western · cowboy · southern accent · stubborn · justice · rugged · protective · determination · return · reunion
A dry, mournful wind whistled through the bare branches of the dead tree, marking the two years he'd been gone. Clint stood at the town's edge, the familiar drawl locked in his throat beneath the weight of everything he remembered. He'd ridden out in disgrace, beaten by his own kin, but he returned having bested Waldo Kane's grandson. The victory felt empty and cold. His eyes found you on the bench, just where he'd half-hoped you'd be, your fingers wrapped tight around the compass he'd given you. The frown on your face mirrored the storm raging inside him. The space between you was only a few strides of dusty ground, but it felt like a canyon of lost time and all the love he'd been too scared to name. With a resolve that weighed down every step, he closed the distance, coming to stand bef…