Lonely Secrets: Yellowstone Ranch Series

13

It was the first time he really mentioned his ex wife to me. I didn't expect for it to hurt me the way it did. The look in his eyes worried me. He was still hurting from her. He still cared it seemed.

"I...I didn't know." I told him when we made it back to the ranch.

"I know you didn't." He nodded and got off his horse, walking her into the barn. I did the same. "She told me a lot about the land. She's native." He slammed the stall door and slide over the bar to lock it. Then he just stood there.

I stared at him. I didn't know what to say. How do you talk to someone about their ex wife?

Kayce's phone rang out and I silently thanked it for once. "Yeah?" He answered. I led my horse into the stalls as well. "Alright." He sighed, aggravated and started out of the barn. "Alright, I'll be there soon." He hurried towards the truck.

"Kayce?" I asked, confused and standing at the barn doorway. He was about to leave and say nothing at all.

"I'm sorry,"He shook his head."I'll be back soon!" He called out as he jumped into the truck and took off in a hurry.

I sighed and watched as he drove away. Something didn't feel right. It felt like something was wrong. But with his job, something was always wrong.

My mind started going again. Maybe I made the wrong choice staying here. Again, he was always in harms way and always had some problem to deal with. And it was never easy problems, it was always intense and dangerous. And he's still not over Monica clearly. I had barely been here for a few hours and I already felt unwanted and in the way.

I decided to push the thoughts away and started to unpack all my vets supplies into the barn. I reorganized it all and started flipping through all the horses charts. Most of them weren't caught up of their vaccines so I decided that's where I would start. I drew up all the vaccinations and then started in. One horse at a time. This spiraled into realizing the horses shoes were looking a little old.

Right around this time, Rip came into the barn.

"Ada." He nodded at me and headed over to grab a shovel.

"Hey." I smiled. "I've got a question I think you can answer." I wiped the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand.

"Yes ma'am." He set the shovel down against a stall.

"When was the last time they've had shoes put on?" I nodded to the horse stalls.

He whistled a long pitch. "Probably right around a month ago. We keep a log of it somewhere." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay," I nodded and brushed the sweat off my upper lip,"Who's the farrier?" I asked.

"Whoever has the time." He shoved his hands in his pockets.

"You mind if I change them?"

He nodded,"Have at it, girl. You know how?" He raised his brows.

"I've done it a couple times and seen it a bunch." I walked over and grabbed the bag of tools for it.

"I don't mind to go through it with ya, if you want." He smiled that flashy smile.

I smiled back. "Yeah. I'd appreciate it."

"Alright. Come here." He threw his head over to the side, taking me to the first stall.

Rip finished out one shoe in around 15 minutes. It took me nearly 30. I didn't have the strength he had and I had to stop multiple times.

I put the horses leg down and stretched my arms for a second.

"Gets heavy after a while, huh?" He chuckled.