Finally Home to Yellowstone: Yellowstone Ranch Series

2-1

"Mary..." Jamie looked up from his desk. "I didn't realize you were home." His voice was shaky and he stood up wearily. He was nervous. As he should be.

My boots clicked on the wooden floor of his office as I approached him. This was it. It was time to confront him. "You didn't? Your father always seems to know when I'm around." I sat down in the old, velvet chair made for guests. Guests. It made me want to chuckle. Guests was a welcoming, friendly term. Anyone who ever sat in these ugly 1950s furniture, was the exact opposite of welcome and friendly. They were enemies with the man on the other side of the desk.

He sat down slowly. "My father?" He questioned, playing dumb. This was the last thing he was expecting today, the day before his re-election. He was stressed and worried about everything other than this. He thought he had gotten away with it.

"Yeah..." I sat down in the chair and crossed my legs, folding my arms- just trying to be like Beth as much as possible. She coached me for this a thousand times and here we are finally. "I met him a few months ago." His face looked frozen in time. He didn't say a word and I waited long enough to give him the chance to answer. But he didn't. "I killed one of his friends he brought with him to beat the hell out of me and our fucking family. Your fucking family." I emphasized on family. I couldn't imagine arranging this type of attack on your own father and siblings. Still no words. "Why is your dad not trying to get even with you?" I asked, obviously knowing the answer. "You're the one who stole the deed from him in the first place, right?" I stood up and grabbed an ink pen from the small cup on his desk. Probably a cheap ass cup bought in the Walmart office supply section four years. He wouldn't own anything classier than that. He readjusted in his seat. He knew I knew. He knew from the moment I walked in. "Right?!" I slammed the pen into the desk. The ink tip perforating the wooden top, the pen sticking straight up.

He jumped a little. "No! No..." I watched as he swallowed hard then shakily folded his hands. "I-I can't. I couldn't steal it from him-"

My eyes widened,"You couldn't steal from him? Why, because he's your father?!" I yelled sarcastically. "Fucking hell, Jamie. What has he ever done for you?" He opened his mouth to speak but I wasn't done. "Our father, the man who actually raised you, asked for one thing! And you couldn't even do that?!"

Jamie stood up abruptly, the chair squealing loudly across the floor as he did so. "What do you even know about this? You weren't even here!"

I stepped closer to the desk, inches away from jumping across the desk and pinning his neck to the back wall. "Don't act like I was on vacation, I was in Afghanistan!"

His face changed. He looked confused. "But... but you signed-"

"Goddammit Jamie, I didn't sign anything. This is the problem!" I threw my hands up in the air, rolling my eyes. What a fucking idiot. "You think they mailed it to me and I shipped it back first class with the fucking terrorists?"

He sat down slowly. His wheels obviously turning. "Okay, um... I- I can alter that. It's not a problem. We'll just have it refiled, and I'll wipe the record of the old one. I have a friend that-" He picked up his phone.

"Yeah, not a problem. Go ask your dad for the deed and change it then." I started out the door, my boots stomping back out just the way they came in.

"What do you mean?" He called after me.

I stopped, my blood boiling. Did he really not know? He had to know. Kayce should've been here. Or Beth. I'm not good with these things. I can't tell if he's playing me or not.

"We can't find it." I sighed,"Your dad stole it the night a bunch of his asshole buddys raided the ranch and tried to kill us. You need to get that deed and change it." I pulled open on the rickety door. "And steal it yourself this time. Don't hire people to do your work. It's tacky." I slammed the door on my way out, ignoring the looks I was getting from guests and receptionists.

That night I cooked for the bunkhouse as I had been since I got home from overseas. They were grateful it was me cooking instead of Teeter. Rip hired her on after I left as a way to punish Colby for bringing other girls back to the bunkhouse. Teeter ran most of them off. Turns out, she's a hell of a worker. It was nice having another woman around with the same attitude as me too.

We all sat at the table, everyone besides Rip. He was up at dads cabin, although he didn't say why so I assumed it was best not to ask.

"When's Jimmy suppose to be back?" I asked, cramming a spoonful of chili in my mouth. The spice burned my tongue and made my nose run but I fixed it how the boys would like it- hot.

It got quiet. No one had mentioned him yet since I got back. Rip was the one to tell me.

Ryan cleared his throat and gave a little smile,"Not sure. Heard he's doing good down there, though."

I nodded.

"Maybe he'll learn to rope." Colby teased.

Everyone chuckled and added to the conversation. But I couldn't. All I could think about was that morning. Him asking me to teach him to rope. And then hours later, laying in a field, nearly dying from a bear attack.

At first, I wanted to resent my dad for sending him to 6666's. But Lloyd helped me understand it was best for him. He needed to be taught how to be a cowboy. And we weren't teachers.

I drank a few beers with everyone then decided to head up to Rips cabin. He was sitting on the porch, also drinking a beer.

"Hey." I squeezed his shoulder as I passed by him and curled up in the rocking chair beside him.

"How'd it go with Jamie?" He asked immediately.

I scoffed a little. "My day was great babe. Thanks for asking. How was yours?"

"I didn't ask. How'd it go?" He sternly asked again.

I squinted my eyes a little. What the fuck is wrong with him. I huffed then stood up,"He didn't know his dad had the deed and he admitted it wasn't him that stole it in the first place." I stepped through the threshold into the cabin.

"Mary-"

I let the door slam behind me and continued into the bedroom.

I stripped down and jumped in the shower, letting the hot water try to calm me down. I had been pissed off all day and I didn't want to go to bed that way.

When I was satisfied with being clean, I shut off the water and stepped out. I reached for the towel that should've been on the sink... but wasn't.

I couldn't help but smile some.

I opened the bathroom door, knowing damn well he would be laying in bed with a shit eating grin on his face. I didn't wanna argue. I just wanted to curl up next to him and relax. So I played along.

I leaned up against the door frame,"Oh no," I said dramatically and sarcastically,"There's no towels. What ever will I do."

He chuckled, shaking his head. I smiled, happy I was able to make him laugh. "C'mere." He said with a raspy, deep voice. My heart skipped a beat and I slowly made my way to his side of the bed. "I've got one." He smirked and picked up the towel from his nightstand, and used it to dry me off.

"Huh," I rolled my eyes,"Where'd you find that one?" I teased.

Water dripped from the ends of my hair onto the floor with small pitter pats.

"I don't remember." He mumbled. "Turn around." He growled.

I wasn't expecting it but a burning feeling erupted within me. I did as I was told. His calloused hands grabbed my hips and roughly pulled me back to him. "Umph." A small almost moaned escaped my lips.

He pushed my dripping wet hair to the side and pressed his lips to my shoulder. He slowly made his way up my neck, still holding me tight to him, his hands roaming and massaging.

I closed my eyes, feeling completely safe and relaxed.

"I missed you." I said softly.

He kissed my ear gently,"Good."

I smiled and let him take his time, he never liked when I rushed him or tried to jump into sex too quickly even though I was always impatient. But he was in control. And that's how I wanted it to be. It was nice to let someone be in charge of everything when you're so use to being the one holding everything together. This was the only time I was able to not worry about anyone or anything else. He took care of it all.