I finally find my voice. I take her hand. "Thank you."
She turns to me, her expression softening. "You're welcome."
"This is—" I stop, searching for the right words. "This means a lot."
"I know." She steps closer, her hand brushing mine. "I'm not trying to prove anything, Jake. I just want to be part of this. Part of what you're building here. On my terms."
"I get it." And I do. "You're mine, but I’m yours too.”
"Exactly." Her smile is small but genuine.
Mason clears his throat. "Okay, this is getting too sappy for me. I'm going to start mapping out the pasture logistics."
"I'll help," Luke says, already heading back toward the barn. "We need to figure out feed costs and water access."
They disappear inside, leaving Emma and me standing alone in the driveway.
I tug her hand. "Come on. I'll show you where you're sleeping."
"Your room?"
"Where else?"
She laughs softly. "Just checking."
56
EMMA
The weekend is bliss.
Jake and I spend a lot of time in bed, but I manage to get some clothes on and explore Blackthorn some. It’s a beautiful ranch, a bit smaller than the Circle H but with more pastureland.
I have the first small herd of horses brought over, and Jake takes me riding so I can take pictures of the ranch. I also get some great shots of Mason, Luke, and Jake in action and being around each other. They really are a unit, moving in perfect synchronization, their thoughts all aligned.
Jake and I talk—about the past, the present, and the future. I tell him I don’t want to travel around on assignment as much. He looks glad about that. He tells me that he and the boys are thinking of starting a consulting business, doing security and “other things.” Mercenary work is how I interpret it.
I’m not an idiot. I know what Jake used to do involved killing people.Hello—special forces. Everyone’s seen those movies. Not to mention he didn’t even bat an eyelash ateliminatingEli Turner.
I don’t know how I feel about that—would they only take out bad guys? But it’s a moot point at the moment, since they’re onlydiscussing options. I did make sure Jake understands I won’t stand for an absentee partner.
What we don’t talk about is the folder I found in Dad’s desk.
Right now, it's pointless to bring it up. Because Eli's truck hasn't been found, everyone's assuming Eli took off for a bit. No one's come around to pester Jake about him. I'm hoping all this will just die down, and we can get on with life.
But just in case, I make lunch plans with Harper to ask her about the investigation.
Jake's handling the installation of my new security system—yeah, we reached a détente over the weekend on that—so he doesn't make much of a fuss when I tell him I'm going out.
The Iron Ridge Diner smells like coffee and bacon grease, the kind of place that hasn't changed its menu or its decor since the eighties.
Harper's already in our usual booth when I arrive, her curly brown hair tamed into a neat bun, her deputy's uniform crisp despite having been on duty since early morning.
She grins when she sees me, sliding out to give me a quick hug. "There she is. I was starting to think you'd stood me up."
"Never." I slide into the booth across from her, grabbing a menu even though we both know what we're ordering. "Just got caught up with some ranch stuff."
She arches her brow, leaning against the back. "Ranch stuff? Is that what they’re calling it these days?"
