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Sadie’s entire body relaxed with the knowledge that someone finally knew and impossibly, maybe even understood. It was a release she wasn’t expecting, and she nearly lost her balance entirely as the world shifted around her. Her lip trembled.

“The land is in his name,” she said by way of explanation. She needed this man to understand. “I’d lose everything. Teddy would lose everything. No man would understand him like James did, especially not one of the Wheeler brothers.”

Doyle took a step, shrinking the distance between them to a breath away. He reached out as if offering to comfort her, and Sadie automatically hugged herself and looked away.

“You’ve been holding the world on your back for a while, it sounds like.” Wally’s voice was soft and warm, just like she imagined the arms he still held open would be.

Not trusting herself to speak without the dam of tears she’d held back in front of others for so long bursting, Sadie nodded.

“You don’t have to shoulder it all alone. I won’t be here long. I promise I’m not a threat, but I’d like to be a friend.”

The rest of everything she’d held in for two long years rushed out as she collapsed into Wally’s embrace, letting the shotgun drop to the ground. He held her broken pieces together as she sobbed against his chest, a trembling mess.

It took some patience on Wally’s part, and for that, she was grateful. When she finally picked herself up, she couldn’t help but burn hotter than the desert sun with embarrassment. She rubbed at her face, sure she looked a sight.

“I may have ruined your shirt, Wally,” she said by way of apology.

Wally picked at the wet material clinging to his broad chest, and Sadie imagined what it looked like under that shirt. James had been pretty hairy, and though she’d never complained, she’d wondered what it would be like with someone a bit less akin to a bear. The heat in her cheeks increased.

About to say something, Wally opened his mouth, but paused, eyes darting to the left and up like he was listening to someone whispering in his ear.

“I should get back to my search.” Wally sighed, but before he turned around, he stopped and shoved a hand in his pocket to pull something out. “Sadie?”

“Yeah, Wally?”

“I don’t know what happened with that man’s brother, but Teddy and I found this.”

Sadie’s knees trembled as he held out the volunteer sheriff’s badge between them. How had she missed that? She’d tucked it in her pocket, but it must’ve worked itself out when she dragged what was left of him over on Darcy’s back. She remained speechless.

“Look, if you didn’t know he was here, you need to be careful because he was obviously watching you. But if you do know where he is… Well, just be careful either way, okay?”

Swallowing to try and clear her dry throat, Sadie nodded as she accepted the badge. She’d have to bury it, too, she supposed. If she didn’t already know Amos Stillwater, sheriff and acting Mayor of Devil’s Creek, she’d wonder how someone like Eli could be deputized. But she did know the bastard. She knew all the bastards in Devil’s Creek too well.

Wally tipped his hat and hesitated another few seconds before stalking off toward Darcy’s pen and the barn, eyes down, staring at some contraption on his wrist. It made her worry that he was going to trip from not paying attention. Strange man, that Wally Doyle. Sadie shook her head as she leaned against the doorway watching his methodical progress. She had chores to be working on, but for some reason, she couldn’t pull her gaze away.

She’d never met a man like him. Even James would’ve doubled over laughing about a woman doctor, but Wally acted like it was normal. He didn’t bat an eyelash when she told him about Teddy’s episodes either. Most men would’ve shied away from the boy or laughed at his weakness. But Wally had the same issue and had gotten help. He’d willingly and patiently held her while she fell apart, helped her son with his thingamabobs, and not bothered her about the land or the idea of covering up her husband’s death even though she’d lied.

Something told her she couldn’t let him walk out of Teddy’s life like this. She had to stop him.

Sadie considered using the shotgun for half a minute before darting off the back porch and rushing to catch up with the man currently bending over, ass in the air facing Darcy. The mule snorted and tried to nip at him, but thankfully, wasn’t close enough to reach.

Sadie drew in a steadying breath. Screw people’s opinions. She had one shot at getting him to stick around.

“Hey, Wally,” she said, tapping him on his back.

Standing up, he turned to her, big brown eyes questioning. She threw her arms around his neck, pulled his head down, and tasted those full lips she’d been thinking about since she met him.