Chapter 116 Reconciliation
As she turned to leave, her heels clicking against the marble, the echo carried her thoughts back to the spreadsheet, the looming presentation, the frantic rhythm of the firm. Yet a part of her lingered, the part that had sat across from a ranch‑raised man, listening to stories of fences and cattle, feeling a connection that transcended the city’s glassy façade.
She brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear, the lavender note from Chloe still tucked in her pocket, its words a reminder to keep her roots in sight. The city outside buzzed with honking taxis and distant sirens, but inside she felt the steadiness of a pasture, the gentle reminder that even in the frenzy of Manhattan, there was room for a quiet, humble presence that could steer her heart back to the simple truths she’d learned under a wide‑open sky.
She glanced back once, catching Edwin’s silhouette framed by the atrium’s amber light, a smile playing on his lips. The future, tangled with meetings and proposals, suddenly held an extra thread, a promise of tomorrow, a shared table, a conversation that felt like home.
With a final breath, she stepped into the elevator. She didn't know exactly where her new path would lead, but for the first time in months, she felt a quiet thrill, an anticipation that matched the steadiness of her father's favorite old horse, steady, sure, and ready for the next ride.
As Sierra stepped back into her office, the familiar scent of polished wood and leather enveloped her, immediately snapping her back into work mode. Her mind, however, still lingered on the conversation she had with Edwin, the way his eyes sparkled when he talked about his father's ranch, and the ease with which they had connected over their shared experiences. She couldn't help but smile, feeling a sense of lightness that had eluded her for a very long time.
The days turned into weeks, and Sierra found herself looking forward to her daily coffee breaks with Edwin. They would meet at the Daily Grind, down in the building’s lobby atrium, sit at a corner table by the window, and talk for hours about everything and nothing. She felt like she had finally found a sense of balance in her life, like the two worlds she had been trying to reconcile, the city and the ranch, were finally beginning to coexist in harmony deep inside, rather than always being at odds.
One afternoon, as she was preparing for a meeting, Sierra's thoughts turned to her brother, Cody. She had been meaning to call him for weeks, but had kept putting it off. She felt a pang of guilt for not being more supportive, especially after the harsh words they’d exchanged before she took her fateful flight with Julian. Taking a deep breath, she picked up the phone and dialed Cody's number.
"Hey, Si!" Cody's voice was cheerful, and Sierra felt a wave of relief wash over her. They chatted for a bit, catching up on what was going on at the ranch.
“I was wondering where you had run off to,” he laughed. “Your fancy rented SUV is still sitting in the ranchyard.”
“Oh Shit!” Sierra had forgotten about the rental SUV. “I completely forgot about that. I can hardly wait to see the charges on my credit card.”
"Yeah, well, you’re rich enough to keep two or three,” Cody chuckled.
“Could you get it back to the airport in Flagstaff for me, please?”
"I'm not sure I can handle such a highfalutin machine, but I’ll give her a whirl."
Sierra laughed, feeling a sense of nostalgia wash over her. "Thanks, Cody. I appreciate it. And how's everything going on the ranch?"
"It's going," Cody replied. "I've been trying to get everything back on track, but it's not easy. Dad had a way of doing things, and I’m trying to keep up, you know?"
Sierra's heart ached, and she felt a lump form in her throat. "I know, me too. But I'm proud of you, Cody. You're doing a great job, but you need to figure out how to do things your way."
They talked for a bit longer, and then Cody asked about Julian. “I ain’t seen or heard nothin’ about him. He’d been stirring around for quite some time along with that other fella. I think he’s called Pistol or something like that. Did you have that talk with him and get him to back off or something?”
Sierra hesitated, unsure of how to break the news. "Cody, I need to tell you something. Julian...he's dead."
There was a pause on the other end of the line, and then Cody's voice came back, laced with shock. "I don’t guess I’m going to get teary-eyed over that, but what happened?"
Sierra took a deep breath, trying to summarize the events of the past few weeks. "We were flying out of Aspen on his private jet, and it crashed. I tried to save him, but...I couldn't."
“You were with him flying out of Aspen?” Cody responded. He was silent for a moment, and then he spoke up, his voice filled with concern. "Sierra, why didn't you tell me you were in a plane crash?"
Sierra felt a wave of guilt wash over her. She had been so caught up in her own grief and trauma of the rape in Flagstaff, then the crash, and then the promotion, that she hadn't even thought to reach out to her brother. No, that wasn’t exactly true. She could have called him from Buena Vista, but she’d called William instead. "I'm sorry, Cody. I should have told you. It's just been a really tough time for me. Rough and really busy."
Cody's voice was soft, and Sierra could almost hear the empathy in his words. "I know we ain’t been gettin’ along like two peas in a pod lately, but I'm here for you, Si. You can tell me anything. You don't have to go through this alone."
“I know,” she admitted in a low tone. “While I have you on the phone, I should tell you that I was promoted to senior partner at the firm.”
“I’ll be damned. That’s great, Si!” He responded. His tone changed a little as he teased her. “That’s the kind of shit you’re supposed to share with family, you know.”
“Well,” she responded. “The last time we talked, we didn’t part on the best of terms.”
“Noted,” he said. There was a pause, and then he spoke in a low tone. “We need to cut that shit out, Si. You an’ me are all we got.”
The grammar was horrible, making her laugh. “Agreed. I’ve got a meeting to prepare for, so we need to cut this short.”
“Come home soon, Si,” he said. “Love ya.”
“Love you too, and I will.”
As Sierra hung up the phone, she felt a sense of resolve wash over her. She realized that she had been treating Cody like a fragile child, not giving him the credit he deserved. It was time to be more open and honest with him, treating him like the responsible adult he was becoming.
As she looked out the window, watching the sun set over the Manhattan skyline, Sierra felt a sense of hope that she hadn't felt in a long time. Maybe, just maybe, she was starting to heal, to find her way back to herself. And maybe, just maybe, she had found someone who could help her navigate the ups and downs of life, someone who could help her balance her two worlds: Edwin, with his kind eyes and gentle smile.