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"Why not?" My heart's hammering, bracing for her answer.
"Because... our history, it's tangled. It's not all sunshine and rainbows. I'm beginning to think maybe we're just meant to be friends, as heartbreaking as that sounds." She avoids my eyes, staring at the ground.
"But Mia, I believed—"
"I know what you believed," she cuts in, her voice gaining strength. "And trust me, I feel it too. But I've got a daughter now, Jake. She's my everything. And with her and my fresh start here in Pine Creek, I don't think I have room for dating, let alone revisiting something that might bring us more pain."
Her words are like a gut punch, deflating all my hopes for us. "I get it," I say, though my voice is strangled. "I guess I hoped... after all this time, we could make a fresh start. That maybe, just maybe, we could get it right."
Mia's hand brushes mine, a soft yet devastating touch. "I wish life was that easy, Jake. But I have to do what's best for my girl, and diving into a relationship, especially one with as much baggage as ours, might not be wise."
I nod, hiding the sting of her words. "I understand, Mia. Your girl is your priority, and I respect that. So, friends?"
Her smile is bittersweet as she nods. "Friends."
That word hangs in the air, underlining the gap now between us. Our past, it seems, isn't something we can paint over. And as much as it stings, I've got to come to terms with that.
Our fleeting reunion, it looks like, is destined to be just that—fleeting.
Chapter 4
~ Mia ~
Ranch Life
Two weeks after Jake and I decided to stay "just friends"—a decision that soothes and scars my heart in equal measure—and I'm still haunted by that kiss.
Oh, that kiss. It lingers - a ghost of what could have been and will never be. Despite the whirlwind of my thoughts and the fortress I've built around my heart, our friendship finds a way to bloom.
We're dancing a new dance, tiptoeing around what once was and can never be again. Or at least, that's what I keep telling myself.
"You don't have to do this, you know," I tell him as Jake guides me through Beartooth Ranch. It's a vast spread of land that shouts his love for this lifestyle from the rooftops. Seeing him there, hat tipped back, eyes shining with pride, does funny things to my heart.
"Trust me, Mia, I want to," he answers, his smile spreading quickly. "Besides, it's high time you saw this side of my life. And it wouldn't hurt for Emily and Dylan to hang out a bit, either."
I look over at Emily, my city girl, who seems to have taken a silent liking to the endless open spaces around her. "I think she's starting to warm up to this place," I comment, watching her cautiously making friends with a pony under Dylan's watchful eyes.
"Yeah?" Jake's voice fills with warmth, a sound that seems genuinely interesting. "I'm glad. It's a big adjustment, but there's something about Pine Creek... it has a way of winning you over."
I can't help but laugh, a sound that feels more carefree than I've felt in ages. "It sure has its way of charming people."
As we stroll, the landscape unfolds around us, vast and untamed. Jake shares the ins and outs of daily life on the ranch, and I'm struck by how his responsibilities echo my own in seriousness, yet are wrapped in a completely different world.
"Look here, Mia," Jake starts, his voice laced with a passion that's hard to ignore.
"Teaching kids and teens how to ride is just a tiny piece of the pie around these parts," he declares, with a gleam in his eye. "Every morning, before the crack of dawn, I'm out there, making sure our animals—cattle, horses, and cheeky goats—are all in tip-top shape. They have to be fed, healthy, and happy. And then there's keeping this ranch running smooth, fixing fences, checking the water, and ensuring nothing is out of place that could put a hitch in our giddy-up."
He stops for a moment, gesturing towards a far off field. "See that pasture over yonder? It needs eyes on it regularly to make sure it's prime for grazing. And around this time of year, we're always moving the cattle around to keep the land in good shape."
He looks at me, his eyes shining with a downright infectious pride. "And let's not forget the dollars and cents of it all. Balancing books, planning... It's not just a business, Mia. It's a way of life that demands all we've got. It isn’t just about scenic rides and tipping cowboy hats. It's about honoring the land and the creatures that roam it."
Hearing Jake, I start to see his world in a new light—a myriad of responsibilities that command respect and admiration.
Our chat takes a brief pause as Emily's laughter rings out. We glance over to see Dylan with a butterfly perched in his hand and Emily looking on with wide, curious eyes. She's hesitant, but Dylan gently encourages her to touch its wing, promising it'll be fine.
At that moment, watching our kids tentatively step into a new friendship, I see Jake. Not as the boy I remembered, nor the memory I held onto, but as the man he's become. A man who, just like me, juggles the demands of parenthood with the dreams and responsibilities that shape him.
Jake grins and gestures towards the kids, his eyes sparkling with pride and affection.
