Page 59 of Dusty Spur Ranch Cowboys

“I know.”

Arizona studies her with exaggerated concern. “We’re gonna have to start measuring you against fence posts.”

Sadie nods like this is a perfectly reasonable scientific method.

Watching them together does strange things to my chest.

The feeling starts out pleasant enough. Seeing Sadie connect with people has always mattered to me.

She’s got a huge heart, and every time she decides somebody belongs in her world, she throws the doors open without hesitation.

The problem is that she expects permanence.

Arizona doesn’t.

“You look like you’re trying to solve a tax problem.”

I glance sideways and find Willy standing beside me with a paper plate already piled high enough to qualify as structural engineering.

“How long have you been there?”

“Long enough to know you weren’t paying attention.”

“I was paying attention.”

“You were staring into space while holding an empty cup.”

I look down.

He’s annoyingly correct.

“I’m fine.”

“Sure you are.”

“I am.”

The crowd keeps growing as the afternoon rolls on. More friends filter through the doors until the hall feels packed wall to wall with familiar faces.

Dakota arrives carrying enough energy for three people. Clint follows with the expression of a man already regretting whatever Dakota is about to say.

Sawyer and Marshall wander in together. Wyatt shows up late and immediately starts stealing food from other people’s plates.

Nobody stops him because nobody’s succeeded in stopping him for years.

Arizona gets introduced to everyone at a pace that would challenge a game show contestant.

She keeps up with the introductions until people start explaining who’s related to who, who’s married, who used to date, and who somehow ended up family anyway. Around here, everybody already knows the story, so they skip half the details without realizing it.

I watch her eyes bounce from Annie to Silas, then over to Cody and Duke before circling back again, like she’s convinced the answer is written on one of their faces if she looks hard enough.

Annie catches her studying the group and smiles. “Honey, just ask.”

Arizona lets out a laugh. “Was I that obvious?”

“You’ve been trying to solve us for the last five minutes,” Annie says, waving a hand toward the table. “Go on.”

Arizona glances around the group. “Okay… who’s actually related to who?”