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“It’s adorable!”
“Sure is. It’s missing something though.”
“What’s that?” I ask.
“A bookstore.”
Cade gives me a meaningful look and I grin at him. I told Cade a few months ago that my dream in life is to open my own bookstore. I’ve loved to read ever since I was a kid—losing myself in fantasy worlds helped me to escape from my childhood—and a store of my own has been my goal for as long as I can remember. I never dared to admit it to my parents. They were determined that I pursue a high-flying career in finance, but Cade is nothing like them. He’s supportive. Kind.
“Well, hopefully one day I’ll be able to give Winterdale the bookstore it needs,” I tell him with a smile.
“I’m sure you will.”
We drive out of Winterdale and the view opens onto a valley with jagged mountains rising up on either side. A fresh blanket of snow covers the scene, making it look like something off a Christmas card.
“Wow,” I mutter.
“It’s really something, huh?” Cade says with a smile. “This place is called Blaze Valley. It’s gorgeous in winter, but man, wait until you see it in spring. The whole valley is full of wildflowers, and the air is sweet as honey.”
“Sounds like a fairytale.”
Cade turns right and drives down a winding forest path before we finally reach his cabin. It’s nestled at the base of one of the mountains: a quaint log cabin sprinkled with snow.
“Home sweet home,” Cade says, killing the engine.
We get out of the pickup and Cade grabs my bags as we trudge through the snow toward the front door. He shoulders it open to reveal a rustic-style living room with an open fire and several plump armchairs. It looks like something straight out of one of my favorite fantasy novels.
“This place is amazing,” I gush, peering around at my new home.
Cade nods. “It’s simple, but it’s home. And it’s your home too now, Maeve. So if you ever need anything, you just tell me, okay?” He looks at me intently, his eyes serious. “I’m not like Mom and Dad. I’ll never treat you like they did.”
My heart bursts with affection for my brother, and I hug him tight. “I know you won’t. Thank you, Cade. This new start…it means so much to me.”
We smile at each other for a moment before Cade turns around and starts lugging my bags into one of the bedrooms. I move to follow him, but the view from the window makes me stop in my tracks. In the distance, nestled in the snowy valley, I can make out a large farmhouse surrounded by outbuildings. I squint curiously out into the bright whiteness.
“What’s that over there?” I ask Cade as he shuffles back into the room. “Some kind of farm?”
He follows my gaze. “That’s Blaze Valley Ranch. It’s where Jackson and his brothers live.”
Cade has told me about Jackson and the Ryder family a few times. I always thought it was cool that my brother was living next to a ranch full of cowboys. It sounds like something out of a book.
“I’m looking forward to meeting him,” I say, smiling to myself. I’m excited to get to know my brother’s best friend and see what life in Crave County is really like.
And I’m also pretty excited to meet a real-life cowboy.
“We can go and meet him right now if you want,” Cade says, nodding toward the farmhouse. “Jackson doesn’t usually have visitors, but I’m sure he’ll be glad to make an exception for his best friend’s sister.”
“Sure. I’d like that.”
Cade makes me wrap up warm before we step out into the crisp November afternoon. I breathe in the fresh mountain air as we walk, and I swear it feels like my lungs are being cleaned with every inhale.
As we approach the farmhouse, I catch a glimpse of a man on horseback in the distance, cantering through the pastures. My brother lets out a whistle from beside me, and the figure changes direction, urging the horse toward us. The soft crunch of hooves on snow gets louder as the man approaches, bringing his horse to a stop several feet away. I watch in fascination as he dismounts in one fluid motion, his leather boots landing with a thud against the icy earth. Now that he’s standing on the ground, I notice for the first time how tall he is. Heck, he looks almost as tall as Cade, and that’s saying something since my brother is practically a giant.
“Hey Jackson, come over here and meet my sister,” Cade calls, beckoning his friend toward us.
As Jackson walks into view, my heart starts to flutter wildly in my chest. It was hard to see him from a distance, but with every step he takes toward us, one thing becomes painfully clear…
Jackson Ryder is gorgeous.
