Noah pulls back, out of breath from running around. ‘Momma, did you see Kentucky? She plays fetch!’
I crouch down to his level. ‘Yeah, baby, I did. Have you had fun today with Sawyer?’
‘Mhm,’ he nods, flashing me the cutest grin, gaps between his teeth on full display. ‘Can we stay over?’
My throat tightens at his request—just because he’s never wanted to stay anywhere but home or my mom’s before. Even staying at his father’s took him time to get comfortable with because he’d grown so used to the two of us being in our little apartment back in North Carolina. So, I feel terrible saying no, but I have to. ‘Sorry, sweetie, but we need to go to Grandma’s tonight. Sawyer probably has plans too.’
I chance a glance up at said bull rider and get exactly what I expected—a perked brow that saysoh, look at that, he wants to stay,and the smuggest of grins.
Noah frowns, his lower lip protruding, but he just nods his acceptance. Without me even having to tell him, he then thanks Sawyer for looking after him, and Sawyer ruffles his hair in return, which smacks the smile right back onto Noah’s face. He’s as easily charmed by the cowboy as I was.
After saying goodbye, Sawyer walks us back to the front of the house in silence and watches us leave.
‘Blue,’ Sawyer calls out before I descend the last step down from the porch, Noah already having run off ahead to the car. I turn, finding him leaning in the door frame, rubbingthe back of his neck. ‘The offer stands. I’m stuck here for the next four months with an empty house that deserves to be lived in. I wouldn’t expect anything in return—no money or nothing. Just someone to fill this place with some good memories for once. You always were pretty good at doing that.’
‘I—I’ll think about it,’ is all I can say for now, my heart skipping at the compliment, before I head down to the car.
As we drive away from Lucky Star Ranch, I brace myself for the wave of melancholy that hits me whenever I’ve left Sawyer behind. But nothing comes this time. And even if I don’t want to admit it, I think it’s because my body knows it’s not the last time I’ll see Sawyer. Or his ranch.
Moving in with him would be a terrible idea, right?
10
Sawyer
‘So, she’s an old friend from high school?’ my friend Rory asks as me, her, and Wyatt all huddle outside my front door on the porch, watching Honey pull up to the ranch in her light-blue car.
Wolfman’s in his truck behind, carrying the rest of her stuff she needed to bring over since I couldn’t drive with my battered leg. I recruited Wyatt and Rory to help with unpacking too, hoping it might make the whole transition smoother. Fewer chances for Honey to change her mind.
I just can’t believe she’s here. To stay. When I never thought I’d see her again nine years ago.
Honestly, I thought I’d scared her away—I don’t know what possessed me to offer myhouseto her.
That’s a goddamn lie. I might not be an alcoholic like my dad, but there’s no doubt addiction runs in my blood because the second the opportunity to help Honey lit up, my hands ached with a desperate need to grab it, rememberingthe dopamine that used to flood my system back in high school every time I made her smile.
Did I notice the way her baby blues sparkled as they took in Noah playing outside with Trixie and Kentucky on Friday? Did my heart trill at seeing her shoulders drop from where they were so tense when she first came in?Yes.
And if my mind didn’t screamagain, againlike a little kid who’d just experienced a hell of a rush from a fairground ride. I needed that hit again. Gotta get it from somewhere now I’m without the thrill of bull riding that usually keeps me going.
So, when her text came through the next morning asking if the offer still stood, you bet your ass I’ve never writtenyesquicker.
‘No, we hardly knew her,’ Wyatt answers, running a hand through his dark hair. ‘And now she’s moving in with Sawyer which makes total sense.’
‘Shut up,’ I throw over my shoulder to them, unable to rip my gaze away from Honey now she’s out of her car and hauling a bunch of things into her arms.
She’s got her hair pulled back into another braid, but there’s plenty of wisps of blonde that have eluded it, refusing to be tamed. Kind of reminds me of her—forced into a mould by her upbringing, but she always let the odd flicker of her true, passionate self shine through to me.
When we younger anyway. I guess she’s almost a stranger now.
‘Her apartment flooded, and she needed somewhere to stay in the meantime. She’s got a kid—I don’t want her to be homeless. It’s what any friend would do,’ I explain, trying to convince myself, if anything, that’s the only reason.
Seemingly sceptical, Rory angles her head at me, ginger waves flowing in the breeze, but there’s still a twinkle in her eye as she questions, ‘And you’re definitely not trying to sleep with her? Because there areplentymore ways to get a woman into bed—’
‘Oh, hi,’ Honey says sheepishly, eyes darting between the three of us as she walks towards the porch. Wolfman is in tow, already carrying a box. Her foot hesitates on the bottom step, eyes dropping as she takes a deep breath before finally stepping up. Like she needed to assure herself this is the right decision.
‘These two don’t work hard enough so I roped them in to help out too,’ I joke, cocking my head either side to Rory and Wyatt, hoping it’ll ease whatever worry is flickering in her eyes.
‘Hi!’ Rory budges past me and throws her arms around Honey, squeezing her tight and not giving her a chance to protest given Honey’s arms are full. Honey’s a baby deer caught in the headlights, frozen with widened eyes. ‘I’m Rory, Wyatt’s fiancée.’