Two and a half hours later, Ryder arrived at the Wright residence. He closed his eyes, whispered a prayer, took a deep breath, and stepped out of his car. With thoughts swirling about the importance of this visit, he rang the doorbell, hoping for a favorable outcome.
When the door opened, Ryder exhaled a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding and smiled at Grace, who welcomed him inside. She guided him through an unfamiliar path filled with paintings in the hallway. He paused to admire them, recognizing Isobel's work.
"She's incredibly talented, isn't she?" Grace remarked, noticing his interest.
"Absolutely. She's truly remarkable," Ryder replied, smiling at a painting of a little girl in a purple swimsuit on the beach with a red pail beside her.
Grace saw his expression and smiled back. "That's Fancy. They were inseparable and spent countless hours on the beach—they would have slept there if we'd allowed it."
Ryder chuckled and moved to the next painting: a quaint white church with steps leading to double doors and a steeple above. The pond in front reflected it perfectly, with trees lining the background and a sky painted in golds, pinks, and blues.
"That's the country church where Isobel's grandparents were married. She's always felt connected to it and often paints it," Grace explained.
"It's stunning," Ryder said, his eyes scanning the canvas.
As they continued down the hallway, Grace pointed out more paintings—a childhood dog, lily pads on a pond, seashells on the beach, and several Eiffel Towers. She led him to an all-season room where Thomas was seated, reading the newspaper. Thomas stood up as Ryder entered.
"Good morning, Ryder. Please," he gestured to a chair across from him, "have a seat."
"Good morning, sir," Ryder replied as he sat down, feeling his heart race and anticipating he might faint.
"Would you like something to drink?" Grace offered.
"Water, please."
Grace filled a glass from a blue pitcher on a nearby table and handed it to him.
"Thank you," Ryder said as he accepted the glass. He stood when she approached but sat back down as she returned to her chair.
"How was your stay at the hotel?" Thomas asked casually.
"It was wonderful, sir. A very nice hotel."
"And you slept well?"
"Yes, sir. Quite well." Ryder shifted nervously in his seat, wondering how long Thomas would prolong this small talk.
"For Pete's sake, Thomas, just tell the poor boy," Grace interjected, seeing Ryder's growing unease.
Thomas chuckled softly. "Ryder, Grace and I have had a thorough discussion and reached a decision."
Ryder edged forward in his seat, resting his arms on his thighs and fixing his eyes on Thomas.
"We're happy to give you our blessing. It's clear you love Isobel deeply."
Ryder exhaled loudly, feeling relief flood through him as he leaned back.
"Thank you, sir, ma'am. I promise to take care of her as best as I can."
"We trust you will," Grace chimed in. "And it's evident that Isobel loves you very much."
Ryder felt a newfound sense of calm, knowing he could proceed with his plans. "Yes, ma'am."
"And Ryder," Thomas added, "we're very proud of you for returning to God."
Ryder swallowed hard as tears brimmed in his eyes.
"It takes strength to admit when help is needed," Thomas continued. "Building your marriage on the foundation of God is the key to its longevity."
"Thank you, sir. That means a lot." A single tear rolled down his cheek.
"Call me Thomas," Thomas said.
Ryder nodded and smiled.
They enjoyed a delightful brunch while Ryder shared his plans. Arrangements were made for Thomas and Grace to fly to Georgia to meet Ryder's family and attend his baptism—a surprise for Isobel, with Ryder picking them up alone at the airport.
After a successful visit, Ryder bid farewell to the Wrights and headed to the airport, silently praying in gratitude for the strength to get through the past 24 hours. As he waited at the gate for his flight, he picked up his phone to call Rose with the good news.
Ryder and Isobel were relaxing outside on her patio, enjoying a lunch of sandwiches and salad that she had prepared.
"I have something to tell you, Isobel. It's something I've been working on for a little over a week."
"Go ahead, Ryder." Isobel put down her fork and gave him her full attention.
"Remember the cowboy church I told you about? The one where I attended group sessions?"
"Yes, I do. Wasn't the pastor's name Luther?"
"That's right. Well, he invited me to church a while ago and I finally went two Sundays ago."
Isobel's heart started to race as she eagerly anticipated what Ryder was about to reveal.
"I was so moved by his sermon that I hadn't even noticed everyone else had left. Luther came over to talk to me. I accepted Jesus into my heart, I've been studying the book of John, and I'm planning to get baptized on the 23rd."
Isobel sprang from her chair and moved quickly toward Ryder. He pushed his chair back as she wrapped her arms around his neck and sat on his lap.
"Ryder, you have no idea how happy this makes me," she said before giving him a short but tender kiss on the lips. "I've been praying for you every day since we met." She hugged him tightly once more.
Ryder's arms encircled her waist as he held her close, breathing in her perfume and feeling an overwhelming sense of love, both spiritual and physical.
Ryder sat in the grass beside his father's grave, gently pulling out a few newly sprouted weeds and discarding them. "Hello, Dad," he said, his hand brushing the grass above his father's resting place. "Oh, Dad, I wish you were here. I've needed your advice so many times." Ryder paused, watching the blades of grass slip between his fingers. "I found God again, Dad. I'm finally building on the foundation you and Mom laid. I'm going to be baptized." Hugging his knees, Ryder continued, "I miss you so much." He hesitated, struggling against the rising tide of grief. "I'm in love, Dad. I wish you could meet her. You'd adore Isobel. I'm planning to ask her to marry me." A tear traced a path down his cheek. "I wish you could stand by my side at my wedding."
After several moments of silence, Ryder picked up his journal. "I want to read you some of my favorite passages from John. I've been making my way through the book." He turned to a bookmarked page and began reading aloud to his father.
Ryder shut the door to his truck and glanced back at the Hayes headstone before navigating the tiny gravel road leading out of the cemetery. During the drive home, his thoughts drifted to his plans for the week and reminisced about last weekend's rodeo. It was another Built Ford Tough PBR event, featuring only Wren and Ryder in the competition as Bella Rose and Isobel cheered from the stands. Ryder snagged another second place while Wren slipped to fourth.
With his sights set on the world finals in November, Ryder knew maintaining a top-three spot in just three more events would secure his place. Though he longed for his father's physical presence, feeling it in spirit brought him a sense of peace. Plus, having Isobel by his side to share this journey filled him with immense joy.
Ryder meticulously reviewed his upcoming plans during the remainder of his drive, brimming with anticipation. He could hardly wait to surprise Isobel with her parents' visit in just a few days.