Page 54 of Wildest Forever

“There she is...” Buck taps my cheek softly with his hand, then moves aside to greet Morgan and I sigh blissfully, turning slowly as he pulls her into an embrace before giving her a kiss on the cheek.“Good to see you again,” his voice is quiet, and she gives him a small smile. “How's your pops? I haven't seen him in a while,” and my heart twists deep inside my chest.

“He is not good,” she rolls her lips before her tongue darts out and wets it.

“I'm sorry to hear that, if you need anything...” he trails off for a moment and eyes Blue, she gives a grimace of a smile. “We're here for you, you're family now,” he pulls her in for a hug again.

“Where's Austin?” I ask as I push my hands into the front of my jeans, my wedding band catching on the hem of the pocket.

“Office.” Buck nods his head down towards the back of the house and I give a heavy nod. Blue inhales heavily just as I approach her.

“He doing okay?” and she just shrugs her shoulder up. I nod again then turn my attention to Morgan.

“Can you just give me a bit...” and I don't have a chance to carry on, she is pressing her finger to my lips and giving me a nod.

“I'll make you a coffee, love,” Blue says as she walks towards the coffee machine and finds a pod and I give my wife one last smile before making my way towards the back of the house to find Austin.

I can hear the sound of his fingers dancing across the keyboard and I pop my head around the door and give him a whistle. His head pops up over the computer screen and his eyes glisten.

“There he is,” I smirk as I step into the room and around to where he is sitting. He pushes to his feet and pulls me into the tightest hug, his face burying between my head and shoulder.

His body begins to shudder in my arms and the pain in my chest radiates through to my shoulders and back.

I say nothing.

Just hold him tight against my body and let him sob into my tee.

He obviously needed this and I wasn't going to be the one to take it away from him.

So I just stood silently until he was ready to talk.

I have no idea how long it has been, but he finally pushes away from me and palms at his tear-stained cheeks.

“You okay man?” I ask as he steps away and sits back in his chair and he gives me a nod.“Sure?” I don't want to press too much but at the same time I want him to know he can talk to me whenever he needs to.

“Yeah, Harlow was just on my mind today,” he admits, locking his fingers into his lap.

He is dressed in a black tee, light washed jeans, dirty boots and his cap twisted backwards.

“That's understandable,” I nod, rolling my lips into a thin line.

“Some days are just harder than others, you know...” and I nod my head, I know that feeling all too well.

“I just miss her,” and he pulls his glassy eyes from mine and focuses on his computer screen.

“We all do bud,” it's true. She may have been a menace between Aspen and Riggs but she was part of us. Always had been.

Silence creeps around the room and I shuffle on my feet.

“How's work?” I ask, looking at his badge sitting on the desk.

“Busy.” he sighs, “had a load of cattle go missing two ranches up,” I watch as he shakes his head from side to side. “I don't get how they can just be taken,” he looks at me and I shrug my shoulder.

“Happens, so close to the border here, what's to stop them taking them straight across?”

He taps his fingers on his stomach.

“Suppose it makes sense,” he spins his chair around, “how about you? How's things with you?” he asks, but his eyes are now fixed on the screen.

“So So,” I admit, “not really sure what I want at the minute, there is so much going on at home and with Morgan and her pops that...”

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