Born Wild (Wilder Valley)

Prologue

TIM

I don’t know what I expected to feel walking out of my final class of high school, but it’s not this. All around me the mood is full of excitement and possibility. But not for me. My feet drag as classmates pass by, racing to the parking lot in a cacophony of laughter and chatter.

I don’t know what has me filled with this touch of melancholy. I wasn’t a particularly good student. I’ll be relieved to never again fumble my way through a week of homework.

The thing is, I’ve never quite fit in here; I’m more comfortable working on the ranch than in a classroom. Still, I’m not quite ready to embrace this next phase of my future. Mostly because it means I won’t get to see her every day.

Cassie Higgins—the most beautiful girl I’ve ever laid eyes on. Kind and sweet. Smart and patient. And totally out of my league. I glance across the courtyard, looking for her. I can’t help it; whenever I’m on campus, my eyes search for her.

My shoulders sag when I don’t find her in the crowd. Not that I’d go up and talk to her if I saw her. She’s always been polite, especially when we were paired up in science last quarter, but she’s got a line of prospective suiters—all cooler and much more outgoing than me.

I shake my head, annoyed at myself for not having the gall to talk to her more when I had the chance.

I pick up my pace and lift my chin when I spot my older brother leaning against the ‘64 Ford F-Series truck that used to be his. The morning he asked if I’d go with him to check out a used Camaro down in Payson. So like old times, he dropped me off at school, and is now picking me up today.

My brother nods with a slight smile, taking a long drag from his cigarette before tossing it to the ground and grinding it into the dirt with the heel of his boot. “Hey, Smarty-pants! How’s it feel to be done with this place?”

I refrain from rolling my eyes. “Same as I felt this morning.”

“Forever grumpy.” He chuckles and shakes his head.

“You ever gonna do something fun?” Bob is almost eight years my senior, and was the type of student who never missed out on a good time.

He spent his high school years popular, our town’s favorite football star, and married the captain of the cheer team a year after graduation to start a family.

He’s basically everything I’m not. We couldn’t be more opposite, but he’s my best friend and closest confidant.

“Maybe.” I shrug, joining him to lean against the truck and scan the lot once more.

“Maybe?” He shoves my shoulder. “You’re graduating, little brother! You’ve gotta celebrate that shit.”

Graduation doesn’t mean much to me—not in the way it might for some folks.

Sure, I’m proud of the work I’ve done here, but my future is already sealed.

I’ll work for my father until the day he passes our family ranch on to my older brother, and then I’ll work for Bob and his children, carrying on the family legacy.

I love the ranch, and I can’t imagine doing anything else.

We have a good life—better than most in this town.

But sometimes I wish I weren’t the second son.

Bob got all the charisma, and one day he’ll own the ranch.

I’d do anything for him, but I’ll forever be in his shadow.

“Do you need me to buy you a case of beer?” Bob asks.

“For what?”

“The bonfire down by the creek.” His brow furrows. “Don’t tell me someone ended that tradition?”

Oh, that . “No. It’s still goin’.”

“But you’re allergic to fun?” he teases.

“Probably,” I scoff, fighting back a grin. I’m too embarrassed to admit I don’t want to commit to going unless Cassie’s gonna be there.

As if my thoughts conjure her presence, the woman who’s unknowingly captured my heart appears around the corner.

Cassie walks alongside her best friend, her head tipping back and the corners of her eyes crinkling as joyful laughter escapes her perfect lips.

Her chestnut brown hair falls around her face, the sunlight highlighting the lighter strands.

She’s the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen in real life, but that’s not the only reason I harbor a secret crush.

Cassie and I have gone to school together for the better part of ten years, and in that time I’ve probably said less than ten words to her.

Not because I don’t want to; quite the opposite.

This girl makes me more nervous than most, and that’s really saying something.

Yet I think her laugh is my favorite sound in the whole world.

Our eyes lock and my feet fill with invisible lead, holding me in place as my breath catches in my chest.

She walks closer, keeping pace with her friends, and my throat closes up like it does every time I’m in her presence.

To be fair, I don’t have a lot of experience talking to pretty women.

I’m not a big talker as it is. But the universe must hate me, because I’m especially bad at conversation when she’s involved.

“Hi, Tim.” Cassie smiles, lifting her hand in a wave as she passes by.

“Hi,” I manage to say before she walks past us.

Bob chuckles, drawing my gaze back to him. “Just ask her out already.”

He says it as if it’s that simple.

“What?” I pretend to not understand who he means.

“You hear she and Brooks broke up?”

Of course I did. The entire school was talking about it last week. Hell, I’m sure all of Wilder Valley is. “Yeah. So?”

“So, she’s single. You’re single.” He drags out the words.

I shake my head. “She doesn’t see me like that.”

“Maybe.” He rolls his eyes and gives a little shrug. “But you’ll never know if you don’t shoot your shot.”

I swallow hard. The reality is, I don’t know if I can handle the embarrassment of her rejection.

Cassie’s always been kind and friendly, but she’s that way with everyone.

It’s one of the things I admire about her most. But we’re on different levels.

People like Cassie don’t end up with people like me.

“Well, if you don’t ask her, someone else will.

” My brother lays the words down like a challenge before turning his back to open the driver’s side door.

He catches my gaze briefly and grins before hopping in the truck.

“You’ve got five minutes. Don’t be a chicken.

But if you take too long, I’m leaving without you. ”

I can’t help but smile back. This is stupid. She’s gonna say no. But my brother is right. If I don’t ask, someone else will.

I keep my eyes on the ground as I make my way to the end of the parking lot where Cassie is waving goodbye to her friends. I hang back, fear paralyzing my mind until she turns her head and our eyes meet. Her smile brightens and she takes a step towards me. “Hey, Tim.”

I can’t help but grin as my insides melt, a warm feeling expanding my chest. Because this is it—this moment is my chance. Not just to talk to Cassie, but to ask her about the bonfire. To strike up a conversation that’s more than a few words before I graduate.

Bob’s words ring in my ears. If you don’t ask her, someone else will.

“Hey, Cass. Do you—?” The low timbre of my voice cuts through the air and our eyes meet again. This time hers are wide with expectation. Maybe even a little surprise.

It takes everything to calm my racing heart and push the question past my lips. Silly as it might be, this feels like fate.

“Are you going to the bonfire tomorrow night?”

“Oh, I was going to.” Her brows knit with a frown. “I wanted to, but I’m leaving in the morning.”

“Leaving?” My stomach drops. We’re only a couple months apart in age, but she’s a year behind me in school. I can’t believe her parents would move the summer before her senior year.

“Not for good.” Her laughter is light. “I’m staying with my cousins in Montana for the summer.”

“Oh.”

She’s going to be gone all summer.

All damn summer.

I’ve missed my chance.

“Yeah, I’m sad about missing the bonfire. But after this year, I just really needed a change of scenery. Sometimes I forget there’s a whole big world outside of Wilder Valley. You know how it is. Being from a small town like ours, sometimes you just want to get out of here and have a fresh start.”

“Yeah,” I say like I get it, but I don’t really. I’ve never envisioned a life outside of this place. My dreams revolve around finding love with a good woman and raising a family together.

“I’m going to miss everyone though.” She bites her lower lip. “I’m even going to miss the town gossip.”

“That’s an easy problem to fix.”

“Yeah?”

“I mean, surely.” I paste on a friendly disposition when inside all the hopes I made up in my head are crumbling. “You have friends who’d gladly pass on the latest.”

“Yeah.” She shrugs. “But no one who’d tell me everything.”

“What do you mean?”

“Some of my friends would censor their reports.” Her lips twist with a frown.

“I get it. I’d probably do the same. But no matter how many times I assure them it won’t hurt my feelings to know who Brooks is seeing, the more they feel the need to protect me.

” She shakes her head and releases a nervous laugh.

“How many times does one girl need to say she’s over her ex? ”

I don’t know what to say so I just nod in agreement.

“Hey, Tim?” Her voice softens.

“Yeah?” I manage to respond.

“Would you write me?”

“Me?”

“I mean, I understand if you have better things to do now that you’re graduating. Actually, forget I even asked. God, I’m so stupid. I’m sure it’s embarrassing I even asked.”

“No.” I reach out and touch her hand, then draw my fingers back as I drop my gaze to the tips of my boots. “I would love to write you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, I’ll give you the address.” She reaches in her bag and riffles through the contents, retrieving a small leather-bound book. She opens it up and transcribes an address onto a sheet of lined paper. “Here.” She folds it up, and writes her name on the paper. “Now we can become pen pals.”

“Okay.” I can’t fight the heat that fills my cheeks as I take the paper and tuck it into the back pocket of my jeans. I like that idea more than I should.

“I’ve always thought we’d be good friends.” She appraises me, staring through my soul as if she sees everything—and maybe more than I give myself credit for.

It’s not the secret crush confession that I hold for her, but I’ll take it. When it comes to Cassie Higgins, I’ll take whatever she’s willing to give.