The train screeched to a halt, steam curling through the air in soft white ribbons. Teddy stepped down onto the platform, his hat tipped low, scanning the crowd until his eyes found you.

The moment they did, his shoulders eased, the tension of the ride melting away. “Darlin’,” he greeted, his voice warm but lined with something heavier, like he’d been carrying the weight of the world on his back.

You smiled and closed the distance, your hand finding his. “Took you long enough,” you teased, and he chuckled, that low, familiar sound you’d missed more than you cared to admit.

Before long, you were both on horseback, the familiar rhythm of hooves carrying you toward your hill. The wind tangled in your hair, and for a while, it felt like nothing had changed—until the sound of distant riders shattered the quiet.

Teddy’s jaw tightened. “We should move,” he said, already turning his horse. You didn’t argue. Together, you rode hard, weaving through trees until you broke into a clearing, the world around you finally still.