LOGAN
Weeks had passed, and things between Ellie and me had been going perfectly. We were solid. Steady. Happy. Life finally felt like it was unfolding in the right direction.
Hell, I was the luckiest damn man alive.
Having a woman like her at my side—sharp, beautiful, all heart—made everything else fade into the background. The rest of the world could go to hell, and it wouldn’t matter, not as long as I had Ellie Cassidy.
She was the spark in every dark room.
Ellie Cassidy was every cowboy’s dream. And somehow, I’d been the one she chose.
Today, I was on my way to Petal Pusher to pick her up. We were headed to the Cassidy Ranch barn for a little get-together with our friends. From what I’d heard, there was a bonfire planned—our usual kind of thing, and I had one guess as to why.
The sun was high and warm, casting everything in that golden glow that made Faircloud look like a damn postcard. The mountain range sat proud in the distance, brushed with wisps of cloud, and the air carried that sweet, earthy scent that always came before a summer night.
“Hi there, Logan,” Mrs. Conrad called out from across the street, wiggling her fingers in my direction.
I looked over and smiled. Her silver hair gleamed in the sunlight, done up in tight curls like she’d just left the salon.
“Afternoon, Mrs. Conrad,” I called back.
She cupped a hand around her mouth, clearly not finished. “A little birdie told me something interesting,” she teased.
I slowed, then stopped altogether, crossing my arms and raising an eyebrow as she caught up. “Oh yeah? And what did that birdie have to say?”
She stopped in front of me, batting her eyelashes in that dramatic way of hers. Mrs. Conrad had a flair for the flirt, even at her age. And to be honest, it was impressive how well she pulled it off.
“That you and Ellie Cassidy are official now.”
A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. “Mm-hmm. We are.”
She let out a dreamy little sigh then gave a half-smirk. “I’m happy for you both… though, I won’t lie, I’m a little disappointed for me.” She winked and reached up to squeeze my bicep. “One lucky girl,” she muttered under her breath, more to herself than me.
I chuckled and patted her hand. “I’ll be sure to tell Ellie you said so. I’m actually on my way to see her now.”
Mrs. Conrad laughed, turning to head off, but paused a few steps away. “If I ever need anything, I can still call you, right?”
I gave her a playful salute. “Always, ma’am.”
Ellie and I had become the talk of the town, but in the best way. People seemed genuinely happy for us, whenever we were seen out together. Someone at the bakery had even made a whole damn cake with our names piped inside a giant red heart.
Speaking of being the talk of the town, I’d just reached the front of Petal Pusher, and there was no sign of Miles. He’d split shortly after the bar brawl—packed his bags and hightailed it out of Faircloud like the coward he was. Word was, he’d found another small town to call home.
Good riddance.
The people of Faircloud had Ellie’s back from the start. Once the truth about what happened between them came to light, the town wasn’t having any of it. No one turned a blind eye. No one stayed quiet.
I had a hunch how the truth made its way around, and it started with a certain bartender and his bar full of loyal regulars.
Mac Ridley wasn’t the gossiping type, far from it, so if he let something slip, you could bet it was important. And this? This was worth the town knowing.
Didn’t take long before folks were knocking on Miles’s restaurant door demanding answers. I’d heard through the grapevine that Mrs. Winchester gave him the hardest time, marched straight to his window in her Sunday best, wagging a finger like a storm warning.
And Penny? She took things a step further. Sprinkled glitter across his front seat one night when he left the windows cracked. The kind of glitter that never comes out. I still laugh thinking about it.
Miles didn’t stand a chance against the fury of Faircloud and its people. He thought he could charm his way into the town and get away with hurting one of our own?
Not a chance.
The support gave Ellie a real lift, seeing the town rally behind her, choosing her, loving her the way she deserved. She wouldn’t admit it, but I saw it in her eyes. A little more light. A little more strength.
Now, the space where his restaurant sat stood empty, waiting for someone new to take a chance on it. According to Mrs. Cassidy, the town meetings had been full of opinions, suggestions, and even a few arguments, but nothing had stuck yet.
All I knew was, it better not be another city guy with a big ego and a luxury car. Anyone else, I’d welcome with open arms.
I pulled open the door to Petal Pusher, immediately hit with the sweet scent of fresh flowers and the soft hum of voices. It was warm inside, bright, with sunlight pouring in through the front windows and catching on the petals.
And there she was.
Ellie, behind the counter, holding bouquets for Mrs. Winchester and trying—with zero success—to please her. Her hair was down, messy and wavy, falling down her back in that way that made my heart ache a little. A cute green apron hugged her waist, her cheeks pink from effort and frustration.
When she spotted me, her eyes went wide, silently pleading save me. I bit back a grin but stayed off to the side. I knew better than to jump into the battlefield of flower arranging. I wouldn’t be much help anyway.
I watched as bouquet after bouquet was denied with a sharp shake of Mrs. Winchester’s head. Finally, Ellie held up the last one—a miracle, apparently—because Mrs. Winchester nodded in satisfaction, paid, and walked out like a queen leaving her court.
Ellie sagged against the counter with a dramatic groan.
I stepped forward, laughing softly as I rubbed a comforting hand along her back. “She’s always such a handful,” she muttered.
“But you handle her like a champ.”
She stood, shot me a halfhearted glare, and I smirked right back.
“Do we even know why we’re supposed to meet at the barn tonight?” she asked, untying her apron and hanging it neatly on a hook behind the counter.
I shrugged, playing it cool. “Nostalgia, maybe?”
I might have known the real reason, but I couldn’t tell her just yet.
Ellie grabbed her bag, slung her purse over her shoulder, and called out, “Bye, Sandy!”
Sandy poked her head out from the back room, smiling. “See you later, sweetie! No need to come in tomorrow, take the day off.”
Ellie blew her a kiss, and we stepped out into the warm Texas sun.
“Oh,” I said, slipping my arm around her shoulder as we headed toward her truck, “Mrs. Conrad says you’re one lucky girl.”
Ellie arched a brow. “I know I am, but what makes her think so?”
“She squeezed my bicep,” I said with a wink, pulling open the driver’s side door for her.
She rolled her eyes, but I caught the grin tugging at her lips before she climbed in.