Chapter 9 ELLA
ELLA
Bidding day feels like the rodeo, and not the fun kind.
It doesn’t have the cheering crowds, glittery barrel horses, or the sunlit haze of my childhood.
No. Today feels like the kind of rodeo where the bull is already pissed off, the chute gate is jammed, and someone forgot to tell the rider he’s about to get launched into chaos.
I’m the rider. Cole’s the bull. And the chaos? The entire Morgan family, four construction companies, the mayor’s daughter-turned-sister-in-law running logistics, with my father sitting in the front row like the judge of the goddamn universe.
I straighten my skirt and take a steadying breath.
“Ella!” Quinn calls from across the barn-turned-conference hall, waving a color-coded clipboard that could probably double as a murder weapon. “Do you have Cole’s printouts?”
“Yes, ma’am,” I shout back, patting the folder tucked under my arm.
“Good. And breathe, sweetheart. You look like you’re about to faint.”
I force a smile. “I’m fine.”
I’m not fine, not even close.
I barely slept last night, not because of the trauma dreams, for once, but because Cole’s voice from yesterday keeps looping in my mind.
Thanks… for everything.
And that tone… That tone that felt like he was letting me inside a part of him that no one else sees. I shake the thought off. This is a business day, a family day, a decision day. Not… whatever else he and I are becoming.
The barn smells like hay and old wood, mixed with fresh paint and expensive cologne—the visiting companies’ attempt to impress.
The Morgan barn has never hosted something this formal before.
Banners hang from rafters. Chairs line up in rows.
There’s even a projector screen. Quinn put a lot of effort into this.
I step forward just as Daisy races toward me, braids flying. “Aunt El! Uncle Beck says the snacks are for AFTER the presentations, but I think that’s unfair.”
“It absolutely is,” I agree solemnly. “We should sue.”
She beams, taking my hand.
My family—God, my family is loud today. Zane is double-checking structural load notes with Dad, Ava is holding baby Luella while whisper-singing something that sounds suspiciously like a lullaby remix, Jace and Tessa are scouting security pathways like this is a CIA briefing, and Beck…
Beck is talking far too loudly to a contractor about roof slopes.
And then Cole walks in. Everything in me stops.
He’s wearing dark jeans, a clean button-down, and his best pair of boots. His hair is actually combed, which already makes him look like a man who tried. But the more heartbreaking part is the way he carries himself.
His shoulders squared, jaw clenched, eyes scanning the room like it’s a battlefield. He’s nervous. Really, really nervous.
I break away from the crowd and meet him halfway. “You okay?” I ask softly.
“I’m good,” he lies.
I tilt my head. “Try again.”
He clears his throat, glancing at the other companies setting up glossy boards and digital models. “I feel like I’m about to puke.”
“There it is,” I whisper, patting his arm. “Honesty.”
He huffs something that almost resembles a laugh. “I’m serious, Shiloh. I haven’t presented to a room this big since… hell, ever.”
“You’ve presented to most of these people before,” I remind him. “Maybe not all at once, but you’ve worked with my family for years. You’ve got this.”
He shakes his head. “It’s different this time.”
“Why?”
His eyes meet mine—warm brown, but with a tension humming underneath. “Because this time, it matters. I’m staking everything on this.”
My breath stutters, but before I can say anything else, the enemy arrives. Calista and Toby walk in like they’re making an entrance at a red-carpet premiere. Calista’s heels clack against the wooden floor. Toby’s smirk spreads instantly.
“Cole,” Calista coos, smiling like a viper. “Ready to embarrass yourself?”
His whole body tightens. I step closer to him, shoulder to shoulder, making sure not to touch him. But it’s close enough that he feels it.
“Calista,” I reply sweetly. “Did you practice that line all morning? Sounds exhausting.”
Calista blinks. Toby glares. Cole’s lips twitch, but he doesn’t respond. I take that as a win.
“Good luck,” Toby says mockingly. “You’ll need it.”
“No,” I say. “I think you will.”
Calista’s eyes narrow before they turn away, pretending not to care. Cole watches them leave with a muscle ticking in his jaw.
“Hey,” I murmur. “Eyes on me.”
He turns. I squeeze the folder in my hands, resisting the urge to reach out and touch him. “You deserve to be here,” I say. “Your work is good. Your proposal is good. You’re good. Their opinions don’t matter.”
He exhales slowly. “You sure?” he asks quietly.
“One hundred percent.”
He nods, throat bobbing. “Okay.”
The presentations begin. The first company is a huge corporate firm from Dallas—polished, expensive, and impressive. Their renderings are clean, futuristic, and have absolutely no soul.
Beck loves it. Zane looks indifferent. Jace is bored, and Dad raises an eyebrow but says nothing.
Next is a smaller company from San Antonio. Charming, thoughtful, but not practical for a long-term ranch. Then Calista and Toby present. Their work has modular builds, strong concepts, but too industrial for Iron Stallion.
Finally, it’s Cole’s turn. He walks up to the front like the ground might swallow him. His hands are shaking slightly as he opens the laptop Quinn set up for him. His voice catches on the first sentence.
He clears his throat. I clench my fists. Come on, Cole…
Then something shifts. Maybe it’s the way Dad leans forward, or how Daisy waves excitedly at him, maybe it’s Ava smiling encouragingly, or maybe it’s me, sitting in the second row, staring at him like he hung the moon.
But he breathes in… straightens… And suddenly, he’s steady.
“Good morning,” he greets, voice strong, deep, and confident. “My name is Cole Dawson.”
The room quiets.
“I’ve known the Morgan family my entire life,” he continues. “I’ve worked on fences here, barns, the bull pens. I helped install the irrigation system when Beck was still trying to ride six days a week.”
“Hey!” Beck complains.
Cole smiles, and the entire room softens.
“I know this land,” he says. “And I know this family. So when I thought about designing homes for each Morgan sibling, I imagined a community, not just five houses. A place that keeps the heart of this ranch intact.”
He clicks the remote. The screen shifts to a stunning rendering. Gasps fill the room. Five homes, all placed around the private lake behind the main house, linked by walking trails, connected by shared gardens and outdoor hearth areas. It’s a quiet, beautiful circle—symbolic and functional.
A family village.
A Morgan village.
My throat tightens. Oh… oh, it’s perfect.
“This lake is one of the most peaceful parts of the ranch,” Cole says.
“It’s sheltered, quiet, scenic, and large enough to give each family its own privacy without isolating them from each other.
Each home can be customized based on the siblings’ needs, but the foundation, the structure, and the community remain connected. ”
He clicks the next slide. “Zane and Ava’s house would sit on the west side, on higher ground for safety and easy access to the corrals and stables.”
Another click. “Jace and Tessa would sit closest to the security station—strategic, but discreet.”
Another. “Beck and Quinn would sit near the northern ridge—ideal views, extra privacy. We all know about Beck and his wild side.” He teases, and the family laughs while Beck grumbles, but he can’t deny he finds it funny too.
One more click. “Ryder… wherever he wants.”
Everyone laughs.
“And Ella—“ he pauses, gaze flicking to me for half a second too long, too intimate ”—would sit closest to the administrative buildings. Still private, but connected to her work.”
Heat rushes up my cheeks. The last slide appears—a wide overhead rendering of the entire family circle.
“This,” Cole says quietly, voice rough with something real, “is a place that grows as the family grows. A place where you stay together. A place that lasts.”
The silence that follows is thick. It’s emotional, like a rope tied around my chest pulling tight.
Dad stands slowly, eyes bright. Jace looks impressed. Zane nods once, sharply. Ava has tears in her eyes. Beck is… begrudgingly stunned, and even Quinn looks thoughtful.
And me? I’m in awe. So much pride I could burst rises in my chest. He did it. He really, really did it. I helped him out, like I said I would, but even I didn’t expect him to come up with all this. I’m in love.
Cole swallows hard, looking at the family like he’s terrified he’s messed it all up. “Thank you for your time,” he concludes with a polite bow, eyes locked on mine, and I feel the words to my core.
He steps back, and then it’s over.
We retreat to the smaller room at the back of the barn—all Morgans, no contractors. The second the door shuts, Beck drops into a chair.
“I’m not gonna lie,” he says. “The first company had some cool ideas.”
Quinn raises a brow. “Cool ideas that don’t fit the ranch.”
Jace leans forward. “Cole’s layout is the most strategic. Strongest infrastructure. Makes sense long-term.”
Zane nods. “Functional and beautiful.”
Ava wipes her eyes. “I love it.”
Dad stays quiet.
As for me…
My heart is pounding so loud I barely hear anything. I want to shout his name and fight for him. I want to choose him so badly it aches, but this isn’t just my decision.
Dad finally leans back, folding his arms. “Well, the proposals were all strong. But we need to choose the one that fits our future best.”
All eyes turn to him. Then to each other, and my breath catches. This is it. This is the moment.
Dad clears his throat. “We are going to choose—“
The door creaks open, and a ranch hand pokes his head in. “Sorry, sir. The contractors are getting antsy outside.”
Dad nods. “Give us a moment, son.”
The hand leaves, and the room turns silent again, so still you could hear a heartbeat through the walls.
Dad looks at us. “Alright. As I was saying, we are going to choose—“