Page 47

What I want more than anything is for the three of us to be together—I’d do whatever it takes to find a solution that works for all of us. However, instead of explaining that, I hesitated, and now I’m afraid Briar took my response as a sign that this is goodbye.

Our conversation was cut short when she had to leave to pick Caleb up from school.

They usually come back to the ranch, but today, they hung out in Julie’s office doing crafts, and then she called to ask if she could take him to a new movie playing at the local theater and have dinner at the Prickly Pear Diner.

Briar knew without having to ask that I needed to think things through, and made sure I had the time to do so.

That’s the kind of person she is: thoughtful to a fault and always putting others before herself.

It only makes it more obvious that I messed up, and all I want is to find clarity so I can make things right.

I worked late because everything took longer when I couldn’t focus.

Once I wrapped up, the air had cooled enough for a long run.

I hoped it would clear my head, but when it didn’t, I texted Heath to see if he was around.

He replied almost instantly, telling me to meet him at the ranch house.

He’s always been a voice of reason, and I’m hoping he can help me put things into perspective and sort through my thoughts.

I walk over, appreciating the fresh air. On my way, I pass by the cabins and the general store, and I’m close enough to see the lights at the ranch house when my phone pings.

Briar: Hey! We just got home. Caleb fell asleep in the car, so I tucked him into bed.

Jensen: Thanks again for watching him tonight. I’m heading to the ranch house to talk to Heath but will be back soon.

Briar: Take your time.

When I finally get to the house, Heath is waiting for me. He’s kicked back in a rocking chair on the porch, his legs outstretched.

“Trying to butter me up, huh?” He nods at the two bottles of beer in my hand. “Whatever you want to talk about must be serious.”

I shrug as I step onto the porch, leaning against the closest column to face him.

“A guy can’t stop by to share a beer with his best friend?”

Heath smirks, one brow raised. “Let’s not pretend you didn’t steal that from my playbook.”

Growing up, he always had a knack for getting what he wanted with a well-placed bribe. For Julie, it was flowers and butterscotch candies. With Samuel, a fresh bag of jerky did the trick. And for Walker, Heath would take on the chores he hated most when he needed to get on his good side.

“You feel buttered up yet?” I ask, taking my hat off and placing it on the railing beside me.

“Hard to say when there’s no beer in my hand.”

I hook the lip of one bottle under the cap of the other and give it a twist. Once it pops off, I use it to pry open the second bottle.

Heath grunts a thank-you when I lean over to give him one.

I cross one boot over the other, glancing over my shoulder at the endless fields. At night, the ranch carries the hum of cicadas and the golden glow of the sunset stretching across the horizon.

“You’ve gone and fallen for Briar, haven’t you?”

Heath’s question makes me whip my head around to look at him, my eyebrows shooting up in surprise. “Why do you say that?”

He rolls his eyes. “It’s obvious. You’ve been inseparable lately, and you get all googly-eyed when she’s around.” He pauses to take a sip of beer. “You have it bad.”

Briar and I haven’t exactly done much to hide things from anyone except Caleb.

In my defense, it’s damn near impossible to keep my distance when all I want is to have her close.

Evenings have become my favorite part of the day, starting with reading to Caleb before tucking him in, then curling up with Briar on the front porch while sipping spiked hot chocolate out of chipped mugs.

Most nights end with us in bed, limbs tangled up in her worn cotton sheets, whispering praises and talking till dawn.

“I do have it bad,” I admit.

Heath shoots me a confused look. “Then what’s with the long face? My sister’s a damn catch.”

She’s that and so much more.

The way I handled things earlier weighs heavy on my mind, especially thinking about how she must’ve felt at the end of it.

“I found out earlier today that my custody hearing has been moved up to next week, and Briar asked if Caleb and I were coming back to Bluebell afterward,” I blurt out.

“That’s quite the dilemma,” Heath observes, rubbing his chin as he studies me. “I’m guessing you haven’t decided?”

I hesitantly shake my head.

“Can I be frank?” he questions.

I chuckle. “When have you ever held back?”

He shrugs. “Never, and I won’t be startin’ now.

You’ve spent most of your life running. First from your parents, then from everything that reminded you of them.

I’ve only ever seen you truly happy in the past couple of months, and that’s because of Caleb and Briar.

” He rests his beer on the ground beside his chair.

“I think it’s time you stopped running, Jensen.

Sure, you have a high-powered job and a big-city life waiting for you, but is that what you really want?

When you’re old and gray—or should I say grayer,” he adds with a wink, “is the size of your bank account or where you live going to matter, or is it the people beside you?”

My fingers tighten around the bottle in my hand.

When I picture my future, many years from now, the first thing I see is Briar beside me on the porch swing, her head resting on my shoulder, our fingers intertwined.

We look out across the yard as Caleb approaches, coming back from a long day of work on the ranch, wiping sweat from his brow as he joins us.

Then another image surfaces of me, old and gray, in my penthouse, and all I see is silence and empty space.

That vision isn’t much different than it’s always been.

The truth is, I was isolated in the city.

I had my business and employees, but little support outside of work.

Like Heath asked, is that what I want in the end?

To be alone, surrounded by fancy things, with my son cut off from the people who love us most?

Or to have them in our lives, and the privilege of falling asleep each night with the woman of my dreams in my arms, while Caleb is happy in the place where he belongs ?

If hindsight is twenty-twenty, then mine is crystal clear.

Before Caleb and Briar, I was going through the motions.

Each day blended into the next, colorless and dull.

Then they came along, transforming my life into Technicolor, and paved the way for me to find pieces of myself that I thought were lost forever.

I take my last swing of beer. “Since when are you so wise?”

“Somewhere between mucking stalls and mending fences,” Heath jokes.

I pull out a hundred-dollar bill and hold it out to him.

He scrunches his nose, staring at it in confusion. “What’s this for?”

“Betting that I’d meet a nice country gal before the summer’s over. You were spot-on, and she’s one of the best damn things that’s ever happened to me.”

“Guessing that means you’ve come to your senses?” He takes the money and tucks it into his flannel pocket with a grin.

“I have,” I reply without hesitation.

“Then what the hell are you still standing here for?” He waves in the direction of the cottage. “Go get your girl.”

I set my empty bottle down, then grab my hat, put it on, and tip it at him.

“Thanks, man.”

On the walk back to the cottage, I run through every possible scenario.

Briar might already be asleep, or worse, awake and ready to tell me she’s changed her mind.

I wouldn’t blame her. She was looking for answers earlier, and instead of confessing my feelings and telling her she’s my everything, I let her believe there’s a good chance I’d leave her behind for my career and a life in the city.

I fucked up big-time.

I’m so caught up in my thoughts that I nearly miss her, curled up on the porch swing with a mug in hand. She’s in sleep shorts, an oversized hoodie, and her hair is loose, tumbling over her shoulders.

She’s gorgeous.

When she spots me, her eyes light up. “I wanted to wait for you to get back to make sure you’re okay.”

God, she’s the most selfless person I’ve ever met. After how I left things, she has every right to be frustrated. Yet, her primary concern is making sure that I’m alright.

“Jensen?” she prompts when I don’t reply.

I climb the porch stairs with purpose, striding toward her. She stares with her mouth parted, as I reach for her hand and help her to her feet. I set her mug on the side table and draw her close, burying my nose in her hair, breathing in the comforting scent of apples and sun-worn leather.

“What’s gotten into you?” she whispers.

Having her in my arms confirms that I’m making the best choice. Nothing means more to me than her and Caleb, and though we’ll have to figure out what our future looks like long-term, what matters right now is showing her how I truly feel.

“You’re it for me, Briar Halstead, and I was a fool to ever think this was just a summer fling.

” I gently lift her chin, meeting her intrigued gaze.

“I’m sorry it took me so damn long to tell you.

From day one, you’ve treated Caleb as your own, and I’m in awe of your love for him.

There’s nothing I want more than for the three of us to be a family. That is, if you’ll have us.”

A flicker of hope flashes in her eyes, quickly masked by uncertainty. “What about New York?”

“My home is in Bluebell with you and Caleb,” I state with conviction.

I’ve never been more confident about anything. The town I couldn’t wait to leave as a teenager has become my haven. It’s where my son and I healed together, and where I found the love of my life.

“But your company is in the city,” Briar points out. “How is that supposed to work?”

“I’ve considered making changes at DataLock for a while now, and it feels like the right time to finally move forward with those.”

Briar chews her bottom lip, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

“And what happens if you change your mind?” she asks softly.

The concern in her eyes hits me square in the chest.

“That won’t happen, sugar.”

She furrows her brow. “How can you be so sure?”

I cradle her face in my hands, holding her gaze. “Because I love you, Briar. I love you so damn much, and I’ll do whatever it takes to prove it to you. Even if it means waiting for you to figure out if you want the same thing. I’m in this for the long haul.”

She melts into my touch, letting out a soft sigh. “There’s nothing to think about, Jensen. I want nothing more than for you, me, and Caleb to be a family,” she says, resting her hand over mine, her brown eyes shining. “I love you, too.”

A light breeze blows a strand of hair across her face, and I tuck it behind her ear, brushing my fingers along her cheek.

“You mean it?” I ask.

Her fingers hook into my collar, tugging me against her. “I do. Despite your love for pineapple on pizza and lack of knowledge on plumbing tools, you’ve stolen my heart, and I never want it back.”

“Say it again,” I plead, desperate to hear it once more.

“Despite your enthusiasm for pineapple on pizza and lack of knowledge on plumbing tools, you’ve stolen my heart and I never want it back.”

I shake my head with a chuckle. “No, what you said before that. ”

She rises on her tiptoes to kiss me. “I love you, Jensen.”

I take a moment to soak in those three words. I’ll never get tired of her saying them, and I’ll make sure she hears them from me every chance I get. She’ll never doubt how much she matters to me ever again.

“You know what this means?” I whisper.

She tips her head to meet my eyes. “What?”

“You’re mine, sugar.”

She smiles against my lips. “Then why don’t you claim me properly, cowboy?”

I take my hat off, placing it on her head. “Gladly.”

I tip her chin, leaning in to kiss her softly. My hands gliding along the curve of her hips as I draw her closer until her body molds perfectly against mine. Briar deserves the very best, and I intend to spend my life showing her how much I love her—with every touch, every word, and every action.