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He looks back toward Addie before continuing. “I just wanted to say thanks.”

That catches me off guard enough that I just stare at him. “For what?”

“For taking care of her out there.”

Well, that’s definitely not what I expected after the last week of his cold shoulder and hostile attitude. Definitely a good sign.

Eli keeps his attention on his sister while he talks. “She did well this summer. And I know she did the work, so I’m not taking any of that away from her. But you were there when she needed somebody. You kept her going when I couldn’t be there to do it.”

I don’t really know what to say to that.

Thankfully, he isn’t finished. “I appreciate you standing by her.”

I look over at Addie again. She’s laughing now, Dusty’s reins still in one hand while she talks to another person who’s approached her. There was never another option. “Always, man.” I turn back to Eli. “I’ll always be by her side.”

His gaze stays on mine for a second, like he’s weighing whether he believes me. Then he nods. He still clearly feels some kind of way about it all, and there's still a whole lot of weird shit between us that neither of us knows what to do with yet. But it’s a start.

I leave him with Hazel and Shae and make my way toward Addie, and she sees me before I reach her, her whole face lighting up as I approach.

“There you are!”

She hands Dusty’s reins off to the guy beside her and comes straight at me. I barely have time to brace before she throws herself into my arms, and I catch her around the waist, lifting her clean off the ground while she laughs against my neck.

“You fucking did it,” I whisper into her hair.

“I didn’t win,” she says, still laughing.

“I don’t give a shit.” I lower her back onto her feet but keep my arms around her. Her cheeks are flushed from the run, her hair is a mess beneath her hat, and there’s a streak of dirt running down one side of her jeans, and I’ve never seen anything more beautiful. “You were incredible.”

Her smile changes, softening as she looks up at me. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” I kiss her before she can say anything else. Right here. In front of Eli. Because apparently, I still enjoy testing the limits of our newly repaired friendship.

Addie laughs against my mouth before pulling back. “You’re pushing your luck with him.” She shakes her head at me, but she’s smiling when she holds up the stack of cards in her hand. “Look at all the sponsors’ business cards!”

There’s so much excitement in her voice that I laugh and pull her into me again, pressing a kiss against the side of her head. She fucking did it.

Her smile widens. “Looks like we might be going back out on the road sooner rather than later.”

I laugh. “That right?”

“Possibly.” She hooks her fingers through my belt loops and pulls me closer. “You up for another road trip, Cowboy?”

I think about the camper and every shitty campsite we slept in. Endless highways. Gas-station junk food. Dusty stomping around in the trailer behind us. Addie putting her feet on my dashboard even after I told her a hundred fucking times to put them down. I think about waking up beside her every morning. Making her coffee. Watching her ride. And watching her become more confident with every damn mile we put behind us.

Somewhere between Montana and Wyoming and a dozen places I can barely remember anymore, this stopped feeling like a trip I was helping Addie take and started feeling like a life we were building— together.

I don’t know whether I’ll take Cole’s contract. I don’t know which sponsor Addie will choose, where they’ll send her next, or how much time we’ll actually spend in Ashford Ridge once the next season starts.

She’s looking up at me with that smile on her face, ready for whatever comes next, and all I know is I want to be right there beside her for it.

I lean down and press a kiss to her forehead. “I’ll follow you anywhere, Sunshine.”

Unknown Male

Ipush through the sliding doors of Mountainview Manor just as the sun starts to dip behind the mountains. I timed it that way on purpose, figuring most people would already be done visiting for the day. The last thing I need is someone from this godforsaken town spotting me here and asking questions I have no intention of answering.

Places like this have a distinct smell. Antiseptic mixed with something stale and faintly sour, like the building itself knows this is the last stop for most of the people who come through its doors. It makes me wonder how many people have died here over the years. Probably damn near all of them eventually, which does absolutely nothing to make the smell any less putrid.