into a sausage link. “And Jethro always had this dream of opening a bar. He’s big on mixology. Calls it an art form.”
Ross snorts. “He gets intense about it. Homemade bitters, strange infusions, ingredients I can’t even pronounce.”
Oli bumps his shoulder against Ross. “They’re good cocktails though.”
Caleb nods. “They are. One of them used smoked paprika with another spice. I can’t remember what he said it was. The flavor stayed with me for days.”
Oli turns to me. “See? Genius.”
I smile, soaking in the rhythm of their banter. “So you just stumbled into Willowside?”
Ross shrugs. “Pretty much. We drove through town and spotted a ‘For Sale’ sign on the wreck that became the Lucky Road.” He pauses, his gaze drifting to the others. “It just felt right, like it was waiting for us.”
Caleb shakes his head. “It was a disaster. Came with old wiring and ancient plumbing. The roof leaked like crazy.” There’s something fond in his voice that makes me look twice.
Oli sighs and leans forward. “The place had character. We saw something in it worth saving.”
Ross exhales and lifts his mug, taking a sip before setting it on his lap tray. “So we bought it.” He gives a small shake of his head. “Poured everything into it. Our savings, a massive loan; a year and a half of renovations.”
Oli adds another strip of bacon to my plate. “We did most of the work ourselves. Picked up plumbing, electrical, and carpentry skills. Saved a ton and still passed the inspections with flying colors.”
Caleb chews his last bite and sets his fork down. His gaze lingers on the tray before lifting to meet mine. “It nearly broke us. But it was worth it.”
Ross glances around the nest and at the three of us, his expression settling into a look of quiet satisfaction. “Definitely worth it. We built this, too. Renovated the entire house. It’s ours. All of ours.”
My gaze drifts between Ross, Oli, and Caleb, each of them settled into the life they’ve built here. A pressure settles in my chest, part awe, part gratitude, and a quiet ache. I want what they have. I want to belong somewhere like this. They built a home, a business, a pack. From nothing. It’s impressive, and the hope inside me reaches toward it.
