Where The Wildflowers Grow

Chapter one

Hadley’s POV
I’m staring outside my window when we pass the town sign “WELCOME TO CEDAR RIDGE” Home. I think we lived here for years. From when I was ten to fifteen I loved this town. It was a small diner with a cracked sign and faded letters, one gas station, one grocery store. Now it had a new gas station, a police station and a fire station. We passed the high school and the rodeo grounds. I look away memories playing in my head. We moved back for my dad’s job. He was going to be the coach for the rodeo school. I was in love with barrel racing till last year when I had a big accident. My horse fell over a knocked down barrel. She tripped and collapsed trapping my knee under the saddle horn that had moved in the commotion to her side. I was carried out of the arena, I was still in a brace for at least three more weeks. Penny didn’t get seriously hurt . She is coming tomorrow with my uncle who is bringing her and the rest of our horses .
There’s the Carter’s house mom says looking past us. Kristi and Tom are going to come help us unload. I was going to ask about the boys but Liv beat me to it “ Are the boys coming to”? “ Not sure I know that Wyatt has been really busy with the rodeo team and he hasn’t been around lately.” I wonder how he has been? We were really close when I lived there. We would always hang out when we had the chance. He’s the one that got me into rodeo. My dad was into it but he never truly introduced me to it. We turned down a long dirt road when my phone buzzed
Liv: Thinking about Wyatt?
Me: No, why would you say that?
Liv: because whenever you are thinking about him you play with your leather bracelet.
I look down at the leather braided bracelet on my wrist. Wyatt came to me before we moved away. We were in the flower field and you said ” Don’t forget me, Hadley.” He looked like he was scared, I graded his hand “ I could never forget you.” Then he leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. It was a secret no one knew about.We didn’t keep in touch because neither of us had a phone.” We’re home.” Mom says as we pull up to a two story white house with a classic red barn. Memories flooding my head about the flower field me and Wyatt would always go to. barrel racing, going to the late night rodeos and the school days that felt way too long. I wonder if he remembered the same things. When we pull up we see Kristi and Tom already at the house and Jack, Liam and Wyatt are jumping over the pasture fence. Two years ago I drove off of our driveway while Wyatt was standing there with his family sending us off while me and Liv mourned that life that we knew was about to change I thought of the kiss that rodeo and the flower field Now we are pulling up to the almost exact same scene.I push open the truck door and step out, the warm afternoon air hitting my face. I shut the door behind me and turn toward the house.
That’s when I see him.
Wyatt.
For a second, I don’t move.
He’s standing beside the pasture fence with Jack and Liam, one hand resting against the top rail. He looks like he just got back from rodeo practice. His blue pearl snap is dusty, his Wranglers are tucked into one of his worn boots, and his hair is shorter and darker than I remember.
But it’s his face that makes me stop.
It’s familiar.
Just older.
Way older.
Two years ago, he was the boy standing in our driveway, watching my family load the last boxes into the truck. The boy who had looked at me like he already knew things were never going to be the same.
The boy who had given me my bracelet.
The boy who had whispered, Don’t forget me, Hadley.
I remember the promise I made him.
I could never forget you.
My fingers automatically find the leather bracelet around my wrist.
Wyatt looks up.
Our eyes meet.
Everything around me seems to go quiet.
Jack is saying something to Liam, Dad is unloading boxes, and Mom is talking to Liv, but I barely hear any of it.
Wyatt just stares at me.
For a moment, neither of us moves.
Then his expression changes.
His eyes widen slightly, like he can’t quite believe I’m actually standing there.
I almost laugh because I’m thinking the exact same thing.
He looks nothing like the boy I remember.
And somehow, I still know it’s him.
His mouth lifts into a small smile.
“Hadley?”
Hearing my name in his voice sends a strange feeling through me.
“Hey,” I managed.
Before either of us can say anything else, Kristi walks toward me.
“Hey, Hadley! How are you, honey?”
She pulls me into a hug, breaking whatever had been happening between Wyatt and me.
“I’m good,” I say, hugging her back.
But over her shoulder, I glance at Wyatt one more time.
He’s still looking at me.
And suddenly, coming back to Cedar Ridge doesn’t feel quite as simple as I thought it would.

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Comments for this chapter

• I really really like this i think its a realy good piece

  Comment by Maayan on September 29, 2026

  Liked by 0

• I really really like this i think its a realy good piece

  Comment by Maayan on September 29, 2026

  Liked by 0

• I really really like this i think its a realy good piece

  Comment by Maayan on September 29, 2026

  Liked by 0

• I really really like this i think its a realy good piece

  Comment by Maayan on September 29, 2026

  Liked by 0

• I really really like this i think its a realy good piece

  Comment by Maayan on September 29, 2026

  Liked by 0

• idk why my comment got posted 5 times XD but still amazing piece

  Comment by Maayan on September 30, 2026

  Liked by 0

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