Page 121 of Finding His Redemption

“You know what we should do today?” Oliver said, carefully setting his painting aside to dry. “We should take Echo to see the horses for real. She wants to meet them all.”

“Echo does, huh?” Nessie asked with a knowing smirk. “Hasn’t she already met them all?”

“Ugh, okay.Iwant to meet them.” Oliver clasped his hands and rounded his eyes, making him look like a puppy begging for a treat. “Can we, Jax?”

“That’s up to your mom,” Jax said, though the idea of showing them around Valor Ridge, of letting Oliver see where he lived and worked, had warmth unfurling in his chest.

Nessie filled two mugs with coffee and doctored them up the way he liked before handing one to him. Their fingers brushed in the exchange, and he caught the way her breath hitched slightly at the contact.

“I think that sounds like a wonderful idea,” she said, settling beside him on the couch. Not touching, but close enough that he could feel the warmth radiating from her skin. “If you don’t mind us invading your space.”

Why would he mind? He wanted them at the ranch, wanted to show Oliver the horses and the dogs, and introduce him to the other guys. Wanted Nessie to see where he’d been putting himself back together, piece by piece.

Wanted them to be part of his world the way he was becoming part of theirs.

“No, I don’t mind at all.” His voice came out rusty, and he took a drink of his coffee to soothe it. “I’d like you to visit.”

Oliver clapped his hands together, making Echo’s ears perk up. “Yes! Can we go now? Please?”

“After breakfast,” Nessie said, laughing. “And after we get you properly dressed.”

“And after I call in to the ranch,” Jax added, pulling his phone from his pocket. “Let them know I won’t be in for morning chores.”

The screen showed three missed calls from Boone and a string of texts in the group chat X had started. There were variations of “where the hell are you” and “Boone’s looking for you,” but the most recent one from River just said:

Get some, Thorne

Christ, they knew exactly where he was and what he’d been doing. He’d never hear the end of this.

“Everything okay?” Nessie asked, noticing his expression.

“Just the guys being... the guys.” He scrolled through the messages, finding one from Walker that was more diplomatic: “Take the day. You’ve earned it.”

Relief flooded through him. He’d been half-convinced he’d get back to find his bunk cleaned out and his walking papers waiting. The fact that Walker was giving him the day off felt like approval, or at least acceptance.

“They know you’re here?” Nessie’s tone was a bit too casual, and he saw all of the fears he’d tried to exorcise last night creeping back in—the worry that people would talk, that being with him would make her a target for gossip or worse. After everything she’d been through, the instinct to hide was probably bone-deep.

“Yeah, they know.” He set the phone aside and reached for her hand, threading their fingers together. “Is that a problem?”

She was quiet for a moment, staring at their joined hands. “No,” she said finally, sounding more certain. “No, it’s not a problem. I’m tired of hiding.”

The words hit him square in the chest. She was choosing him, choosing this, despite the risks. Despite the fact that being with an ex-con wouldn’t do her reputation any favors in a town like Solace.

“Good,” he said, bringing her knuckles to his lips. “Because I’m tired of pretending I don’t want you.”

Oliver made a gagging sound from the floor. “Gross. Can you guys be mushy after we go see the horses?”

Nessie laughed, the sound bright and unguarded. “Sorry, kiddo. We’ll save the mushiness for later.”

“Much later,” Oliver said seriously. “Like when I’m at college.”

Jax nearly choked on his coffee. The kid was seven years old and already planning his escape. “College, huh? What are you going to study?”

“Dinosaurs. Or maybe dogs. Or both.” Oliver shrugged, as if this was the most reasonable career path in the world. “I haven’t decided yet.”

“Dinosaur dogs,” Nessie said. “There’s definitely a market for that.”

Oliver’s eyes lit up. “Yes! I could make dogs that look like dinosaurs, so we can actually have dinosaurs as pets! Echo could be the first one!”