For Her, He Will

Chapter Seven - Welcome home to bruises and bruised egos.

Oakley pulled the truck back under the Yellowstone's sign. She heard Rip sigh at what the thirtieth time was probably. Oakley glanced over at him with an annoyed look on her face that had been there for the last two hours.

"You didn't have to come," Oakley said.

"You made up those last two stops," Rip grunted. "You did not need a new ballcap...all you wear are Kayce's anyways!"

Oakley didn't deny it. If she was going to have to deal with Rip all day long, then he was going to have to deal with Oakley all day long.

She was about to snap back but a certain truck parked in front of the foreman's cabin made her heart skip a beat.

"Thank God," Rip muttered beside her.

Oakley pulled her truck up next to Kayce's and didn't even turn the engine off before she jumped out and ran up, into the cabin.

"Kayce?" Oakley hollered and glanced around.

She didn't hear anything, nor did it look like Kayce had even been inside the cabin yet. Thinking that was weird, Oakley turned and went back outside. Rip was walking up to the house with her keys in his hand.

"Where is he?" Oakley asked, walking down the steps.

"What makes you think I know?" Rip tossed her keys at Oakley. "I've been with your ass for the last five hours."

"Is he in the barn?" Oakley started to walk toward the barn.

She heard Rip sigh and knew he was following her. Oakley walked down to the barn and glanced inside as she made her way around to the corrals. Kayce wasn't anywhere...but neither was anyone else.

"Where is everyone?" Oakley looked at Rip.

"I don't know," Rip looked around him too.

"Did they have to ride out somewhere today?" Oakley asked.

"No," Rip pulled out his cell phone. "They were all supposed to be around here today."

Rip put the phone to his ear and waited for a few seconds. When he pulled the phone back down, Oakley knew whoever he tried didn't answer. Both of them turned around when they heard a car pulling in from the road.

It was one of the black suburban John would use. Oakley waited until it stopped, and the doors opened before she started to walk over, Rip right behind her. John stepped out, along with Beth and then Kayce.

A large breath Oakley didn't realize she had been holding escaped her lips as she picked up her pace. She watched Kayce glance toward her and do a double-take. It was then though that Oakley saw his face.

His bottom lip was busted, a strip of gauze taped to his chin underneath it. A large, dark bruise was under his right eye and he also had another cut, this one open, up near his hairline on his forehead.

As she got closer, Oakley saw his right hand had two of his fingers taped. His knuckles were also bruised and had small cuts on them. Kayce tried to smile at Oakley but it looked like he was in pain.

"What happened?" Oakley asked as she stopped right in front of him.

"I'll explain," Kayce said.

"Who did that to you?" Oakley ignored him, reaching forward and holding his coat open to check for more damage to his body.

"I'm okay," Kayce tilted his head, trying to catch Oakley's eyes.

"You were supposed to be rounding up horses," Oakley looked back at his face and grimaced.