Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Jake’s words settled in my heart, feeling oh so right. “You’re finally right where you're supposed to be.”
I’d been adrift for the last couple of years, wondering if I’d ever feel like I belonged somewhere and hoping that I hadn’t set myself up for a bleak, loveless future.
But sitting here in this warm kitchen, wearing Jake’s clothes and watching his son demolish a stack of pancakes, I felt something I hadn’t experienced in years: contentment.
Cole turned in his chair to face his dad, syrup dripping from his fork onto the table.
“Since I don’t have school today and Miss James is here, can we take her down to the river, please?
I want to show her all my favorite spots, and maybe we can have a picnic, too?
Uncle Colt said today’s probably the last warm day we’re gonna get. ”
“A picnic sounds great,” Gage said from the doorway, Nash trailing behind him. “I'll make my famous sandwiches.”
“Famous for what? Giving people food poisoning?” Nash joked, brushing past him to grab a plate from the island.
“One time!” Gage countered with a scowl. “And I still say it was the flu and not my food.”
Both brothers paused when they spotted me at the table, and I felt heat creep up my neck under their scrutiny.
“Morning, Eden,” Gage said, his tone carefully neutral. Based on his expression, I got the impression he wasn’t entirely surprised to see me sitting here.
Nash’s eyes widened slightly as he took in the scene—me dressed in his brother’s flannel, my hair sloppily piled on the top of my head, mascara smudges under my eyes.
It was apparent I hadn’t just popped over for breakfast. A slow smile spread across his face.
“Well, well, well. Looks like you two finally worked things out.”
Jake’s hand found mine, his fingers intertwining with mine. “We’re getting there.”
“Good,” Nash said simply, grabbing a plate and loading it up with food. “About time.”
Jake cleared his throat, and I chuckled nervously, not yet ready to get into a big, long discussion with Jake’s family about our relationship. It was still so new, so undefined.
“What’s this about Gage poisoning people?” I asked, desperate to shift the conversation away from Jake and me.
Gage huffed out a beleaguered sigh and began recounting his supposed food poisoning incident.
I laughed as his brothers interjected, offering up vastly different versions of the story.
Sitting here with them felt so natural, so right …
like I’d been sharing Saturday morning breakfasts for them all this time.
Like I belonged here. Like I was meant to stay.
“So are we going to the river or not?” Cole asked, bringing the conversation back around to the family outing.
“I’m game if you are,” Jake said, squeezing my thigh under the table.
“The river sounds perfect,” I said, meeting his eyes. “If you don’t mind me tagging along with you guys. I know how hard you all work and wouldn’t want to intrude on family time.”
“We don’t mind!” Cole shouted, pushing his chair back and launching to his feet.
“Easy there,” Jake chuckled, giving his son a fond smile. “Let’s finish breakfast first.”
* * *
That was how I found myself standing in the horse barn an hour later wearing a pair of Jake’s old jeans rolled up at the ankles and folded over at the waist with the flannel I’d claimed earlier.
The scent of hay and leather brought back memories of that summer ten years ago, when Jake had first taught me to ride.
“You remember how to saddle up?” Colt asked, leading what looked like a gentle chestnut mare from her stall.
“I think so.” I ran my hand along the horse’s neck, smiling when she nuzzled my palm. “Hey there, beautiful. What’s her name?”
“Honey,” Cole piped up, struggling slightly with his saddle. “She’s the best for beginners. Uncle Colt says she’s got more patience than a saint.”
I grabbed the saddle blanket, muscle memory guiding my movements as I positioned it on Honey’s back. The saddle followed, and I found myself moving with more confidence than I’d expected.
“Not bad,” Gage observed, securing his gear nearby. “Looks like my brother taught you well.”
I caught Jake’s stare over his horse, heat creeping up my neck at the knowing look in his eyes.
Jake had taught me a lot about riding that summer, not the least of which was focused on a horse.
As if he could read my mind, his lips quirked to the side in a smirk as he led his grullo over to stand beside Honey.
“She’s a natural,” Jake said, his voice warm with pride … and maybe a little bit something else mixed in just for me. “Always was.”
Once everyone had their horses saddled and both Colt and Jake had completed a thorough inspection of my tack, we rode out.
Cole chattered animatedly as he pointed out landmarks and shared stories about each pasture we passed.
The morning air was crisp and clean, carrying the distant sound of cattle lowing in the far fields.
I found myself relaxing into Honey’s steady gait, remembering why I’d fallen in love with this life all those years ago.
There was something about the open sky and rolling hills that made everything else fade away—the stress of lesson planning, the worry about parent conferences, the constant hum of city noise that had become background static in Chicago.
“You look happy,” Jake said, guiding his horse closer to mine.
“I am,” I stated simply. “This is exactly what I needed.”
The river came into view as we crested a low hill, a silver ribbon cutting through the valley below. Golden cottonwoods lined its banks, their leaves catching the light.
“Race you to the bottom!” Cole called out, urging his horse into a canter.
“Cole, careful!” Jake called after him, but he was smiling as he said it.
We set up camp in a shaded spot near a bend in the river where the trees created a natural canopy of gold and amber leaves.
Jake and Nash spread out the blankets while Gage unpacked our provisions, and Cole bounded around like an excited puppy, pointing out all his favorite spots along the riverbank.
“Right there,” he said, tugging me toward a fallen log that stretched partway into the water. “That’s where I saw a family of deer drinking last summer. And over there,” he pointed upstream, “is where we found that huge elk antler!”
“The one that’s hanging in his room now,” Jake explained, setting down a cooler filled with drinks.
“Can we skip stones after lunch?” Cole asked, collecting smooth river rocks in his pockets. “I’ve been practicing, and I think I can beat Uncle Nash’s record.”
“Seven skips,” Nash said proudly, his legs extended out in front of him and his face tipped to the sky, eyes closed. “Good luck beating that, kiddo.”
For the next hour, Cole showed me the best climbing rocks, pointed out animal tracks in the soft mud near the water’s edge, and shared stories about every memorable family trip to this spot. His knowledge of the area and his excitement about sharing it with me made my heart squeeze with affection.
“You’re really getting the full Cole Mercer experience,” Jake observed, settling beside me on a fallen log as I watched Cole demonstrate his stone-skipping technique.
Jake followed my gaze, his expression soft. “He really likes having you here.”
“The feeling’s mutual.” I watched Cole take direction from his uncle, his face serious with concentration. “He’s an amazing kid, Jake. You and Jenna did good. You should be proud.”
“Every day,” Jake said quietly as I rested my head against his shoulder.
“Lunch!” Gage called out eventually, and we all gathered on the blankets where he’d spread out a platter of sandwiches, chips, and apple slices.
Conversation flowed easily from there—stories about the ranch and what it had been like since their parents had passed, questions about my teaching career, and Cole’s endless stream of plans for all the things we could do together now that I was “part of the family.”
That phrase, thrown out so casually, made my chest tight with emotion.
I glanced up at Jake in time to catch the way his breath hitched, and saw him share a meaningful look with Gage over his son’s head. His brother’s slight nod seemed to convey his blessing.
“Next weekend is the cattle drive to the winter pasture,” Colt said, clearing his throat. “Cole's been practicing his roping all summer.”
“Dad! You could teach Eden to rope!” Cole said excitedly. “Then you could help.”
I caught Jake’s eye, seeing the same hope reflected there that I felt blooming in my chest. These weren’t just polite invitations—this was his child assuming I’d be here, a permanent part of their lives, part of their family traditions.
“I’d love that,” I said, meaning it completely. “Though I don’t think I’ll be good enough for roping. Maybe I can be on cooking duty instead?”
Jake lifted my hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to my knuckles, his eyes never leaving mine. “That sounds perfect,” he murmured against my skin.
As the afternoon wore on, Gage and Nash got into a heated debate about whether the Denver Broncos had any chance this season, while Cole tried to convince all three of his uncles to take him to a game.
The conversation gave Jake and me privacy to spend some time walking along a meandering path beside the water, our hands linked.
“This is perfect,” I said, breathing in the clean air. “I’d forgotten how peaceful it is out here.”
“Certainly different from Chicago,” he observed.
“Completely.” I squeezed his hand. “In the city, there’s a constant barrage of noise, always something demanding your attention. Out here, you can actually hear yourself think.”
Jake stopped walking and turned to face me, his hands settling on my waist. “And what are you thinking about?”
I looked back toward his brothers and his son. Two years ago—heck, two months ago—this would have felt like something out of a movie. Fiction. Now, it seemed so normal, so wonderfully ordinary.
“I’m thinking,” I said slowly, turning back to him. “That I could get used to this. Saturday mornings with your family, riding out to the river, watching Cole grow up …” I trailed off, suddenly shy about voicing the thoughts that had been growing stronger all day.
Last night, Jake had told me he wanted me to stay with him forever, and then this morning, he’d reiterated that thought by telling me I was right where I was supposed to be.
Still, we hadn’t had a chance to discuss what those words really meant. How he envisioned our future unfolding.
“Eden.” Jake’s voice was serious, his amber eyes intense.
“I need you to know this isn’t casual for me.
I meant what I said last night. I want it all with you.
Mornings like today, family dinners, fights about whose turn it is to do the dishes, and picking out a Christmas tree. I want to grow old with you.”
My heart hammered against my ribs. “Jake,” I breathed out, tears stinging my eyes.
"I know it’s fast,” he continued, his thumbs tracing circles on my hipbones.
“I know we’re still figuring things out.
But being here with you, watching Cole light up because you’re part of his world, seeing my brothers treat you like you already belong ot us—it just feels right.
It feels like this is where we were always meant to wind up. You feel like home to me, sweetheart.”
I reached up to cup his face, my thumb brushing over his beard. “You feel like home, too,” I whispered. “All this feels like everything I didn’t know I was looking for, and I’m so mad at myself for walking away ten years ago. I stole so much from us.”
“Shhh,” he murmured before kissing me, his lips soft and sweet on mine.
“Hey, lovebirds!” Gage called out with a sharp whistle. “We’re packing up to head back!”
We broke apart, laughing at the interruption, but Jake’s eyes stayed serious as he stared down at me.
“This is just the beginning,” he said quietly.
“I hope so.”
The ride back to the ranch was quieter, all of us tired from the sun and fresh air.
Cole nodded off briefly in his saddle, and Colt had to reach over to steady him.
By the time we arrived back at the barn, the sun was setting behind the mountains, painting the sky in shades of pink, purple, and gold.
We worked together to unsaddle the horses and get them settled for the night, the easy teamwork feeling as natural as breathing.
“Can we do that again next weekend?” Cole asked hopefully as we walked back toward the house.
“We'll see,” Jake said, but I caught him winking at me over Cole’s head.
As the family scattered to evening chores and showers, Jake caught my hand and pulled me aside.
“So,” he said, leaning against the porch railing. “Verdict on your first official Mercer family adventure?”
I pretended to consider it seriously. “Well, nobody fell in the river, I didn’t fall off my horse—though my ass does feel like it might fall off—and Cole didn’t ask me too many embarrassing questions about our relationship. I’d call it a success.”
Jake stepped close and wrapped me up in his arms, his hands dropping down to cup my ass through the borrowed jeans. I felt him grow hard against me. “Let’s get you out of these dirty clothes and I’ll make this ass feel so good.”
I sucked in a surprised gasp at the same time that Jake’s eyes went wide. “Oh my god. I did not just say that.” His chest shook with laughter as his head fell forward to rest against my shoulder.
I chuckled right along with him until he raised his face back up. I took a step back and then another. “You didn’t hear me say no, did you?” I asked with a coy smile as I turned and winked at him over my shoulder and stepped inside the house, the screen banging shut behind me.