“The schedule we made has you up first, but we can swap spots if you think you need a few more minutes here.” Fallon’s voice was full of humor.
I turned to see Fallon wasn’t in a fancy trick-riding outfit like Maisey wore. She was in more sedate, typical western wear, which meant she wouldn’t be doing the same level of tricks my Maisey-girl would be—at least not today.
“No need. I’m ready now,” Maisey said. She shot me an impish smile that both relieved me after the hurt and anger I’d seen minutes before and made me want to pull her back into my arms and kiss her senseless.
Maisey led Titan out of the barn with Fallon and me following her.
Just like Wylee had promised, Cleaver had shown up, and he tipped his hat in our direction as he took up a post near the barn. From his position, he could see the entire corral and the packed bleachers on the far side. The quiet hum of voices filled the air, anticipation building as they waited for the show to start.
At the entrance to the corral, Maisey tossed herself up onto Titan’s back and then looked down at me with that soft smile I adored. The one I liked to believe was just for me. “Wish me luck.”
“No luck needed, darlin’. You’re going to knock everyone’s socks off.”
The light in her eyes grew, the hurt and anger diminishing yet again, and the tension in my heart eased. Maisey headed into the ring, halting Titan just inside the gate while Teddy played emcee and welcomed everyone to the ranch.
“I have to get ready,” Fallon said, worry creasing her forehead as she watched Maisey. “Just tell me she’s holding up.”
“She’s holding up.” When she turned to me, giving me a look full of doubt, I did my best to reassure her. “Really, Fallon. You know our girl is one of the strongest humans on this planet.”
“I don’t want her to have to be. She’s been through enough.”
I nodded as a ball wedged itself into my throat again. After another beat, Fallon whirled around and headed back to the barn to get her horse ready for their act.
I leaned up against the rail, taking in a deep breath. Yesterday’s storm had finally blown itself out in the evening, heading over the mountains and cleaning the summer dust from the air, but puddles and humidity remained in its wake. The damp mingled with the scent of pine and redwoods. Scents I loved in a place I loved.
But I loved Maisey more than any of it. I may have denied it for twenty years, but she’d always been the center of my world. The grounding force. The most important reason why I’d stayed in Rivers when I could havegotten a job in a department just about anywhere.
Teddy finally announced Maisey, and I watched as she and Titan rounded the ring in a warm-up circuit. Graceful…moving smoothly together from years of practice. As they went by me, Maisey shifted up from her seat to a standing position before literally falling in a fluid, dance-like move so her feet were all that remained on the horse. The rest of her body was stuck straight out from Titan’s flank, and as they rounded the corner, her hand brushed the dirt where she picked up a sparkling red lasso she’d left on the ground. The audience oohed and aahed and clapped.
As Maisey rolled up onto Titan’s back, danced to her toes, and swirled the lasso in the air, a body leaned up next to me, elbows rubbing against mine.
“She looks good up there,” Dad said.
I shot him a quick glance, noting he was wearing his good hat today and his best shirt with the pearl buttons, before my focus returned to Maisey. She was a fiery star like this, but even when she wasn’t performing, she was a bright flame in the dark of night. A blaze I would always seek. A flare I wanted to fan and watch grow until it illuminated the entire town with its brilliance.
A year ago, I’d been watching her do a similar performance, and I’d been struck by how magnificent she was. I’d texted her afterward and told her just that, and she’d brushed the compliment off, but I also remembered telling her she deserved to have a guy in her life reminding her every day of just how stunning she was. How beautiful—inside and out. And I remembered the twinge I’d felt in my chest at the idea of some unknown man being the one to tell her all of the things I wanted her to believe about herself. Why hadn’t I realized then that I wanted to be that man? That I wanted to give her everything she dreamed… I’d wasted a year.
No, I’d wasted more than that. Dozens of years.
But I couldn’t continue to beat myself up forever. If I did, that bitterness would leak into us like it had leaked into Chelsea. So I’d simply do what I should have always done. I’d shower Maisey with compliments and love and adoration. And if and when one of us passed, we’d have all these moments we’d made together to hold us up until we found each other again in whatever afterlife followed this one.
“I’d say I was surprised to see her out there after losing her dad, but then our Maisey-girl has never wanted to let anyone down, has she?” Dad asked as we both watched Maisey execute another flip, this time under and around Titan’s barrel, perfectly.
I looked behind me at Cleaver, who at least seemed to be taking his post seriously, and then leaned in to Dad so I could keep my voice as low aspossible. “He’s not dead. We’re just letting everyone believe that until we can catch the person responsible.”
Dad’s thick brows went up, meeting the brim of his hat. “You know who it is?”
I caught him up on everything that had happened the best I could, quickly and quietly. I could feel his gaze fixed on me rather than on Maisey, but I didn’t take my eyes off my girl, and I knew what Dad saw while watching me—the love that was all but pouring from me. And I didn’t care. I didn’t want to hide it. Instead of thinking it was foolish to love her, to love anyone, I was honored she’d accepted what I’d offered.
Dad’s hand landed on my shoulder. “Damn, Beck. You finally did it. You finally opened your heart and let her in. I’m so proud of you.”
My chest nearly burst. My father had always let me know when I did things right and wrong. He’d always been proud of me, which was why his words from our day at the lake had lingered with me like a bad taste. The disappointment in them had haunted me.
“I love her. With everything I have.” My lungs were completely clear. The only thing there was an overwhelming rush of love. “I just hope I don’t screw it up.”
“You won’t. You’ll do the one thing I didn’t, Beckett. You’ll fight for that girl with every breath in your body,” Dad’s voice cracked, drawing my attention from Maisey to him. The sadness there, the utter remorse scored into every wrinkle, tore at me.
“Mom and Liza leaving weren’t your fault.”