“Chance is going to go talk to the sheriff tomorrow,” I add.

He looks up at me. “And the other two?”

“Unofficially, the death clearly predates their arrival at the ranch. The sheriff sees no reason to talk to them.”

Dad’s eyes flare. “He doesn’t? Bryant grilled you and Dr. Davis for what seemed like hours.”

“Because we found the body,” I say. “They wanted information. They didn’t think we had anything to do with it. Never once did they imply they thought we did anything wrong.”

Dad shakes his head and looks down at some documents spread across his desk.

“I’m willing to stay home, Daddy,” I tell him. “But my time here will be finite. Only until you and I work out our differences.”

“You know what’s necessary if that’s what you want.”

“Remember when we were at the sheriff’s office today? When Mom asked you not to make me choose? Why would you want to do that? I’m twenty-seven, and you know I need to make a life for myself. I can’t live at home forever.”

“Not forever, Carly. Just until…”

“You can’t even finish that sentence because you don’t know the answer. You know I’m right. I told Mom that she already had me by my age. I’m not a child and you need to stop treating me like one. You know how hard I’ve worked to move forward, and part of moving forward is being able to date. To have a relationship. And I found a man who makes me feel things that—”

He raises a hand to stop me. “Please. Spare me the details.”

“All I was going to say is that it’s important that I be able to feel. Love. Happiness. Joy. Contentment. A connection with someone else. For so long I wasn’t sure I could, but now I know that I can, and it’s wonderful and I won’t give it up.”

“Does it have to be a Bridger?” he counters, his voice full of crankiness.

I push on. “Yes. It has to be Austin Bridger.”

“Do you really see a future with him?”

Do I?

Absolutely.

I just don’t know what he’s feeling. But he did come home from Seattle for me. He did leave his mother because I needed him. My God, what a day this has been.

“I’d like to think so. But does it matter whether there’s a future? He makes me feel things now. He makes me love my body again, Daddy.” It’s not something I ever expected to tell my father, but I’m not a kid and he’s being ridiculously hardheaded. “He makes me want something more than to merely exist. Isn’t that what you want for me?”

He doesn’t reply right away, and I understand. What he wants mostly is my safety. He’s scared to death of losing me again, and I don’t blame him. But being in a protective bubble because something might happen isn’t a life.

“You’re not going to lose me,” I preempt him. “Especially not to Austin Bridger.”