AustinUpon awakening, a moment of confusion overcame me as I struggled to recall my surroundings. It took but a moment before my memory returned, and I came to the realization that I was in the hospital. The events leading up to my hospitalization flooded my mind, with memories of my horse falling during a run and my subsequent awakening in a helicopter. The noise of the aircraft made communication impossible, and my desperate inquiries about my horse's condition were met with confusion. Upon arrival at the hospital, I continued to seek information about Vanna's condition, but my efforts were in vain. I observe Cort, who is sleeping uncomfortably in a recliner chair. My emotions soften as I see him in this vulnerable state. Although my practical side urges me not to become too attached due to our past, my fears are slowly dissipating. It's comforting to have someone who cares so deeply, even though I was initially upset that he thought I couldn't protect myself. In moments like the

AustinI am currently in the process of working on Stacy's saddle. I have set up the printer to print the saddle tree, and while it is being printed, I am cutting out pieces of leather and working on the tooling pattern that Stacy has chosen. As time passes, I realize that it's lunchtime when my stomach starts growling. I take a break and head to the barn office to grab Declan and have lunch.I walk into my home office and lean against the door frame. Cortland is sitting in the chair, talking on the phone with his back turned to me. I admire his profile for a moment, grateful to have found someone who truly understands me. While I value my independence, it's comforting to have someone who cares about me. Without Cortland, I would have woken up alone in the hospital with no one to look after Vanna while I was there.I appreciate Cortland and his family for their support. It's great to see Carrington warming up to me. Although I sometimes worry about potential issues in our relationshi

Cortland,It's been a week since I had to ask Austin to leave. Despite her attempts to contact me, I haven't responded to any of her calls or messages. Which stopped after the third day. I couldn't bring myself to return to the event where everything went down. Carrington informed our family that Austin wasn't feeling well, but I didn't stick around to find out more. Instead, I wandered around town for a while before heading back to our hotel. When I got there, Austin was gone along with her belongings. Although I had hoped to see her, I knew deep down that it was unlikely. My emotions were mixed as I tried to sort through my thoughts. While my heart still held feelings for her, my rational mind knew that she was likely gone for good. I didn't want to believe that she had purposely become pregnant to trap me, but there was a nagging suspicion in my mind. Despite all of this, I missed her terribly. I threw myself into my role as CEO of our family's luxury hotel business to keep myself

CortlandI am sitting wallowing in my stupidity when Carrington sits beside me. I look out the corner of my eye at him and see he has a split lip. Did Austin punch him? The more important question is what he does to cause her to hit him. “Why are you bleeding?” I ask.“Austin’s friend showed up and punched me in the mouth.” He says with a smirk.Okay, not the response you expect from someone who just got hit in the face. I don’t say anything; I simply give him a questioning look. Declan was there when we showed up, and he immediately went to Cadee and Stacy.“Oakleigh hit me. She also happens to be Annie Oakleigh.” He speaks. That gets my attention.“That girl you, Coldwell, and Camden talk about. The porn star?” I ask. I don’t think she is a porn star. I never watched her. Not that I’ve not watched porn. It's simply that she did educational videos or some shit. I do not need sex education. Not cocky, just the facts.“She doesn’t do porn. She isn’t having sex. She in

CortlandLeaving Austin tonight was the hardest thing I have had to do. As I sit on the plane, I can't help but think of the love that I left behind. When she fell asleep in her seat, I immediately got up and reached to pick her up. But her friend stopped me and read me the riot act. I had to promise to ensure she and the baby were comfortable.As I lay next to her, with my hand on her lower abdomen, I was fascinated to know my child was growing in there. But the reality was that I had left her alone, pregnant, and feeling abandoned. I was the man who promised to be there for her, but I let her down. It was a mistake that I would regret for the rest of my life.I had planned to propose to her once she collected her award during the banquet. But I pushed her away, and she left without receiving the recognition she deserved. I was a bastard for letting her go and not contacting her.As I scrub my hand down my face, I know that I need to make things right. I need to go back and have a do