22. Loved
TWENTY-TWO
Loved
CARTER
By the time I parked behind Wylde West Outfitters, it was late. The lights were on in the apartment upstairs. I grabbed the bags of food I’d just purchased from the grocery store and took the stairs two at a time , heart pounding. This had to work.
I knocked and leaned against the door frame, ready to charm Sage with all I had.
Ivy answered.
I straightened. She glanced down at the bags and then at my boots.
“Carter? What are you doing here?”
“Look, I know what everyone must think of me. But if I could just talk with Sage, I have to make her see what she means to me.”
“Which is?”
“The world. She’s everything. I even renounced my inheritance to prove it. Where is she? Sage?” I called out, peering around Ivy.
“She’s not here. Carter. We all pitched in and bought her a ticket to New York to see you.”
My shoulders dropped, along with my heart and the bags of groceries too. Food spilled out of them all over the floor.
“I don’t understand. Why?”
“Because she loves you. She spent the past few days in tears over you, swearing she had made a mistake pushing you away. She convinced us she knew your heart, even if the name had changed. So we took up a collection from around town, at the Copper Cup, and even the guys at the ranch. We scraped together enough to send her on a flight to see you and talk with you, and that flight should have landed…” she glanced at her phone, “like two hours ago.”
I groaned, a hand brushing down my face. “Oh my God. Our flights crossed each other in the air. Do you have her number? I need to reach her.”
“Yes. And for what it’s worth, I know there is something special between you two. I really hope you both can figure it out because I hate to see my sister hurt.”
“Believe me, I know. You already proved how much you’ll protect her heart. Seeing how hurt she was when she heard about me killed me when I left. I won’t be doing that again. But do you really think she’ll have me back?”
“She left the only home she knew and went to New York City, didn’t she?”
“That’s all I need to know.”
A minute later, Ivy had given me Sage’s number and left me in the apartment for privacy. I put the groceries away, but all the ingredients for my Bolognese would have to wait.
I dialed. It rang three times and went to voicemail. She probably didn’t recognize my number.
When the beep came, I said, “Sage, sweetheart, it’s me.
Carter—Carter James. Your Carter, if you’ll have me.
But guess what? You won’t find me in New York, because I’m here in Montana, at your apartment.
Ivy was here and explained everything. God, I need to see you.
Look, head back to the airport and go to the private jet terminal.
I’ll arrange for you to take the Magnus jet back here where I’ll be waiting on the tarmac for you. Sage… one more thing. I… I love you.”
I clicked off and released a shaky breath.
I was in love.
Then I quickly texted the Magnus jet crew the instructions for the flight. Now, this was worth every dollar to pay for her to get back to me as soon as possible. I’d just finished the arrangements when Sage called back.
“Carter?” Her voice came through, small, maybe sad. “I’m standing in front of your building. You live on the top floor the doorman told me.”
“But I’m here, baby. I flew to Montana today to get on my knees, grovel, whatever I needed to do to get you back in my arms.”
She sniffled, definitely crying. If only I could catch every tear. “I flew to New York to see you and talk with you and convince you to come back because I think you belong in Montana with me.”
“No convincing needed. I love you, Sage.”
“Oh, Carter. I love you too. But now, what?” She laughed.
“Now you follow my instructions on the voicemail. Ask the doorman to get you a car to take you to the airport. Fly back to me. I’ll be waiting.”
“But what about your inheritance? Your life is here, mine is there?—”
“You’re wrong. My life is wherever you are.
If Forest Grove is home to you, then you’re home to me.
You’re my home, my sweet Sage-with-the-pretty-lavender-scent.
And I guess Montana has grown on me.” I massaged my jaw and couldn’t wait for a little stubble to grow in—and for her to ride me, ride her cowboy.
“I turned down my inheritance. Long story. I’ll fill you in later.
So I guess if you want a broke cowboy?—”
“Don’t you know by now? I want you; the money doesn’t matter. We’ll figure it out. I’m sure Ash will hire you back on. And we can definitely use another hand during harvest time at the orchard.”
“We can make improvements with what I have left in my trust fund. But only after I take you on a trip around the world.”
“Carter, that’s not how this works. Saving for the someday trip is satisfying to me, knowing that I earned it.”
“So you’ll take me back but turn down the trip?”
“Looks like this is our first disagreement,” she chuckled. I heard her ask the doorman to hail her a ride to the airport.
“There are bound to be more, and I’ll take every single one of them with you. I can’t wait to see you. Safe travels.”
I stopped at the Off-Duty Rescue Ranch on my way to the airport. The guys were a little standoffish; my guess was word had spread about my last name and wealth.
Jake was the first man to greet me with a smile. “Well, hell, look who came back.” I knew I could count on him to treat me like a normal cowboy.
“What can I say? Montana grew on me.”
“Good. Did you hear about the Amos brothers?” He continued. “The sheriff and his deputies caught them. They’re in custody. Word around town is that if Congressman Brewster had any involvement whatsoever in their illegal operation, it’ll finally be his downfall.”
I couldn’t speak to the Brewster situation, but I was most definitely happy to hear the brothers were behind bars.
“Was Trig involved?” I asked.
“The brothers ratted him out, stating that he’d spied on your conversation with the sheriff and Ash that day, and turned around and fed information to them for money.
The sheriff thinks that’s why the brothers weren’t around at the raid—and how they knew where to find you when you took the sleigh out. ”
“Fucking Trig.” Hard to believe he’d do that. “Glad it’s over. Especially since Sage is on a flight on her way back to me. I’m heading to pick her up now. I wanted to stop by and thank you and everyone for paying for her flight out to New York. If I had known, I’d have paid it myself.”
“Anything for love. Speaking of…” He checked his phone. “I have to rush off. Autumn needs me to watch the baby while she works her first shift at the Sapphire Saloon.”
“Babysitting already?” I arched a brow.
“Like I said. Anything for love. I got Harper to rent me that apartment above the Copper Cup yesterday. I’m fixing it up and letting Autumn stay there for now. She just doesn’t know she’s mine yet.” He chuckled.
“What about Trig?”
“We’ll see what happens when he finds out, but since he’s behind bars, I’m not worried.” With his big shit-eating grin, and knowing how much trouble Trig can be, I hoped he knew what he was doing.
But considering how much Jake froze up around women, Autumn brought something out in him. It was a sight to behold.
“What about you? What are your plans now?” He asked.
“Spend time with Sage, getting to know each other properly. We’re in no hurry. We have all the time in the world now.”
“Sounds good. Hey, you know where to find me if you need a friend.”
“Yes, I do.” We bid each other goodbye for now and left the ranch one after the other.
At the airfield, I paced nervously beside my truck on the tarmac. In the moonlight and light of the airfield, it appeared less dirty. If I needed to impress Sage, I’d have gotten a car wash. But that was the thing about her, since she didn’t need impressing. She needed me.
A bit of a storm was rolling in as the wind picked up. Even a thunderclap nearby as, at last, the jet with the big gold Magnus monogram approached. My heart skipped a beat, my smile hardly able to be contained. The door opened, steps extended, and at last out came—Hugh?
“What the fuck is this, asshole?” I ran forward. “Where’s Sage? If you did anything to hurt her?—”
“Relax. She’s gathering her things and will be down shortly.” He crossed his arms on the bottom step.
“Then what the hell are you doing here?” Thunder rolled again, closer now.
“You thought my challenge from Dad was to prevent you earning your inheritance, but it wasn’t.
He had an extra assignment for me where you were concerned.
It was to get you to admit you didn’t want the money at all.
I didn’t know how I’d make it happen. I thought challenging you with a court battle would pressure you into giving up, but apparently it also took a young woman from Montana and whatever the hell happened to you out here to make you leave New York and the spoils of your riches behind.
” He shrugged a shoulder. “Unbeknownst to you, when you walked out of Jackson’s office, when you didn’t care to fight for the money, you had already won.
Per Dad’s instructions, if you turned the money away, then you’d get it anyway.
Congratulations, little brother. You’re a very rich man. ”
He clapped me on the back. All the air left my lungs.
“I-I don’t believe this.”
“Believe it. Here,” he handed me a briefcase. “When you’re ready, open it. Jackson has prepared all the paperwork and bank accounts you need to start. He’s waiting for your call.”
I took the case, weighing the life it represented against the life I was about to embark upon with Sage. Now the two could exist together, and somehow, we’d make it work.
But the appearance of Sage at the top of the stairs stole my attention.
“Lovely lady. Sage and I had a friendly discussion on the flight.” Hugh chuckled. “I told her all about your awkward teenage years growing up. Showed her pictures on my phone, too.”
“You can leave now.”
He laughed, bringing me in for a hug I didn’t ask for. “I know I’m an asshole, a lot like Dad was. But, for what it’s worth, I see a change in you. And somehow it makes me proud of you. I think Dad would have been, too.”
I blinked away a tear as he bounded up the steps. But he stopped halfway, turning back. “Oh, and I talked to Mom. She said you’d better call her soon. She expects you to bring Sage around for the holidays, too.” He continued up the steps.
“Hugh,” I called. He stopped next to Sage and glanced back at me. But I couldn’t speak, swallowing back a lump over the entire ordeal. We simply shared a nod and a look together before he ducked back into the plane.
At last, it was only Sage and me. My lovely Sage in her purple coat, jeans, and pretty teal pair of boots. She placed a cowboy hat on her head—the one she’d originally sold me—and smiled broader as she took each step.
When she reached me, standing a step above me, putting us about eye level, she placed the hat on top of my head, even though a light sprinkle of rain had come down.
“There’s my cowboy,” she purred.
“All yours, baby.”
“Are you home at last?”
“Now that you’re on the right side of the states, yeah. I’m home.” I picked her up bridal-style. She whooped and laughed, clinging to my neck.
“Nice old truck.” She admired it as I placed her inside and buckled her into the passenger seat. Protecting her safety was a top priority now.
It occurred to me suddenly that I had money again. That I could buy a new one with a shiny red coat and all the latest vehicle enhancements. But why? This one suited us for now, taking us all the way back to Forest Grove.
What to read next in the Alphas Fall Hard Series: Frostbite Fever, coming October 2026, the story between Maddox and Poppy.