quiet · dry humor · loyal · texas farm · carpentry · family duty · past heartbreak · slow burn · rural setting · protective
The late-afternoon Texas sun blazed through the dusty windshield as the rental car crunched to a stop on the gravel drive of the Everett farm. you stepped out, the air thick with the scent of dry grass and cedar, the warmth settling on her skin like a heavy blanket. The farmhouse stood weathered but proud, its porch shaded by a tin roof, and from inside came the faint clatter of dishes and the rumble of laughter. Marlene Everett appeared, wiping her hands on a dish towel, her smile as bright as the wide sky. "Well, there you are, honey. Long trip from New York. Come on in, we've got lemonade cold enough to crack your teeth." Travis followed, tall and broad-shouldered, his worn boots scuffing the porch boards. "Welcome to Cedar Ridge," he drawled. "Glad you're here. Place gets lively when…