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“I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have tricked you like that. It was wrong, and I—” I tried to keep my voice as steady as possible, not letting my emotions betray me.
“No, Kins. I’m the one who was wrong. I’ve been stubborn and stupid. I’m always stubborn and stupid.” He lifted his hat and ran his hand through his hair.
“Maybe I pushed too hard,” I conceded, that guilt still making my stomach turn.
He shook his head, a small smile touching his lips. “Maybe I needed it. Maybe I needed someone to push me off a cliff.”
I laughed despite myself. The sound was a welcome release.
He went on, “I don’t want to face anything alone anymore. I want to do everything with you. You’re my family, my everything.”
His words hit me like a tidal wave. It was everything I had been waiting to hear from him, almost too good to be true.
“What does that mean, Wyatt? Where do we go from here?” I bit my lip, the uncertainty creeping back in.
If he asked me to stay here, I didn’t know what I would say. I couldn’t lose him again, but could I tell him what I really wanted?
“It means we go home. To your ranch. When we’re not on the rodeo circuit, at least.” His words painting a future I hadn’t dared to hope for.
Warmth spread from my chest into each limb until I was flushed from head to toe.
“Do you mean it?” My voice was barely above a whisper; I was too afraid that if I said anything too loud, I’d shatter the moment.
“You could use another ranch hand, couldn’t you?” he offered, a hint of playfulness in his tone, all the conflict that normally plagued his expression gone.
“What about this place?” I gestured to the acres and acres of land, the house, and the barn—everything that was now his. “You got your home back.”
He took a step closer, his voice earnest. “It’s not my home anymore. You are.” The conviction of his words took my breath away. His love shone through every syllable.
“But—” My mind grappled with the enormity of what he was offering, of the sacrifice he was willing to make for me, but he placed a finger to my lips, and I clamped my mouth shut.
Wyatt told me about the storm, the fire, the community pulling together to help Grace’s family, and the losses that they had to deal with.
“Omigosh.” My eyes widened in disbelief as I processed.
“Grace’s dad can’t find more hay, so I offered my grazing land. It’ll be more than enough to get them through this year,” Wyatt continued.
Admiration for the man standing before me swelled in my chest. I was so proud of him. “Wyatt, that’s amazing.”
“He said he would use part of his insurance money to pay the back taxes on the farm. It will also serve as a down payment.”
“A down payment? You’re selling the farm?” Shock rippled through me, my mind struggling to comprehend the magnitude of his decision.
“Yes, ma’am.” He said it with such certainty, such resolve, that any doubts I’d had about his commitment to us vanished in an instant.
“Are you sure?” I had to ask and give him one last chance to rethink this.
“I’ve never been surer of anything in my life. Except for the fact that I love you more than anything, including this land.”
I closed my eyes, letting his words wash over me. All the struggles of our past wiped clean.
“I love you too.” My voice trembled, and I didn’t bother trying to hold back the tears.
Wyatt pulled me into his arms. I buried my face in his chest, inhaling his familiar scent. It was a scent that meant home, safety, and love. In his embrace, I felt whole, like all the broken pieces of my heart had finally been put back together.
“I can’t believe this is happening,” I mumbled into his shirt, my voice muffled by the fabric.
He chuckled, the sound rumbling through his chest. “Believe it, darlin’. I’m done running from what matters most.”
