Chapter 9 - Rhett
I wake up to sunrays streaming through the bedroom window, warming my face. For a moment, I just lie there, eyes still closed, feeling the weight of Claire's body tucked against my side. Her head rests on my chest, one arm draped across my scarred torso, her breathing slow and even.
I remember everything that happened last night.
Every touch, every kiss, every moment of connection.
I'm not confused or disoriented. I know exactly where I am: in Claire's bed, in the cottage I prepared for her, holding the woman I hired as a mail order bride who somehow became so much more in less than twenty-four hours.
The sex was mind-blowing. But above that, beyond the physical pleasure, is the connection. We just met in person yesterday, and it feels so fucking right it's insane. Like all the broken pieces of my life suddenly clicked into place the moment she stepped off that bus.
Claire stirs against me, her fingers flexing on my chest. Her eyes flutter open, and when she sees me already awake and watching her, she smiles. It's a sleepy, satisfied smile that makes me beyond happy.
"Morning," she murmurs, her voice husky from sleep and from screaming my name last night.
"Morning," I reply, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "Sleep okay?"
"Best sleep I've had in years." She stretches slightly, then winces. "Though I'm going to feel last night for a while."
"Sorry," I say, though I'm not really sorry at all.
"Don't be." She props herself up on one elbow, looking down at me. "I'm not."
We lie there for a few minutes, just looking at each other, both of us probably thinking the same thing: this is real now. We crossed a line last night that we can't uncross. We're not just two strangers playing pretend anymore.
And that means I need to do the right thing.
"I'm going to tell them," I say, the words coming out before I can second-guess myself. "At lunch today. I'm going to tell everyone the truth about how we met."
Claire's eyes widen slightly. "Are you sure? Rhett, it's only been a day. We can wait—"
"No." I shake my head firmly. "I can't keep lying to them. Not after last night. Not when this is becoming real. They deserve to know the truth, and we deserve to not have to hide what we are to each other."
"What are we to each other?" she shyly asks.
I take a breath, trying to put into words what I'm feeling. "I don't know yet. But I know you're worth whatever fallout comes from telling the truth. You're worth risking everything."
Her eyes get glassy, and she blinks rapidly. "You really mean that?"
"Every word."
She leans down and kisses my cheek, her lips warm and soft. "Whatever happens, I'll be there for you. We're in this together, remember?"
"Together," I agree, pulling her down for a proper kiss.
A few hours later…
By the time lunch rolls around, I'm a nervous wreck.
Claire and I spent the morning doing normal couple things: making breakfast together, taking a walk around the ranch so I could show her the property in daylight, talking about everything and nothing.
She met some of the horses, laughed when one of them tried to eat her hair, and looked so at home here that I’m sure I want her to stay. Forever.
Now we're walking toward the main house for lunch, and I can feel the anxiety crawling up my spine. The buzzing in my ear is back with a vengeance, a high-pitched whine that makes it hard to concentrate.
"You okay?" Claire asks, squeezing my hand.
"No," I admit. "But I'm doing it anyway."
Everyone's already there when we arrive.
Wade and Sierra are setting the table. Tucker's helping Emma with her hands at the sink.
Marley's chopping vegetables while Boone watches her with that happy expression he gets.
Mason's drinking coffee and looking half-asleep.
Colt and Harper are bickering about something, and Nicole's laughing at them both.
It's so normal. So lovely. And I'm about to blow it all up.
"Hey," Wade says when he sees us. "Perfect timing. Lunch is almost ready."
"Actually," I say, my voice coming out rougher than intended. "Before we eat, I need to talk to everyone. About Claire. About... everything."
The room goes quiet. Everyone turns to look at me, and I can see the confusion on their faces. Boone's expression shifts to concern. Wade's eyebrows rise. Colt actually stops mid-sentence, which might be a first.
"What's going on?" Tucker asks, his voice calm but wary.
I look at Claire, and she nods encouragingly. We can do this. Together.
"I lied to you all," I start, forcing myself to meet their eyes even though every instinct is screaming at me to run. "About how Claire and I met. About our history. About everything."
"Rhett—" Wade starts, but I hold up a hand.
"Please. Just let me finish." I take a breath. "Claire and I didn't serve together in the military. We didn't keep in touch for years. We met three weeks ago. Online. On a mail order bride website."
The silence is deafening.
Sierra's mouth drops open. Tucker's eyes go wide. Colt actually laughs, then stops when he realizes I'm serious. Mason just stares at me like I've grown a second head.
It's Boone who speaks first. "You hired a mail order bride?"
"Yes." I force the word out. "I was watching all of you find love, find happiness, and I felt... left behind. Alone. And I didn't know how to fix it. So, I did something desperate and probably stupid, and I hired a wife on the internet."
"Holy shit," Colt breathes. "You actually did it. You crazy son of a bitch."
"Colt," Harper hisses, elbowing him.
"What? I'm impressed! That takes balls."
"Let him finish," Wade says, his expression unreadable.
I look at Claire again, drawing strength from her presence. "She came here yesterday. We'd only exchanged messages before that. I had no idea if we'd even like each other in person. But I was desperate enough to try."
"And?" Sierra prompts gently.
"And..." I reach for Claire's hand, threading our fingers together. "She's incredible. She's everything I hoped for and more. Last night, we decided to actually try this. To see if we can build something real together. But I couldn't keep lying to you all. You're my family. You deserve the truth."
Mason leans back in his chair, staring at us. "So, you're saying you met this woman on the internet three weeks ago, she showed up yesterday, and now you're... what? Together?"
"Yes," I say firmly.
"That's insane," Tucker says, but his voice isn't condemning. Just... amazed.
"It is insane," Claire speaks up for the first time, her voice steady despite how tightly she's gripping my hand.
"I know how it sounds. But I didn't have anywhere else to go.
I lost my father two years ago, lost everything.
I was living in a shared bedroom, working dead-end jobs, barely surviving.
When Rhett messaged me, I thought... maybe this is my chance at something different. Something better."
"And is it?" Marley asks, her expression thoughtful. "Is this what you hoped for?"
Claire looks at me, and the warmth in her eyes makes my throat tight.
"It's better than I hoped for. Rhett's been nothing but honest with me about who he is.
The PTSD, the scars, everything. And he's given me a chance when no one else would.
So yes, this is crazy. Yes, we barely know each other. But I want to try. We both do."
The silence stretches out again, but it feels different this time. Less shocked, more... considering.
Nicole is the one who breaks it. "I think it's romantic."
Colt snorts. "Of course you do."
"It is!" Nicole insists. "Think about it. Two lonely people taking a chance on each other. Fighting against the odds. That's like every romance novel ever written."
"Romance novels aren't real life," Mason points out.
"But they could be," Sierra says slowly. She's looking at Wade, and something passes between them. "I mean, I came here as an investment opportunity. I barely knew any of you. And now..." She smiles. "Now this is home."
"That's different," Wade says, but his voice is uncertain.
"Is it though?" Sierra counters. "We all took risks on each other. We all trusted when we probably shouldn't have. And it worked out."
Tucker nods slowly. "She has a point. When Marley first came to the ranch, I was terrified of letting anyone into Emma's life. Into my life. But I took the risk, and it was the best decision I ever made."
"Same with Nicole and me," Boone adds quietly. "Everyone thought we were crazy. Colt's best friend and his brother. But we knew it was right, even when it didn't make sense to anyone else."
Colt crosses his arms. "Harper literally ran away from her wedding and showed up here with nothing. We met at a bar. Hooked up. And now look at us." He grins at Harper. "Still the best bad decision I ever made."
"I'm sitting right here," Harper says dryly, but she's smiling.
Wade runs a hand through his hair, looking at me with an expression I can't quite read. "You really care about her? This isn't just... you being desperate and making a stupid choice?"
"I care about her," I say without hesitation. "More than I thought possible after one day. And yes, meeting her this way was desperate and unconventional. But Frank always said the best things in life are worth fighting for. Claire is worth fighting for."
Wade stares at me for a long moment, then nods. "Okay."
"Okay?" I repeat, not quite believing it.
"Okay," he says again. "If you're serious about this, if you're really willing to try, then we support you. That's what family does."
"Even though I lied to you?"
"Even though you lied," Tucker confirms. "Though don't make a habit of it."
"I won't," I promise, relief flooding through me so intensely I feel light-headed.
Sierra stands up and walks over to Claire, pulling her into a hug. "Welcome to the family. For real this time."
Claire hugs her back, and I can see tears streaming down her face. Happy tears.