Hayden wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but Jake’s funeral was nothing like she’d imagined. In fact, it wasn’t really a funeral at all. Having lived through two major Compass Ranch send-offs for first JD and then Vicky Compton, he’d always said he’d rather something informal and nontraditional.

Years ago, he’d told Viho he’d like it if anyone who cared to join them came together and shared their favorite memories of him when it was his time. Though it was obviously a struggle for the people closest to him, like Viho, Cindy, Sam, and his grandchildren, they did their best to honor his wishes and celebrate his life.

Jake’s ashes were in a polished wooden box carved from the limb of a tree that grew over Viho’s mom’s grave. It sat on a table in the middle of the living room of the main ranch house.

People came and went, leaving a memory or learning something new about the man they’d all revered. While others continued to share, Hayden got up to use the restroom and took her time returning. She wandered through the old farmhouse, running her fingers over the chair rail molding that led down the hallway and into the formal dining room.

She got the feeling no one ever used this space, preferring instead to share meals in the kitchen and living room as they were today. This part of the house seemed untouched by renovations. It was easy to imagine the happy couple hanging near Austin’s stove living here. The love they’d shared in this place had left permanent marks.

In the laughter and tears of their descendants, which echoed off the walls surrounding them, she could still feel their spirits. Two people had been at the root of all this. Their passion had been powerful enough to make a lasting difference in the world.

Austin’s own parents were doing their damnedest to continue that tradition. They’d moved into the main house and raised their own children to be compassionate, loving, fiery people. What would her own life have been like if she’d grown up in a home like this, with a family as exceptional as the Comptons?

Though she couldn’t change the past, Hayden swore then and there that was her goal for her future—to build an empire of devotion and affection that would last for generations. Whether that was by herself or with a man like Austin down the road, when she was ready for that possibility once more, she couldn’t say.

Hayden sat on the piano bench and wished she knew how to play.

“You okay?” Leah stood in the doorway.

“Hi. I’m fine.” Hayden nodded, surprised to realize for the first time in a long time, she kind of was. Day by day she was getting stronger, healing up from Bobby Joe and her ulcers, and falling harder for Austin.

Uh oh. That wasn’t a good thing, was it?

It meant she’d run out of reasons to take shelter at his place. She’d never meant to stay even this long. And now she was attached to him, his family, and his home. That would be fine if they’d met under different circumstances. But Hayden needed to go out on her own soon. She’d been trapped with Bobby Joe because she’d never learned to make it solo.

That had to change or she’d never be able to be happy in a relationship.

She didn’t intend to be a burden for someone, requiring constant care. She needed to be an equal partner. Which meant her time at Compass Ranch was coming to an end.

“I’m not so sure about that. But I think I have something that might help,” Leah said as she came closer. Which was when Hayden noticed the embossed leather guitar case she carried. “This guitar was my best friend for a while. I’ve played it at weddings and funerals in this family. But I haven’t sat down with it very much in years and neither my daughter nor any of the other kids are interested in learning.”

Hayden’s fingers itched to hold the instrument. “Did you bring it today so I could perform a song? I don’t have any stories to share, but I’d be glad to do this for Jake.”

“While I’d love to hear you play it, that’s not why I brought it.” Leah sat on the bench next to her. She laid the case across their laps, then opened the lid. The gorgeous acoustic guitar inside took Hayden’s breath away. If it sounded even half as good as it looked, it would be incredible. Mother of pearl flowers and butterflies decorated the entire body and continued up the neck. She sighed as she traced one of the swirls along the polished wood. Gorgeous. “It needs a new home.”

Hayden perked up at that. Could she be that lucky? “I have about five hundred dollars. I realize this case alone is worth more than that, but if I could use it to get a few paying gigs, I could set up a payment plan. How much is fair?”

She worried an heirloom-quality instrument like this would be so far out of her reach as to be laughable. An unattainable dream like a lot of the other things at Compass Ranch.

“It’s not for sale,” Leah was quick to correct her, closing the lid and latching it once more.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I misunderstood.”

“Yes, you did.” Leah hugged her, then held the case out to Hayden. “It’s already yours. There have been times in my life when just the right thing happened at just the right moment. This is one of them. I feel like it was meant to be.”

Hayden wondered if there’d be a single day she spent with the Comptons that she didn’t end up in tears. She used her index fingers to wipe droplets from the corners of her eyes. “I’m so lucky to have met you all. I will never forget this.”

“Someday, when you can, do something for someone else. That’s pretty much how we operate around here.”

Hayden nodded and whispered, “Thank you.”

From the living room, the drone of the TV that had been playing in the background got louder, drawing their attention. Especially when an oddly familiar voice lifted every single hair on the back of Hayden’s neck.

What the hell?

“Hayden! You’d better come in here!” someone—Doug, she thought—yelled.

As her insides tried to twist in their usual cramp, she darted for the other room and the TV, hoping she would be in time to turn it off and keep the entire Compass clan from witnessing her dirty laundry being aired across the nation.

Nope. No chance of that.

Because there on the screen was the biggest bunch of bullshit she’d ever seen.

“If you’ve seen her, please tell her I love her and I’m sorry. I just want to know that she’s safe,” Bobby Joe cried for the cameras, probably wondering if he’d killed her and buried her body in the woods before he’d blacked out. He held up an outdated picture of her from their high school yearbook. The fact that he hadn’t been able to find something more recent spoke volumes.

She flinched when Austin cursed violently from beside her.

A headline stamped across the bottom of the screen read Manhunt underway for missing waitress.

“Hayden’s not missing, she’s right here.” One of Austin’s nieces pointed helpfully to her before Sterling could shush the girl. “I found her! Yay!”

Austin latched onto her hand, gripping it tight, as though she might evade him and fly from the ranch like she wished she could. He led her out onto the porch where a bench swing would have tempted her to sit if the situation had been different.

“I have to go back,” she blurted as soon as they were alone.

“I know.”

“You do?” He wasn’t going to stop her? Thank God.

“Of course. And I’m going with you.” He spread his booted feet as if bracing for a fight.

As he should have. “You’ve done enough. I’m not getting you any more tangled up in this mess than you already are.”

“You’re not going alone. I’ve seen what that piece of shit is capable of. And I think you got lucky escaping with just a few bruises.” He crossed his arms. “I have a few things I’d like to say to good old Bobby Joe.”

“Definitely not.” He might be bigger than Hayden, but she was done with bending. For anyone.

“You don’t believe what he was spouting off to the media, do you? Are you hoping to get back together with him?” Austin grew very still and quiet.

“Hell no!” Hayden clutched her new guitar and suddenly she knew what she had to do. “But I need to file those reports against him. Get the restraining order like your uncle told me to. I need a clean break so I can start over without these problems haunting me.”

Austin took a step closer to her.

She stepped back. “And I need to do it alone.”