Page 214 of Burn the Wild

Therapy, medicine, love, the ranch—it brought me back. Sometimes life is still hard, and some days I fight a silent battle with that black hole, but Ford is always there. He chases my dreams like they are his own. Treats my wounds like they’re his own. He’s not my cure, but he is a help. Because he understands. He stays. And that’s all I need.

He’s my rock and I’m his peace.

And together, whatever life throws our way, we take it together.

The sound of a whistle signalsgame over.

My husband spins around on the pitcher’s mound and gives me the biggest grin.

I fly at Ford and he catches me in his arms like he always has. He picks me up, lifting me into the air and twirls me around.

“You look like you love me, Country Boy,” I drawl, cupping his cheek.

“Rest of my life,” Ford says, his voice low and choked. “Rest of my life, Birdie Girl.”

SOME YEARS LATER

“Ihate you,” Reese flings.

Smothering a smile, I stroke her sweaty hair and try to remember the steps to stay calm. After all, it’s not my first rodeo. Even if it ismyfirst baby.

I lean closer. “I love you, Reese, but you say what you need to say.”

“This is all your fault,” she accuses, her voice laced with pain and rage. “You did this to me.”

I bite my lip as my eyes drink her in. Those wild curls. Those pouty lips and sparkling green eyes. Even snarling at me while in labor, Reese is goddamn beautiful.

I can’t get enough of this woman. Nearly seven years of marriage and she still turns me on like she’s that stubborn, bickering girl who stormed the ranch and flipped my entire world upside down. Every day I wake up is another day that I’m filled with gratitude she’s mine. My strong, beautiful Bluebird.

I splay a hand over her tight belly. “If I remember correctly, you were there that night, too.”

The exact night is etched into my mind. The ACM Awards After Party. Reese had just won Entertainer of the Year. We were high on life and had a jukebox on blast and a full bottle of whiskey, which we quickly emptied. Then there was Reesescratching her nails down my back and whispering,“Fill me up, Ford. All of you, forever.”

Fuck if I didn’t do just that.

Her eyes narrow, and she pants. “I regret that night. And I regret—” She breaks off as a contraction has her gritting her teeth and groaning.

“C’mon out, kid,” I tell her belly. “Your mama’s sick of you.”

“Don’t tell him that,” she scolds, her eyes wide. “He’ll think I’m awful.”

I plant a kiss on her sweaty forehead. “You got this, baby.”

“Don’t touch me,” she growls, glowering at me.

The nurse chuckles, shooing me away, which immediately prompts Reese to burst into tears. “No, don’t go.”

Grinning, I lope back to her and take her hand. The overhead lights dance over the faint, silvery scars on her arms.

“I can’t do this,” she huffs, her eyes full of fear.

I tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. “You can. You got this, Reese.”

She did it once. She can do it again.

If I thought it wasn’t possible to love my wife anymore, I found out I could the day she came to me and suggested being a surrogate for Ruby and Charlie when they were out of options. It was an easy decision. We put our plans for a family on hold until my brother and his wife had their own. I’m still in awe of Reese’s strength, her selflessness.

“Let’s talk baby names,” I say, hoping to distract her. Hell, distract me.

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