“Denver?” Lance repeated, so many alarms sounding in his mind he could barely think.
“Denver,” she said. “Not until January, probably.”
He finished unlocking the gate and stepped through it, sensing she needed someone to hold her and tell her everything would be okay. He gathered her into his arms, and she fit there so perfectly. She clung to him, her shoulders shaking as she started to cry.
“Shh,” he said, though he was still working through some of the initial shock. “It’s okay. Don’t cry, sweetheart. It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine,” she said into his chest. “You’re not going to leave Last Chance Ranch.”
He couldn’t argue with that, and he had no idea what to say. She quieted quickly and stepped back, wiping underneath her eyes. “Sorry,” she said, sniffling. “I’m fine. I just—don’t know
