Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
The same day…
Halo’s hooves struck the hard-packed dirt in a steady rhythm, each solid thud vibrating up through the saddle and into Tanner’s bones. The big bay moved with purpose. Halo read Tanner’s mood, somehow sensing this ride carried a heavier load than usual.
He eased his weight in the stirrups and let the reins go slack in his fingers. Out here, everything else fell away. There were no expectations. No older brothers casting long shadows. Just him, the horse, and the open land stretching ahead.
His chest tightened at the thought of leaving tomorrow.
Tanner’s jaw flexed. Boone was a damn pararescue jumper, jumping out of planes into places most men wouldn’t survive.
Chance had taken over half the ranch operations before he was even twenty-one.
In the past two years, several of the area ranches had already adopted a lot of the changes he’d made at Wild River Ranch.
Trace was about to start vet school on top of getting his EMT certification, because apparently being good at one thing wasn’t enough for him.
Even his younger sister had been invited to attend the exclusive Wilder Community School last year.
It was an invitation-only college preparatory middle and high school, and she’d only been twelve at the time. Now Kenzie was thirteen, like Junie.
And what had Tanner done?
Nothing worth mentioning.
He’d finished high school, worked the ranch when he had to, and spent every spare minute on the back of a horse.
That was it. That was all he had. The only thing he’d ever been good at was riding, and the only thing that ever made sense was the feel of a horse moving under him and the sound of the crowd when he made a clean ride.
The rodeo was the one place he could prove he wasn’t just taking up space.
He wasn’t stupid. He knew his family loved him.
Knew they’d never say the things he sometimes heard in his own head.
But that didn’t stop the feeling from sitting heavy in his chest. Tanner loved his brothers.
He’d die for them without thinking twice.
But he needed something that was his. Somewhere he could shine. That was no easy task in his family.
He twisted in the saddle and reached back, his fingers brushing over the small, wrapped package tucked safely in the saddlebag. A soft smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. It wasn’t much. Just a stuffed honey badger he’d picked up at the toy store in town.
He’d stood in that aisle way longer than any twenty-one-year-old man should, turning the stuffed animal over and over in his hands. Was it fierce enough? And cute enough? Would Junie like it, or think it was too babyish for a girl who’d just turned thirteen?
God, he hoped like hell she’d love this one.
His chest tightened as he patted the saddlebag again, fingers pressing against the soft lump wrapped in brown paper. Tomorrow he’d be gone—really gone this time. No more putting it off, no more excuses.
But today was about her birthday, about making her smile that bright, crooked grin of hers that always hit him square in the ribs. Just once, before everything changed, he wanted to see that smile caused by something he’d given her.
Tanner glanced toward the east, toward the chokecherry grove beyond the tree line. She’d be waiting. Probably already had that look on her face she got when she was trying not to show how much something mattered to her.
God, he didn’t want to tell her he was leaving. She didn’t even know it was coming. She’d turned thirteen today. If he’d planned this better, this day would be all about her. Instead, he was going to blindside her with information that she probably wouldn’t understand.
Oh, she’d understand he was leaving. But at her age, she wouldn’t be able to understand why. She and Kenzie were both still just kids, really. It would suck if her opinion of him changed. But she was the only person who had never once looked at him like he was falling behind everyone else.
Tanner adjusted his grip on the reins and nudged Halo forward. The small gift shifted softly in the saddlebag. She’d like the honey badger. She’d understand why he had to chase his dreams. He just prayed she wouldn’t hate him for it.
Tanner headed back toward Wild River Ranch with a knot in his gut that no amount of hard riding could shake loose.
Halo’s gait was smooth beneath him, but his mind was still back at the chokecherry thicket.
His conversation with Junie played on repeat in his head.
Junie had tried so damn hard to pretend everything was fine.
By the time he reached the ranch, the sun had dipped low, painting the big log house in warm gold. Tanner swung down from the saddle with a heavy sigh, his boots hitting the packed dirt.
He unsaddled, walked Halo, and gave the big bay a quick but thorough rubdown. Only after he’d made sure he had fresh hay and water did Tanner finally pat the horse’s neck one last time and head toward the house.
The familiar smell of coffee and fresh shortbread hit him the second he stepped through the door.
That meant strawberry shortcake for supper.
His mom and Ruby were going all out for his farewell dinner.
Ruby was at the stove stirring something that smelled like heaven, and his mom was setting a pan of biscuits on the red marble counter.
“There’s my boy,” his mom said, smiling as she set the pan down. “Did Junie like her present?”
“Yeah, Ma. She loved it.” He crossed the kitchen and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. Then he did the same for Ruby. “Smells fantastic in here.”
“You look like somebody kicked your favorite dog,” Ruby said.
He’d give Ruby one thing, the woman had dang sharp eyes. He should have skirted the kitchen and headed straight to his room.
“It’s all good,” he lied and headed out the doorway toward the family room. Boone, home for a long weekend, sat on the floor with their little sister, Kenzie. Tanner looked down at the jigsaw puzzle they had spread across the coffee table.
“Kenzie, I think you might need to get someone smarter than Boone to help you. Anything over one hundred pieces is above his rank.”
Kenzie grinned. “I wondered why he hadn’t been more help.”
Boone frowned. “What are you talking about? If I hadn’t gotten the edge pieces sorted for you, you’d be lost right now. I’ve got a good mind to demote you to private puzzle master.”
Kenzie crossed her arms, putting on a face of utter contempt for Boone. Boone and Tanner both burst out laughing at her expression, which in turn made Kenzie giggle.
As the laughter died down, Boone looked up. “How’d it go with Junie?”
Tanner dropped into the big leather chair and rubbed a hand over his face.
He’d rather have someone beat him with a lead pipe than picture Junie’s face when he’d told her he was leaving.
“You know Junie. It went about as well as could be expected. She put on a brave face, told me I was gonna win every rodeo I entered. But I could tell she was upset. I’m pretty sure she was crying when I left. ”
Boone nodded slowly. “She’s tough, but she’s also got a soft spot a mile wide when it comes to you. She’s practically been your shadow since she was, what… six?”
“Didn’t help her dad was a dick,” Kenzie said.
“Language!” both the brothers shouted.
“I still know where the soap is, Tiger. You need a refresher on how it tastes?” Tanner asked.
Kenzie stuck her tongue out at him.
“Wait right here, I’ll get the soap,” Tanner said, planting his hands on the arms of the chair as if ready to stand and move toward the bathroom.
“Okay, okay,” she said before muttering, “But you know I’m right.”
“Yeah.” Tanner leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “But language like that doesn’t belong in your mouth. Anyway, Junie being so dependent on me is one of the things that makes it hard to leave.”
“She’ll be all right. Besides, I’m her best friend, and I’ll still be here for her.”
“That’s right, I know you two have been friends for a long time, but she might need some extra love and attention for a while? You know, I’ve been friends with Junie for a long time, too.”
“Yeah, I know. Ever since that night you found her,” Kenzie said. “But you don’t have to remind me to look after my best friend. Duh!”
His mind drifted back to the night he first met Juniper Morgan. She’d only been six years old, skinny as a rail, and with wild, apricot-colored hair, reminding him of a peach in the moonlight.
He’d snuck out of the house in the middle of the night to ride Halo, at that time his brand new horse. When he reached the chokecherry thicket, he found her trying to pick berries in the dark with no coat on. He’d recognized her right away—Bart Morgan’s girl.
He remembered spotting the tiny figure huddled on the other side of the fence line that bordered Wild River Ranch, barefoot in the freezing dark. Fourteen-year-old Tanner had pulled Halo to a stop, heart pounding with a mix of anger and worry.
“What the heck are you doing out here all by yourself?” he’d yelled, swinging down from the saddle. “It’s freezing cold, and you don’t even have a sweater on!”
Little six-year-old Junie had shrunk back, shivering, her eyes wide and scared. She twisted her hands in the hem of her thin nightgown, glancing back toward her house like she expected someone to come after her. For a long moment, she said nothing, biting her lip hard.
Tanner softened his voice, crouching down so he was closer to her level. “Hey… talk to me, kid. Why are you out here?”
Junie’s lower lip trembled. She looked down at her dirty feet, then back up at him with tears shining in her eyes.
Her voice came out tiny and ashamed. “Daddy’s drunk again.
He’s screaming real bad words. I don’t like it when he yells like that…
and I always end up getting hurt. I didn’t know where else to go. ”