Lila clutched the photograph Margaret had given her as she sat on the train heading to the next town. The man in the photo, her father looked younger, with a rugged charm and a distant sadness in his eyes. She traced the edges of the picture, her thoughts racing with questions.
Damon sat beside her, his presence a steadying force. "Are you sure about this?" he asked, his voice low.
She nodded, her determination unwavering. "I need to know who he is, Damon. Even if it's messy, I deserve to know where I come from."
Damon gave her a small, supportive smile. "Then we'll find him together."
Their first stop was a small diner Margaret had mentioned her father frequented years ago. It was a quiet place, the kind where time seemed to stand still. Lila approached the counter, her nerves fraying as she showed the photograph to the older waitress behind it.
"Have you seen this man before?" Lila asked, her voice trembling.
The waitress squinted at the picture before shaking her head. "Can't say I have, sweetheart. But you might wanna check with the bartender at the Blue Rose down the road. He's been here forever and knows everyone who's passed through."
Lila thanked her and turned back to Damon, who had been quietly observing the exchange. "Let's go," she said, her resolve hardening.
The Blue Rose was a dive bar, dimly lit and filled with the scent of stale beer. Damon stayed close to Lila as they made their way to the bar. The bartender, a gruff-looking man with a gray beard, eyed them warily.
"What can I get you?" he asked, wiping down the counter.
Lila pulled out the photograph and slid it across to him. "I'm looking for this man. He's my father."
The bartender picked up the photo, his brows furrowing in recognition. "Haven't seen him in a long time, but I know who he is. Name's Jacob. Used to come around here years ago. Talked about heading west to start over."
Lila's breath hitched. "Do you know where exactly?"
The bartender scratched his chin. "Last I heard, he was working at some ranch in Montana. Didn't say much else."
Lila's heart leapt at the lead. "Do you have any more details?"
He shook his head. "Afraid not. But if you're serious about finding him, Montana's your best bet."
Back at the hotel that night, Lila and Damon pored over maps and online directories, trying to narrow down the search. The idea of traveling to a remote ranch in Montana felt daunting, but it was her only clue.
"You've come this far," Damon said, his voice steady. "Don't let fear stop you now."
Lila looked at him, gratitude softening her features. "I couldn't have done this without you."
He shrugged, a teasing smile playing on his lips. "What are friends for?"
But Lila sensed there was more beneath his words, a tension that neither of them had addressed. Damon had been her rock through everything, but she couldn't ignore the way his presence made her heart race.
Meanwhile, Aiden's texts had grown more frequent.
Aiden: "I miss you, Lila. I want to see you."
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard. She wanted to tell him everything but wasn't sure if he would understand. Finally, she typed back:
"I'm in the middle of something important. I'll explain when I can."
His response was immediate. "Whatever it is, I'll wait for you."