Page 24 of Pure Bred

I swallow hard, trying to keep my voice steady. “I understand. I’d never ask you to give up your career. It’s a huge part of who you are.”

She looks at me with relief, but I’m not finished.

“And I’m willing to do long-distance for now. But I want to build a life with you, Sierra. I want to marry you, and I want to raise a family together. And I don’t see how that could work unless we’re together in the same place.”

Sierra’s eyes well up with tears. When she speaks, her voice is almost a whisper. “Do you really mean that? You want to have a family together?”

I nod, looking deep into her eyes. “I mean it with every fiber of my being. I want it all with you, Sierra. The good, the bad, the sleepless nights with crying babies, the family vacations, everything.”

A tear escapes down her cheek, and I gently wipe it away with my thumb. Hope beats in my chest as I watch emotions play across her face.

But then Sierra’s face falls, and my heart clenches. She looks at me with eyes filled with both longing and sadness.

“The thought of having a marriage and family with you makes my heart feel so full,” she says softly. “But it feels like a fantasy.”

She pauses, and I can see her steeling herself for what comes next. “I’m pretty sure I know what the answer is, but…would you ever consider moving to LA?”

My stomach sinks. I try to picture myself living here—the constant noise, the crowds, the smog. Waking up to skyscrapers instead of mountains, dealing with traffic instead of herding cattle. It feels wrong, like trying to force a square peg into a round hole.

I take a deep breath, hating the words even as they leave my mouth. “No. I can’t see myself living here. I’m sorry.”

She nods, disappointment clear on her face, but there’s understanding there too. “The big city life isn’t for you. I get it, I do.”

We sit in silence for a moment, the weight of our impossible situation almost too heavy to bear. The beautiful LA sunrise now feels like it’s mocking us, a reminder of the vast difference in our worlds.

Sierra breaks the silence. “What are we going to do, Logan?”

“I don’t know,” I admit, hating how helpless I feel. “I honestly don’t know.”

The next day, I return to Eagle Falls with a heavy heart, no closer to figuring out how Sierra and I can build a future together. While it’s a relief to be back home, surrounded by the familiar sights and sounds of the ranch, it doesn’t feel like enough anymore.

Over the next few days, I throw myself into work. I use the physical labor as an outlet for my frustration, pushing myself harder than ever before. I’m up before dawn, mucking out stalls, repairing fences, and exercising the horses until my muscles scream in protest. I skip meals, work without a moment’s rest, and stay out long after the sun has set.

My dad tries to talk to me, concern obvious in his voice, but I brush him off. I can see the worry in his eyes, but I can’t bring myself to slow down. The ache in my body is a welcome distraction from the ache in my heart.

By the fourth day, I’m running on fumes. My hands are blistered and raw, my back is in constant pain, and I’m so exhausted I can barely think straight. But still, I push on, as if punishing my body will somehow solve the impossible situation with Sierra.

One night, as I sit down to dinner with my dad, he fixes me with a stern look and says, “Son, you can’t go on like this.”

I stab at my meatloaf, avoiding his gaze. “I’m fine. Just been busy with the ranch.”

He sighs, putting down his fork. “Logan, I’ve known you your whole life. This isn’t just being busy. You’re running yourself into the ground.”

I clench my jaw, all the emotions I’ve been trying to bury threatening to surface. “What do you want me to say?”

“The truth,” he says simply. “Talk to me about Sierra.”

At the sound of her name, something inside me breaks. The words tumble out before I can stop them. “I’m so in love with her, Dad. More than I thought possible. But I don’t know how to make it work. She’s got her life in LA, and I’ve got the ranch here. It feels like we’re being torn apart.”

My old man nods, his eyes full of understanding. “Love is never easy, Logan. Especially when you’re living in different worlds.”

“I want to be with her every day,” I say. “But I can’t ask her to give up everything she’s worked for. And I can’t leave the ranch. It feels impossible.”

“If it was completely up to you,” he asks, “what would you want to happen?”

I laugh bitterly. “What I want is impossible. I want Sierra here, on the ranch with me. But I want her to have her career too. I want her to be happy and fulfilled. I just…I want it all, and I know I can’t have it.”

“Son,” my dad says gently, “I need to ask you something. Are you staying here out of obligation? Because you feel like you have to?”

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