Page 99 of Broken Boundaries

“Thank you, darlin’.” I lean over and give her a gentle kiss on her lips. “Now eat your pancakes. We’re going riding in a bit.”

She smiles and picks up her fork.

The stables are busy today. Beck is gearing up for a morning trail ride with three families when we finally get there. I texted him earlier to make sure he left mine and Aspen’s horses in their stalls. He wasn’t happy about it, but he agreed anyway.

He waves at us when my UTV pulls up. I grab Aspen’s hand as we walk toward him, and I catch his eyes falling to our hands. A small smile tugs at his lips.

“Well, look who it is,” he says in greeting.

“Hey, Beck.”

“Mornin’, Ms. Aspen. I take it to mean you two are official now?” he asks.

I pull Aspen toward me and kiss her. “Yep.”

“Ok, a simple yes or no woulda been fine,” he teases. “Get out of here before I have to be witness to anything else.”

We both laugh, and I start to lead Aspen over to our horses, but she stops.

“Beck?” she says.

“Hm?”

“Thanks for not judging us. I know you and Brooks probably don’t talk about your feelings much, but I want you to know that we both appreciate how supportive you’ve been. I’m so glad Brooks has such good friends.”

“I appreciate you saying that. You’re part of the family now, too, Aspen. You ever need anything, you know where to find me.”

She nods and then turns back to me. Her eyes are beaming with happiness, and I know in this moment that I’ve made the right choice.

Aspen is my family. She’s my partner. No one else has ever felt right because I was waiting for her. It doesn’t matter how we got here. All that matters is that we’re here now.

We ride out on the trail. It’s a little bit longer than the ones we normally go on, but it’s one of my favorites. And I know we’ll be alone for most of the ride.

Aspen’s horse trots behind mine through the trees. The mornings are cold now, but it’s one of my favorite seasons on the ranch. I love the sound of hooves on crunchy leaves and the wind through the tree branches. I inhale the cold air. Yes, fall is a season of change, and that’s exactly what I’m going through right now.

We reach a point on the trail where I jump down and tie our horses up. Aspen and I walk the rest of the way up to the top of the hill. This spot overlooks the entire ranch.

“This is it, darlin’. This is our life. Are you ready for that?”

She looks over at me, her smile brightening her entire face. “I’ve been ready, Brooks.”

I pull her into my arms.

“Thank you for giving me a home and a family, Brooks. This is everything I’ve ever wanted.”

“You’re everything I’ve ever wanted, darlin’. Thank you for staying.”

CHAPTER 36

Aspen

“So, basing it on this hot dog, how big is Broo—” Jazz starts to ask, while holding up a hot dog we’re prepping for the grill.

I hold up my hand and shake my head. “No. Do not finish that sentence.”

“Oh, come on! Just hold your hand around to show me.”

“No way!”