“Hey, if you’re gonna dish it out, you gotta take it.” As we laugh, I hear tires crunching on the gravel driveway behind us.
The black Suburban SUV is one I recognize only because Kip Hamilton has driven the same vehicle for my entire life. Every couple of years he gets a new one, of the same make and model.
“That’s what I figured you might need to take the edge off for.”
“Hmm.” I arch a brow. “You knew he was coming?”
Harvey shrugs. “Summer may have mentioned it to me while setting up. That’s why I used two bottles of bourbon in Harvey’s Special Drank rather than the usual one.”
My nose wrinkles. “Did you just say Drank?”
Harvey cackles, clearly living to confuse the hell out of everyone around him. “Yeah, that’s what I call it.”
I’m shaking my head as I watch my dad step out of his vehicle. And then Theo is there, jogging up the short hill to shake Kip’s hand.
Summer sidles up beside me, holding Vivi. “You okay, Win?”
I nod, feeling a splash of nerves roiling in my gut. So, I have some more drank. Hopefully, it will chase them away. I watch Theo and my dad open the back hatch of the SUV and pull out . . .
I gasp.
Because what my dad and Theo are carrying down to the party is something I never thought I’d see again. Something I swore was long gone, sold, or rotting in a landfill.
But within moments, they set it right in front of me, rendering me speechless.
It doesn’t just look like the dollhouse from when I was a little girl.
It is the dollhouse from when I was a little girl.
Tears spring up out of nowhere, and my hand covers my mouth. In many ways, it’s just a dollhouse. But in others, it’s so much more.
Harvey’s hand lands on my shoulder, and Summer’s rubs at my back.
“I hope it’s okay that I told him,” she whispers.
Theo smiles at me like the cat who caught the canary while my dad is having a hard time meeting my tearful eyes.
“I thought Vivienne might like this.”
I sniff, staring at my father, who is proud, and stubborn, and flawed. Today, he looks humbled.
“Years ago, I found it in the back alley when I was taking the trash out. And I put it in storage. I wanted to give it back to you, but I didn’t know how.” He glances up at me, and I stand here at a loss for words. My dad has made many mistakes but showed up today anyway. He helped me find a lawyer. He left my mom. He’s never fought for me before, but he is now.
And I’ve learned a lot about forgiveness in recent years.
Especially how hard it is to forgive yourself.
“I just wanted you to have it. Consider it a peace offering. I haven’t been good enough for you—Theo here gave me a real wake-up call on that—but I want to be. If you ever think you’d like that too, you’ve got my number.”
With a pained smile, he turns to leave. I feel kindred with him somehow. The old version of me was here once too. I glance at my sister, the one who forgave me so wholly that I was able to start fresh.
And Theo, the man who didn’t hold the shitty things I’d done over my head as some sort of proof of what kind of person I was. He took me at face value and allowed me to start fresh too.
“Dad.” He stops but doesn’t turn. “Why don’t you stay? Try some of Harvey’s drank. It’s uh, good for taking the edge off.”
Quiet confusion fills the space for a beat.
My dad faces me now, a small tug on the corner of his lips. “Why did you just say drank?”
I burst out laughing. The stress, the pressure, the confusion . . .
It all feels more bearable when I’m with my family.
Later that night, when the sun gets low in the sky, Theo curls his hand around mine and walks me to the other side of the ranch house. Our feet crunch on the gravel driveway and the hum of friendly conversation grows quiet as we get further away from everyone.
We left a cake-covered Vivi in Kip’s arms. Her grandfather is so taken with her he didn’t seem to mind the mess.
“Where are we going?”
“To be alone for a minute.”
“Are we sneaking away to fuck?” I whisper, as though anyone could hear us.
Theo chuckles, the rumble in his chest warm and comforting. The press of his black dress shirt slides like silk against my bare arm.
His head turns, his eyes tracing me up and down while his tongue darts out over his lips. “I hadn’t planned on it, but you look very fuckable in that red dress, Doctor Hamilton.”
“How much farther? My feet are tired from standing in these boots all day.” I sound whiny, but I don’t care. I don’t have to be at my best with Theo.
He’ll love me at my worst, and at my whiniest. Today I’m tired, overwhelmed, and feeling a little wrung out.
He turns suddenly, scooping me into his arms as I squeal and reach for his neck. “Heading to that same spot in the pull-through where you dressed me down almost two years ago.”
I laugh and let him carry me until we’re standing in front of the ranch house.
Right where I shoved my keys between my fingers and lost my shit on him.
Right where it all started.
Theo places me on my feet as I peer around the property. It was cold, dark, and snowy that night. And I was stressed out.
But tonight it’s warm and golden. The sky is a pale pink. My feet are killing me, but I’m content.
And when I look back at where Theo was standing—he’s now down on one knee.
Holding a little blue velvet box with a stunning teardrop solitaire ring glinting off the rosy sky.
And I freeze.
Theo chuckles. “I know this might feel soon, but hear me out.”
I nod woodenly. It doesn’t feel soon. It feels like a dream.
“I was in this exact spot when you gave me the best and hottest verbal lashing of my life. You were all wild eyes and fighting words. I thought I’d never seen a more heart-stopping fiery woman in my life. You were . . . well . . . you were mean. But I appreciated your spunk. That was the night I knew I wanted you.”
Fucking tears fill my eyes again.
“That was the night I told my friend I thought I was in love with you. And I had no idea how right I was.” He shyly lowers his gaze for a moment. “I was being an obnoxious little shit disturber. I was egging you on because I liked the way you scratched back. I liked you.”
A tearful giggle ripples out of me. Only Theo Silva could have liked me that night.
“That night, all the best things in this world came into existence. You. Vivi. Us.”
A tear spills down my cheek, and I reach up, nodding as I swipe it away. He’s right. That night changed the world.
Our world.
“That night I realized I’d never get over you. Time, distance, none of it mattered. That night, I knew there would be no one like you for me. I was so sure of it. I could feel it in my bones. I still do.”
I can’t keep up with the tears anymore, so I just let them fall. Accepting this isn’t some disease I have.
It’s happiness.
I drop to my knees, wanting to look into this man’s face. The one who never treated me like I needed saving but saved me all the same. I cup his cheek and he presses a kiss into my palm before forging ahead.
“That night we were reckless.” His voice cracks. “But god, I’d be reckless with you over and over again if it means ending up here.”
That sentiment. This man. It’s like there was something missing inside me. Like I wasn’t whole, until he came along.
“Yes.” I reach for the ring.
“I haven’t even asked yet.” His corresponding laugh is thick. Tearful too.
“You don’t need to. The answer is yes.”
He drops the box and slides the ring onto my finger with shaking hands.
We stare at my hand for a moment. Just the two of us.
“Winter Hamilton, will you marry me?”
I smile through the tears. “Would hate to make a liar out of you after how long you’ve been telling people you’re going to marry me.”
He winks at me. “When you know, you know.”
And this time I don’t roll my eyes. I kiss him.
I kiss him until there’s nothing else but his lips on mine, his hands in my hair, and his ring on my finger.
Epilogue
Theo
“Where’s Vivi?”
Winter and I walk out of the dressing room, side by side. It’s the final night of the WBRF championships.
The crown jewel I’ve chased my entire career. The one I’ve always fallen short of. The one I’ve clawed my way back from injury to make a run at this year.
“In the stands with your mom and everyone else.” She glances down at her clipboard, all business tonight.
“Doctor Hamilton?” one of the guys calls to her from a bench as we walk past. When we turn, he holds his hand up. His thumb is pointing in the wrong direction. “You think I should go to the hospital? Or can we patch this up here?”
“Well, Jude, I think your thumb is broken and you’re probably going to need surgery.”
“I don’t wanna miss the last rides though. Gotta see our boy here take it all.” He grins at me like the maniac he is.
Winter sighs, checking her watch. “You fucking bull riders are nuts,” she mutters before glancing at me. “I’ll be out right away.”