Chapter 5
Penelope
I step onto the porch, pulling in a deep breath. Morning stretches wide across Wyoming, the sky streaked peach, lavender, and gold, the Wind River Range glowing under the first light. Crisp air brushes my cheeks, carrying pine and wood smoke. My fingers itch for my camera, I need to capture this.
I lift it, snapping frames of mountains rimmed in gold, of light spilling across the ranch’s wide fields. The shutter clicks steady against the hush of dawn.
The low rumble of engines cuts through the quiet. A line of trucks crunches up the gravel drive, tires spitting dust into the dawn air.
Cas climbs out of his black truck like he owns the ground beneath his boots. Easy. Confident. Watchful. The kind of presence that fills a space without trying. He leans against the hood, denim stretching across broad shoulders, arms folding slow.
“Good morning, Sunset.” His voice is smooth, the nickname making warmth spread low and slow through me.
“Sunset?” I echo, my cheeks heating.
“Fits you,” he says, blue eyes holding mine. “Red hair, beautiful eyes, met you at sunset… perfect.”
“Oh.” I can feel my cheeks flush, a small, tentative smile tugging at my lips. His smirk tells me he knows exactly what kind of effect those words have on me.
“You’re up early.” His voice is steady, low as the hum of those engines.
“I woke up as soon as the sun rose. The view outside was too beautiful to stay in bed,” I admit, the camera still warm in my hands as I sweep my arm toward the horizon. “I mean… look at this.”
He glances out at the land, lips curving in quiet approval.
“You’re up early too,” I grin.
Cas starts toward me, boots crunching softly against the gravel. “Most folks around here are already up. The ranch and the B&B take a lot of work, but it’s worth every second.”
Only now do I notice the movement around us, figures already at it, cars pulling away, horses kicking up dust in the pasture. The place hums with life, steady and unhurried.
“So everyone lives on this ranch?” I ask.
“Most of us,” Cas says easily. “Mom and Dad divided the land into six pieces. Mine’s at the far end, near the lake.
Ethan and Jude have homes here too. Dex lives above his bar, Midnight Rodeo.
Jace is still on the bull-riding tour, hasn’t built his place yet.
Grace still lives with Mom and Dad. We all help with the ranch and the B&B, but each of us has our own thing going too. ”
I imagine waking to this view every day, fields rolling into mountains, sunlight spilling across the land, and for a moment it doesn’t feel real. “Working here must be wonderful.” My voice softens as I look around, admiring the quiet rhythm of freedom in everything that moves.
The door creaks open behind me. Grace steps onto the porch, still in her pajamas, hair a mess of sleep and sunshine. She hugs Cas before dropping against the railing like it’s hers by right. Her grin is sharp, eyes sparkling as she spots what I’m holding.
“You’ve got a camera?”
I tighten my grip on the strap. “Yeah. I used to have a better lens for shots like this.” I point toward the mountains, where the sun paints them in shades of orange. “But… someone broke it.” My voice catches. Or more like Mark broke it.
Cas doesn’t move, doesn’t speak, but I feel the weight of his stare, steady and sharp, as if he already knows what I didn’t say. Heat crawls up my neck, and I force my focus back to Grace.
“Bet the view from the ridge is killer for photos,” she says, excitement bubbling through her words. “If you want, I can take you up there sometime, show you all the good spots. You’d love it.”
Her warmth catches me off guard. I smile, small but real. “I’d like that. Really. Thank you.”
Boots hit the steps, heavy and unhurried. Ethan saunters up, mischief already stitched into his grin. “Well, hello there, beautiful.”
Cas’s gaze cuts sharp. “Watch it.”
Ethan only smirks, tipping his stetson like he’s immune to warnings. “Relax, big brother. I just wanted to ask Penny if I could take her on a proper tour of Lander.”
“No need,” Cas says, his voice flat as steel. “I’m taking Penny to see her car this morning. Then maybe I’ll show her around Lander, if she wants.” His eyes find mine, steady and waiting.
“Sure.” I nod, caught in the quiet gravity of his look.
Ethan’s smirk deepens. Cas notices and scowls.
Then Cas steps closer, his voice drops low.“I’ll take you to your car in half an hour. We’ll make sure it’s okay. Then we’ll figure out the rest. Sound good?”
I nod again, my throat too tight for words.
Cas walks into the house.
Grace nudges my shoulder, eyes soft. “I can’t wait to see what you capture up there. The colors this time of year are unreal.”
I smile. “I can’t wait”.
◆◆◆
After breakfast, Grace surprises me with an armful of clothes. “Those few things in your bag won’t keep you warm,” she says, shaking her head. “Here.” She drops them on my bed. “These don’t fit me anymore, but they’ll work on you. No offense, I grew taller this year.”
“No offense taken. I’m pretty tiny,” I laugh.
Grace leaves me to get dressed, and I pull on a dark green hoodie and jeans soft from wear. The fabric smells faintly of her lavender detergent, familiar and safe, home in a way I’d almost forgotten.
When I step outside, Cas is already waiting by his truck. He opens the passenger door for me without a word, his steady gaze catching mine.
My stomach knots at the gesture. Mark never opened doors for me, not unless it was to shove me through them.
Cas just waits, patient, a quiet hum of strength around him.
The cab smells like pine and leather, warm as I slide in with my camera bag. He starts the engine, country music spilling softly through the speakers, and the truck rolls down the drive.
The ranch opens wide before us, golden fields, horses running the fence line, cabins scattered like puzzle pieces. Mountains rise in the distance, solid and timeless.
“It’s incredible,” I whisper, pressing my palm against the glass. “I can’t believe this is real.”
Cas glances at me, lips tugging up. “It’s home. Been in the family for generations. Don’t think I could ever leave.”
His love for this land is obvious in the way he says it, like his roots run straight into the earth itself. We stop at a crossroads, and I glance at him quickly, only to find his eyes already on me. I look away, heat fluttering where I don’t want it.
The silence that follows isn’t heavy. Just steady.
He breaks it gently. “So, how’d you get into photography?”
I trace the strap of my bag, swallowing. “My dad used to take pictures of us as kids. I hated it. Until one day he caught my mom laughing, really laughing, at a joke I made.” My voice dips. “She got sick a month later. That was the last time she ever laughed like that.”
I slide the photo from my bag and pass it to him. “I fell in love with how photography can capture a feeling like that and make it eternal.”
Cas studies the picture, his breath catching. “Wow. Your mother looks just like you.”
I study it too, the edges worn soft. “I’ve got her face, her hair, her skin. But she had these baby-blue eyes my father loved. I got his amber ones instead.”
At the stop sign, Cas leans closer, gaze catching mine like a hook, his eyes searching as if they’re looking for something hidden. “Not amber,” he says quietly. “Whiskey. They’re the color of good whiskey.”
Heat rushes up my neck. “What?”
“I love whiskey.” His voice lowers, rough silk, and he eases the truck forward again.
Butterflies riot in my stomach. This man sure has a way with words.
◆◆◆
By the time we reach the auto shop, a squat brick building with peeling paint, I still can’t breathe right.
The mechanic glances over my car, then shakes his head. “Tire’s gotta be ordered. Can’t get it ’til Monday.”
Cas claps him on the shoulder. “Appreciate you coming in on a Sunday.”
My heart stutters. He pulled this man in, today, for me.
When Cas opens my door again, I hesitate. “You didn’t have to go through all this trouble.”
“No trouble,” he winks. “He owes me favors.”
The town unfolds in front of us, old brick storefronts, a diner spilling with people, mountains holding the horizon. Everything feels wider, cleaner, like air I’ve never breathed before.
“We’ll stop here,” Cas says, pulling into a spot in front of a cozy shop with a sign that reads Sugar & Spice. Warm light spills through the windows, pumpkins and autumn leaves clustered by the door.
He opens the door to the coffee shop for me. “Ladies first.”
“Thank you” I say as I walk in.
Inside, the air wraps warm around me. The aroma of coffee beans, cinnamon, and butter fills my lungs. Shelves of books fill a corner, mismatched chairs scatter the floor, and a pastry case gleams bright.
“Morning!” A woman beams from behind the counter. Long black hair, light-blue eyes, curves wrapped in an apron. Gorgeous, warm, easy.
Cas tips his hat. “Morning. Place smells incredible.”
“Thanks! Just opened this week,” she says. “Still getting settled.”
"I'm Cas.” He gestures toward me. “This here’s Penny.”
Her eyes flick over my bruises, but there’s no pity, only soft understanding. “Nice to meet you both. I’m Summer.”
We take a seat at the counter. “Coffee sweet or strong?”
“Sweet,” I murmur.
“Perfect. Strong’s just for cowboys pretending they don’t like sugar.” Summer cuts Cas a playful glance.
“Guilty,” he rumbles.
I laugh, surprised at myself.
She sets down steaming mugs and a plate of pastries. “On the house. I need taste-testers.”
Cas takes a sip, then bites into an apple cinnamon bun and starts nodding. “Summer, you’ve got a gift. Lander needed this.”
Her cheeks flush. “Thank you. That means a lot.”
“Mommy!” A little girl barrels from the kitchen, dark hair flying, blue eyes bright. “Can I have a spooky brownie now?”
Summer laughs, passing her one. “Mia, this is Penny and Cas.”
“Hi,” Mia whispers shyly.
“Hi, sweetheart,” I smile.
“Do you want a spooky brownie too? My mommy makes ‘em good. She got lots of pecipes.”
Summer kisses her head. “Recipes, pumpkin.”
I laugh, heart tugging. “She’s adorable.”
“She’s four,” Summer says proudly.
Cas’s phone buzzes. He glances at the screen, jaw tight. “Emergency call. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Are you okay to stay here, or do you want me to take you back to the ranch?”
“I’m good. Don’t worry.” I nod.
He smiles, takes another bun from the plate, and I watch him stride out, the bell jingling as the door closes behind him.
Summer studies me, her voice dropping. “Honey, I’m sorry if I’m not minding my damn business.” She lowers her voice. “Those bruises, they’re not from him, are they?”
“No!” The word bursts out too fast, too desperate. A woman at a nearby table looks at us. I lower my voice. “No. Not Cas. He’s the one making sure I’m okay.”
Relief smooths her face. A grin curls her lips. “Good. ’Cause the way that man looks at you? Whew.” She fans herself with a paper napkin. “He’s got it bad.”
Heat creeps up my neck. I duck my head, but a smile escapes anyway. “Oh no, I just met him yesterday.”
“He never took his eyes off you,” Summer says, conspiratorial. “Like you hung the moon.”
Her words nudge at something inside of me, but I promised myself I’d never listen to that nudge again. “I’m not looking for love right now,” I say, determined.
“I know the feeling.” Summer looks somber, like her own heart agrees with mine. “Anyway, if a boyfriend’s not on our wishlist right now, how about a new friend?” She smiles bright.
Before I can answer, she’s sliding her phone across the counter. “Let’s swap numbers. You’d be the first friend I make in this town.”
I grin, typing mine in. “Deal. As long as I can take pictures here sometime. The light’s perfect.”
“You into photography?”
I nod. “It’s my thing. Been a while, though.”
“Well then, Sugar & Spice is yours anytime. Actually, would you mind taking photos of the shop for me? My phone shots don’t do it justice, and I need to fill my social media pages to start marketing this place.”
“Sure. Once my car’s fixed, I’ll come by.” I look around the shop. “I already know what shots to take.” I smile.
“Perfect.”
“Penny, wanna help me color?” Mia tugs my hand, crayons clutched in her fist.
“Of course,” I smile, following her to a little table.
She chatters about school, her favorite colors, about nothing at all, and I find myself enjoying spending time with her.
It’s like I forgot how fun it is to be little again.
We laugh and pretend to be the princesses we’re coloring. Summer walks over and joins the fun.