Long road home

the long version

Growing up on neighboring ranches, Sawyer Murphy and Austin Merrill were always best friends. As teens, each secretly wondered if they could become more to each other. When the grown-up Sawyer returns to River's Bend from deployment as a Marine Special Forces Ranger, Austin's ready to move their relationship out of the friend zone while Sawyer remains stuck in the war zone. She still holds his heart, but he needs to be alone. Something that becomes impossible when, after a heart-shattering accident, they're left to care for their best friends' children. Despite concerns about their ability to take on such a monumental responsibility, together they embark on a shared journey where they'll encounter challenges, joys, and, ultimately, a perilous event that takes them to the very heart of what it means to be a family.