Page 27

The rest of the weekend with Ellie hiding out in the guesthouse was like a fever dream. We spent almost every moment under the sheets, pleasuring each other until neither of us had anything left to give.

When I was with Ellie, I didn’t care about anything else in the world. Everything else could wait. I didn’t care if the ranch was on fire, if Ellie needed me, I’d always put her first.

That scared the hell out of me.

It made me think about long-term things with Ellie. Stuff I’d only ever dreamed about and never imagined would actually come true.

But today wasn’t about me and my worries. Today was about Ellie.

This morning, she was going down to the courthouse to file a restraining order against Jason, and she would need my support.

Jason put her through hell—physically, mentally, and emotionally.

The fact that he still had any kind of grip on her life, even from hundreds of miles away, made me want to drive to wherever he was and end it myself.

He’d dimmed Ellie’s smile. Stolen the light from her eyes. And I hated him for it. But after today? That sorry piece of shit would finally be nothing more than her past.

Ellie met me at the courthouse since she had to head straight to work afterward. When I pulled my truck into the lot, I spotted her right away, waiting by the bottom of the courthouse steps. She was wearing a simple white dress that hit mid-thigh, her hair curled, half of it pinned back.

The image of Ellie wearing white tugged at something deep in my chest.

Focus, Colt.

As I walked up, the anxiety rolled off her in waves as Ellie clenched the strap of her purse like a lifeline.

“You ready to get this over with, cowgirl?”

“More than you’ll ever know,” she said.

Inside, we approached the front counter, the clerk greeting us with a warm smile.

“What can I help you with today, honey?” she asked.

Ellie hesitated for a moment. “I… I need to file a restraining order.”

“I can help you with that,” the clerk said kindly, sliding a clipboard across the counter.

“You’ll just need to fill this out. Be as detailed as you can about why you’re requesting the order.

Include any specific incidents or threats with dates if possible.

If you have any evidence, like text messages, emails, or photos, we can submit that too.

There’s a small waiting area right around the corner where you can sit down if you need some time to think about what you want to write.

Take as much time as you need, sweetheart. ”

I could tell this wasn’t the first time this woman had handed someone that kind of paperwork.

Her voice was gentle, straightforward, and clear, without being cold.

She didn’t talk down to Ellie or flood her with information.

It was as if she knew exactly how heavy that clipboard felt in Ellie’s hands.

In the waiting area, Ellie lowered herself into the chair beside me, the clipboard resting on her knees. She mumbled something under her breath that sounded like “cowgirls don’t,” but I didn’t catch the rest of it.

She picked up the pen and started writing, her hand trembling just enough for me to notice.

I reached across the seat and put my hand on Ellie’s thigh, gently stroking it with my thumb to calm her nerves. She paused, her eyes flicking up to meet mine.

“I’m right here,” I said, voice low. “You’re not doing this alone.”

She gave a tiny nod, biting her lip before turning back to the form and writing again.

Word by word, she wrote it all down—every horrible moment, every threat, every time Jason made her feel small or afraid.

After writing for a few minutes, a tear trickled down her cheek landing on the paper.

Fuck , this was going to kill me. I put my arms around Ellie, pulling her close to my chest as her tears flowed .

“I’ve got you,” I whispered, one hand cradling the back of her head, the other wrapped tight around her shoulders.

After a few minutes, she pulled away and wiped her face, done crying.

“Believe it or not, this isn’t hard because I have to write everything down and relive the horrible moments,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “It’s hard because I’m finally admitting that I need help. That I can’t solve this problem on my own. And that’s really hard for me.”

I sat there for a moment, studying her—every freckle, every line—before finally, breaking the silence.

“You’re not weak for needing help, El,” I said quietly. “You’re strong for asking for it.”

She gave me a small smile.

“You’re something else, you know that, Colt McKinley?” she said before placing a gentle kiss on my cheek. “I think I wrote everything down,” she said, standing and reading over the paperwork one last time.

We walked back to the clerk’s desk where she was typing away at her computer.

“All done, honey?” she asked as Ellie handed her the clipboard.

“Yes ma’am.”

“I’ll submit this to Judge Donaldson today,” the clerk said gently.

“Once he signs it, it’s active. A sheriff will serve him with the restraining order as soon as they locate him.

After that, any contact from him becomes a criminal offense.

If he tries to call, text, or show up anywhere near you he goes straight to jail. ”

“Thank you so much for all of your help today,” Ellie said, her voice steadier than before. She gave the clerk a grateful nod before turning and walking towards the exit.

I followed a step behind, silent, giving her space but staying close. As soon as we pushed through the courthouse doors and stepped into the sunlight, Ellie exhaled like she’d been holding her breath the entire time we were inside. She blinked up at the sky for a moment, then looked over at me.

“It’s done,” she said softly. “I actually did it.”

“You did,” I said, smiling at her. “I’m proud of you, El.”

We walked in silence across the parking lot. When we reached her car, she turned to face me, keys in hand.

“Do you think he’ll really stay away this time?” she asked, fumbling through the set of keys in her hand.

“If he doesn’t, he’ll learn why my nickname is Colt .45.”

Ellie’s eyes widened.

“I’m serious. I won’t let anything happen to you, Ellie. Over my dead body will he get near you again.”

She nodded, then stepped closer, wrapping her arms around my waist and resting her head against my chest.

“Thank you for coming with me.”

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. ”

I watched as she got into her car and pulled out of the lot, another piece of the weight she carried left behind in that courthouse.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling me out of my thoughts. It was Jace.

“Hello?”

“What’s my favorite brother up to today? Definitely not helping me with chores, I know that much. I’m out here baling hay by myself in this damn heat,” he said.

“Yeah, my bad. I had to take Ellie to the courthouse this morning. She—” I stopped myself, not wanting to spill Ellie’s business without her say-so.

“Don’t worry, Cassie already told me. She didn’t give details, said ‘it’s girl code’ and all that, but she mentioned Ellie needed to file a restraining order. Left it at that. I saw her this morning at the coffee shop and asked where Ellie was.”

“I’ll be back at the ranch in just a few. I can take over the hay,” I offered, remembering we’d planned to start cutting and baling the pasture on the left side of the property this week.

“Take your time. No rush. Ellie needs you right now. I get it.”

“Thanks, man.”

There was a pause before Jace asked, “So how much longer are you two gonna pretend you’re not a thing?”

I blinked. “What?”

“I mean, come on, man. I don’t take random girls to the courthouse to be their emotional support buddy. I sure as hell don’t sleep on their couch multiple nights in a row to give them peace of mind.”

Right. I was definitely sleeping on the couch .

“Uhh, I—”

I started, then stopped, knowing Jace could smell bullshit from a mile away, and that’s exactly what I was about to hand him.

“Listen,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck and sighing, “as much as it pains me to say this, you’re right. Ellie and I are a thing. But keep it on the down-low for now, alright? She doesn’t want a lot of people finding out. Especially Jason. I want to respect that.”

“No worries, man. I get it.” Jace’s voice softened.

“Congrats, though. I know how much she means to you, even if you never wanted to admit it. You always looked at her different,” he said.

“Even back in high school. You were quieter around her. That’s how I knew it was serious. You never shut up otherwise.”

I chuckled. “Thanks for the subtle insight, Dr. Phil.”

“Just calling it like I see it.”

There was another pause between us. Not the awkward kind, just that comfortable kind of quiet we’d grown up with.

“She’s been through a lot,” I said finally. “More than I realized.”

“And she’s still standing. That says something. But I think she stands a little taller when you’re around,” Jace said, his voice steady.

My chest twisted at that. A good kind of twist. The kind that makes you want to do right by someone. Every damn day .

“Alright, enough with the feelings talk. Let’s stop before you make me cry in the tractor,” Jace said with a grin in his voice.

“Appreciate the pep talk,” I said. “I’ll be out there in about an hour.”

“No rush. Seriously.”