Chapter Twenty-Six
From the moment Beau had walked outside, Josie had heard the entire conversation.
Him and Cash arguing out on the porch. All because of her. About turning her in. Even now, their heated words were blazing through her brain, echoing over and over again.
She sighed as she lay awake in the darkness, eyes fixed on the ceiling. She’d left for her bedroom as soon as the kitchen was clean, taking her leave while the other men wandered into the sitting room, listening to everything outside. None of them knew she had heard, but she had.
She didn’t want to cause problems for the boys. For any of these men.
This had been the only semblance of a home she’d had in so long. She didn’t want to see them lose everything that they and their family before them had worked so hard to build up. They had something here. Something big and something beautiful. A ranch, a family, a legacy.
And I’m ruining it with every day I continue to stay here.
She clutched the threadbare blanket tightly around her, drawing it up against her chin as a knot of dread twisted in her stomach.
The voices were jumbled from the front porch, yet the emotion behind them was unmistakable.
She had heard plenty enough to know that Beau was at his wits’ end.
Even going as far as wanting to make a deal over his brother’s wife.
She knew Beau well enough to know that he was a good man. He cared for her and Samuel in his way. For him to willingly suggest a deal involving her meant that he had to be backed into a corner with no other option.
Cruel as it sounded, she couldn’t deny the logic of such a deal. She wasn’t sure if it was pride or stupidity that had made Cash and Luke disagree.
Her breath caught in her throat, and a pang of guilt wound its way through her chest. The ranch had been a beacon of hope for her, but it was their home and livelihood before hers. And it was slipping away because of her.
Her eyes squeezed shut. She could almost taste the bitterness rising up in her throat.
Because of me.
Maybe she should go. Maybe this time she would pay attention to where she was running and not hurt her leg. Maybe this time, she could make things right.
She could surrender herself to Remington. Maybe that would keep his focus away from the ranch for a moment—long enough for the boys to figure out a way to fight back.
But then she remembered Amelia.
I promised her I’d keep Samuel safe.
That promise was etched into her like a brand on her skin. It was the first vow she’d ever made—a vow to her only sister and the closest friend she’d ever have.
What would Amelia think of her now? What would she think of all she’d done to protect him? Would she be proud, or would it not be enough?
It didn’t feel like enough. And now, with two impossible choices—leaving and risking Samuel’s safety, or staying and risking other people’s safety—Josie wasn’t sure what to do.
Samuel was most important to her, because he was her own baby nephew.
But I love these people, too…
She loved… Cash.
And she knew it. Despite herself.
But if she left, Samuel would be vulnerable. If she stayed, the ranch might keep getting torn apart—and worse, the Montgomery boys might be hurt. If Remington came for her here, they’d all be in danger.
Her head pounded. What would Amelia have done?
I promised to keep Samuel safe…
She kept repeating it to herself, over and over again.
How could she keep her promise if she walked right into Remington’s arms, just for him to hand her over to Pierce?
Before she could stop them, tears began to well up. Silent at first, just barely trickling along her cheeks, then streaming down in ragged, desperate breaths as she sobbed—deep, racking sobs.
It was good that Samuel was such a sound sleeper. She buried her face against the pillow, trying her best to muffle the sounds of her overwhelming distress.
Then she heard footsteps at her door, and she tried to stifle her irregular breathing.
And then a knock. “Josie?”
Cash, calling from behind the door.
Josie’s heart constricted, squeezing tighter than she could bear. Quickly she sat up, wiping away the evidence of her tears before managing to speak. “Yes?” Her voice was thick with sadness, and she winced.
The door creaked open, and Cash stepped in, a tall silhouette, pausing at the threshold. She could hear him take a deep breath.
“You okay?” he managed after a moment of silence.
She exhaled shakily and smiled at him before nodding. “Just a little tired, is all.”
It didn’t seem like he was convinced. He moved to sit on the edge of her bed, his eyes never leaving her face. “You heard, didn’t you?”
He sounded almost ashamed.
Josie nodded, drawing her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them—an attempt to shield herself. “I don’t want to be the reason you lose everything,” she whispered, guilt seeping into every word.
Cash’s face darkened with a storm of emotions. “That ain’t on you. Remington’s the one doin’ this,” he said firmly.
“But it’s because of me,” she whispered, her voice cracking as another ragged breath escaped her. “You said so yourself. You were right. Maybe if I—”
“Don’t,” he interrupted abruptly, and his voice sounded on the verge of breaking. “Don’t even think about it. And—” He grew quieter. “And… about earlier. I wasn’t in my right mind. The past few days… they’ve brought out the worst in me. I didn’t mean what I said.”
Josie’s gaze lifted towards him, sadness and relief crashing through her all at once. She wasn’t sure of anything anymore. Nothing except taking care of Samuel… and the understanding that their argument wouldn’t have cut so deep if she didn’t care about Cash so much.
“Cash…” she began, but her words caught in her throat.
He ran a calloused hand down his face and exhaled uneasily. “Listen,” he said, his tone stern, but not harsh, “you’re not goin’ anywhere. We’ll figure this out together. I ain’t gonna let anything happen to either of you.”
“How can you be so sure?” Josie asked in a broken whisper. “You’ve seen what Remingto is capable of. Your family’s land, your home—everything’s at risk because of me.”
Cash’s jaw tightened, a muscle working beneath the stubble on his cheek. “Some things are worth fighting for, Josie. This land, yes. But people are more important than land. You are more important.”
He looked away for a moment, then back at her. “My pa always said a man who won’t stand for what’s right ain’t a man at all.”
“But at what cost?” she asked, drying her face.
“Whatever it takes,” he said simply. “This ranch survived drought, bandits, even war. It’ll survive Remington, too. And so will you and Samuel.”
The conviction in his gaze sent a shiver rolling down Josie’s spine, causing goosebumps across her flesh.
There was exhaustion in those startling blue eyes of his.
Eyes that were squinting now, red and puffy, the eyes of a man who hadn’t slept in days.
But there was something unbending in them, too.
Like he needed her to see just how much he meant his words.
She sucked the inside of her cheek and swallowed, trying to force down her remorse, her worry… her feelings for him.
But it was no use.
Without even realizing what she was doing, she reached out trembling fingers, brushing against his rough, weathered hand, relishing the feel of his skin beneath her touch.
Immediately, his face tensed, the look in his eyes becoming uncertain. She watched as he battled himself, as if he was wondering whether to pull away or not.
Please don’t.
For a long, suspended moment, he remained still, his eyes lingering on her hand on top of his before glancing up at her face. The room felt like it was closing in.
“Josie…” His voice, soft, unbearably gentle. He lifted a hand to her cheek. It was tender, delicate, as he brushed away a stray strand of her hair.
Such a simple gesture, yet it sent unbearable shivers rolling up and down her spine. Some sort of magnetic pull was urging her toward him.
This wasn’t like her.
This wasn’t lady-like.
But in that moment, she didn’t care. All that mattered was what she was feeling for Cash Montgomery. Even if she wasn’t quite sure what that was yet.
His head bent down to meet hers. He was so close now, so close she could feel the warmth of his mouth all over again, just like she had that night on the porch.
“Cash…” she whispered, barely audible.
“Josie,” he whispered back, and his voice was like coming undone.
And then his lips brushed hers, soft and perfect.
The world seemed to still. Her heart fluttered, her breath caught. It felt like everything in her life had led to this quiet, perfect moment.
The kiss was slow at first. Hesitant. As if they were both holding their breath at the edge of something, scared to venture into the unknown completely.
Then, all the unspoken feelings from the past few months rose to the surface.
His hand slipped from beneath hers, resting lightly at her waist, drawing her closer.
As if he was pulling her closer to his heart.
She leaned into him, fingers curling softly around the collar of his shirt, something unfamiliar bloom in her chest. Hope. Belonging. All of it.
Her heart thundered against her ribs so loudly that he surely heard it, that Samuel would surely wake up. His arms around her felt like shelter, like home.
Like the home she’d been searching for since Amelia died. Maybe even long before that.
Cash Montgomery was a lot of things, and she still wasn’t quite sure what to make of all those things… but he was her husband.
And for the first time, she was truly glad of that.