Page 1 of Promised Cowboy

Chapter 1 – Lacey

The air here smells different.

It’s cleaner. Fresher. There’s a hint of hay and honeysuckle carried on the breeze, and beneath it all, that familiar scent of horses and pine I didn’t realize I’d missed so much. Standing on the front porch of my brother Wyatt’s house, I take a long, deep breath and let it settle into my lungs. For the first time in months, maybe longer, I don’t feel like I’m racing a clock.

Shadowbrook.

It’s always had a way of grounding me.

I lean against the porch rail, my gaze sweeping out over the rolling pastures that stretch toward the horizon. The early morning sun is creeping higher, casting long golden fingers across the dew-kissed grass. I can hear the soft lowing of cattle in the distance, the rhythmic creak of a windmill spinning lazily, the distant whinny of horses in the paddock. Everything here moves slower, more deliberately. Life breathes in a steady rhythm.

The complete opposite of everything I left behind.

Behind me, I hear the faint cry of the newest Monroe family member. Baby Clara is letting the whole house know she’s awake. My sister-in-law Rachel’s voice follows, soft and soothing, as she rocks the newborn back to sleep.

I smile. That’s part of why I’m here—officially, anyway. Wyatt and Rachel needed an extra pair of hands while they settled into life with the baby. And I needed… well, I needed to get away.

The burnout wasn’t sudden. It had crept up on me for years—late nights at the office, constant deadlines, never-ending expectations. Living in the city was supposed to be exciting, but somewhere along the way, it turned into something suffocating. Everyone wanted something from me: more hours, more output, more performance. And I kept giving. Until there was nothing left to give.

So when Wyatt called, mentioning the baby and half-joking that I should come home for a while, it didn’t take much convincing. My apartment lease was up, my job on shaky ground after recent mergers, and my energy long since depleted. Shadowbrook felt like an easy yes.

I fold my arms across my chest, letting my gaze follow a hawk circling high above the trees. For now, there are no client calls. No packed calendars. No endless commutes. Just wide open sky and the steady comfort of family.

A soft knock behind me draws my attention, and I turn to see Rachel standing in the doorway, baby Clara bundled snugly against her chest.

“You doing okay out here?” she asks softly, her smile warm.

I nod. “Better than okay.” I glance back at the horizon. “I didn’t realize how much I missed this.”

Rachel’s eyes soften with understanding. “It has a way of getting into your blood, doesn’t it?”

I smile, but there’s a tiny pang in my chest. Because as much as I love being home, there’s a voice in the back of my mind whispering that this is temporary. That eventually, I’ll have to go back. Back to the life I worked so hard to build. The life that’s still waiting—whether I want it or not.

Rachel shifts Clara slightly, rubbing slow circles on the baby’s back. “You know you’re welcome to stay as long as you need, right?”

“I know.” And I do. Wyatt and Rachel have made that clear from the moment I arrived. Family here doesn’t come with an expiration date.

Rachel grins. “Besides, I’m sure the guys won’t complain about having you around to help at the ranch. With Mason busy running the business side and Wyatt splitting his time with the baby, we’ll take all the extra hands we can get.”

“I’m happy to help,” I say honestly. “It’s good to be useful.”

Her grin widens, and she gives me a knowing look. “And of course, I’m sure a certain someone will be happy to see you too.”

I raise an eyebrow, but my cheeks heat despite myself. “Who?”

Emily laughs softly. “Colton Walker. Don’t play innocent, Lacey. Everyone knows you two have been thick as thieves since you were kids.”

My stomach flips at the mention of his name. Colton. My oldest friend. My confidant. My… something.

We’ve kept in touch all these years—texts, phone calls, the occasional FaceTime—but it’s been years since we’ve been in the same place at the same time. Life has a way of pulling people in different directions, and Colton’s always had his responsibilities at the neighboring Silver Creek Ranch. Still, the idea of seeing him again sets something fluttering in my chest that I don’t want to analyze too closely.

“He’s out of town for a few days, isn’t he?” I ask, playing it as casual as I can.

Rachel nods. “Business trip. Ranch stuff, you know how it is. But Mason said he should be back by the weekend.”

I nod, trying to ignore the tiny spark of anticipation that flickers inside me.

Soon.