Lonely Secrets: Yellowstone Ranch Series

14

I sat on the porch in the old creaky rocking chair. It was cold this morning. Every morning was starting to be this way. Foggy, cold, and dewy. It showed me Montanas autumn was much sooner than Texas's. I pushed my barefoot off the ground to rock the chair as I held my coffee tight. It was lonely here without Kayce. I only spent one night and one morning with him in this cabin. And here I was alone in it now.

A black truck rolled in front of the cabin. Hannah stepped out and walked up to me. Ryan got out but stayed by the truck.

"Are you ready?" She asked, her blonde hair blowing in the cold wind.

I shook my head and drank the rest of my coffee that was only slightly warm now. "I don't know." I stood up slowly.

I stepped into the cold house and sat my mug in the sink. Other than that mug, the cabin was spotless now. All I wanted to do was stay busy. Whether it was horses, cattle, the wranglers or the cabin, I had to keep my mind away from what it kept drifting back to. It was easier that way.

I pulled on my socks and boots then met Hannah back outside. I jumped in the back seat of the truck. "John meeting us there?" I asked, sniffling from the autumn air.

"He said you and Beth could handle it." Ryan looked up in his mirror at me while turning around in the driveway. "She's already there."

"Okay." I sighed.

We finally made it and I pulled myself from the truck. I trudged through the parking lot and into the building. I felt my chest get heavy. I stopped for a second and turned to Hannah.

"It's okay. He's better, now." She must've saw the look on my face because she reached out and grabbed my hair.

I nodded, watching the nurses and doctors walk all around us. "He's okay." I shivered but turned back around. I made my way through the hospital and down the god forsaken hallways. "Kayce Dutton." I said to the woman at the desk.

"Yes." She smiled a too chipper smile. "He's being discharged today." She drug out the last words as she sifted through multiple files before settling one on and giving it to me. "You're his wife aren't you?" She asked. The question shocked me and I nearly choked.

"No. No. Just a friend." I shook my head, taking the papers.

"Oh okay." She smiled again. "I'll take you to him but we're asking to only have two guests back and his sister is already here. Did you want to come back or is there someone else...?" She looked at Ryan and Hannah too but they shook their heads. "Okie dokie! This way."

I already knew the room he was in. And when I stepped in, he smiled. A real smile. "Ada. Hey."

Tears whelmed in my eyes. He was sitting up now and had color in his face. He was talking and had no tubes coming from him. "Hey." It came out as a whispered and still managed to crack. I felt like I couldn't move but still managed to be shaking. I pushed my feet forward. "How-how are you?" I asked as I felt a few hot tears run down my face. I was always crying around this man.

Beth sat in the chair by his bed. She reached out and grabbed my hand. "Everything's okay. He's okay, now." She gave me a pursed lip smile. These small gestured meant so much to me. Especially coming from her. I let out a deep breath and pushed the shakiness out with it. I felt better.

"Yeah, I'm coming home today." Kayce nodded.

I swallowed hard and sat down on the side of his bed. "I know. We're your ride." I forced a smile, trying to tease him.

He grinned a little. "How's everything at the ranch?" He asked.

I nodded. "Everything's fine." I lied across my teeth, hoping he didn't see right through me. This wasn't the time to tell him. He needed to focus on getting better instead of cleaning up the mess Jake made.

"Did they..." He cleared his throat,"Did they find..."

He didn't even have to finish the sentence. "No." I sighed and patted his leg. "Not yet."

"That bastard. He's gonna rot in hell." Beth swore, shaking her head.

She was wrong. He was gonna rot somewhere worse than hell. In the deepest, worst place on the other side.

Kayce still had a difficult time walking. He didn't have much strength.
It was obvious the truck ride was hard on him. The bumpy and rocky roads shook him around a lot.

Ryan hit a big pot hole, which he couldn't have avoided even if he tried, and Kayce winced.

"Are you okay?" I whispered.

He forced a smile small. "Oh yeah, I'm fine." He started to lift his arm to drape around my shoulders but quickly stopped when he realized it hurt too much. I gave him a smile and grabbed his hand.

When we pulled up to the ranch, I gritted my teeth. Now was when Kayce would find out things weren't really okay at the ranch. Lloyd sat at the entrance of the driveway, armed.

Ryan slowed the truck down and rolled down his window.

"Why's he out here?" Kayce mumbled and rolled down his window too.

Lloyd smiled. "Hey, kid. How are ya?"

"Fine." He cleared his throat,"You just walking around here with a gun for fun?"

Lloyds smile faded. He glanced at me. I bit onto my lip. I should've said something before. "Just making sure there's no unwanted visitors again." He nodded.

"Hm." Kayce nodded to and looked at me and Beth.

I dropped my head as they had their quiet conversation before we headed up the drive.

"Ryan," Kayce's voice was as strong as it was before the shooting. He had instantly gained back his strength somehow. Ryan looked up in the mirror at him. "What unwanted visitor was he talkin' about?"

Dammit.

Ryan stuttered,"Listen, I don't know if now is the time to tell you-"

"I run this fucking place. What the hell happened?" Kayce raised his voice.

Ryan stopped the truck. He turned around to him. "It happened really fast."