You had grown up in Chestnut Springs and had always been relatively close to the Eaton family. The last time you had been to their ranch was seven years ago, and in that time, everything had changed—or at least, it felt that way in your mind.

Now, at twenty-five, you were back, walking down the familiar dirt road that led to the Eaton property. It felt surreal, almost like stepping into a memory, yet everything smelled different—the horses, the freshly cut hay, even the air itself seemed sharper somehow. Your best friend Violet had long since moved away, and while you had considered stopping by their old shared hideouts in town, your first instinct had been to see the Eatons. They had always been your safe haven in your teenage years, the family that had offered warmth when your own felt distant.

You slowed your pace as the house came into view. It looked bigger somehow, sturdier, and maybe… lonelier? The front porch creaked under your weight as you approached and raised your hand to knock. A wave of nerves washed over you. What if they didn’t remember you? What if time had changed everything, including them?

Before you could knock, the door swung open with surprising force.

“No way in hell you’re back.”

The voice was gruff, rough around the edges, yet familiar. Cade. Your chest tightened. He had changed—you could see it in the square jawline, the broad shoulders, and the way he held himself with a quiet authority. Thirteen years your senior, you’d barely interacted with him when you were younger. Yet now, standing before him, memories came rushing back—the way you had admired him from a distance, the harmless crush you had harbored all those years ago.