Chapter 37
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Dakota
What was that?
Thomas is finally gone, but the whirlwind he left in his wake has me reeling. My head’s spinning, my chest tight like I’ve swallowed a stone.
All I wanted was to get out, to sell the house, to escape from this town that’s always felt like a trap. I thought I could just walk away and start fresh.
But I was wrong.
I thought I had it all figured out, but now I’m standing here, stuck, caught in the mess that is my life.
“What’s happening?” I demand. I don’t want to be weak. I don’t want to show him that I’m already breaking. But Sawyer’s the only one here, and I need answers. “What are you doing here?”
He sighs, rubbing his forehead, bracing for something heavy. “Well, I thought you might want to know why Clint didn’t turn up this morning.”
I don’t even realize it, but I’m holding my breath, waiting for him to explain. But when he finally does, it’s a punch to the gut.
I’m trying so hard not to break. Not to let this thing unravel me completely.
“I think his refusal to be here is an answer in itself,” I snap.
The words come out sharper than I expected, but the anger is bubbling up. Anger at Clint for not being here, for not being the man I thought he was.
Sawyer’s gaze softens, his expression becoming something else entirely, close to sympathy.
“It’s not what you think, Dakota,” he says slowly. “He didn’t refuse to be here. He didn’t show up because…”
He pauses, and I feel like I might crack under the pressure of the silence.
I brace myself, my heart already starting to pound. He’s going to tell me something that’ll change everything.
“Because our ranch has been destroyed,” Sawyer says.
I freeze. The air goes out of the room like someone punctured it with a knife. Destroyed? My mind stumbles over the word.
How is that even possible?
“The ranch?” I repeat, unsure of what to think.
Sawyer looks away, his eyes scanning the floor, trying to find the words to explain something he can’t quite put into words.
“It’s a mess, Dakota. It’s not just the land, it’s everything. The latest attack is the worst we’ve ever had to face. Clint has taken it personally.”
His words hit me like a storm crashing through my thoughts. But even as my mind starts to piece it together, the anger surges again.
I shake my head, struggling to get my voice under control. “But his son needs him. Doesn’t he realize that? I need him, too. He can’t just hide behind the ranch.”
Sawyer’s jaw tightens. He looks like he might say something that’ll make me madder, but instead, he softens.
“I don’t think he can handle it anymore, Dakota,” he says quietly. “It’s not just the ranch; it’s everything piling up. It’s too much for one person to bear alone. He’s broken.”
Broken.
The word echoes in my mind, twisting something inside me. I swallow hard, trying to stop the emotions from spilling over. Clint. Broken?
I feel a sharp pang in my chest, like something sharp and jagged has wedged itself in there, tearing me apart.
“He’s always been strong. I didn’t realize…” My voice trails off. How could I not have seen it? How could I have been so blind?
Sawyer’s eyes meet mine again, and I see the worry there. “You didn’t know, Dakota. None of us did. Clint’s always carried everything on his shoulders. He doesn’t ask for help. He never does.”
I feel the tightness in my chest growing, my anger mixing with confusion and guilt. I think about all the times I’ve felt alone.
And now… now I’m the one doing the same thing.
“I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions,” I mutter, more to myself than to Sawyer. “I thought… I thought he had decided not to be here. Same as my dad didn’t want to be there for me.”
Sawyer meets my eyes, and his expression shifts. He’s been waiting for this moment.
“Clint is hard to read, I know. He’s stubborn. But he wants to be here, Dakota. If the ranch wasn’t falling apart around him, if he didn’t feel like it was all on his shoulders… I know he’d be here. For you. For Charlie.”
I close my eyes for a moment, letting the words sink in. Part of me wants to push back, to tell Sawyer he’s wrong. But I can understand Clint’s point of view a little better.
“I’ll bring Charlie to him,” I say. “Help out at the ranch. See what I can do.”
Sawyer gives me a small, approving nod, but I can see the concern still lingering in his eyes. “Yeah, I think that would be great. But I don’t know what state we’re going to find Clint in.”
I nod, even though every part of me wants to rush in and fix everything right away. But I know he’s right. This might not go well.
“Charlie,” I call out, trying to disguise my nerves, “I need you to come down, buddy. We’re headed to High Rise Ranch.”
“We are?”
I hear the pitter-patter of little feet before Charlie appears at the top of the stairs, grinning from ear to ear. His excitement is palpable.
“Yep.” I force myself to smile. “Wanna go see the horses?”
“Yup! I love horses.” His words tumble out in a rapid-fire string as he hurries down the stairs. “Will Clint be there?”
I smile at his enthusiasm. He doesn’t have a care in the world. He’s just excited to go somewhere he loves.
I, on the other hand, feel the tension tightening in my chest all over again.
“I think so,” I say, taking a deep breath and holding my son’s hand as we head for the door. “Let’s go.”
We arrive at the ranch just as the late afternoon sun dances over the wide open fields. But the usual peacefulness of the place feels off.
The barn is half burnt, and there’s a mess of broken wood and tools scattered on the ground. I can hear the sounds of a few horses in the distance.
Clint’s ranch has been a symbol of strength, a place where everything was organized, carefully tended to. But now…
My stomach churns, my chest tightening at the sight.
I can see why he’s falling apart.
Charlie, oblivious to the tension, is already climbing out of the truck, his eyes wide as he takes in the sight of the stables, the horses grazing in the field, and the sprawling open land.
“Mom! Look at the horses!”
He yells, pointing toward a group grazing near the fence. His excitement is a beacon, cutting through the haze of my own emotions.
It’s impossible not to smile at him. He loves it here. I can see the adoration plastered across his face.
This life suits him.
And I keep thinking about taking him away from it…
I take a deep breath, steeling myself. I’m here now. I have to focus on what matters. I need to find Clint.
And I need to remind myself why I’m here.
For Charlie. For Clint. For all of us.