Page 115 of Hold the Line

“Hey, cowboy,” she called.

Caleb chuckled. “I don’t think she means me.”

I laughed, and it felt good. “Hey, sugar.”

A ranch hand approached, taking my horse from me when I dismounted. Phoebe sauntered to me, giving me a long once-over. When she was close enough, I captured her waist and brought her against my chest.

“How’d it go?” she asked.

“He stayed on,” Caleb called as he rode away.

I grinned at her. “What he said. I might be getting close to being ready to go riding with you.”

She slid her hands over my shoulders. “I don’t know why you wouldn’t let me teach you.”

“Because you’re my girl, and I want you to think I’m capable of anything. Embarrassing myself on a horse wouldn’t exactly instill confidence.”

She poked me. “Joke’s on you, bucko. Iknowyou’re capable of anything.” Then she pressed her lips to mine in a too-brief kiss. “Next Sunday, it’s you and me. You can have your boy time with Caleb another day.”

“I’d never say no to you.” I brushed her hair aside, my fingers ghosting over the pink scar near her temple, disappearing into her hairline. “You sure you’re safe to be on horseback?”

“I’ve been riding since I could walk, Deke.” I opened my mouth to argue, but she cut me off. “I’ll wear a riding helmet, just to be safe.”

“Thanks for humoring me, angel.” I gave her waist a squeeze. “Ready to get out of here?”

“I am. Let’s go home, honey.”

Home.That was what she was. My home.

Never thought I’d have a place so sweet, but she’d given me that.

And I intended to give her everything.

With our arms wrapped around each other, we walked off, the wide-open future stretching out ahead of us.

Epilogue

Phoebe

Two Years Later

Isqueezedmyeyesshut against the pain. This was a mistake. A huge one. I had no idea why I’d thought this would be a good idea. Obviously, I’d been wrong.

Hannah snickered. “I never knew you were such a wimp.”

“Shush, you.”

“Almost done,” Jett murmured. “Hang in there another couple minutes for me, okay?”

“Okay,” I replied tightly.

It had taken me two years to work up the nerve to get this tattoo, even though I’d known exactly what I wanted almost the entire time. The moment I told Hannah my idea, she’d charged full steam ahead, arranging a girls’ day while Deacon, Remi, and Silas—their little boy—hung out at the ranch.

A couple minutes had turned out to be an eternity. At least it felt that way. Jett finally finished, wiping my inner forearm clean.

“You can open your eyes now,” Hannah said, laughing.

I cracked one eyelid open, then the other, and stared down at the colorful ink decorating my skin. I’d imagined this so many times, seeing it in the flesh—literally—stole my breath.

---