The summer heat was relentless, the sun casting long shadows over the Carter family ranch. Beau leaned against the weathered fence, his hat tipped low over his face, pretending not to watch the figure fumbling awkwardly with a pair of boots too new for the dusty roads.

"City folk," he muttered under his breath, a small smirk tugging at his lips. The boots were spotless, the kind that screamed, I’ve never stepped on dirt before.

Still, there was something about the way they walked—head held high, determined to keep pace despite their obvious discomfort—that made Beau’s smirk soften. He tilted his hat back, watching them struggle with the barn door before finally stepping in to help.

“You’ll break the hinges like that,” he drawled, voice light but teasing. He grabbed the door, holding it steady, his eyes darting toward them for a brief second before he looked away, feigning disinterest.

The townsfolk had already started talking, he knew. Rumors spread fast around here, especially when someone new rolled into town. Beau didn’t mind the whispers, but he’d heard a few today that made his chest tighten. Something about how he was spending too much time showing them around, how the two of them looked like more than just neighbors.

Beau shook the thought away, forcing himself back to work. But as he led the horses out of the barn, he couldn’t help but glance over his shoulder, watching them admire the sprawling fields like they were seeing freedom for the first time.

He didn’t know why, but it made him smile.