“Tracy.” He turns off the stove and abandons breakfast. I’m a bit taken aback by him calling me Tracy. Once upon a time sweet thing annoyed me, but now that’s all I want to hear. Hearing his tone gives me a sense of unease. “When I came out to take a look at the Circle C, it was meant to be an investment—”

An alert goes off through the house, cutting him off. “What’s that?” I ask, glancing around. I haven't heard that sound before.

“It means someone is coming up the driveway. Put some clothes on,” he orders me.

“I’m wearing your shirt. It comes past my knees.”

“With nothing under it.” I roll my eyes but dash off toward the bedroom to get some bottoms.

I pause when I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My tousled hair is a mess, so I run my fingers through it. My mouth is as tender as I am between my thighs, but that’s because Bronco loves to kiss me. Everywhere.

I’ve been missing out on so much in life that I hadn’t realized how bad things were until someone pulled me out. Now that I’ve gotten a good look from the outside, it’s a taste of a different kind of life.

I can’t believe I ever let my father treat me the way he did. I ran that place, and without me, it would have gone under years ago. He was always skimming money off the top, and I’ve got a feeling he’s been betting on the wranglers and paying some of them to fall off sooner than they should, but that’s only a theory. One that I suppose doesn’t matter much anymore. Not with him being gone.

“Life can be different. I have to choose it,” I tell myself in the mirror before I hurry to find something to wear. Whoever has shown up is here at the worst time. I’m not sure what Bronco was about to say. My mind wants to go to the negative because nothing ever comes easily, and this has all been a bit too easy.

When I exit out of the bedroom, I see Sheriff Reynolds and Maguire talking with Bronco. They’re all standing in the entryway, and I notice Bronco has his boots on like he’s about to go somewhere. I think I hear my name and something about a mistake, but they’re all talking too low. They must hear me because their heads swing my way, and they all stop talking.

“I need you to stay put. I have to make a run,” Bronco says. His tone is flat, and everything about him is unreadable. I shift on my feet as unease starts to rise, but I nod my head. I want to ask a million questions, but something is going on.

As quick as I answer, he’s gone. The sheriff and Maguire follow after him, and I don’t know how long I stand there watching them disappear in the distance. I was feeling all big and proud of myself, and suddenly I’m back to the feeling of being an abandoned little girl.