“He’s always been strong. I didn’t realize…” My voice trails off. How could I not have seen it? How could I have been so blind?
Sawyer’s eyes meet mine again, and I see the worry there. “You didn’t know, Dakota. None of us did. Clint’s always carried everything on his shoulders. He doesn’t ask for help. He never does.”
I feel the tightness in my chest growing, my anger mixing with confusion and guilt. I think about all the times I’ve felt alone.
And now… now I’m the one doing the same thing.
“I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions,” I mutter, more to myself than to Sawyer. “I thought… I thought he had decided not to be here. Same as my dad didn’t want to be there for me.”
Sawyer meets my eyes, and his expression shifts. He’s been waiting for this moment.
“Clint is hard to read, I know. He’s stubborn. But he wants to be here, Dakota. If the ranch wasn’t falling apart around him, if he didn’t feel like it was all on his shoulders… I know he’d be here. For you. For Charlie.”
I close my eyes for a moment, letting the words sink in. Part of me wants to push back, to tell Sawyer he’s wrong. But I can understand Clint’s point of view a little better.
“I’ll bring Charlie to him,” I say. “Help out at the ranch. See what I can do.”
Sawyer gives me a small, approving nod, but I can see the concern still lingering in his eyes. “Yeah, I think that would be great. But I don’t know what state we’re going to find Clint in.”
I nod, even though every part of me wants to rush in and fix everything right away. But I know he’s right. This might not go well.
“Charlie,” I call out, trying to disguise my nerves, “I need you to come down, buddy. We’re headed to High Rise Ranch.”
“We are?”
I hear the pitter-patter of little feet before Charlie appears at the top of the stairs, grinning from ear to ear. His excitement is palpable.
“Yep.” I force myself to smile. “Wanna go see the horses?”
“Yup! I love horses.” His words tumble out in a rapid-fire string as he hurries down the stairs. “Will Clint be there?”
I smile at his enthusiasm. He doesn’t have a care in the world. He’s just excited to go somewhere he loves.
I, on the other hand, feel the tension tightening in my chest all over again.
“I think so,” I say, taking a deep breath and holding my son’s hand as we head for the door. “Let’s go.”
We arrive at the ranch just as the late afternoon sun dances over the wide open fields. But the usual peacefulness of the place feels off.
The barn is half burnt, and there’s a mess of broken wood and tools scattered on the ground. I can hear the sounds of a few horses in the distance.
Clint’s ranch has been a symbol of strength, a place where everything was organized, carefully tended to. But now…
My stomach churns, my chest tightening at the sight.
I can see why he’s falling apart.
Charlie, oblivious to the tension, is already climbing out of the truck, his eyes wide as he takes in the sight of the stables, the horses grazing in the field, and the sprawling open land.
“Mom! Look at the horses!”
He yells, pointing toward a group grazing near the fence. His excitement is a beacon, cutting through the haze of my own emotions.
It’s impossible not to smile at him. He loves it here. I can see the adoration plastered across his face.
This life suits him.
And I keep thinking about taking him away from it…
