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Clark looks at me. A second ticks by. Maybe two. Then, he closes his eyes and lets out a deep, heavy breath—one that seems to carry the weight of his entire world.
“Say that last thing you know again.”
My mind races. “That I know I love you?”
When he opens his eyes again, Clark grins, his eyes sparking with a joy so intense it could outshine the sun. "That’s the one. And ain't that just the best thing I've heard all day?" He pulls me in, his thumb brushing against my cheekbone and leaving a trail of warmth in its wake. "Say it one more time for me, Mariah."
Tears prick my eyes as I lean into his touch, surrendering wholly to the feeling I've been fighting since the moment I met him. "I love you, Clark," I whisper.
"I love you too," he murmurs, as he leans down, his strong, rustic scent wrapping around me like a warm blanket on a cold winter night. His lips touch mine tenderly, and I'm suddenlyaware of just how much I've missed him, even though it's only been a few hours that we've been apart.
As he pulls away, Clark cradles my face in his rough-hewn hands, his gaze holding an unspoken vow. "How about we get back in that chopper and go back home where we belong?"
I blink away the tears, feeling a surge of warmth at his words. "Home?" I echo, my voice shaky with emotion.
"Yep," he replies, his grin unwavering. "Home."
And that's when it hits me. With Clark, it's like I've been wandering lost in a maze my entire life, and now here he is, standing by the exit and holding his hand out to guide me home. A home that isn't defined by four walls or an address. It's wherever we build it, together.
I nod, that lump still in my throat. As scared as I've always been to let love in, there's nothing frightening about what I feel for this man. “Let’s go home.”
CLARK
As the helicopter touches down in the middle of the field near Mariah's cottage, I spot her friend Regina. She's waiting on the front porch and quickly rushes toward our landing spot, meeting us halfway with an expression filled with both surprise and confusion.
"What in the world is going on?" Regina asks, trying to hold her hat on her head as the chopper takes off again. "Why did a fancy helicopter just drop you two off here?"
Mariah beams, barely able to contain her excitement. "Remember how I said I'd see about extending my vacation by a week or two?"
"Yes," Regina says, somewhat warily as she looks between us.
"It's not happening," Mariah says, and Regina's face immediately falls.
"What? Why? No fair! What's going on?"
"I'm staying indefinitely instead," Mariah says in a rush, bouncing on her toes in excitement. "Oh, as long as you don't mind renting out your cottage to me?"
Regina's eyes widen. "Of course, stay as long as you like! Oh, my god. This is amazing. That must have been some helicopter ride. I can't wait to hear all about it!"
"I'll let Mariah fill you in on the details," I say. As much as I want to sweep Mariah into my arms and never let go, I know I have some unfinished business back at the ranch that can't wait. "I need to head over to Double C for a bit, and I'm sure this conversation will be a lot more fun if it's just the girls."
Mariah gives me a knowing look and squeezes my hand before I head off. My heart feels lighter than it has in years.
"It was great to see you again, Clark," Regina calls out.
"And you, Regina," I call back over my shoulder. "Take care of her for me, all right?"
"Always," she says, a note of solemnity in her voice that makes me smile. The two women disappear inside the homely cottage, chattering away, and it makes me feel like everything is falling into place. Mariah and I are together. She's here with her best friend. And if all goes well when I talk to my boss at Double C ranch, I might just be able to secure the future I've been dreaming of for us.
By the time I reach the dusty gravel road that leads up to Double C Ranch, the sun is sinking low in the sky, painting the world in hues of crimson and gold. I breathe a sigh of relief, because even though I was only in the city for a few hours, it feels like years since I last inhaled the sweet scent of cut grass and manure that fills the air around the ranch. The sight of the crooked wooden sign bearing the ranch's emblem eases the tension from my shoulders. I don't ever want to leave this place.
The gravel crunches under my heavy boots, a sound as familiar as my own heartbeat. Old Bubbles, our top milk cow, greets me with a low moo from her paddock, and I can’t help but chuckle at the way her ears perk up at the sound of my voice. "Good to see you too, Bubs," I say, reaching over the top of her fence to give her a scratch behind the ears. She responds with an approving snort, and it's comforting in a way that only familiarity can be.
As I get closer to the main ranch house, my steps become slower, more deliberate. Now that I'm here, the prospect of facing Austin after the commotion my father sending that helicopter caused seems a helluva lot more daunting. But it's a necessary confrontation, one I've been skirting around for too long. Out of everyone on the ranch, he's known me the longest. His father took a chance on me when I was practically still a kid, and Austin showed me patience and gave me friendship when I was finding my feet. They could have made it tough, but they welcomed me into their family like I was one of them. I owe him my world. But at the very least, I owe him an explanation. And if it turns out he doesn't want me working for him anymore, I guess I'll understand. But I sure as hell hope it won't come to that. This place is home to me.
I pause before the small iron gate that separates the main house from the rest of the ranch, gathering my courage. But before I can push it open and walk through, the sound of boots on gravel approaches from behind. I turn to see Joey, his usually jovial face set in a hard line and his eyes filled with a fierce disappointment that punches me right in the gut.
“You’re back,” he says curtly, stopping a few feet away from me.
