The drive back to Wyoming felt longer than it had been before. The roads stretched endlessly, the wide open sky expanding into the horizon. Olivia kept her hands firmly on the steering wheel, her thoughts racing as fast as the miles passed by. Leaving New York hadn't been an easy decision, but every mile put distance between her and the tangled mess she'd left behind.
The encounter with Sabrina still played in her mind, a loop of sharp words and hidden threats. "He's mine," Sabrina had said. For years, Olivia had been fighting the same battles in the fashion world—who was more beautiful, more successful, more desirable. But for the first time, she wasn't interested in the competition.
Graham was a part of her past, and that's where he would stay.
The closer she got to Wyoming, the clearer things became. Her heart wasn't tied to the glamour of city life, to the flashing cameras or designer dresses. It was tied to something simpler, something real. Jack.
She still hadn't told him she was coming back.
Olivia wasn't sure how he would react. He had been patient, always so calm, waiting for her to figure things out. But how much waiting could one man do? What if she had taken too long? What if, in her absence, he had decided to move on?
The thought gripped her heart like a vise, but she pushed it away. She couldn't let fear control her now. Jack had always been the one to remind her of what mattered. He was the one who grounded her, the one who had shown her that life wasn't about status or competition, but about finding joy in the simple moments—the sunrise over the ranch, the warmth of his hand in hers.
She pressed down on the gas pedal, urging the car forward. Every turn of the wheel brought her closer to him, closer to home.
By the time Olivia reached the ranch, the sun was setting, casting a warm orange glow across the rolling fields. The sight of the place made her chest tighten with emotion. It had been weeks since she had left, but it felt like years. Everything about the ranch was familiar—the scent of hay, the distant call of the cattle, the wide, open space that stretched out as far as the eye could see.
She pulled the car to a stop in front of the barn, her heart pounding. There was no sign of Jack. She hadn't expected a welcome committee, but the emptiness of the place made her nervous. She had imagined him coming out to greet her, pulling her into his arms like he always did, that smile of his easing away all her worries.
But the barn doors were closed, the fields empty. She took a deep breath and stepped out of the car, the cool evening air hitting her skin. As she stood there, unsure of what to do next, a voice called out behind her.
"Well, look what the cat dragged in."
Olivia spun around, her breath catching in her throat. Chase, Jack's old friend, leaned against the porch railing, a teasing grin on his face. He hadn't changed a bit—the same rugged cowboy look, his eyes always twinkling with mischief. But there was something in his expression that gave Olivia pause.
"Chase," Olivia greeted, forcing a smile. "Where's Jack?"
Chase's grin faltered, just for a second, but it was enough to send a chill through Olivia. "He's not here."
Olivia frowned, her stomach twisting. "What do you mean he's not here?"
Chase shrugged casually, but there was an edge to his voice. "He's been spending a lot of time with Lily Mae. You remember her, don't you? The rancher from the next town over?"
Lily Mae. The name hit Olivia like a punch to the gut. She remembered Lily Mae, all right. A stunning, fierce woman, always confident and strong, someone who had always had Jack's attention before Olivia had come along. They had grown up together, worked side by side in the ranching business. Olivia had always felt a twinge of jealousy when she saw them together. They shared a history she couldn't compete with.
"I didn't realize…" Olivia trailed off, trying to mask the panic rising in her chest. "Are they… together?"
Chase gave her a long look, the teasing grin gone. "I don't know what they are, Liv. But she's been around a lot since you left. And Jack? Well, he ain't the type to sit around waiting forever."
Olivia felt like the ground had shifted beneath her feet. This wasn't what she had expected. She had come back for Jack, for the life they had started building together. But had she taken too long? Had he moved on?
"Where is he now?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Chase sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Out in the fields, I reckon. But, Liv, you should know—he's hurt. You leaving the way you did, it got to him. He's not the same."
Olivia swallowed hard, her heart aching. She had hurt him. In her indecision, in her struggle to figure out what she wanted, she had pushed him away. And now, she was afraid she had lost him.
"I have to talk to him," she said, determination settling in her bones.
Chase nodded, his expression softening. "Good luck, Liv. He's out past the north ridge. But if I were you, I'd be prepared. Jack's not gonna make this easy."
The sun had dipped below the horizon by the time Olivia reached the north ridge. The fading light cast long shadows across the fields, and in the distance, she saw him—Jack, standing tall, his silhouette strong against the backdrop of the endless sky.
Her heart pounded as she approached him, every step feeling heavier than the last. When she was close enough to call his name, she hesitated. What if he turned her away? What if he didn't want her anymore?
But before she could speak, Jack turned around, his gaze meeting hers. There was no surprise in his eyes, no hint of the warmth she had once been so used to seeing. Instead, there was something cold, distant. It chilled her to the bone.
"Olivia," he said, his voice steady but devoid of the affection she had once known.
"Jack," she whispered, her throat tightening. "I came back."
He raised an eyebrow, his lips pressing into a thin line. "Why?"
The question hung in the air between them, sharp and unforgiving. Why had she come back? Because she loved him. Because she had realized that this life, this man, was what she wanted. But standing there, staring into his hard eyes, she wasn't sure that was enough anymore.
"I was wrong to leave," she said, her voice trembling. "I thought I needed to figure things out, but the truth is, I didn't need New York, or the fashion world, or any of it. I needed you, Jack. I still need you."
Jack's expression didn't soften. He stood there, arms crossed, his jaw clenched. "It's not that simple, Liv. You left. You walked away when things got hard, and you didn't look back."
"I know," she said, her heart breaking with every word. "But I'm here now. I'm ready to stay."
Jack didn't move. His eyes bore into hers, and for a moment, she thought he might forgive her, that he might take her into his arms and everything would be okay. But then he spoke, and his words cut through her like a knife.
"I'm not sure I can trust you anymore, Olivia. You've always had one foot out the door, and I can't live like that."
Tears welled up in Olivia's eyes, but she blinked them back. She couldn't lose him, not now. "Please, Jack. Just give me a chance to make things right."
Jack's gaze flickered, just for a second, but then he shook his head. "You say you want to stay, but what happens the next time you get an offer, or when life here gets too quiet for you? What happens when you start missing the city lights?"
"I won't," she insisted, stepping closer. "I won't leave again."
But Jack took a step back, his voice low and firm. "I don't know if I can believe that, Liv."
And just like that, the distance between them felt insurmountable.
As Olivia stood there, staring at the man she loved, she realized that maybe, just maybe, she had already lost him.