CONTENT WARNING: EXPLICIT CONTENT/SMUT MID CHAPTER. IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SKIP THE MIDDLE SECTION OF THE CHAPTER (AKA: BETWEEN THE ◆ ◆ ◆)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN : ALL YOUR'N

SAPULPA, OKLAHOMA

WILLOW REFUSES TO MEET HIM WITH HER. It is the first time she will not stand with Kate on something, but it isn't like she cannot handle Javi alone. He wouldn't even want to talk to her anyway, not with everything that had happened that night, the words thrown between, not to mention the punches. Even in her own anxiety about it all, Kate understands when she rehashes the story with a fuming Tyler behind her, who is not allowed to greet Javi at all.

But that does not mean she won't linger on the front porch, her arms crossed over her chest, glaring at the StormPAR truck that pulls in. Tyler is right behind her, hand on her shoulder, the two together at Kate's back as if they'll jump and attack at the first snap.

Javi must be the passenger when that indistinguishable StormPAR SUV pulls in because all Willow can see is Scott in the driver seat. He spots her on the porch and his jaw tightens, glaring hard at her. She returns it right back, eyeing the yellowing bruise on his jaw, noticing how it seems to be fading, but does nothing for the hatred that burns hot between them. Tyler tenses behind her, ready to finish what Willow had let go that day, but she stops him.

"Tyler," she warns him, a hand to his chest. "Go on in. I'll be there in a minute."

Tyler huffs, eyes narrowing as he drops his hands to his hips, shooting one last vicious glare at Javi as he walks up the drive. Willow taps him on the chest one more time as a reminder. He doesn't argue, turning and heading inside.

Willow stands her ground, staring at Javi, her eyes hard, as if daring him to make the wrong move. He gives her a sad smile, but it doesn't reach his eyes, and Willow can see the apology he's trying to offer.

She's not sure she wants to hear it.

"Hey, uh..." Javi starts, his voice uncertain as he greets Kate, his hands stuffed in his pockets and his eyes trained on the ground. "About what I said earlier... I didn't mean any of that." His gaze flickers up briefly, first meeting Kate's, then shifting to Willow, as if the words are meant for both of them.

Kate shakes her head, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. "It's fine," she says, brushing it off, but Willow remains silent. She doesn't trust the words to be fine—not yet, not after everything.

"If there's anything I can do to make it better..." Javi's voice trails off, but before he can finish, Kate steps in.

"Give us your PAR data," she tells him firmly, her voice steady, strong. "That's a start."

Javi sighs, then turns and heads back to the SUV. Willow can't hear the exchange between Scott and Javi, but she can tell the tension is thick. Scott isn't happy about the hard drive Javi pulls from the back and hands to Kate. Willow watches them, her heart beating with quiet anger. With it said and done, she figures she shouldn't linger any longer, but when she hears Javi's voice again, she hesitates.

"I needed money to start StormPAR," Javi says, his tone quieter now, though the words are meant for both Kate and Willow. "That's why I went into business with Riggs."

Willow wants to scoff, but she holds her tongue, knowing that nothing she says will help the situation.

"I want to help people, too," Javi continues, his voice tinged with guilt. "I really do. I said what I said because I..." He trails off, pursing his lips, looking down. "I carry that guilt with me every day," he adds, his grief cracking through, as it had when they sat in the burger joint that day. "Every single day of my life, so..." He looks at Kate, but his eyes flicker to Willow, hoping she can hear him.

Willow swallows hard, but she doesn't let herself be moved. Not this time.

"I'm sorry," Javi says, the words almost pleading, his eyes full of regret.

Willow's heart softens just a fraction at the look in his eyes—just like it always does—but she won't let him in this time. Not with what he said to her, to Kate, not after everything that's happened. She turns on her heel, walking back inside without another glance.

(She misses the way Javi watches her go, a sad sigh escaping his lips as he watches his best friend, his dance partner, leave him in the dust.

"Does she hate me?" Javi asks, his voice a whisper of guilt.

Kate doesn't confirm or deny. Instead, she steels herself and meets his gaze head-on. "You shouldn't have ever said what you said. I should hate you for it."

Javi flinches. He deserves that—every ounce of it. After everything, after the words he threw at her, after whatever Scott said to make her throw that punch, he doesn't deserve the chance he got to apologize, but it still hurts.

Kate sighs, her voice softening as she watches the hurt flash across his face. "She's hurting," she says, her tone quieter now, understanding but firm. "Give her some time, Javi.")

Tyler is right behind the screen door, and he meets her halfway when she leans her forehead against his chest, a heavy sigh escaping her lips. He wraps his arms around her, gently running his hand through her curls in a comforting rhythm.

"You don't have to forgive him, baby," he murmurs, his voice low and steady. Willow knows he's right, but her heart still aches. She longs for the days when things were simpler—when it was just her, chasing storms, laughing with her closest friends, and loving without fear. Back when the only people who ever hurt her were the boys who never truly mattered.

But then, she would have never had Tyler, would she?

(Wrong.

The universe would have found a way to bring them together. Somehow, someway.

At the rodeo. In a bar. On a chase. Each time, their smiles lighting up as they were drawn to one another, pulled together like magnets, unable to stay apart.)

Willow hears the rev of an engine, and she glances back outside, watching as the StormPAR truck and SUV pull off the ranch. She sighs and steps back outside, where Kate stands, her brow furrowed, biting her lip to hold back the sadness.

"I asked him to stay with us," Kate admits, fidgeting with the hard drive in her hands. "Figure this whole thing out together."

Willow frowns. "He said no?"

Kate nods, her gaze distant. "You were right, by the way. He was in love with me."

She isn't too sure what goes through her mind, but Willow can see how her eyes linger on the spot he stood, all the what-ifs swirling in her mind. "Kate..."

"It doesn't matter," Kate replies, shaking her head. She gestures toward the barn, her hand gripping the hard drive tighter. "Let's get to work on this model," she adds, trying to steady her voice, though the hurt lingers.

Willow sighs. She knows Kate will come around when she's ready to talk about it, but for now, it's clear her friend needs space on it. Willow follows her toward the barn, with Tyler trailing behind them after grabbing his laptop. They set up at the workbench, Tyler quickly hooking up the device and typing away.

Cathy meets them outside, passing out beers for moral support. Willow cracks hers open immediately, taking a long sip as she watches Tyler work, her eyes narrowing with focus. The data begins to upload into the model, and the screen lights up—its structure more refined and organized than anything DOROTHY ever produced.

Willow leans in over Tyler's shoulder, studying the data with curiosity. The formation of the storm, the structure, even the debris—all captured in unprecedented detail.

"Wow, these scans are impressive," Kate comments, her eyebrows raised. "I mean, it's a complete map of the chaos."

Willow's eyes flicker over the readings. "Kate, our moisture numbers are off," she says, pointing at the screen. "Right now, the polymer is only absorbing the existing raindrops, not the moisture from the humidity. We need it to precipitate out more."

"So we need to make it rain," Kate says, her voice a little too matter-of-fact, but Willow can see the gears turning in her mind.

Cathy purses her lips, thinking for a moment before tilting her head. "They were cloud seeding in Lawton a few years ago for the farmers."

Tyler nods, following the idea. "Yeah. Silver iodide. We could shoot rockets of that."

"So, silver iodide converts moisture into rain," Willow mutters, already jotting down notes, her mind racing through the necessary modifications for their experiment. "Then we use the sodium polyacrylate..." She pauses, calculating. "We need a lot of it."

Kate nods in agreement, her gaze locked on the screen. "That would pull the water from the storm, increasing the cold pool."

"No faster way to choke a tornado," Tyler adds.

Willow drums her fingers against the table, her eyes alight with excitement as she turns to Kate. Clutching their notebook tightly, she dives back into their cloud physics calculations. "We've got to run these numbers," she says, her voice a little breathless. "Do you think we even have enough polymers left to pull this off?"

"Gotta be," Kate replies, leaning back slightly as she thinks it through. "We bought a shitload of that stuff. Plus, there's more back in Muskogee. Jo would let us grab it if we asked."

Willow bounces on the balls of her feet, her enthusiasm bubbling over. Without hesitation, she leans over and plants a quick, playful kiss on Cathy's cheek. "Cath, you're a genius."

Tyler, watching from the corner of his eye, raises a curious brow. Smirking, Willow shifts toward him, planting another kiss—this one deliberately closer to the corner of his mouth. "So are you, cowboy," she teases.

Tyler grins down at her. "Oh, flattery will get you everywhere, weather girl."

Kate lets out an exaggerated groan, rolling her eyes but unable to hide the faint smile tugging at her lips. She takes the notebook from Willow's hands with a mock glare. "You two are disgusting," she quips before grabbing Willow's hand and tugging her toward the whiteboard in the corner.

"Let's do this," Kate says, her focus already shifting back to the task ahead. "This time, we're making it work."

Willow nods, determination settling into her expression as she picks up a marker.

This time, they were truly going to tame a tornado.

◆ ◆ ◆

TULSA, OKLAHOMA

WILLOW UNLOCKS THE DOOR TO HER APARTMENT MUCH EARLIER IN THE WEEK THAN SHE THOUGHT SHE WOULD. She didn't think she'd see these walls again until Sunday, after dropping Kate off at the airport and still figuring out where she stands on chasing. But plans shift, and time, as it always does, has its own agenda.

It comes down to basic needs. Her old chasing clothes would have been enough to get by, but she's still missing the essentials—underwear, toiletries, and the small comforts she needs to survive the next few days of their experiment. It doesn't take much to convince Tyler to drive her back into Tulsa. A short twenty-minute trip, but Kate still insists they stay the night, at least to save the barn any of its remaining dignity.

"Welcome to my humble abode," Willow quips as she tosses her keys onto the kitchen counter. Tyler is right behind her, kicking off his boots at the door, taking in the space.

The apartment isn't anything remarkable, but Willow had done her best to make it feel less cold, more like home, not that it ever did. Her mattress had sat on the floor for weeks until she wrestled a frame out of IKEA and built it herself. Most of the furniture is thrifted—a patchwork of '70s wooden pieces found in flea markets. Bookshelves crowded with textbooks and novels line the walls, flanked by photos she couldn't bear to part with.

Tyler wanders over to a shelf and picks up a small frame. It's a picture of her family—Jo, Meg, Bill, and Mose, all huddled together during one of their first Christmas mornings. At the front is Willow, gap-toothed and smiling, her braided hair tousled from sleep.

"Cute," he teases softly, holding up the frame.

Willow flushes, tucking her hair behind her ear as if the little girl in the photo could somehow embarrass her. Tyler turns, hands on his hips, his smile widening. "Gonna give me the tour?"

"Ain't much to tour," she shrugs, but she leads him through the small apartment anyway.

She shows him the kitchen, bathroom, and living room, finishing with her bedroom. It feels odd to see him there, standing in the middle of a space that always feels so disconnected from who she is. Yet Tyler, in his easy, unhurried way, starts to pick out the things that are unmistakably hers—the little trinkets, the old photos, the well-worn books.

He breaks through the coldness of it all, breathing life into a space that only ever serves as a backdrop for going through the motions.

Tyler stops at her bed and plucks the cowboy hat hanging from the bedpost—the one she wore to every rodeo, only brought out again for a special appearance at PBR Tulsa.

Grinning, he plants it squarely on her head. "Might have to start callin' you 'cowgirl.'"

"Yeah, yeah," she says with a laugh, playfully shoving him. Willow takes the hat off and places it back where it belongs, fondly brushing her fingers along the brim. She turns back to him, still smiling. "I'm gonna get my phone on charge. There's beer in the fridge; go make yourself at home."

Tyler wanders out to the kitchen while she digs through her drawers for her backup charger. Her phone is still dead, Cathy's earlier complaints about mismatched chargers proving as inconvenient as ever. Willow wonders what chaos will light up her screen once it's back to life, but the usual dread doesn't settle in.

When she finally finds the charger, Willow plugs her phone in at the kitchen counter. Tyler, leaning casually nearby, pops open a beer with a quick, practiced motion. She leans in and presses a soft peck to his cheek in thanks.

It doesn't take long for her phone to come to life, and the notifications hit like a flood. Her stomach twists as she scrolls through. "Oh, shit," she mutters, staring at the influx of texts—all from Joel—and a single email from her producers. The subject line is enough to make her theory true: 8 AM meeting with PR on the day she's due back.

"I'm totally fired," she groans, slumping against the counter. Or, at the very least, she's sure she's destined for the station's doghouse until she agrees to sit through some kind of anger management training. Then again, does she even want to go back at all?

"Good," Tyler says without hesitation.

Before she can respond, he steps behind her, bracing his hands on either side of the counter and caging her in. She shivers as he presses a kiss to the side of her throat, soft and deliberate.

"Cause after what I saw today, there ain't no way in hell I'm letting you go back to that station," he murmurs against her skin.

"I thought you weren't gonna try to sway me," she teases, though her voice falters slightly as his lips trail upward.

"Oh, baby," he says, his voice rich and low, each word dripping with admiration. "Forget all that." His lips find her neck again, this time lingering, his teeth grazing her skin just enough to make her shiver. "You out there today, chasing—" Tyler groans, wrapping his arms firmly around her waist and pulling her closer. "God, you were incredible. I think you stopped my heart for a good few seconds."

She lets out a soft, breathless laugh, her head tilting back slightly. "Well, you did all the work, cowboy," she teases, glancing at him over her shoulder.

His grin is slow and affectionate, his thumbs brushing lazy circles against her sides. "Nah, it wasn't my genius that came up with that experiment," he counters, his voice dropping to a playful murmur. Turning her in his arms, her phone forgotten on the counter, she faces him fully. His gaze locks on hers, darkened with intensity, as though she's the only thing he can see. "I ain't been able to stop thinking about all I wanna do with you since then."

She raises a brow, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Like going into another storm with me?"

"Like fucking you absolutely senseless in my truck during one," he drawls. She can feel his warm breath against her skin as he leans into her, his body pressing against hers. The hardness of his jeans against her sends shivers down her spine. "Barn would've worked again too if Sapulpa hadn't been hoggin' you like she was."

"Tyler, you can't just say shit like that," she whines, feeling a rush of warmth between her legs at the thought of it. Her cheeks flush as the image hits her—him behind the wheel, her straddling him, thighs stretched as she takes him to the hilt as the wind whips around them and their moans mingle with the sound of chaos.

"I can't help it," he murmurs, his voice low as his lips brush lightly against her ear. "You're all I think about now—everything about you makes me wild." He pulls back just enough to meet her gaze again, his hand gently caressing her cheek as if he is meant to say the sweetest thing in the world. "You're the only woman I want; in my truck, on my cock, wherever the fuck you'll let me have you." Fuck一she hasn't ever met a man who could make her as desperate as she feels now.

"You're gonna kill me," she gasps out, barely able to control herself.

"I ain't tryin' to," he reassures her with a grin. "Just tryin' to give you the worshipin' you deserve, pretty girl."

He seals it with a kiss, hot and searing against her mouth. Willow can't help but let out a low moan, her fingers tangling in his hair as she pulls him even closer. He crowds around her, her back pressing against the cool surface of the counter as he pushes his body closer to hers. Tyler kisses her harder, all tongue and teeth, desperate to taste her.

When they finally separate, Willow is left breathless and gasping for air against his mouth. "Take me to bed, Tyler, please."

Tyler's breathing catches at her words and he kisses her again, devoted to fulfilling her desire. He taps her thighs gently, signaling for her to jump up and wrap her legs around him. She eagerly complies, pressing her body tightly against his as he carries her towards the bedroom. His strong hands grip her thighs firmly, leaving marks that may turn into bruises later on.

He gently lays her down on the soft bed, the quilt cool against their skin. He slides on top of her, his weight pressing her into the mattress as he hungrily presses his mouth against hers once more. Her legs wrap tighter around his hips almost instinctively, as if she is trying to pull him in further, merge them into one.

Willow reaches between them, her hands roaming the expanse of his body. He speaks of how desperate he is for her, how wild she's driven him, not knowing how deep it runs for her too. She would devour him if she could, lick her fingers clean to savor every taste. She finds the buttons of his flannel, tugging at each latch until he is down to his undershirt. She only pulls them apart to strip him of it, revealing his toned chest. She leans back in, this time, her lips against skin, teeth tugging until she leaves behind marks.

Tyler has his hands under her shirt and tugs at the hem, a silent request. She tears off her own shirt for him, revealing her lacy bra underneath, and pushes her hair out of her way. Tyler eagerly leans down to take one of her nipples into his mouth through the fabric, sending shivers down Willow's spine. Skillfully unclasping her bra from behind without even having to look, Tyler's lips are soon on her bare breasts, teasing with his tongue and teeth.

"Tyler," she whines out, not sure what she's begging for.

Tyler seems to understand, with the way he pulls away just to tug at the button on her shorts. He slides his hand under the fabric until he reaches her wetness. He catches on her clit, two fingers pressed against the sensitive nerve, eliciting a whimper from Willow. He strums, the pressure tortuous, perfect. She couldn't help but arch into his touch, surrendering completely to his touch, each moan escaping her met with Tyler's kiss as if he were claiming every sound she made as his own.

"My pretty girl," he mutters between kisses, bringing her closer and closer to the edge. He presses two digits inside of her, stretching and filling her in all the right ways, Willow gasping at the sudden intrusion. "So fucking perfect for me."

Willow reaches as he works, drawing her into an orgasm, mindful of what she truly wants. She wants him under her, as she imagined it being in the storm. She unbuttons his jeans, shoving at the material to get it down from his waist.

"Let me ride you, please," she says in between thrusts of his fingers. It makes him falter, his mouth dropping in a quiet moan at the thought.

"I'm supposed to be worshiping you," he argues, though he doesn't seem too confident in it.

Willow sighs, pleased all the same. She reaches up to hold Tyler's face in her hands. "Can't I worship you too?"

Tyler can't resist her plea, not when it draws such a groan from him. He withdraws from her and lets her take control, flipping them over so that she is on top of him, her thighs stretched over his and her bare cunt rubbing against him. Tyler pulls his jeans off completely, followed by his boxers, until his cock springs up against her.

Willow lines herself up with him, locking eyes with him as the tip of his cock brushes against her entrance. He gazes up at her as if she is a goddess sent from above just for him. She smiles at him, unable to resist leaning down to give him a sweet and passionate kiss.

She finally sits on his hard length, mouth still upon his. Tyler's hands grip onto her hips tightly and he moans when she takes him inside of her. Willow matches his sounds, gasping when she lowers herself completely onto him.

Once she's settled into position, she pulls back, leaning in close to his ear, whispering, "You were incredible today." She moves her hips against his, using her knees to push against the mattress as she lifts herself up and down. "Taking charge like that, giving me everything I've been craving."

"You like that?" He grunts, matching her every move. "I'll take you out there anytime you want, baby. Just say the word."

It makes her moan, her eyes shut as she tosses her head back. She keeps her pace, only faltering once, when he reaches for that damn hat on her bedpost, setting in on top of her curls. Willow lets out a breathy moan, sounding more like a laugh as she loses her rhythm.

"You're such an idiot," she scolds playfully.

"And you're a fucking dream," he grins, leaning up to deliver a teasing bite to her nipple. Willow squeaks in delight. "Now ride me, cowgirl. Take what you want."

His grip on her hips grows tighter, his fingers digging into her hips as he guides her. Willow picks up her pace again, bouncing on his cock, one hand balanced on his chest, the other keeping the hat in place. His name leaves her in a breathless chant, her cunt pulsing around him. She feels her legs going weak as that coil tightens in her belly, sharper and sharper as he hits her sweet spot over and over.

Tyler takes over for her, stilling her hips and pistoning in and out of her from below. She squeals at his pace, the vigorous thrusts that rattle her each time, making her whine desperately.

"Let go, baby," he grunts, his voice filled with need. "I want to feel you come all over me."

His words push her over the edge, the coil snapping with a resounding moan filling the room. He fucks her through it, his cock swallowed by her heat, squeezing him with each aftershock. She trembles above him, whining with each thrust he still gives.

Willow barely has time to catch her breath before Tyler flips them over, hat tossed for her head, putting her flush against the bed with her ass in the air. She can feel his body pressing against hers as he wraps an arm around her waist and enters her again. She cries out at the first thrust, her nails gripping the quilted fabric of the bed.

"Tyler," she moans, her voice trailing off into gasps. He leans over her, holding her jaw delicately with one hand while his lips brush against her ear.

"I've got you," he whispers, kissing her temple as he continues to thrust inside of her. "My girl. All mine."

"All yours," she echoes back, and he smiles before turning her head towards him. Tyler pulls her in for a deep, passionate kiss, only breaking away to rest his forehead against hers.

His eyes stay locked on hers, breath dancing together as he continues to move inside of her, deeper, harder. His hand around her waist moves down to find the sensitive bundle of nerves between her legs, swirling his fingers over it to bring her even closer to the edge. He wants her there with him when his hips begin to stutter, when he lets go inside of her.

She meets him there, crying out as she cums on his cock for the second time. His own long groan carries with her wail, burying himself to the hilt of her cunt, coating her walls with his spend.

He holds there for a moment, shifting himself until his nose is buried in her hair, savoring the press of her body against his, the feeling of her around him. He ticks with her, both catching their breath together, resting in that peaceful afterglow.

Willow whines when he finally leaves her, already missing the stretch of him inside of her. She doesn't realize he has completely left her until he returns with a damp rag between her thighs. He's gentle as he cleans her up, wiping away any remnants of the mess he made. When he deems her clean, he sets the rag aside and shifts her in the bed, covering her with a throw blanket on the corner. Tyler slides in behind her and Willow nestles against him, feeling content as he runs his fingers through her hair.

"I know I already said it today, but you're pretty amazing, cowboy," Willow says softly, peering up at him from where her head rests against his chest.

Tyler chuckles, the sound rumbling in his chest. His gaze softens as it settles on her, warmth radiating from him. There's a beat of hesitation, just enough that her heart flutters, before he finally asks. "You mean what you said?"

She knows exactly what he means—the words that slipped from her lips earlier, the ones that echoed his in the throes of passion.

"That I'm all yours?" she teases, a small smile tugging at her lips as she watches him. He nods, his tongue darting out to lick his bottom lip nervously. He shouldn't be nervous—not him, not when the universe itself seemed determined to pull them together at every turn, forcing her to realize that there ain't no other man in the world for her, that in the way she is made for the storms, made for Kate, she is made for him all the same.

Willow reaches up, her fingers brushing lightly along the line of his jaw before pulling him down for a kiss. It's tender, slow, and she hopes he can feel everything she sends with it. When she pulls back, her eyes meet his, her voice unwavering. "Yeah, cowboy, I mean it."

◆ ◆ ◆

THE MORNING AFTER STARTS LIKE A DREAM.

Willow still wakes up without her alarm, but she gets to make her coffee with Tyler right behind her, pointing out chasable cells on the radar with her. They shower together, his hands massaging shampoo into her hair, and he's patient as she finishes getting ready, tossing her toiletries and needs into a new bag to set off with.

(Tyler pouts the entire time she is in the mirror that morning, covering up the dark marks he left along her throat. He takes offense, claiming he worked really hard to leave those for her, little reminders of the claim he's now voiced but always had anyway. He deems that it isn't fair, he didn't cover a single one of hers, but she argues right back his flannel does much better work at covering them while her top does not.

The concealer only does so much, though, because Kate clocks her the moment they return to the Carter house, sitting down for breakfast.

"Weird," Kate says with a frown, stabbing through a piece of egg with her fork. "Didn't think they had that big of mosquitoes in Oklahoma.")

Kate steals Willow away the moment she arrives, drawing her away from Tyler for one final run-through on their data. She has them huddle over notebooks and laptops, one last run of the numbers before they go out to bring this thing to life.

Meanwhile, Tyler takes a step back, using the time to call Boone and start pulling the crew together for a new venture.

By the time he manages to get Lilly on the line, they're already packing up the truck. He figures they're somewhere west, hoping that by the time Boone gets over feeling like a lover scorned they'll find the Wranglers in the wide expanse of Oklahoma.

Willow can hear him explain the situation to Lilly as she circles the truck, doing a final count on the barrels of polymers they've loaded. She double-checks straps, ensuring everything is secure and accounted for. She lets Kate and Cathy share their goodbye, watching from the corner of her eye.

Cathy glances between them, her hands tucked into her jacket pockets, a small smile softening her features. "All right," she says, her tone calm but tinged with emotion. "Is this it? Or you coming back before you head home?"

Kate smiles, stepping forward to wrap her mother in a tight embrace. "You know I will," she promises.

Cathy kisses the side of her head, her arms lingering just a moment longer. "Love you."

Kate repeats the sentiment before heading off to double-check with Willow, one final time.

(She's a little distracted by Kate to listen in this time, missing as Tyler rounds the truck, grinning and handing Cathy one of his infamous shirts, a little parting gift.

Cathy thanks him kindly, her eyes flickering towards Willow who's waving her hands animatedly as she goes back and forth with Kate. "You have any idea what you're getting yourself into?" she asks, shifting her eyes back toward Tyler, only to find he's drifted off on his own, admiring Willow from afar.

He bites his lip, staving off a smile when he answers Cathy. "I'm beginning to.")

"Alright, Will, your turn!" Cathy breaks her concentration, arms open wide for the girl, a t-shirt hanging from her elbow. Willow walks over, stepping into her embrace, hugging her just as tightly as Kate did.

"Be careful," Cathy tells her, her voice soft with both care and a touch of worry. "Keep my girls safe."

Willow pulls back with a reassuring smile. "I will, Cathy. Love you."

Cathy pats her arm, echoing the sentiment. "Love you, too."

Willow turns to leave, but Cathy calls after her one last time. "By the way, that boy you've got..." She tilts her head toward Tyler, just a short distance away, leaning casually against the truck with his attention entirely on Willow, smiling like she's the greatest damn thing in the world.

Willow follows Cathy's gaze, her lips curling into a smile of her own as she meets Tyler's eyes.

"He's a keeper," Cathy adds finally.

Willow doesn't miss a beat, her eyes locked on his, filled with unwavering certainty. "Oh, I know."

Cathy chuckles softly at the response, sending her off with a final wave. She gets to watch as the two naturally drift toward each other. Tyler steps in close, his arm finding its place around Willow's shoulders, tugging her to him. With one last smile over his shoulder at Cathy, he guides her toward his truck, ready to head off, all together.

Willow doesn't need to say another word—her expression says everything. He isn't just a keeper; he's already hers, as much as she is his.

—AUTHOR'S NOTE

chapter title from the tyler childers song of the same name

filler chapter with some smutty goodness that literally confirms willow and tyler are all in  (like we didn't know that already)

idk if I will do another smut chapter because I don't want it to feel too repetitive; but even then, we will see.

i don't have much to say about this one except that WE'RE IN THE HOMESTRETCH BABY. i think I said ten chapters last round but I honestly think its less now that I've planned it out to a t. might throw in some fluffy stuff though, especially some kate and willow and wrangler bonding (and plus will have some stuff at the end and a epilogue)

FEEDBACK ALWAYS APPRECIATED AND IF YOU NOTICE TYPOS LET ME KNOW. i meant to get this out earlier in the day but the smut just took me forever

thank you for reading and love you all bunches,

kari