Page 91 of Wilder Heart

“Yeah. I mean, I know it’s not much, but?—”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Wilder said, closing the folder. “You said you want to combine these since he and I are together. Combined, that would be twelve hundred acres of ranch land.”

“Oh my God,” Cash said, like he might faint.

“You’re justgivingthat to us?” Wilder asked.

“Yes. Like I told Cash earlier, this ranch would not be where it is today without his help in the beginning. I was young, I had no idea what I was doing, and Cash was a godsend. He knew how to put up fences. He knew how to herd cattle and tame horses andshoehorses so I didn’t have to pay a farrier. And all he wanted for all that work was a place tolive. So I told myself that one day I’d repay him properly. Not with a temporary quarters in a bunkhouse but with a plot of land of his very own. We can keep it as part of Blackwood Ranch, if you’d like, or you can split off and do something entirely your own. I just want you to know, nomatter what you do, you’re always welcome here, and from now on, half the ranch’s profit is going to you, Wilder. This place is half yours. It always has been.”

Cash’s eyes were suspiciously bright. “Thank you, Lain. Wilder? What do you think?”

Wilder’s mind raced. They’d made plans to get a place of their very own, with animals and a garden, but Wilder was reluctant to leave Blackwood Ranch now that he’d returned. It was finally starting to feel like home. This was the best of both worlds. They could have their own placeandstill belong at Blackwood Ranch. They could build a horse barn and keep Blaze and Hexie there. Hell, maybe they could adopt other wild horses like Blaze and give them a safe place to land.

“Can we—uh,” he hesitated at the break in his own voice. “How would you guys feel about Blackwood Ranch having something like a horse sanctuary? We can adopt out the tamer ones and give the unruly ones a home.”

“Horses like Blaze,” Cash guessed, taking Wilder’s hand. “I think that’s a great idea, baby.”

“Yeah?” Wilder breathed. Hope was like a living thing in his chest, burying roots in his sternum and blooming under Cash’s bright smile.

Lain slid their folders back to himself. “I’ll rearrange the tracts of land so the acres are all together. Once you guys ride out to look at it and approve of it, we’ll get it all signed over to both your names. You’re welcome to keep living in the bunkhouse until you get a place built, of course.”

Before he could think better of it, Wilder ventured, “What if we… didn’t?”

“Hm?” Cash asked.

“What if we took your camper out there and lived out of it while the house was being built?”

Cash’s face morphed from thoughtfulness to excitement as he no doubt remembered their fantasies at the motel of living on their own piece of land in that tiny camper.

“Yeah,” he said softly. “I think that sounds perfect.”

Wilder couldn’t believe this was happening. One minute he’d felt more alone than ever, and now everything was falling into place. Happiness like this didn’t seem real.

“Can I ask you one thing?” Lain asked.

Wilder nodded.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me you were gay?”

Wilder blew out a breath. “I didn’t really think about it, to be honest. I never felt safe enough to speak such a thing out loud, even if we were somewhere Dad couldn’t possibly overhear. He had a way of finding things out. Hell, he was already getting suspicious. That was why I started dating Rebecca, actually. It was shitty of me to use her like that when I knew she had a thing for me, but in my mind, it was about survival.”

“Don’t even worry about that,” Lain said. “She’s moved on. She’s married with two kids. Her husband’s the only orthodontist in town, and they have one of the nicest houses in Rose County. She’s doing just fine—and if anybody is holding a grudge on her behalf, they need to get over it.”

“Somebody definitely is,” Cash said. “Which is a thing you and I can discuss later.”

“Why, did something happen?”

“Something,” Cash confirmed. “We’ll talk later in your office, okay?”

“Sure. Actually, why don’t we go to my office, anyway? I’ve got a map of the propertyanda map of the town, so I can show you which new tracts of lands I’ve bought, and you can help me pick out what you guys want.”

Wilder still couldn’t wrap his brain around it. “Are you sure? You really want to just give us this land?”

Lain sat back, looking satisfied. “I really do. It belongs to you anyway, really. I was just borrowing some of it until you could come back for it.”

Cash’s hand landed on Wilder’s shoulder. “Come on. Let’s do it.”

CHAPTER 29

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