“You by my side. You ever heard of a sidekick?” 

She nodded. “Like superheroes.”

“Yep. And I’m just thinking, one day, if you get really good at riding, maybe you can be my sidekick out on the ranch.”

She gasped. “Really?”

“Mhmm. But you can’t really be that if you don’t forgive me sometimes.”

“I forgive you all the time!” she said as a way of ensuring she’d get this role.

I chuckled. I really hoped so.

“Why don’t you go play with your ponies while I go talk to your mom, and I’ll let you know when dinner is ready?”

She wrapped her arms around my waist and I swallowed the lump climbing my throat. I never thought the adoration of a little girl would make me this emotional.

“Thank you for the enchiladas with extra red sauce,” Avery said, her voice muffled in my jeans.

“You’re welcome, Aves.”

She let me go and turned, running back to her toys. I headed out of the kitchen and down the hall to Sage’s bedroom. Her door was open, so I slipped inside and closed it slightly behind me, leaving it cracked in case Avery needed us.

Sage was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring down at her phone. I sat next to her and wrapped an arm around her, drawing her in closer to me.

“What’s wrong?”

She held the phone out to me and I took it with my other hand, looking at what was on the screen.

Unknown: Did you get the money?

My hand threatened to crush the phone in its grip, but I locked it, setting it on the bed next to me.

“They haven’t found him yet,” she said, confirming what I already knew.

“They will,” I assured her, running a hand up and down her arm.

Sage looked up at me, her eyes slightly glassy. “And if they don’t?”

“Then I will.”

She straightened. “Callan…”

My arm dropped from around her so I could grab her hand. “I’m not going to let him terrorize you, Sage.”

She stood, then slowly began pacing. “I didn’t want you in the middle of this.” A few more steps. “I’m sorry. I—”

Getting to my feet, I placed myself in front of her so she had to stop. “Sage, look at me.”

Her chest was rising and falling with the onslaught of anxiety as it crashed into her like a tidal wave, threatening to bring her under. 

Her eyes met mine, and I saw the panic swirling in them. 

“You don’t need to be scared. I’ve got you.”

“Yes, I do. Avery is vulnerable every day, I’m alone every day, and you can’t be there all the time.”

I cupped her face, the tips of my fingers buried in her hair. “And you are safe.”

She shook her head, the glass in her eyes becoming pools of tears.

“Yes, you are. I don’t know what Portland was like, but Bell Buckle sticks together. It’s not just the police, it’s the community. We all look out for each other, and no one is going to let him put his hands on you or Avery, especially me.”

She blinked, a tear spilling over her cheek. My thumb brushed it away, then I pulled her close, wrapping both arms around her and squeezing. 

Seeing her panic like this made me want to stop at nothing until I was the one to put her ex six feet under. I didn’t know if a jail cell would suffice when he was caught.

“They’re going to find him, and he’ll be gone for good.”

She nodded, her hands fisting in my shirt. I’d never be able to live with myself if something happened to Sage, and knowing this asshole was out there finding joy in tormenting her filled me with a rage I’d never felt before.

The alarm went off on my phone from my back pocket, announcing that the enchiladas were done heating up. Pulling the phone out, I silenced it, then shoved it back in my jeans.

I pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Don’t let anyone dim that light of yours.”

With a sniffle, she looked at me. “It’s hard when you’re around.”

“Good. It should only shine brighter. And for the people that dim it? You don’t need to dwell on them. They’re not worth the space in your head if they aren’t making your life better.”

She blinked away her tears, then grabbed my hand. “How did I get so lucky?”

“I don’t know if luck has anything to do with it, baby.”

“No?”

I shook my head. “Things happen for a reason, I reckon. And you may be the reason I go to town, or the reason I look forward to getting out of bed now, but I won’t hang that up on luck. The world knew I needed someone to pull me out of my head, and it sent me you.”

She looked at me for a moment, really looked at me, then leaned forward and pressed her lips to mine. It felt like we were made to fit together like this.

Pulling back, I squeezed her hand once. “Ready for some enchiladas?”

She nodded, and I led us out of the room toward the kitchen.

“Is it done?” Avery asked from where she sat in the middle of the living room.

“All ready for a special birthday girl to dig in,” I replied as I dropped Sage’s hand to grab an oven mit.

“Why don’t you go wash your hands and we’ll have it all set at the table by the time you get back?” Sage asked.