Chapter 1

1

Mason

The sun hadn’t even kissed the horizon good morning yet, and I was already two coffees deep. Hustling through the daily grind at Red Downs Ranch came naturally to me, but not without caffeine.

The crisp morning air nipped at my exposed neck as I strode across the yard, my boots kicking up dust that had settled overnight.

“Tommy, those horses need to be fed before sunrise, not after,” I called out, my voice firm but not unkind, to a young new ranch hand wrestling with a hay bale twice his size.

“Got it, Mase!” he shot back, grinning despite the early hour. Kid had spirit; I’d give him that.

I made a mental checklist of the chores for the day—repairing the fence line by the west paddock, rotating the cattle, exercising the horses—standard fare for life on the ranch. But it was more than routine; it was keeping the heart of this place beating strong.

Usually I spent the bulk of my days stuck behind my desk dealing with the numbers. But Gray asked me to fill in for him a bit this week and I wasn’t inclined to say no to my best friend—a man who never asked for anything.

He was real cagey about it too. Didn’t say why, and said he’d still be around, but needed some time off. The man never took time off.

“Hey, Mason, the water trough by the stables is leaking again,” Sarah, one of our newer hands, informed me as she jogged over, her ponytail swishing with urgency.

“Alright, let’s patch it up temporary-like. I’ll swing by later to fix it properly,” I said, scratching the stubble on my chin. Temporary fixes were becoming a permanent feature around here.

“Sure thing, boss,” she replied, already heading off to round up the tools.

“Boss.” That title sat a little heavy on my shoulders sometimes, like a winter coat you can’t quite shrug off. But who was I kidding? I loved every minute of it—the land, the animals, the constant whirlwind of activity that kept me moving from dawn until way past dusk.

Of course I wasn’t the real boss. That was Gray, who’d inherited the ranch when his daddy died. But Gray was a cowboy through and through and had no desire to do the financial management side of things. Profit and loss, land deals, horse sales, payroll. I actually loved that shit. So much so, I went to college to get a fancy business degree that’s collecting dust on the wall of my office.

But as much as I loved the financial shit, being out here today, in the thick of it with the other ranch hands and wranglers, felt like comin’ home. I grew up here, I tasted my first dirt, thrown from the back of a stern mare, when I was just three years old.

As I watched Sarah hustle away, determination in her stride, I couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride. These folks, they were my team, and together we kept the wheels turning, the livestock thriving, and the fields lush. It was hard work, but it was honest, and it was ours.

“Reckon we’re gonna need more feed soon,” I muttered to myself, making a mental note to put in an order. Couldn’t have our stock going hungry, now could we?

“Everything under control, Mase?” Gray ambled over, coffee cup in one hand.

“Like a well-oiled machine,” I replied, clapping him on the back. “What the hell are you doing out here anyway?”

He sighed, taking a sip of the steaming coffee. “Eryn kicked me out of house.”

“Ha!”

“Don’t you even start.”

“Oh, I’ve started.”

I couldn’t help but bust out a laugh because the Gray I knew barely two years ago didn’t take shit from anyone. But once he met Eryn, everything changed.

The man worshipped the ground she walked on. And sometimes, he was a bit too overbearing and protective. It shouldn’t have surprised me that he’d annoy Eryn to the point of banishment, but it did make me grin with glee and that German thing where you delight in another’s misery.

Schadenfreude, that’s it. Seeing grumpy-ass Gray whipped like a puppy made my damn day.

“Well get it out now, ‘cause I need reinforcements in there. Plus, breakfast is ready. Your parents brought Abby by.”

My parents were a godsend when it came to Abs. They often filled in for me doing the school runs, watching her afterwards, even feeding us dinner throughout the week, since by the time I’d get to their house to pick her up, it was almost her bedtime. Lately they’d been coming over in the morning to get her ready while I came in early to work.

If it took a village, my parents were the mayors of mine.

Gray checked his watch and slapped me on the back—a bit too hard, though I knew it was coming.

I took a moment just to breathe—to take in the expanse of land that stretched out before me, the way the light played tricks on the tips of the grass, the distant sound of cattle lowing. This was more than a job—it was home, even if the land wasn’t mine. And I’d be damned if I didn’t pour my soul into keeping it running as smooth as butter on warm toast.

“Let’s get to it then,” I said to myself since Gray had walked the path back to his house by the main drive.

I followed in the distance, still going over all the things I needed to get done. Ranchin’ wasn’t easy, but it was our way of life. And besides Abby, it was all I needed.

“Pass the syrup, Daddy?” Abigail chirped from across the rustic wooden table in Gray’s grand but rustic kitchen. Her brown curls bounced with each movement, and her tiny hand hovered over a plate stacked high with fluffy pancakes.

“Comin’ right up, cowgirl,” I said, sliding the bottle towards her with a grin. Watching her attempt to pour syrup with the earnest concentration of a surgeon always tickled me. A little river of sweetness overflowed onto the table, but all I could do was chuckle. This was our time, no rush of ranch work could steal it.

“Like this, Daddy!” She demonstrated, looking up for approval, syrup smudging the corner of her mouth.

“Perfect, Abby. Just like how we practiced.” We’d taken to eat breakfast here at the ranch together since my days were so long. It was a nice way to spend some time together before she went off to school, and still allowed me to get some early work done.

I wiped her face with a napkin, my heart swelling more than those pancakes at the sight of her smile. She was the spitting image of her mama with those gray eyes, but all the fire and laughter came straight from me.

“Are you gonna eat that last piece of bacon, or is it just for show?” I teased, pointing at the lonely strip on her plate.

“Saving it for Gampa!” she announced with a giggle, her voice sparkling with mischief.

As if summoned by the mention of bacon, the screen door creaked open and in walked Alice and Buck, my folks, their faces wearing the morning sun like a pair of old, comfortable hats.

“Morning, Mase,” Mama greeted, leaning in to plant a kiss on my cheek. “Morning, sunshine,” she cooed at Abby, who beamed back.

“Morning,” I replied, already feeling the weight of the day lighten with their presence. Gampa ruffled Abby’s hair, taking his seat with a grunt. “Where’d y’all run off to?”

“Oh, we just took a walk by the river. Beautiful morning for it,” Mama said as she greeted Eryn with a kiss on the cheek.

“Got some news for ya, son,” Dad started, glancing at Mama with a look that spelled ‘serious business.’

“Shoot,” I said, bracing myself. Their expressions didn’t exactly scream ‘found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.’

“Abs, if you’re finished with your pancakes, thank Auntie Eryn and go put your plate in the sink. Then get your shoes on and grab your backpack.”

“Thank you, Auntie Eryn,” she called out in a loud sing-song.

Eryn beamed at her. “Anytime, sweet pea. ”

The adults in the room waited for Abby to leave, then Eryn and Gray pretended to busy themselves with something at the stove.

“Well, now. Been meanin’ to talk to ya.”

“It’s nothing bad,” Mama rushed out, probably because of the look on my face.

“Y’all sure are keepin’ me in suspense, here.”

“We’re heading off on a road trip,” Mama revealed, her eyes dancing with unspoken adventure. “A good long one. See the sights we’ve been dreamin’ about.”

“Road trip? How long we talkin’?”

“At least six months. But we’ll see where the road takes us.”

Six months. The words echoed in my head like a stray bullet in an empty barn. My mind raced. They deserved it, no question, but that left me to juggle the ranch and Abby on my own.

“Yep,” Dad confirmed, reaching for the bacon Abby saved for him. “Gonna visit every dang state we can. But don’t you worry, we wouldn’t dream of it if we weren’t sure you could handle things here.”

“I know it’ll be an adjustment, but I think it’ll be good for you. We’ve always been a little too close. Don’t you want to get some living done without us hovering around?” Mama asked.

My throat tightened a bit, heavy with surprise and something else—pride? Concern? Maybe a mix. Here they were, living their golden years by taking care of their granddaughter because their son worked too much. A pang of guilt stabbed me in the stomach.

“Well, we’ll miss you, but you’re right. It’ll be good for me to handle things on my own. I got it covered,” I said, the assurance in my voice slightly stronger than I felt. “You two have fun, hear? ”

“Knew you would,” Dad said, his blue eyes crinkling at the corners.

“Can I come?” Abby piped up, returning to the kitchen with her shoes on but untied.

“Next time, darling,” Mama laughed. “This trip’s for the old folks.”

“Guess it’s just you and me, kiddo,” I winked at her, trying to ignore the knot of urgency settling in my stomach. It was going to be an interesting few months, that was for damn sure.