Page 68 of Saddle and Bound

"Hey," a familiar voice startles me. I turn to see Ethan approaching, two mugs of coffee in hand. "Hey," I respond with a weary smile. "You're up early." He settles beside me, handing me one of the mugs. "Couldn't sleep, huh?" I nod, grateful for the caffeine. "Too much on my mind."

We lapse into silence for a while, enjoying the view of the sunrise. It's one of the things I love about Ethan - he never feels the need to fill every quiet moment with chatter.

"You know," he finally says, "I spoke with Alex the other day."

This piques my interest. "Really? About what?"

Ethan smiles faintly. "He apologized for how he's been acting. Said he let some 'wrong impressions' influence his behavior."

I feel a swell of pride for Alex. Not only has he admitted his mistakes, but he's also apologized openly. And he didn't even tell me - he just did it because he knows I care about my best friend.

"And what did you say to him?" I ask, curious. "I told him I understood, and that I appreciated his apology." Ethan pauses, holding my gaze. "And I told him that you're my best friend, and that all I want is to see you happy. And that it seems like he makes you happy."

I feel my eyes fill with tears. "Oh, Ethan..." He pulls me into a hug, and for a moment, I allow myself to let go, to cry all the tears I've been holding back these past few days.

"Rosie," he says gently as I calm down, "I know you're scared. Change is always scary. But I've known you for a lifetime, and I've never seen you as...alive as you've been these past few weeks."

I pull back, wiping my eyes. "I know. It's just that...what if I'm making a huge mistake? What if I leave everything behind to come here and then..."

"And then what?" he interrupts softly. "Rosie, life is full of 'what ifs'. You can't let the fear of what could go wrong paralyze you. You have to think about what could go right."

His words strike a deep chord within me. He's right, I know that. But there's still a part of me that hesitates.

"What about my marketing job?" I ask, voicing one of my concerns. "I can't just abandon that."

Ethan smiles. "Do you really care about your marketing job, Rosie? You've always dreamed of being a writer. Alex has pushed you to reclaim that dream, remember? And frankly, I think this place inspires you more than Los Angeles ever did."

I reflect on his words.

"Maybe you're right," I admit slowly. "In Los Angeles, I felt trapped in a stressful routine. Spending my days creating marketing campaigns for products I didn't care about..." "Exactly," Ethan says. "But here, you've rediscovered your passion for writing. I've seen you happier and more fulfilled in these weeks than in all the years you spent in Los Angeles."

I laugh, feeling lighter than I have in days. "Thank you, Ethan," I say sincerely. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Probably still be stressing about deadlines and presentations in LA," he teases.

I give him a playful nudge, but I know he's right. Without his encouragement, I would never have come here. And now... Now, I watch as the sun fully rises over the horizon, bathing the ranch in its golden light.

"So, when are you moving in too?" I joke... even though a part of me really wishes he would.

"You know, that's not a bad idea," he muses. "Italy, fashion, getting away from Theo..."

I freeze. "I'm sorry, what?"

"We broke up," he says bluntly. "I was going to tell you soon, but I wanted to be less angry about it, you know? Turned out he was cheating on me. And you know what? I think starting a new life here might not be such a bad idea."

"Oh my god, Ethan, I'm such a terrible friend..." I trail off, guilt flooding me.

"No, you're not, piccola," he reassures me. "You're my best friend. And you brought me to Italy - that's always been my dream. Screw the ex. I'll launch my first fashion line right here. If you can be brave, so can I.”

I can't contain myself any longer. I burst into tears again. For myself.

For Alex. For Ethan.

This is the cycle I’m stuck in when it comes to my feelings: one moment, I’m unsure. Then, I convince myself I’ve made my decision, only for fear to creep back in and leave me questioning everything all over again.

I know I can’t play with people’s emotions—and I swear, that’s not my intention. The last thing I want is to hurt anyone, especially Alex.

But the truth is, I’m terrified.

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