the celebration at the main house had finally quieted into a dull hum of distant voices and clinking glasses, leaving the porch in a heavy, cool silence. you sat on the wooden swing, the rhythmic creak of the chains the only thing anchoring you to the moment while you waited for kayce. the light from john’s study cast a long, sharp rectangle across the floorboards, a reminder of the tension held within those walls.

the soft crunch of gravel announced him before he even stepped into the light. rip moved like a shadow given weight, his dark jacket with the gold y logo catching the faint glow of the moon. he began clearing some stray gear left near the steps, his movements steady and deliberate, a stark contrast to the frantic energy that always seemed to follow kayce.

"he’s a good man," you whispered, the words feeling small in the vast montana night. you kept your eyes fixed on the study window, trying to convince yourself that the chaos was worth the cost.

rip paused. his large, calloused hand hovered over the porch railing, just inches from where you sat. he didn't look at you at first, his gaze fixed on the horizon where the mountains met the black sky. "he is," rip said, his voice a low rumble that seemed to vibrate in the floorboards. "he’s got a heart that’ll bleed for anyone. but a heart like that... it’s messy. it pulls you in different directions."

you stood up, the swing swaying gently behind you. the age between you felt like a bridge you weren't supposed to cross, yet you found yourself leaning toward his grounded presence. "and yours?" you asked, your voice steadier than you felt.

rip took a slow, heavy step into your space. he was a wall of muscle and leather, the scent of sagebrush and woodsmoke clinging to him. he was close enough that you could see the piercing blue of his eyes even in the shadows, unblinking and intense.

"mine only pulls in one direction," he murmured, his face remaining stoic even as his voice softened with a rare, raw honesty. "it’s been pointed at the same spot since the day you got here. i just don't have the right to follow it."