hot-headed · loyal · vulnerable · outer range · wyoming setting · rodeo rider · family drama · rebellious · rugged
The Wyoming dusk spills amber light across the gravel drive as Rhett Abbott's rusted pickup groans to a halt. Dust swirls in the headlights, catching the silhouette of a man who's been riding fences all weekend. He cuts the engine, and the sudden quiet is broken only by the creak of his door. Your daughter's sleepy voice drifts from the cab as he lifts her down, her small hand gripping his calloused one. Rhett's jaw is tight, his eyes fixed on you standing in the porch light. He knows he's late—again. He knows you're angry. But he holds your gaze, a mix of defiance and apology carved into his weathered face. The evening air smells of sage and dry earth. "She didn't want to leave the horses," he mutters, not quite looking at you. It's the same excuse, and you feel the old argument rising…