Page 60 of The Way Back Home
He suddenly felt weary. “We had a deal. She came home with me for Christmas, and then I’d take her into town and drop her off, no questions asked.”
“You used her as your shield.”
Noah’s chest ached. His dad was right. He had used Teagan, and she’d let him.
“Dad—”
“It’s okay, Noah. I get it. You’ve got ghosts of your own, and at some point, you realized she kept them at bay, didn’t you?”
Noah gaped at his father, who gave him a knowing smile.
“You’re not the first man who’s made errors in judgment, and you won’t be the last. We can’t change the past, no matter how much we might want to. It’s what we do right now that matters. It sets the tone for everything that comes next.”
“Alex is keeping an eye on her,” Noah admitted. “Just in case.”
His father gave a quiet grunt of approval, then said, “Sometimes, letting someone go is the only way they’ll figure out they want to come back. But don’t be a fool, son. If she’s worth fighting for…”
“She is,” Noah said firmly.
“Then don’t wait too long.”
Noah swallowed hard, the truth heavy in his chest. “It’s not just about me. She’s got something she needs to finish.”
Martin nodded. “Then be the man who makes sure she can finish it.”
Noah nodded. “That’s the plan.”
“I knew you were a smart boy. And for what it’s worth, we’ve got your back. All of us.”
Emotion welled up inside Noah. He should have known his family would be there for him. They’d never left. His head had been shoved too far up his own ass for him to see that.
They stood in silence again, watching as a few flakes of snow began to fall.
“It’s so quiet,” Noah said. “I thought the kids would be out here, playing, building snowmen, having snowball fights.”
Martin nodded toward the house, then pinned Noah with a knowing look. “Your sisters and a few of the wives left a little while ago. Something about post-Christmas sales.”
Noah didn’t answer. He just turned and started walking back to the truck. He’d just drive down, check things out, be on hand, just in case.
He made it halfway down the mountain before changing his mind.
Alex had eyes and ears on Teagan. She’d be safe. And he needed to give her the space she needed to figure things out.
Instead of heading straight into town, he turned off, winding through back roads bordered by sunlit pinesand snowbanks. The crisp air and empty roads suited his mood. He wasn’t ready to go back to the cabin, and he sure as hell wasn’t ready to face his family again.
He passed the farmers market—a Ziegler family fixture for generations. It was closed, of course, only open on Friday nights and Saturdays to accommodate the high number of Amish stall owners. Still, he spotted Eli and Daniel with the plows, clearing the lot.
He kept going.
He drove without thinking, letting the road choose his path until he found himself on the other side of the mountain. A small wooden sign caught his eye—Happy Trails Ranch.
His mother had spoken highly of the place. He might as well check it out.
No time like the present.
The drive was plowed, flanked with evergreens and lampposts decked with wreaths. A quiet peace settled over him as he followed it to a small parking area. A white farmhouse sat to the left. To the right, a set of pristine stables. Straight ahead, a fenced paddock, dusted in snow.
A man stepped out of the barn and headed his way. Noah climbed out of the truck.
