Driving Robin’s truck with the tiny house attached to it was more exhilarating than Shane could describe. No wonder she loved this thing. It was something indescribable to have everything he owned and needed right on the hitch.

He’d agreed to go to Three Rivers with her so he could see the facilities for himself. Though he was convinced he wouldn’t like it nearly as much as the ranches in the Hill Country, he wanted to at least pretend like he had an open mind. For Robin.

The town had been charming—a bit bigger than Grape Seed Falls, with not nearly as many touristy attractions. But he could see the allure of living in such a quaint, picturesque town. The ranch, however, was a good forty-five minute drive from any sort of civilization whatsoever. By the time he made the turn from asphalt to dirt road, he wondered how often the cowboys who lived out went into town for supplies.

He rounded a corner and the most magnificent sight spread before his eyes. “Whoa.” He subconsciously slowed the truck to take in the sight before him. A homestead on the right side of the road had emerald green grass with a couple of bikes lying on it. Across from that sat a huge barn and several stables, with a large sign that said “Bowman’s Champion Breeds.”

He read the sign aloud, and Robin said, “She’s the champion barrel racer. She breeds horses and trains them out here. She has over two dozen at any given time.”

“Who farriers for her?” Shane asked.

“Whoever she can get,” Robin said. “She asked me about coming up here more often.”

“How often?” He glanced at Robin before taking in the second, obviously older, homestead down the road a bit and set back from the other buildings. To the west of that sat all the ranch buildings, the silos, and a huge, all-glass building that boasted the sign COURAGE REINS.

“Every month,” Robin said. “She wants me for a week every month.”

Not full time, Shane thought, but there was plenty more to see.

“And that’s Courage Reins,” she said pointing though she certainly didn’t need to. A few cars sat in the parking lot and a man wearing a huge smile came through the door pushing another man in a wheelchair. They both radiated joy, and Shane wondered if this place could be as magical as Robin claimed it was.

“Oh, there’s Pete. He owns this place.” She rolled her window down and Shane braked so she could call to him. Pete brought the disabled man right over to the truck.

“Miss Robin, you made it!” he boomed like having Robin here was the greatest thing that had ever happened to him. “This is Riley Wilcox. He just finished his riding lesson.”

“Hello, Riley.” Robin looked at Pete. “Can I show Shane around your place once we check in with Squire?”

“Anytime, ma’am.” He tipped his hat at her and then glanced past her to Shane. He wasn’t sure, but he felt like he was being weighed and measured, and somehow he passed this Pete’s qualifications. “You must be Shane.”

“That I am.” How the other man knew of him, Shane wasn’t sure.

Pete didn’t elaborate either. “Well, Robin, I’ve got a meeting at one for about an hour, so if you want me to do the tour, don’t come then.”

“Oh, we want you, Pete.” Robin grinned and settled back in her seat. “Is Squire in the administration trailer?”

“I have no idea where he is. Could be.” He turned Riley around, and Shane pulled over into the longer driveway leading to the more established homestead.

“We can’t go much farther with this house.”

“Oh my gosh! The house!” Robin turned to check on it.

“It’s fine,” Shane said. “But I’m not gettin’ around that corner.” He nodded to the sharp right turn that led in front of the barns and stable and on down to a large metal building Robin had described to him as the administration trailer.

“This is a big ranch,” he said.

“Yep.” Robin beamed at him. “And you’ve already met Squire and his family, so let’s go.” She hopped from the truck and started down the road toward the admin trailer. Shane had no choice but to follow her, and as he did, he realized he didn’t mind doing that. He’d follow her wherever she wanted to go—including up here in the Texas Panhandle, to this ranch. If that was what she wanted.

They met with Squire, who shook both of their hands and welcomed them to Three Rivers Ranch. He introduced them to his foreman, a silver-haired man named Garth and his lead cowboy, a blond cowboy named Ethan.

“His wife owns Bowman’s Breeds,” Robin hissed to Shane, and he nodded at Ethan. They walked down to the bullpens, and back to the cabins—fifteen of them in all; double the size of Dwayne’s operation.

“How many head do you have here?” Shane asked.

“Forty thousand,” Squire said. “Give or take a few.”

A couple of dogs ran in front of them, but Cinna stayed at Shane’s side. She would love this ranch, and the sound of children’s voices met his ears.

“How many kids?” he asked. Grape Seed Ranch didn’t have any kids, besides Kurt’s new baby.

“Oh, I’ve got four,” Squire said. “Pete’s got three. Brynn and Ethan have one, but they live in town, technically, with another on the way. Garth has two. Most of our boys aren’t married, but if they have kids, they can bring ‘em out.”

“Cal’s got a daughter here every other weekend,” Garth said, almost a gentle reminder.

“Oh, that’s right,” Squire said. “Cal’s my veterinary assistant. Great cowboy.”

“Former rodeo man, like Ethan,” Garth added.

“Nope,” Ethan said, shaking his head.

“What?” Garth asked, almost too innocently.

“Just no,” Ethan said.

Shane had no idea what conversation the men were having, but he didn’t much care. The sky here was spectacular, and he felt something in the wind that simply didn’t exist in Hill Country.

“So you’ll be staying with two great cowboys,” Squire said, bringing Shane back to the conversation. “Aaron and Tate. Here they are.” The two men came down the steps of one of the cabins.

They all shook hands, and welcomed Robin back to the ranch.

“Robin, you can put your house on the end by Garth’s, like you did last time.”

“Thanks, Squire. I think we’re gonna squeeze in a tour at Courage Reins before we get the house settled. Is that okay?”

“Sure, yeah. If Pete’s havin’ a meeting today, steal me one of his pastries.” He grinned, and Shane didn’t think the man wanted for much, especially sweets.

“He said the meeting’s not till one,” Robin said.

“Then I know when to come by.” Squire turned back to the admin trailer, his head bent toward Garth as the foreman said something.

Shane went with Robin between barns and over to the equine therapy facility. It was massive—bigger than he’d thought from the front building, and he whistled as they entered a huge indoor arena where three horses worked. Each had a rider and an assistant, and Shane thought maybe he could get used to the forty-five minute drive to town for milk.

Robin went to find Pete, and when they returned, Shane couldn’t help saying, “This place is amazing.”

Pete grinned and leaned against the railing too. “Thanks. It’s been doing well for a couple of years now. For a while there, I wasn’t sure I could keep it open, but we managed.”

“How many people does it employ?”

“Oh, gosh.” He exhaled, the wheels in his head obviously turning. “About fifty, I think. I’ve got the whole front office to run. I’ve got trainers, and horses, and cowboys to look after the trainers and horses.” He grinned.

“How many horses?”

“I buy new ones all the time,” Pete said. “And I take some of Squire’s retired ones. I think I’ve got fifteen in the rotation right now. See, our veterans don’t rotate animals. They work with the same horse every time they come.”

That made perfect sense to Shane, and he swallowed hard before asking his next question. “Do you only work with veterans?”

Pete zeroed in on him, and Shane swore the man could see right through him. “Of course not. Anyone who thinks they might benefit from equine therapy.”

He exchanged a quick glance with Robin. “We’d like to try it,” he said.

Pete swung his head to Robin. “Both of you?”

“He’s been mad at his dad for years, and I sold everything I own to buy a tiny house,” she said, summing up their issues so succinctly. “He’s been getting better and better at letting go, and I’m still trying to learn how to put down roots.”

Pete blinked at both of them. “Well, I don’t even know who to pair you with for issues like that.”

“We can pick out the horses,” Shane said. “If there’s anything we’re good at, it’s that.”

“Well, sure,” Pete said. “You’ll be here for three weeks. Let’s see what we can do.”

The three weeks passed like lightning striking. There one second and gone the next. Shane had enjoyed every moment of his time at Three Rivers Ranch. Every moment working a different ranch, with different cowboys. Every moment of his therapy with a big black horse named Shadow.

And he did feel better after he worked with the horse. Just like training Cinna, there was something rewarding about working with animals. Feeling the bond between himself and another living creature. Horses were a lot like dogs, and they didn’t judge him when he got frustrated over a text or snippy because he was hungry and tired.

Still, as he rolled back into Grape Seed Falls, the sense of home filled him. He backed the house onto the cement pad with Robin’s assistance, and then he leaned out the window while she paused next to him.

“So, what did you think of the ranch?” she asked.

“It was amazing.” He watched her carefully. “What did you think?”

“I love it there.” She put her hands in her back pockets and sighed. “But this is home.” She looked at Shane, every bit as vulnerable as she allowed herself to be with him. “Isn’t it, Shane?”

He got out of the truck and took her in his arms. He gazed at the blue sky here, the same one that hung over Three Rivers. There were peach trees here that didn’t exist there. Neighbors and friends he loved and who loved him. A ranch and a boss he cherished.

“Yeah,” he whispered. “This is home.”

“I think so too.” She tipped up on her toes and kissed him. “So let’s talk to Levi and Heather about making it ours. Permanently.”

He gazed down at her, love filling him from top to bottom, front to back. “Yeah? You want to put your roots right here?”

She tiptoed her fingers up his chest and thumped over his heart in time with the words she spoke. “Right. Here.”

He leaned down and kissed her, joy spiraling through him. “Love you, Robin.” He couldn’t wait to marry her, make a life with her. Right here.

“I love you too, Shane.”