John, Nancy, and Maggie are all standing out front on the porch. When the car pulls up, Maggie’s face lights up—bright, shocked and joyful.
I hop out quickly, shuffling in my heels, gravel sharp under the thin soles, but I don’t care. “Thank you,” I say to the Uber driver as she pulls away, tires crunching off.
“It’s good to have you back, city girl,” Maggie says, walking up to me fast, arms already open.
I pull my sunglasses up. “It’s good to be home,” I say, voice cracking just a little, throat tight.
She hugs me tight, warm, fierce, smelling like hairspray and sunscreen. I hug back harder, eyes stinging.
“Where is he?” I ask, pulling away.
“He’s fixing the fence on pasture 29. It’s about 3 miles down—”
“I know where it is,” I smile, real this time, heart pounding so hard I can feel it in my throat.
“Of course you do.” She laughs, bright, relieved.
I run to the barn, heels clicking, heart slamming. Shadow’s stall door is already half-open. He sees me and nickers low, ears pricked forward, stomping once like he’s been waiting. I get him out—his coat warm under my hands, mane soft against my fingers. I can tell he’s happy by the neighs and stomps he gives me. I kiss his nose—warm velvet, sweet hay breath.
“I missed you baby. Now let’s go find daddy,” I whisper, undoing my heels, bare feet hitting the ground cool and gritty. I climb onto him without a saddle—who needs that—gripping his mane, thighs clamping tight around his sides.
“Let’s go.” I kick and he takes off—as soon as we exit the barn, Maggie whistles from up the hill. It just fuels me more.
The ride feels good, heart pounding, wind whipping through my hair, braid unraveling, Tennessee warmth wrapping around me like no other. Feeling the breeze on my body, thesun on my skin, my horse under me—so grounding, so right. I see Cole up ahead—silhouette against the fence line, hammer in hand, shirt clinging to his back from sweat. He turns around and freezes when he sees me. I slow Shadow down.
“Woah boy.” I slide off him—bare feet hitting grass, warm and soft—and slowly start walking towards Cole.
“Need a hand?” I ask—voice steadier than I feel.
“What are you doing here?” he says, voice rough, low, eyes wide like he’s seeing a ghost.
“I was missing home,” I say, simple, true, my voice cracking on the last word.
He turns his head at me like he’s trying to understand, jaw tight, toothpick rolling between his lips, eyes searching mine.
“You don’t have to say it back. I know you —”
“I love you,” he interrupts, voice cracking, raw, breaking on the words like they’ve been trapped inside him too long.
Still walking towards him, slow, steady, heart slamming against my ribs.
“This is my home and I want to stay here if you’ll have me,” I say, tears burning my eyes now, voice trembling.
He runs to me, drops everything in his hands, hammer, gloves, fence staples clattering to the ground and runs to me, lifting me into the air. My legs wrap around his waist instinctively, arms around his neck, and our mouths crash—hard, desperate, tongues tangling, teeth clashing. He tastes like salt and sweat and coffee and him—everything I’ve been starving for.
In between kisses:
“I love you baby,” he says, voice wrecked, hands gripping my hips, fingers digging into the soft flesh there.
“I love you Cole. I love you so much,” I whisper against his mouth, tears mixing with our kiss.
“I’ve loved you since the first time I laid eyes on you. And letting you leave here without you knowing that was the biggest mistake of my life. I’ve missed you every second—”
“It’s only been a week,” I interrupt—half-laugh, half-sob.
“It felt like a hundred,” he says, looking me in the eyes while my feet hit the ground—boots solid in the grass, his arms still locked around me.
“Anything you want I will do it. You are everything I’ve always wanted. You consume me. You’re all I think about. All I look for. I’ve felt like a ghost since you’ve been gone. You are my world. I want you forever. I love you freckles across your nose, the way your hips jiggle when you walk. The way your hair lays on your shoulders. Your eyes, that smile. You make me want to change. You make me better. There’s nobody else for me but you baby.”
