Dylan’s pulse tapered to a halt. Ivy and Bliss had paid off his gambling debt to Bat and his gang? The amount had been inordinate, too much for a working man to ever repay honestly. He’d long ago given up hope that he’d be free of the debt. But he vaguely remembered Bliss’s tale of finding stolen gold last year with Ivy. Apparently, they’d been rewarded for returning the treasure.

And they’d used their reward to help a scoundrel like him.

Hot tears stung the backs of his eyes. He lowered himself into his chair. Why would they use the gold on him? He didn’t deserve a single nugget. Not after the way he’d lived. Not after the mistakes he’d made. Not after the trouble he’d brought to his family. Not after the angry way he’d parted with Bliss, making all kinds of accusations against his friend.

Surely Ivy and Bliss needed the gold to build up Ivy’s ranch and purchase sheep. They could use it to invest in more land. They didn’t have to erase a debt he’d brought upon himself by his own foolishness and stupidity. He never should have been gambling in the first place. Or drinking.

He read the last paragraph again. We want you to come home. Everyone does. They’d not only paid off the money he owed, but they were inviting him to come home.

His throat pinched, and tears clouded his vision.

Home. Was it really possible he could return? Without the debt and the death warrant, nothing was stopping him. He would be free. Free. For the first time in years.

Dylan dropped his head and let the tears flow. Hot moisture dripped onto his palms. Ivy and Bliss were forgiving him and giving him a new chance at life. What if that was what God was offering him too? The opportunity to accept His forgiveness and move forward with a new life?

A tremor shimmied through Dylan. He wasn’t worthy of a second chance from his family or from God. But what if he accepted this gift? What if he left today and never looked back at his old life? What if he allowed God to work in him to clean him up and change him? Was that even possible?

Even as doubts assailed him, Dylan knew deep in his bones that he could do nothing less than give it a try. He was so tired of living in misery and being such a failure. He wanted to become the kind of man who would make his family proud. Maybe he’d never been able to live up to his brothers’ reputations. But somehow, now, with this gift of God’s grace and mercy, Dylan wanted to try—really try—to live rightly before God and man.

He sucked in a deep breath, wiped his eyes, and smiled.

He was finally going home.