Page 127 of Fragile Heart

Caleb glances at me, his eyebrow arching. “Yeah?”

My cheeks heat. Once Ethan told him the memory attached to the West barn, he’d filled in the gaps of most of the other tattoos, too. Ethan laughs, not at all embarrassed that most of his tattoos are memorials of our knotting. He squeezes my thigh as he looks across from me, focusing on Caleb.

“How about we stop here for a bit?” he asks.

Caleb nods, and Camden claps. Ethan guides us to a small outcropping of trees near the center of the meadow, a small copse of aspens full of bright green leaves. Ethan ties out Cottonwood before turning to Camden, easing him off the double saddle so Caleb can get Maple secured, too. I slide off Phoebe and tie her out as far from Cottonwood since she seems particularly irritated with Ethan’s favorite horse right now. I ease the single saddlebag off of her and toss it over my shoulder.

Camden runs through the meadow as soon as his feet are on the ground, giggling, grabbing the few wildflowers still blooming. Before I’ve managed to walk away from Phoebe, he’s back, holding out the small collection of white and yellow flowers.

“Here, Mommy Bri! For the new house!” he says, his grin so wide, his dimple is showing.

I take them, smiling, until he’s run off again. I turn to the men, my Alphas, and raise an eyebrow while tucking the flowers between Phoebe’s saddle and her saddle blanket.

“New house?” I ask.

Caleb sighs, and Ethan digs through the pack attached to Cottonwood’s saddle. He pulls a smaller bag and tosses it over one shoulder before holding out his hand to me. I lace my hand in his, and he kisses me.

“Let’s go walk,” he says as he pulls away.

I take Caleb’s hand, too, as the three of us slowly make our way across the meadow. Camden’s a hundred or so feet away, laying in the grass, messing with something on the ground.

Once we’re in the true center of it, the sun beating down on us, both men pause. Caleb’s amusement fills my chest as he kisses my temple. Ethan hands me a folded paper and wraps his arm around my waist.

My curiosity spikes. I thought I was the only one with a surprise today.

My breath catches as I unfold the paper and realize what it is.

“Blueprints?” I ask. “You’re building a house?”

Ethan nods, his brown eyes piercing me. “We can still change them if you want to adjust anything.”

He points to the front door on the paper, and then turns me until I’m facing the southern edge of the meadow.

“Welcome to the view from your porch, princess,” he whispers.

I blink back tears, tenderness and happiness welling up in me in a great wave.

We’d spent the day here, talking about the future, things we wanted, our dreams and hopes. Kids and vacations and houses.

“You remembered,” I whisper.

Ethan eases a finger under my chin and urges me to look at him. “I remember everything,” he whispers, low and fervent. “And I plan on making every single one reality.”

“Promise?” I ask. Caleb comes up behind me, his hand a hot brand on my hip.

Ethan nods, his thumb pressing into my lips. “Promise, princess.”

I breathe them both in, letting my eyes close for a moment, soaking in the moment, the feeling of them surrounding me and the Wyoming wilderness around us all. Then I pull the saddlebag from my shoulder and dig out my own folded pieces of paper. I grab Caleb’s hand, easing one of them into his hand, and then give the other to Ethan.

“Brielle,” Caleb whispers, his voice shell-shocked.

I twist out of his hold so I can see them both. He looks up from the official announcement, tears in his eyes.

“When?” He swallows. “How? This takesweeks. And we just bonded Friday.”

“Princess,” Ethan’s voice is just as surprised. His knuckles are white, his grip enough that it crumples the paper. His eyes are bright, the vulnerability in them making my breath catch in my throat. I grab his waist, pulling him closer to me. And then I grab Caleb, too. His lips trace his bond scar.

“I did it while you were out on the fire. When Olivia, Cam, and I went up to Jackson,” I explain.

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