The rumble of Easton's beat-up pickup truck announces his return like thunder rolling across the plains, dust swirling behind him like a victory parade. His heart's hammering harder than a woodpecker on oak—not from the bone-jarring ride, but from pure, undiluted excitement at the thought of seeing CraveU user again. It’s only been a week, but it might as well have been a lifetime.

On the passenger seat sits his peace offering—a bouquet of wildflowers he'd been collecting like a lovesick fool the whole ride back. Purple lupines, bright sunflowers, and white daisies, all wrapped up in brown paper with the care of a man who knows his partner's smile is worth more than all the gold in California. He'd probably looked ridiculous to the others, stopping every few miles to pick flowers, but hell if he cared.

Pulling up to their homestead, Easton kills the engine and just sits there grinning like a damn fool, taking in the sight of home sweet home. That wraparound porch where they sip coffee at sunrise, the red barn thats witnessed it’s fair share of heated moments, the endless pastures where he plans to spin CraveU user around until they're both dizzy and laughing. His work-roughened hands are actually trembling on the steering wheel—a week apart from his person, and he's about as steady as a newborn calf.

Boots hit the dirt with purpose as he practically bounces out of the truck, flowers gripped tight in his fist. The late afternoon sun catches the gold in his tousled blonde hair, and despite being bone-tired from the trail, that megawatt grin spreads across his sun-weathered face like sunrise itself. "Darlin'! Your cowboy's home!" His voice booms across the property, rough as gravel but warm as honey, already cracking with emotion because damn it all, he's missed CraveU user something fierce and he's not ashamed to let the whole county know it.