Chapter 14
Chapter
Fourteen
They headed back to the ranch the next day.
After the adventure and everything that had happened, they decided it would be better to cut the trip short.
Besides, Lark had gotten plenty of pictures to work with and put into a spread for her submission.
She was ready to figure out her next steps.
And she worried her father would make trouble for Luke and Ty.
If she returned early, perhaps she could block his actions, or minimize them.
The air at the ranch felt sharper somehow—crisper, cleaner—and she felt like a different person. She rode straighter, more confidently, and she almost missed the quiet of the wild.
Lark hadn’t realized how far they’d ridden until the familiar fencing and lodge came into view, the red barns gleaming under the late afternoon sun. It should have felt like relief. Instead, her stomach twisted as Luke’s truck came into sight near the main house.
And beside it—a rented sleek black SUV and Harrison Weston leaning against the hood.
Her heart sank.
He was leaning against the hood, immaculate in a navy blazer with an attitude that screamed old money and smug entitlement. He straightened when he saw her, his expression twisted into a mix of irritation and condescension.
“Lark,” he said, striding toward her as she slid off her horse. “Finally. Are you done with this silly little joke?”
He sneered at her jeans, the way strands of her hair had pulled free from her ponytail and whipped around her face. He wrinkled his nose at the smell of horse and sweat, but he reached for her hand as if nothing had happened, though she caught the look of distaste on his face.
She stepped back before he could touch her. “Don’t.”
His brow furrowed, and he dropped his hand.
“What are you talking about? You’ve made your point, haven’t you?
Playing pioneer woman in the wilderness to prove you’re independent.
” His tone dripped with condescension. “It’s time to come home.
Your father’s worried sick, and frankly, I’m done humoring this phase. We have a wedding to plan.”
Ty, standing a few steps away, stiffened. “Phase?” he echoed, his voice dangerously quiet.
Harrison turned, dismissing him with a glance. “You can go. Your employment’s over.”
Ty’s jaw tightened, but before he could speak, Lark lifted her hand. “Don’t, Ty.”
She stepped forward, squaring her shoulders. “First, you don’t get to dismiss him. He doesn’t work for you. And second—” she crossed her arms, her voice steady “—I never agreed to marry you.”
Harrison blinked. “Of course you did. Your father and I—”
“Exactly,” she cut in sharply. “You and my father. Not me.”
He rolled his eyes, confusion giving way to irritation. “Lark, be reasonable—”
“Oh, I’m being perfectly reasonable.” Her tone was light, but her eyes burned with anger and resolve. “You and my father can discuss whatever business arrangement you want. But if he wants you to be family, you can marry him.”
Behind her, Ty let out a choked sound that might’ve been a laugh.
Harrison’s face flushed an ugly red. “You’re making a mistake. You think you can run off and play mountain girl with this guide? You’ll live in some filthy cabin, eat beans out of a can, and call that a life?”
Lark smiled sweetly. “Sounds peaceful.”
“You’ll regret this!” he snapped, his composure finally cracking. “When reality sets in—when you’re broke, cold, and miserable—you’ll come crawling back. But by then, I’ll be long gone.”
She tilted her head, studying him. “You promise?”
Ty made a strangled sound beside her, and Harrison’s expression darkened further.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he spat. “You’re cut off, Lark. No money, no connections. See how long you last.”
“You have no control over me and neither does my father,” she replied, keeping her cool even as she wanted to laugh in his face. As if he could hurt her.
He stared at her in disbelief. “You’ll come crawling back. I won’t be waiting.”
“I hope not.” This time, she let the laugh out and it felt so damned good.
He turned on his heel and stalked to his SUV, slamming the door so hard the echo bounced off the barn walls. The vehicle roared down the dirt road, throwing up a trail of dust before vanishing around the bend.
Only when the sound faded did she exhale.
Ty stepped closer, his voice low. “You sure you’re okay?”
She turned to him, her anger cooling into something soft and sure. “Better than okay.”
His hand brushed her arm, his thumb tracing a small circle against her sleeve.
“You know he’s not wrong,” he said quietly.
“I can’t compete with that world of yours.
Mansions. Private jets. Whatever it is you’re used to.
I can give you a roof, a view, and maybe a decent cup of coffee. But that’s about it.”
Lark smiled, stepping into his space until their chests nearly touched. “Good thing I never liked jets.”
“Lark—”
“I have a trust fund,” she said, her tone soft but steady.
“From my grandparents. It kicks in soon, and my father can’t touch it.
We’ll be fine. But even more, I made my own money.
I worked for my father, and he paid me well.
I worked hard for my salary. My father never gave me a free ride, but I saved everything I could.
I have plenty saved until my photography kicks in. ”
His brow furrowed. “That’s not—”
She laid a finger against his lips. “I don’t care about money, Ty. I care about us.”
For a long moment, he just looked at her, his expression open and uncertain, as if he still couldn’t believe she was choosing him. Then finally he nodded once, something loosening in his chest.
He reached up, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. “Then let me make you a promise.”
Her breath caught. “Yeah?”
“I’ll be your guide again,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “But this time, we’ll go wherever you want. For as long as you want.”
Her smile trembled, her heart aching with joy. She rose onto her toes, pressing her mouth to his, soft and sure. “Then let’s start here.”
He kissed her back, slow and steady, the dust of the road still hanging in the air around them.
The mountains rose behind them, endless and wild and waiting—just like the life ahead.