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“Ready?” Asher reached for his wife’s hand and the two of them walked through the field toward the big Wasatch Maple at the back of the property.

They walked in silence, but it wasn’t an uncomfortable silence. It was companionable.

She knew he wasn’t always that big of a talker, and today, in particular, was a day of reflection.

When they reached the tree, Asher removed the small backpack from his back and opened it, unfurling a blanket and laying it down in the shade. He kneeled on it and offered Triss his hand, welcoming her to join him.

He situated her between his legs and they faced the tree and the five small headstones that spanned in front of the trunk.

“Well, Dare, old buddy …” Asher said, forcing the words past his tight throat, “you’re a daddy.”

Triss turned her head and glanced up at him, kissing his jaw.

“Greenleigh delivered the first foal of the season. A little filly who we’ve named Daria, in honor of her dad. She’s beautiful and perfect and looks just like you.” He cleared his throat. “We’re going to keep her and raise her to be a therapy horse for Triss’s practice here on the ranch. Keep her in the family.”

He hugged Triss tighter.

It’d been the glimmer of hope that he needed when the vet reminded him shortly after the accident with Dare, that they still had a few of Dare’s specimens in the freezer at the clinic. So they waited until Greenleigh went into heat and then with their fingers crossed, hoped that the implantation took and they could continue Dare’s legacy at the ranch.

And just last night little Daria was born, healthy, perfect and looking just like her sire.

They still had two more specimens at the clinic, so over the next few years, they planned to breed more little Dare Juniors to keep his memory alive and well.

Since starting the ranch, he and Nate had lost five horses, and each horse was cremated and their ashes spread beneath this tree where small headstones were placed. When he couldn’t find his brother, but his truck was still in the yard, Asher knew Nate was probably out at the maple with the horses.

It was where Asher came, too, when the world got too loud.

“Mercy’s foals with Callie and Hula-Hoop are due any day, too,” Triss said. “We’re going to have a field full of foals this summer.” He loved that she was speaking to Dare, not to him. That she understood the importance in remembering the horses and not just dismissing them as “animals.” They were their livelihood, their family, and their pets.

Even though he ate steak and bacon, Asher knew from the get-go that he could never raise cows or pigs for slaughter. He’d name them all, befriend them all and it would destroy him to put them down.

He’d be a shell of a human if he had to do that.

As it was, every time a horse died, a fragment of his heart went with it. He couldn’t imagine having to kill over and over again and what that would do to him. He’d done enough of that in Iraq to last a lifetime.

“So … Dare, we have some news,” Triss started, snuggling deeper into Asher’s embrace. “You’re a daddy, but Asher is also going to be a daddy.”

Asher leaped up from his spot on the blanket, which caused Triss to fall backward.

“Oh shit,” he said, dropping back down to his knees. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Her tinkling laugh sent ribbons of warmth spinning through him. They wrapped around his heart and squeezed. She sat up, her smile big and beautiful. Suddenly the entire day seemed brighter. His life seemed brighter.

“Are you serious?” he asked taking her hand. “You’re pregnant?”

They’d been trying for about six months, but so far hadn’t had any luck. He’d given up hope, wondering if it was the universe’s way of telling him he wasn’t unbroken enough to be a parent.

She nodded, tears filling up her eyes, but she just kept smiling. “I am. Doctor confirmed it this morning.”

His brain and heart felt like they were going to explode. He couldn’t remember ever being this happy.

He turned back to the tree and focused on Dare’s headstone. “You hear that, buddy? I’m going to be a dad, just like you.”

Triss laughed and when he turned back to face her, tears streamed down her flushed cheeks.

“How are you feeling?” he asked. “When did you …”

He had a million questions, and he knew without a doubt that his patient and kind woman would sit and answer every single one if he needed her to.