Chapter 36
thirty-six
. . .
Violet
That ordeal with Rowan and Melissa a couple days ago threw me for a loop.
I’m not na?ve. I know Rowan has a past that doesn’t include me.
There were people before me, experiences that shaped him into who he is today.
But knowing it and seeing it play out in real time are two different things entirely.
Watching him wrestle with how to tell me broke my heart a little.
That hesitation was layered with every single thing those six years apart had done to us.
From kids stumbling through mistakes, to adults who carry the ghosts of those choices.
I could see it all in him, and I wanted to take the weight off his shoulders, but I also knew it wasn’t mine to lift.
As heavy as that conversation was, a smile breaks across my face as I recall the evening afterward. We ended up ordering pizza, and somewhere between the second slice and the third glass of wine, Rowan pulled me into his lap and whispered all the things he wanted to do to me.
Boy oh boy, did he make good on his promises.
The door clicks shut behind me as I drop my keys in the bowl by the front door. Today was the longest day at work, consisting of too many awkward conversations with patients who think “vet tech” means “emotional sponge.”
Before I can make it past the kitchen, warm hands slide gently over my eyes from behind.
“Rowan,” I laugh, already leaning into him as his chest presses against my back. “What are you doing?”
“Shhh.” His lips brush the shell of my ear. “Trust me?”
“Should I be worried?”
“Only if you hate surprises.” He chuckles and gently nudges me forward. “Come on. Just a few steps.”
I let him guide me through the house and out the back door, the air carrying the scent of fresh hay and early evening sunshine. My bare feet skim across the porch wood, then grass, and my pulse picks up.
We stop. His hands lift from my eyes.
“Okay,” he says, voice a little hoarse. “You can look now.”
It takes me a second to register what I’m seeing. At first, it’s just the soft stretch of the field behind the house, the fading light kissing the hills, the new fence Rowan’s been working on for weeks—but then I see her.
A sleek chestnut mare standing beneath the oak tree at the edge of the paddock. She lifts her head, ears flicking, curious but calm.
I blink. Then blink again.
“Rowan,” I breathe, barely more than a whisper. “You didn’t.”
“I did.” He steps beside me, sliding his hand into mine.
I turn to him, heart thudding so hard it hurts. “Are you serious?”
He nods, that familiar mix of pride and softness lighting up his face. “She’s yours.”
Happy tears gather in the corners of my eyes. I throw my arms around his neck, and he catches me with a laugh, spinning me once before setting me back down.
“You’re ridiculous,” I murmur, kissing him hard. “And perfect.”
His hands find my waist, steadying me as I pull back to look at the horse again. “She’s a rescue,” he explains. “They said she’s great with beginners, super gentle.”
I shake my head in disbelief. “How did you even… When did you…?”
“I’ve been working on it for a few weeks,” he admits. “The rescue needed to make sure she’d be going to a good home. I had to make sure the paddock and stable were ready.” He rubs the back of his neck. “I wanted it to be perfect.”
“What’s her name?” I ask, already taking a step toward the paddock.
“That’s for you to decide. She’s yours.”
The mare watches our approach with intelligent eyes, ears pricked forward with interest. She ambles over as we reach the fence, nosing at the rail curiously.
“She’s gorgeous,” I whisper, tentatively extending my hand. The mare sniffs my palm, her breath warm against my skin, and then nudges gently against my fingers. My heart swells.
“I’ve wanted a horse since I was a little girl,” I say, throat tight with emotion. “I can’t believe you did this.”
Rowan steps closer. “You mentioned it once, months ago.” His hand slides around my waist. “The way your face lit up when you talked about it… I knew I had to make it happen.”
I lean into him, watching as the mare tosses her head, mane catching the golden evening light. “She needs a name.”
“Any ideas?”
I study her for a moment. She has such gentle eyes and the most graceful movements.
“Echo,” I decide.
“Echo,” Rowan repeats, testing the name. “I like it.”
The mare’s ears flick at the sound, as if approving it.
I can’t stop looking at her, my chest tight with emotion. “Can I?” I gesture toward the gate, and Rowan nods.
I unhook the latch and step inside the paddock, moving slowly to give Echo time to adjust to me. She watches cautiously but doesn’t shy away when I approach with my hand palm up. Her velvet muzzle tickles my skin as she investigates my scent.
“Hi, girl,” I whisper. “You’re beautiful, you know that?”
Echo tosses her head, and I laugh through my tears. Carefully, I stroke her neck, marveling at the warmth and softness of her coat. She leans into my touch, and something inside me settles—like a piece I didn’t know was missing suddenly clicking into place.
“The rescue said she was neglected,” Rowan says quietly from the fence. “Not abused, just forgotten. Left in a pasture without much attention.”
My heart twists. “Well, she’ll never be forgotten again.”
I turn to look at him, this man who remembers every little thing I’ve ever mentioned. Rowan, with his calloused hands and quiet strength, who builds fences and clears pastures and makes my childhood dreams come true without me even asking.
“Come here,” I say, voice breaking.
He unlatches the gate and joins me in the paddock, moving carefully so as not to startle Echo. When he reaches me, I rise on my toes, pulling him down for a kiss that I hope says everything I’m feeling.
“Thank you,” I whisper against his lips. “I don’t even know what to say.”
His arms circle my waist, pulling me closer. “You don’t have to say anything.”
Echo nudges Rowan’s shoulder, making him laugh. He reaches up to stroke her neck, and the mare leans into his touch, clearly already comfortable with him.
“You’ve been spending time with her, haven’t you?” I ask, watching the easy way they interact.
He nods. “Had to make sure she’d be good for you. We’ve been getting acquainted for a while now.”
I shake my head in amazement. “How did you keep this a secret?”
He grins, looking a little smug. “I may have had some help. Your schedule at the clinic is pretty predictable, and Whitley was more than happy to be my accomplice.”
“Whitley knew?” I gasp. “That traitor.”
“She said, and I quote, ‘If this doesn’t make her marry you on the spot, nothing will.’”
Heat flushes my cheeks as I glance away, focusing on Echo to hide my reaction. Marriage. The word hangs between us, neither acknowledged nor dismissed.
“I just wanted to see you happy,” Rowan says softly, mercifully changing the subject. His arms wrap around me as we both watch Echo explore her new paddock.
“You make me happy,” I whisper, my voice catching. “Every day.”
As the sun begins to set, painting the sky in shades of pink and gold, we stay with Echo. I can’t bring myself to leave her side yet. Rowan seems content watching me, a soft smile playing at his lips.
“We should probably head inside,” he says eventually. “I’ve got some dinner waiting.”
“You thought of everything, didn’t you?” I marvel, giving Echo one last affectionate pat before reluctantly following Rowan toward the gate.
“I tried,” he admits. “But I was so focused on the horse surprise that dinner’s just takeout from that Chinese place you like.”
I laugh, sliding my hand into his as we walk back toward the house. “That sounds perfect.”