Chapter 8 - Colt #2
"I'm glad you told me," I say honestly. I reach for her hand, and after a moment, she lets me take it. "And for what it's worth? Your ex is a fucking idiot. And so is your former best friend."
"That's what everyone keeps saying."
"Because it's true." I squeeze her hand.
"Harper, I don't know what kind of future we have together.
I don't know if this is just tonight or something more.
But I do know that you deserve better than what they gave you.
You deserve someone who looks at you the way I can't stop looking at you.
Someone who wants you so badly they can barely think straight. "
She's quiet for a long moment, just staring at our joined hands. "What if I stay?" she asks softly. "What if I actually make a life here? What would that look like?"
"Well," I say, trying to keep my voice light even though my heart is racing. "There are jobs in town. The diner is always looking for help. Or you could work at the library, or the hardware store. Hell, Sarah at the bar mentioned needing someone to help with bookkeeping."
"I could do bookkeeping," Harper muses. "I'm good with numbers."
"And my family, the guys at the ranch, they'd love you. Wade's with Sierra now, Tucker's with Marley, Boone just got together with Nicole. We're all figuring out this relationship stuff together. You'd fit right in."
"What about the ranch itself?"
"You'd love it," I tell her, meaning it. "Wide open spaces, beautiful views, good honest work. And I could teach you to ride a horse." I pause, then grin. "Since you clearly love riding so much."
She punches my arm, laughing. "Shut up."
"Made you smile though."
"You're impossible."
"And you like it."
She doesn't deny it. Instead, she leans her head on my shoulder, and we sit there in silence, watching the fireflies dance and the moon reflect in the pond.
"I think I want to stay," she finally says. "Not because I'm running from something anymore, but because I'm running toward something. Toward this. Toward you. Toward a life that might actually make me happy."
My chest feels tight in the best possible way. "Yeah?"
"Yeah." She lifts her head to look at me. "But I need to take things one day at a time. I can't promise anything beyond that right now."
"One day at a time works for me," I assure her. "As long as those days include you."
She kisses me then, soft and sweet, and it feels different from the desperate kisses we shared earlier. This one feels like a promise. Like a beginning.
We settle back onto the bench, and she leans against me, her head on my shoulder.
I wrap my arm around her, pulling her close, and we just sit there: existing, watching the nature before us.
The fireflies are still dancing around us, the moon is still reflecting perfectly in the pond, and for the first time in longer than I can remember, everything feels right.
"This is nice," Harper murmurs. "Just... being here. Not rushing anywhere."
"Yeah," I agree, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "It is."
"Tell me more about the ranch," she says. "What's a typical day like?"
So, I do. I tell her about waking up before dawn to feed the animals, about checking fences and fixing equipment that constantly breaks down. About the satisfaction of seeing cattle healthy and grazing, about watching the sun rise over the mountains while you're already knee-deep in work.
"It sounds peaceful," she says. "In a chaotic kind of way."
"That's exactly what it is." I laugh. "Peaceful chaos. Never a dull moment, but also never anything you can't handle if you just take it one problem at a time."
"Like life," she observes.
"Like life."
We fall quiet again, and I find myself running my fingers through her short hair. It's soft, silky, and I love the way it feels against my palm. Love that she's comfortable enough with me to just sit here, no expectations, no pressure.
"What about you?" I ask. "What's a typical day going to look like for Harper in Blackwater Falls?"
She considers this. "I don't know yet. But I think I want to figure it out slowly. Maybe start with that bookkeeping job you mentioned. Get to know the town, the people. Find my place here."
"And us?" The question slips out before I can stop it. "What about us?"
"Us," she repeats, and I can hear the smile in her voice. "I like the sound of that. I think... We get to know each other beyond the physical stuff. Though the physical stuff is really, really good."
"Really good," I agree, grinning.
"But I want more than that," she continues. "I want to know your stories. Want to learn what makes you laugh, what pisses you off, what you dream about when you let yourself dream. Want to understand who Colt Sullivan really is beneath the confident rancher exterior."
"And I want to know you," I tell her honestly. "Want to know everything about Harper. The good stuff, the bad stuff, all of it."
She tilts her head up to look at me. "Even if some of it is messy?"
"Especially if it's messy." I cup her face with my free hand. "Harper, I'm not looking for perfect. I'm looking for real. And you're the most real thing I've found in a long time."
Her eyes get a little misty, and she blinks rapidly. "You can't just say things like that."
"Why not? It's true."
"Because it makes me want to believe in this. In us. And I'm scared."
"Me too," I admit. "I've never done this before. Never wanted to actually try with someone. But with you? I want to try. Want to see where this goes."
"One day at a time," she reminds me softly.
"One day at a time," I repeat.
We stay like that for another hour, just talking quietly about everything and nothing.
She tells me about growing up in Denver, about her dad who she lost, about the dreams she had before everything fell apart.
I tell her even more about Frank, about my brothers, both blood and chosen, about the ranch that's been my whole life.
And somewhere in that hour, something changes. Something settles. Like we're both realizing that this, whatever this is, might actually be something worth holding onto.
"I should probably get back to the motel," Harper says eventually, though she makes no move to get up. "It's getting late."
"Or," I counter, "you could stay here a little longer. The night's not over yet."
She laughs. "And do what? Fuck again?"
"Maybe," I say with a grin. "Or we could just sit here. Watch the fireflies. Talk some more. Whatever you want."
"Whatever I want?"
"Whatever you want."
She thinks about it for a moment, then settles more firmly against me. "I want to stay here. Just like this. For as long as we can."
"Then that's what we'll do."
So, we stay. We stay until the fireflies start to disappear, until the moon moves across the sky, until we're both getting tired but neither of us wants to be the first to suggest leaving.
"Colt?" Harper says sleepily.
"Yeah?"
"I'm glad I came to Blackwater Falls."
"Me too, sweetheart. Me too."
When we finally do leave the park, walking slowly through the empty streets toward her motel, I'm already thinking about tomorrow. About seeing her again, about spending more time together, about all the possibilities that lie ahead.
At her door, she turns to face me. "So. Tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow," I confirm. "I'll pick you up around noon? We can grab lunch, maybe drive out to the ranch so you can see it. No pressure to meet everyone yet, just you and me."
"That sounds perfect."
She kisses me one more time, and then she's gone, disappearing into her room. I stand there for a minute, grinning like an idiot, before pulling out my phone.
*Me: I think I'm in trouble.*
*Boone: Good trouble or bad trouble?*
*Me: The kind where I can't stop thinking about her. The kind where I already know once isn't going to be enough.*
*Boone: Told you love was worth trying, little brother.*
*Me: Shut up. Not sure if it’s love. She just makes me want things I never wanted before.*
*Boone: Yeah. That's called love, dumbass.*
*Me: Whatever. I'll see you tomorrow.*
*Boone: Can't wait to meet her.*
*Me: Not yet. We're taking it slow.*
*Boone: Sure you are. Night, Colt.*
I pocket my phone and start the walk back to the ranch. The night air is cool, the stars are bright, and for the first time in my life, I'm actually looking forward to tomorrow. Not because of what I might do or who I might meet, but because I get to see Harper again.
And that's enough. More than enough.
Back at my cottage, I strip off my clothes and fall into bed, but sleep doesn't come easily. My mind keeps replaying every moment of tonight. The way she looked at me over burgers, the way she felt wrapped around me, the way she laughed at my stupid jokes.
The way she said she wanted to stay in Blackwater Falls. For this. For us.
I've spent years avoiding anything serious, keeping everything casual and easy. But Harper doesn't feel casual. She feels important. Like something I don't want to fuck up.
And maybe that's terrifying. Maybe I have no idea what I'm doing.
But for once in my life, I'm willing to figure it out.
Because Harper is worth it. Worth the risk, worth the fear, worth whatever comes next.
I finally drift off to sleep with a smile on my face, already counting down the hours until noon tomorrow.
Until I get to see her again.
Until I get to continue whatever this is we're building together.