I uttered the words that have haunted me for six years. Grace narrowed her eyes on me, looking both confused and conflicted.

"Colt...what do you mean? You couldn't save who?"

Catherine. My fiance.

A blonde-haired, green-eyed beauty flashed before me in a memory I loved to replay. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing every detail of her face to come into vision, including the tiny freckles that dotted her nose and cheekbones.

I cleared my throat, forcing myself to answer Grace's question before I backed out like the coward I was.

"We were high school sweethearts. Hell, everyone knew we would be married one day. We were almost never apart. If you were looking for one of us, you'd find both of us." I smiled, thinking back to the memories of Catherine and I hiding under the bleachers, or skipping classes just to be with each other.

"Her name was Catherine. I had a crush on her most of high school and finally got up the nerve to ask her out near the beginning of senior year." I smirked, thinking of how she teased me later on about taking so long to ask. "After graduation, she went off to college while I stayed working on the ranch. It was hard as fuck being away from her for so long. We tried to get together every weekend and always the holidays. I asked her to marry me when we were both twenty."

The memory of her saying yes to me simultaneously ripped my heart out and pieced it together. I couldn't help but smile, thinking of how nervous I had been that I dropped the ring before I even asked. She picked it up, and simply said 'yes.' It was the happiest moment of my life, but the fact that we never got to say "I do" still haunted me.

"It was spring break of her junior year, and I drove down to visit her. We were driving home that night after dinner, and arguing over something stupid. It was so insignificant, I don't even remember what it was about." I laughed dryly, thinking of how that insignificant thing became the most significant moment of my life.

Grace had been quietly listening with her eyes trained on me the entire time; she placed her hand on my arm, encouraging me to go on, just as I had with her. I winced, moving my leg more comfortably, and continued.

"We had been fighting a lot. But it was never actually about what we made it out to be. The distance was hard on us, and neither of us wanted to fully admit it." I squeezed my eyes shut, thinking back to that night; it replayed in my mind so vividly. "I was driving. It was late out. She insisted I pull over to cool off. If I had just listened..." I could hear the screams and see the headlights as if it were happening right in front of me again. My fingers gripped the sides of my forehead as I squeezed, desperately trying to block out the memory.

"A fucking car swerved into our lane. I didn't see it in time, because my focus was on her. The piece of shit was drunk. I somehow escaped with only a few cuts and bruises, but she--" The words caught in my throat as my emotions surged forward.

"My fucking life over in a split second, and it's all my damn fault! It should have been me Grace!" I put my hands to my face, my body shaking, and quietly sobbed. "It should have been me."

She pulled me into her and held me tight, not saying anything. I had not spoken about any of that in so damn long. It had been six years since she passed away, and I could still picture everything so clearly. My memories of her were constant, flowing from a floodgate I could not shut. I could still remember how she always smelt of lavender and honey, the sound of her laugh, the way she pulled her face forward when she was mad. And the one memory I desperately tried to shut out--the look on her face when she knew what was about to happen that fatal night.

"It's not your fault Colt. You can't blame yourself."

I moved out of her embrace and looked away, wiping my face with my arm, before looking back to her.

"No Grace. What happened to your dad was not your fault. You were just a kid. I, on the other hand, was a grown ass man who couldn't appreciate what he had."

I slowly stood up, the pain in my leg now transferred to my heart where I was used to harboring it, and held my hand out to her.

"Come on, let's get you home."

She hesitated, but took hold of my hand and stood up. She didn't say anything and we started walking again.

The silence between us then was deafening; each of us trying to hold on to something that we needed to let go of, and each of us desperately trying to avoid a certain truth that hung around our necks like an albatross. We saw it in each other, an unspoken change between us, but it remained unuttered.

The skies closed up around us as graying clouds covered the sun. The shade was a blessing and I prayed it was in anticipation to rain.

"How are you feeling?"

I looked around us, surveying the area, searching for any sign I knew where we were.

"I'll make it. Don't worry." I hoped I was convincing her, even if I could not convince myself.

The trek was getting easier. The woods weren't as dense as they were earlier, making for easier footing, and I thanked the Heavens for some kind of help.

That's when I spotted it.

Two trees intertwining with each other, and instead of one overtaking the other, they adapted and helped the other grow as one. We called it The Lover's Tree.

I looked to Grace who was leaning her hand on a nearby Aspen, her other hand pressed against her chest to catch her breath. She looked over and narrowed her eyes on me, surely trying to decipher the look in my eyes.

"Grace...Grace, we made it. This is the trail!"

"Wha-- we...we made it?" She gaped, disbelief embedded in her tone.

"We did it Grace! We made it!" I hollered, overcome with elation.

Just then, a drop of water landed on the tip of my nose. And then on my shoulder. And then another and another, until it was pouring down on us. I looked up to the sky smiling, and then back to Grace.

She was grinning from ear to ear as she looked up and lifted her arms toward the sky. She started spinning around and around, sticking her tongue out to catch the drops. I raised my chin and opened my mouth to catch the rain with her; the drops becoming an itch I couldn't scratch as my throat begged for more.

I lowered my head, captivated by Grace as she spun around with her mouth open wide. Water droplets landed on my eyelashes, causing me to quickly blink them away so that my view of her was not interrupted. Her arms were wide open as she spun and spun, dancing in the rain like it was her first time to feel the sensation on her skin.

Her spins soon slowed, before altogether coming to a halt. She lowered her arms, and then ever so slowly her face, both our expressions now sober. Her eyes connected with mine, her soaked chest heaving up and down. Thunder boomed, both on the outside and on the inside of me, and I took a giant step forward as she matched my stride in the same breath. We collided, lightning striking inside the both of us.

My hands went to her face, gripping both her cheeks, as hers went to my waist, yanking me into her with such a force, nature would be envious. My lips crashed onto hers, and I wanted nothing more than to devour her.

Her nails dug into my back, and I deepened the kiss, diving my tongue into her mouth. Bolts of electricity shot through me, juxtaposing the storm.

I pulled away and leaned my head against her forehead. Her soaked chest pressed against my bare skin, leaving me desiring more.

In the distance, faint yelling could be heard. We both tore apart, staring at each other and then frantically looking around.

The voices became louder and the sound of mine and Grace's name broke through.

"Colt!! Grace! Guys, look over there again! I don't care how many times we have to search!"

The sounds of horses and motor vehicles broke through the now dying rain and came into our vision.

"Over there! I think I see something!"

I grabbed Grace's hand and pulled her forward, both of us catching up to what was happening.

"Colt!!" My father's voice boomed and he jumped off his horse to run toward me. "Colt thank God you're okay son!"

My father wrapped me in his arms and hugged me tight. I hugged him back with one arm, refusing to let Grace's hand go. He pulled back, looking down between us, and then looked up to Grace.

"You must be Grace. Darlin', I'm sure glad you're okay. There's someone here looking for you."

Just as he finished his sentence, Mark jumped off of the ATV, and ran up to Grace, yanking her away from my grip. I watched as her hand slipped from mine, and he enveloped her in an embrace.

"Son, what happened? You're hurt. Let's get you home and out of this storm! You both need medical attention."

I simply nodded as he grabbed onto me and helped walk me toward the ATV, but I barely made out anything he was saying. My focus was on Grace, as she was being escorted to the vehicle with Mark wrapped around her arms. She looked back at me and our gazes locked.

We were rescued. We actually made it back. But the only thing I could focus on, and the only thing that made any sense at that moment, was the woman who was being dragged away from me.

I know that kiss was a long wait, but I hope it was worth the wait! And now y'all know some of Colt's back story. I hope it helps you to understand him a bit more.

SO...They made it back! But where do they go from here? Keep reading to find out❤

Thank you to all the comments and votes so far--it makes me so happy and I appreciate you guys so much!

-Allie💕