Page 30 of Nate Hayes

COMING HOME.

I pressed the phone to my chest and let out a laugh and a sob all at once.

Pancake bleated loudly and then immediately knocked over my tea.

“Of course,” I said, wiping my eyes. “You couldn’t just let me have that moment, huh?”

But I didn’t even care.

Because Nate was coming home.

And when he did, I was going to kiss him in front ofevery single goat on this mountain.

14

Willa

Iheard the truck before I saw it.

That low rumble, steady and strong, rolling up the gravel drive like a promise kept.

My heart nearly leapt out of my chest.

I dropped the basket of freshly cut lavender soap—didn’t even care that it hit the porch with a thud—I stood there waiting for him to open the door and step out when he did. I ran to him.

Barefoot.

Hair a mess.

T-shirt covered in flour because I’d been stress-baking goat cheese biscuits.

Didn’t care about that, either.

Because he washome.

Standing there in jeans and a gray T-shirt, dusty, tired, and more beautiful than I remembered. His eyes locked on mine, and he smiled, slow and warm, like he’d just spotted the only thing in the world he wanted.

I didn’t even slow down.

I launched myself into his arms.

He caught me with a grunt and a laugh, lifting me off the ground like I weighed nothing.

“Hey, baby,” he said, voice rough. “Miss me?”

I buried my face in his neck and nodded, already crying. “Yes, I don’t like you taking chances with your life.

He held me tighter. “It’s my job, it’s what we do. It wasn’t supposed to be dangerous. But we never know what will happen when we leave for a job. That’s why they call our team for help.”

We stayed wrapped around each other like that for a long time. Long enough for Pancake to come trotting up, head tilted, suspicious as always.

Nate looked down at him. “Don’t even think about it.”

Pancake snorted and circled behind him, like he was debating a stealth headbutt.

I pulled back just enough to look into Nate’s face. “Are you okay? Really?”

He nodded. “Tired. Hungry. Sore. But yeah. We got all of them out. Every kid. Fraiser and the team showed up just in time.”

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