"Let him finish," Wade says, his expression unreadable.
I look at Claire again, drawing strength from her presence. "She came here yesterday. We'd only exchanged messages before that. I had no idea if we'd even like each other in person. But I was desperate enough to try."
"And?" Sierra prompts gently.
"And..." I reach for Claire's hand, threading our fingers together. "She's incredible. She's everything I hoped for and more. Last night, we decided to actually try this. To see if we can build something real together. But I couldn't keep lying to you all. You're my family. You deserve the truth."
Mason leans back in his chair, staring at us. "So, you're saying you met this woman on the internet three weeks ago, she showed up yesterday, and now you're... what? Together?"
"Yes," I say firmly.
"That's insane," Tucker says, but his voice isn't condemning. Just... amazed.
"It is insane," Claire speaks up for the first time, her voice steady despite how tightly she's gripping my hand. "I know how it sounds. But I didn't have anywhere else to go. I lost my father two years ago, lost everything. I was living in a shared bedroom, working dead-end jobs, barely surviving. When Rhett messaged me, I thought... maybe this is my chance at something different. Something better."
"And is it?" Marley asks, her expression thoughtful. "Is this what you hoped for?"
Claire looks at me, and the warmth in her eyes makes my throat tight. "It's better than I hoped for. Rhett's been nothing but honest with me about who he is. The PTSD, the scars, everything. And he's given me a chance when no one else would. So yes, this is crazy. Yes, we barely know each other. But I want to try. We both do."
The silence stretches out again, but it feels different this time. Less shocked, more... considering.
Nicole is the one who breaks it. "I think it's romantic."
Colt snorts. "Of course you do."
"It is!" Nicole insists. "Think about it. Two lonely people taking a chance on each other. Fighting against the odds. That's like every romance novel ever written."
"Romance novels aren't real life," Mason points out.
"But they could be," Sierra says slowly. She's looking at Wade, and something passes between them. "I mean, I came here as an investment opportunity. I barely knew any of you. And now..." She smiles. "Now this is home."
"That's different," Wade says, but his voice is uncertain.
"Is it though?" Sierra counters. "We all took risks on each other. We all trusted when we probably shouldn't have. And it worked out."
Tucker nods slowly. "She has a point. When Marley first came to the ranch, I was terrified of letting anyone into Emma's life. Into my life. But I took the risk, and it was the best decision I ever made."
"Same with Nicole and me," Boone adds quietly. "Everyone thought we were crazy. Colt's best friend and his brother. But we knew it was right, even when it didn't make sense to anyone else."
Colt crosses his arms. "Harper literally ran away from her wedding and showed up here with nothing. We met at a bar. Hooked up. And now look at us." He grins at Harper. "Still the best bad decision I ever made."
"I'm sitting right here," Harper says dryly, but she's smiling.
Wade runs a hand through his hair, looking at me with an expression I can't quite read. "You really care about her? This isn't just... you being desperate and making a stupid choice?"
"I care about her," I say without hesitation. "More than I thought possible after one day. And yes, meeting her this way wasdesperate and unconventional. But Frank always said the best things in life are worth fighting for. Claire is worth fighting for."
Wade stares at me for a long moment, then nods. "Okay."
"Okay?" I repeat, not quite believing it.
"Okay," he says again. "If you're serious about this, if you're really willing to try, then we support you. That's what family does."
"Even though I lied to you?"
"Even though you lied," Tucker confirms. "Though don't make a habit of it."
"I won't," I promise, relief flooding through me so intensely I feel light-headed.
