Page 86 of Broken Roads
Bradford waves a dismissive hand. "Don't need you rearranging your fancy doctor schedule for me. I'm fine."
"It's not just for you." Sebastian glances at Bradley, then back to their father. "I've missed a lot. Maybe too much. But if you'll let me, I'd like to start making up for lost time."
The vulnerability in his voice sends a wave of emotion through the room. Bradford's eyes shine suspiciously bright in the afternoon light, and Bradley looks away, jaw working as he processes his brother's words.
"Once a month sounds good," Bradley finally says, his voice gruff but steady. "Ranch is pretty in the fall. You should come back then, see the aspens change."
Just then my phone vibrates in my pocket, startling me out of the moment. Glancing at the screen, I see Tessa's name and picture flashing at me.
"Excuse me," I murmur to Ruthie before slipping toward the front door.
Bradley's eyes follow me as I step onto the porch, concern briefly flickering across his features. I give him a reassuring smile before answering.
"Well, look who finally remembers she has a phone," Tessa's voice booms through the speaker, warm with affection despite the scolding. "One-word text updates aren't going to cut it anymore, girl. I need details."
With a laugh, I lean against the porch railing. "Sorry. It's been a crazy week."
"I gathered that much from your cryptic breadcrumbs. How's the father-in-law doing?"
Heat floods my cheeks at the casual way she says father-in-law, as if Bradley and I are already something permanent. "He's home now. He'll be okay with medication and rest, though I'm not sure rest is in the Walker vocabulary."
"And how about the brooding cowboy?” she asks. “Still brooding?"
I glance through the window where I can see Bradley standing with his father and brother, the three of them engaged in conversation that looks almost normal. "He's good. Better. His brother showed up just as Bradford collapsed. They're... working things out."
"And you?" Her voice softens. "How are you really doing?"
The question makes me pause. When I first came here, I wasn’t sure how long I’d stay but now...
"I'm better than good," I tell her, watching Bradley through the window again. He smiles at something his father says, and my heart does a funny little flip in my chest. "I'm exactly where I'm meant to be."
Tessa's excited squeal makes me pull the phone away from my ear. "Eep. Does this mean you're staying in Montana? With Tall, Dark, and Cowboy?"
The question should terrify me. I've spent years running—from my past, from commitment, from anything that felt too much like putting down roots. But as I watch the Walker family, something settles in my chest. A certainty I've never felt before.
"Yes," I answer, the word coming easily. "I'm staying."
Just then the screen door creaks and Bradley steps out.
“Gotta go,” I tell Tessa. “I’ll call you tomorrow.” My thumb hovers over the end call button, and her voice faintly comes through the speaker, "Call me later with all the juicy details."
With a laugh, I tap the red icon before sliding the phone into my back pocket. When I look up, Bradley's standing closer than I expected, his expression a careful mix of concern and something deeper that makes my heart stumble over itself.
"Everything okay?" he asks, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear.
"Just Tessa checking in," I say, leaning into his touch. "Apparently my text updates have been too brief for her liking."
He traces the curve of my cheek, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "She's not wrong. Fine isn't exactly a detailed health report."
"I had more important things to focus on." I step closer, eliminating the space between us until I can feel the solid warmth of him.
Behind Bradley, through the window, I can see Sebastian helping Bradford adjust in his chair while Ruthie fusses with blankets and pillows. This family that's been fractured for so long, taking tentative steps toward healing. And somehow, against all odds, I've become part of it.
"You're thinking awfully hard about something," Bradley murmurs, hands settling at my waist.
The Montana landscape stretches out behind us. Endless sky meets rolling hills that fade into distant mountains. When Ifirst came here, I saw only isolation in this vastness. Now I see freedom. I see home.
"I was just thinking about how different everything is from when I first arrived," I admit, resting my hands on his chest. "About how I came here planning to stay just long enough to fix the ranch's finances and then escape back to civilization."
