Page 25 of Pure Bred

I shake my head, my voice firm. “No. This is home. It’s not about feeling obligated to stay.”

“Are you sure about that? Because it seems to me like there might be more to it.”

I sigh, shoving a hand through my hair. “All right. Yeah. Maybe there is a sense of obligation too. You and Mom started this place from nothing. You put your whole lives into it. How can I just walk away from that? It feels like…I don’t know. Like I’d be letting you down. Letting Mom down.”

My dad’s eyes soften, and he reaches across the table to grip my shoulder. “Logan, listen to me. Your mother and I didn’t build this ranch so you’d feel trapped here. We did it because we loved it, and we wanted to create something beautiful. But that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your own happiness for it.”

I feel a lump forming in my throat as he continues.

“If you decide to leave, to build a life somewhere else with Sierra, I want you to know that I’ll support you completely. I can keep things running here until it feels like time to pass it on to someone else, and then I’ll find a good buyer for the property. Someone who’ll love it as much as we have. I’m completely fine with that. And I know that if your mother was alive, she would say the same thing.”

His words are meant to be comforting, but the thought of a stranger eventually taking over our ranch sends a hard pang through my chest. I can’t imagine this place belonging to anyone else.

I nod, grateful for everything my dad has just said. But it still feels like there’s no good answer to any of this.

The next day, I drag myself to The Horseshoe, a local bar in Eagle Falls where I’m meeting Gabe. My conversation with my dad is still rattling around in my head, and I’m no closer to figuring out what to do about Sierra. As I push open the heavy wooden door, the familiar smell of beer and peanuts hits me, but even that doesn’t lift my spirits.

Gabe is already at our usual table, nursing a beer. As soon as he sees me, his face tightens with concern. “Logan, dude, you look like hell. Everything okay?”

I shake my head as I slump into the seat across from him. “Not really.”

Gabe’s eyes narrow, and I can see the moment he puts two and two together. “It’s Sierra, isn’t it? Goddamn it. I knew this would happen. I warned her, you know. I told her not to get your hopes up.”

My head snaps up at that, a flare of anger cutting through my exhaustion. “Don’t pin this on Sierra. She didn’t do anything wrong. We both knew what we were getting into when we started seeing each other again.”

Gabe scoffs, but I cut him off before he can say anything else. “I’m serious, man. Cut it out. This isn’t her fault. We’re both adults, we both made our choices. It’s just...complicated.”

“Yeah, I’ll say.” Gabe sighs, still looking frustrated at the situation. But then he shakes his head and looks at me with empathy. “You really do love her, don’t you?”

I swallow hard and nod. “More than you know. I love the way her eyes light up when she talks about music. I love how she snorts when she laughs too hard, even though she tries to hide it. I love?—”

Gabe holds up a hand, cutting me off. “All right, all right. I don’t need to hear all that mushy stuff. I can tell you really mean it.” He takes a long swig of his beer before continuing. “Look, I saw the way you guys were together when she was here. It’s obvious you’re meant for each other. Is there anything I can do to help you figure this situation out?”

I shake my head. “No. I appreciate it, but this is something Sierra and I need to work out ourselves.”

I stare into my beer, watching the bubbles rise to the surface. The weight of the decision I’m about to voice feels heavy in my chest. After a long moment, I look back up at Gabe.

“I think I’m going to leave the ranch,” I say, the words feeling strange on my tongue.

Gabe’s eyes widen in surprise. “Leave the ranch? Are you serious?”

I nod, my stomach churning. “Yeah. I mean, I have to do something, right? And Sierra can’t leave LA, so...”

“But the ranch is your life. You love it there.”

“I know,” I say, rubbing a hand over my jaw. “But I love Sierra more. I’ll adjust to living in LA. I’ll figure out how to enjoy life there.”

Even as the words leave my mouth, they feel hollow. I try to picture myself in LA, surrounded by concrete and traffic, but the image feels wrong.

Gabe shakes his head, looking unconvinced. “Man, I don’t think that’s the answer. You’ll be miserable in LA.”

“Well, what do you suggest, then?” I snap, frustrated.

Gabe holds up his hands. “Hey, I’m not saying I have all the answers. But I know you, Logan. You’re not a city guy. You’d wither away in LA, no matter how much you love my sister.”

I slump back in my chair, deflated. “I know. Fuck. I know.”

Gabe is quiet for a moment, his fingers tapping thoughtfully on the table. Finally, he looks at me with determination in his eyes.

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