Page 6 of Pasture Findlay Farms

When I pull in through the iron gate with the letterFdisplayed on it, I find the Findlays have assembled a small army of ranchers to greet me. In another circumstance, I’d say it was a thoughtful gesture, but this meeting will be anything but friendly.

I put my truck in park and hostile stares meet my gaze as I step from my car. An unmistakable cloud of tension made of years of disagreements hangs heavy in the air. I approach the porch and a man with a hat ushers me inside.

When I step into the house, Jameson and Archie are sitting together at the end of a long table. It’s like a scene fromThe Godfather. I half expect them to ask me to kiss someone's pinkie. I pull out the chair across from them and feel their stares burn into me.

I take a deep breath and for a moment, my words fail me. But with Dakota in the forefront of my mind, I work through it. She’s worth it. “H-h,h-hey man, thanks for talking to me.”

A woman steps in from the kitchen and introduces herself as Jameson’s wife. She seems nice enough and I wonder whether she timed her entrance to break the tension. Either way, I appreciate it. Though she keeps her expression neutral, there’s a smile behind her eyes when she offers me water. I’d love some, but I think it’s best not to take it. I don’t know how deep these people’s mafia qualities run and I don’t want to find out.

“We don’t stand for cheating, backstabbing, lying, and getting things done the easy way just to make a buck. We sure as hell don’t go crashing parties where we aren’t invited. So you can imagine that we aren’t thrilled to find you in the back of our barn. Dakota is innocent and such a good person. She holds this family together.”

I nod. “I can see that.”

Jameson clears his throat. “Look, I don’t want to talk to you. But I’m willing to listen for exactly four minutes for the sake of my sister and because my wife is making me.” Jameson folds his arms across his chest.

“Then, then.” I inhale. “Then I’ll make it fast. I love your sister and I can’t blame you for being protective. I want you to understand that I want to protect her too. I want to marry her and make a life with her. Whether you like me or not, respectfully, I’m not going anywhere. But it would make all of our lives better if we could get along. It wasn’t a one-time thing.”

The men grumble and shoot glances back and forth. But they aren’t jumping up to escort me off their property so I consider that a win.

I continue, “You don’t know me, but it won’t take long for you to understand how committed I am to Dakota. Right now, you have every reason to doubt me based on my affiliation with Robinson Ranch—”

“And your brother,” Archie adds, his eye still swollen from the last time he punched a member of my family.

“And my brother. I won’t defend him. He’s had a rough road and he hasn’t always handled things the way he should have. But I’m my own man and you aren’t your family’s past either. We have a chance at something new here. We don’t have to stay in competition with each other. We can work together.”

Jameson looks at Archie and then back to me. “Slow down, you might want to date my sister but there’s nothing that says we’re going tojoin forces.”

I take a deep breath and prepare myself for the likelihood of a punch to the face. “Actually, there is something. Dakota is pregnant. I can’t promise you that I’ll be a perfect father to that baby. I’ve never had a family, but I promise you it's all I’ve ever wanted. Now that I have one, and a damn good one at that, I’ll love both of them. I will never, ever walk away.”

Jameson’s wife makes a sharp inhale of breath. She lets her jaw drop open and then covers it with her hand, but not before I see the massive smile on her face. But there are no other sounds as the weight of my statement hangs heavily in the air.

The space between us thickens with tension as my words sink in. For better or worse, they’re on the table now and whether these men want to accept me is up to them. My heart pounds as I can feel the implications of a child bridging two legendary ranches coursing through the room. Every second feels like an eternity, each more oppressive than the last.

Jameson rises from his chair, taking a step toward me. I stand, ready to accept his rejection. Then he holds out a hand to me. When I take it, he envelops me with a crushing grip pulling me toward him and clapping me on the back. When I pull away, his cold eyes hold mine for so long they warm.

Archie comes around the table and nods at me. “You’ll be alright man, we’ve got your back.”

CHAPTER7

DAKOTA

The two daysafter the incident with my brothers and William in the barn have passed in slow motion. All of my hopes for the unity this baby could bring crumble around me leaving nothing but broken fragments.

The day after it happened, William called me more than a dozen times. But they weren’t calls I was ready to take. I didn’t know what I wanted to say to the man I love who refused to tell my brothers he loved me back. Then the calls stopped and that was somehow more heartbreaking.

The reality is, whether or not William and I are talking, this baby is on its way. So when a text message came through early from William early this morning, I was more than ready to talk things out. I agreed to meet him out at our spot in the pasture between Robinson Ranch and Findlay Farms.

Meeting in our special place is a great start. If there’s anywhere that can give us the best chance of getting along, it’s got to be the pasture. Normally, I’d ride Mom’s horse Salty out there. But since I’ve been pregnant, walking has been more my speed.

I don’t mind it. The pasture is a breathtaking sight. Voluminous clouds float weightlessly across the sky. The light is crisp, and the grasslands dance in the gentle breeze. The open space gives me time to think.

My brothers, always so loving and protective, have shown their worth since our father passed away. Their roles in the family haven't changed, and I can understand why they still stand strong in their positions. But it's time for something different. All I need is a bit of courage to speak up. It's my turn to make them see that William is the man who will always be there for me.

William is my favorite person and hands down the best part of my life. He’s come into my world and made every dream I have come true. I wish that he had handled the situation with my brothers differently, but given his past, I can’t imagine how hard the situation must have been for him.

I will do anything to make our relationship work. Not just because of the baby but because I know I will love William with my whole heart for my whole life. He’s the Mr. Knightley to my Emma and my world will not be right until he’s back in it.

By the time I reach our spot in the pasture, I’m ready to throw my arms around William and make things better. The tall grasses clear and William is standing there looking as handsome as ever in his full rancher gear. But he isn’t alone. I tilt my head to be sure I’m not seeing things.It can’t be… But it is.Jameson and Archie are standing beside William.

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