Chapter 33
Farrah
Istretched my arms overhead and glanced to my side—Walker’s side of the bed was empty. I pressed my palm to the rumpled sheets, and last night came rushing back in a wave. His hands. His mouth. His voice saying my name like it was his favorite word. I never thought we’d be here again.
And somehow… this time was better. Deeper. Like everything had finally caught up to what we’d always been.
I slipped out of bed, pulled on one of his Aviators T-shirts that swallowed me whole, and padded down the hallway. I heard the subtle clink of pans, smelled bacon and coffee. Instead of heading to the kitchen, I found myself drawn to that room.
The room.
The one that was supposed to be mine all those years ago.
The thought still made my chest ache. I pushed the door open slowly and stepped inside.
The pale maple desk sat in a soft wash of morning light, positioned to face a wide window that overlooked the hills—endless and rolling, dotted with live oaks and brushed with wildflowers.
I trailed my fingertips along the built-in shelves, imagining this space with my touch. My notebooks. My samples. My organized chaos.
This room had once represented what could’ve been.
Now it felt like what will be.
I lowered into the plush chair behind the desk and let my gaze drift outside. Off to the left, Theo was leading the horses out to their pastures. The second he unclipped their lead ropes, they took off—running full speed, no hesitation, no fear.
And something in my chest cracked open. Because I knew that feeling. That need.
I’d been stuck for so long. Hadley and my business had become my whole identity, the only things I could depend on. And the only things I let define me. Somewhere along the way, I’d forgotten who I was underneath the responsibility and the survival.
Until Walker came back into my life and reminded me.
I’d tried to force what I thought was right, what was safe, because I thought if I could control the variables, I could avoid the pain.
But life didn’t work like that.
The more I tried to build walls to keep the hard things out… the faster they found a way in.
A soft tap sounded at the doorframe. I glanced over my shoulder, and there he was.
Sleep-ruffled hair. No shirt. Gray joggers slung low on his hips. A soft smile tugged at his mouth, emerald eyes bright in the morning light.
“What are you doing in here, Wildflower?” he asked.
I smiled. “Looking at this incredible view.” I gestured toward the window.
Walker crossed the room and slid his arms around my shoulders from behind, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.
“You look good in here,” he murmured.
I swallowed, throat tightening. “I feel good in here,” I whispered.
He reached down for my hand and pulled me gently out of the chair. “Breakfast is almost ready, but… come with me. I want to show you something.” He led me down the hall to another closed door. When he pushed it open, I blinked.
An empty room.
I glanced up at him in confusion.
“I thought this could be Hadley’s room,” he said quietly.
He guided me toward a second door inside the room and opened it. “It has a small, attached bathroom. A bathtub. It’s perfect for her.”
After last night, I didn’t think my heart could feel any fuller.
But it did.
It swelled until it hurt.
I looked up at him, tears pricking the backs of my eyes. “Really?” My voice cracked. “She would love that.”
Walker nodded, his expression steady—like he’d already decided this, like it wasn’t a question in his mind.
“Farrah,” he said. My name on his lips made my whole body soften.
“I want you both with me when I’m home. And I want to know you’re here—safe—in this house when I’m gone.
I want Hadley to be able to walk right outside that door and be with the horses she loves.
Every day. I want you to move in with me.
This house was always meant to be yours too. ”
My tears spilled, silent and unstoppable, as I wrapped my arms around his waist and pressed my forehead to his chest.
How did I get so lucky to have him again?
His voice rumbled above me. “So… uh. Is that a yes?”
A laugh broke out of me, half-sob, half-relief as I nodded hard.
“Yes,” I breathed. “Of course.”
Walker tipped my chin up and kissed me—soft, sure, like he was sealing something we’d both been afraid to say out loud for years.
“Good,” he murmured against my lips. “Because you’d better get to designing, Wildflower. You’ve got your work cut out for you with all these empty rooms.”
I wiped my cheeks, smiling through the tears. “I have so many ideas!”
He slapped my ass as he walked out of the room—Hadley’s room—like everything about this was already normal to him.
Like we belonged here.
Then, without turning back, he tossed one last sentence over his shoulder.
“Oh, and I told Scott I’m coming back next year.” He paused. “But it’s my last season."
I spun, eyes wide. “Walker—”
My chest tightened, the weight of what he’d just said settling in.
But he was already disappearing down the hallway… leaving his words behind like a match struck in dry grass.
I talked to Jake about moving in with Walker, and surprisingly, he was okay with it. He actually said it might be good for Hadley to have two homes with solid relationships. To have that stability and consistency. It was what we both always wanted for her.
When I told Hadley, she sprinted to her room and started packing every single stuffed animal she owned into a suitcase, as if we were leaving for Disney in ten minutes.
Walker and I decided we’d get her room finished before we officially moved in.
Hadley loved helping—picking paint swatches, arguing passionately for which bedding was “the softest,” and insisting the room needed a “sparkle lamp.” I figured if she felt like it was hers, sleeping in a new house and in a new room might not feel so scary.
I listed my house for sale, sorted through furniture, and tried not to get sentimental over stupid things like a kitchen drawer utensil organizer.
The last few weeks had been busy, but it was a good kind of busy. The kind that kept Walker and me occupied while his looming announcement hung over everything.
The Aviators had made it to the playoffs, so the team decided to hold off on the press conference about Walker’s return until the series wrapped—win or lose.
Tonight, I was at the office wrapping up a few things before heading to Hops & Hills for a James-and-King sibling meetup. It had been years since all of us were in town at the same time, which meant one thing…
Chaos.
Maddie and Emma popped their heads into my office.
“Hey, Farrah,” Maddie said, handing me a stack of confirmations. “Everything is scheduled and on time for the furniture in the players’ lounge.”
“You're an angel,” I said, skimming the details. Then my eyes lifted to Emma. “What about the custom lockers and the rehab equipment?”
Emma nodded, grinning. “All good to go.”
I let out a breath in relief. This project was massive and we didn’t have the luxury of delays. “You two are literally the best.”
They both beamed like proud little golden retrievers.
Maddie nodded toward my purse sitting on my desk. “You heading out?”
“Yeah,” I said, standing and grabbing it. “Sibling meetup at the bar tonight. Pray for me. It’s been years since this whole crew has been together, and nothing good ever comes from it.”
I paused, then added, because it was only fair, “I mainly blame the boys.”
I was running late, so all eight of them were already at Hops & Hills—plus, along the way, we’d basically adopted Dean, Archer, and Harper into the mix. The place was loud in that familiar, small-town way. Music thumping, pool balls cracking, the air smelling like beer and fried food.
When I walked in, I made a beeline for Stanley and ordered a beer.
“The James and King siblings all together?” Stan drawled as he slid me my drink. “Do I need to warn the authorities?”
I laughed. “God, I hope not. I’d like to think we’ve all grown up a bit by now.”
Right on cue, Nolan and Grayson were shoving each other like twelve-year-olds.
I lifted my beer. “Or maybe not.”
Weston was bent over the pool table, lining up a shot like the only adult in the room.
Grayson and Dean leaned on their cues, talking shit to Nolan.
Nate, Walker, and Archer were at a high-top nearby, beers in hand—definitely talking baseball.
And the girls were huddled together at the table beside them, heads thrown back in laughter.
The grin that hit my face was instant. I missed this.
Walker’s eyes found mine like they always did. That sexy grin spread across his face as he stood and pulled me into him, kissing me like he didn’t care who saw.
A chorus of groans rose behind us.
Walker smirked against my mouth. “Relax. We’re not gonna go fuck in the bathroom like Dean and Adds.”
Dean and Addison high-fived while everyone else lost it.
“No,” Nate countered, grinning. “But you two might outside against the back of the bar.”
Nolan fist-bumped him knowingly.
I glanced up at Walker. “Remind me why we thought this was a good idea?”
He kissed my nose. “No idea.”
I slid in with the girls while Walker went back to Nate and Archer.
Addison set her head in her hand, a goofy smile on her face. “I’m just so happy. Seeing you and Walk together again. I love, love!”
Harper nudged Addison’s beer away. “All right, girl, let’s slow down.”
Addison snatched it back. “Back off, Harp.”
We all erupted in laughter—until a loud crash from the pool tables yanked everyone’s attention.
“You’re such a little bitch!” Nolan shouted, flat on his back with Grayson somehow sitting on top of him.
“You cheated!” Grayson yelled back.
The scuffle devolved into slapsies in record time. Weston sighed beside them, full disappointed-dad mode with his hands on his hips, while Dean was trying and failing to line up a shot because he was laughing too hard.
Nate stood fast, moving to help his twin. He shoved Grayson off Nolan—except Grayson stumbled and smacked the back of his head on the leg of the pool table.
Everything went still for a beat.
Grayson straightened slowly, one hand on his head, anger rolling off him.
“Shit,” Aria and I said at the same time.
“This isn’t going to be good,” I muttered.
Weston started toward my big brother, but Grayson lunged after Nate before Weston could hold him back. “You motherfucker!”
Nate dodged—quick as always—and bolted out the back door.
Grayson took off after him. Nolan followed as if he could stop his twin’s murder.
I shook my head, watching my brothers disappear into the night like runaway bulls as Weston stomped past, already cursing under his breath as he went after them, like he was going to single-handedly prevent a felony. Meanwhile, Addison was laughing so hard, she nearly fell off her stool.
Walker slid in beside me, pressed a kiss to my temple, and murmured, “You good?”
I leaned into him and smiled. “Yeah,” I said, watching our families cause a scene. “I’m really good.”
He glanced at the back door as it swung shut. “I should probably go give West a hand.”
I nodded as Walker took off after the guys.
“And I thought our brothers were bad,” Ava chuckled beside me, taking a pull of her beer.
Addison laughed. “Oh, they are. But West won’t fuck with Walker when he’s injured, and Walker’s currently too distracted by this one over here to instigate.” She tipped her head toward me, smirk hidden behind her beer.
I smiled and took a slow sip, leaning in toward the girls.
“So,” I said calmly, “same time next year?”