The Healing Ranch

Chapter 3

Megan was relieved to find her dad exactly where she had left him, staring out the window. She looked at the shell of a man that he had become and her heart squeezed as she remembered the hearty, happy and hardworking man he had used to be. Now he needed help going to bed because he couldn't remember that he was supposed to sleep. He turned at the slam of the door.

"Megan you're home." She smiled a little. It must be one of his good days since he remembered her name.

"Yes dad. I just ran to town for groceries. What's up?" She wheeled over to him and looked over the ranch like he was, wishing she could know what he was thinking of. He had a frown on his face looking confused.

"When did this ranch get so bad?" He frowned as if he hadn't seen the exact same ranch yesterday.

"What do you mean dad?" She prayed he wouldn't get angry because he was so much more harder to work with and getting worked up just made him more confused.

"I mean this ranch is falling apart. You need to hire someone to help out girl. Can't expect you and me to do all the work around here." As if he could ever help her do anything around here any more. She stifled a sigh.

"I think we are doing just fine dad!" She didn't  want to say anything about their financial situation because that would just make him confused and most likely angry.

"We aren't doin' fine. You hire a hand to help out and then we will be doin' fine." He turned to glare at her and she just nodded.

"I'll look into it dad. Don't you worry at all about it." She tried to smile reassuringly but it didn't work. Not that it mattered though. Her dad had already turned to the window, that blank, glassy look stealing into his eyes. Megan knew he didn't remember anything of what just happened so she moved off to start putting groceries away. At her movement her dad turned around again.

"Margaret is that you?" Megan sighed and closed her eyes tightly. It was amazing how he could be seemingly normal one minute and the next be completely ignorant of the conversation they just had and be mistaking her for her dead mother.

"Yes. I'm just cooking some supper quick so you just sit down and read the paper or something." Megan knew it wouldn't do any good to tell him her name and that she was his daughter now. Not when his eyes looked like they were a million miles away.
****
The next morning Megan drove back into town. This time she had asked one of the neighbours to come check in on dad and he had been only too happy to help. She felt bad taking charity though and promised him something for his troubles. Maybe she would bake him a pie since he was a bachelor.

She had thought long and hard about what her father had said last night. In the end she decided to trust that little glimpse into what her father used to be and ask around town for someone to help out on the ranch. They didn't have any money, but she supposed that a lot of people here would work for a very minimum amount of money and she could always pay them their full amount once they sold more cattle. She would make it work. Besides she had come to realize it was absolutely impossible to run the ranch on her own, especially from a wheelchair.

"Megan! Good to see you again!" Elizabeth Wells waved to her as she rolled down the ramp she used to get in and out of her vehicle outside of the post office.

"Lizzy! How've you been doing?" Megan rolled over to her friend with a big smile. She had known Elizabeth since she was a baby and they were around the same age. They'd always been close even though after her accident, Megan realized that they weren't as close as she had actually thought. Not just to Elizabeth but to everyone for that matter.

"Oh I've been great. Jake and I just got back from visiting his parents in Texas. You know it is such a beautiful state and I think you would love..." Megan zoned out as she caught sight of the tall, handsome man that had butted so rudely into her business yesterday in the grocery store. He was climbing down from his truck just across the street from them, and she watched as he walked purposefully to the feed store. She has to admit he was extremely good looking. He had completely disarmed her yesterday and after her conversation with Andrew she had been rather snippy at him. He had shaggy brown hair that curled out from the end of his baseball cap. He was tall, broad shouldered and muscled, although not enough  to look buff since he was more on the lanky and lean side.

"Megan? I asked you a question." Elizabeth looked a little concerned as she jolted Megan back to the conversation.

"Huh? Oh I'm sorry. I didn't hear you. Kind of just zoned out there." She laughed an embarrassed laugh and Elizabeth just shook her head in amusement.

"I asked how you are doing out there in the ranch. I heard about Andy and I just wondered how you were managing?"

"Well we aren't doing too bad I guess. I do need a hand though. I came into town to put up job posters. Do you know anyone?" Megan carefully left out the bit of being almost bankrupt because if Elizabeth heard about it, the whole town would soon hear about it too.

"Hmmm. I don't. If I hear of anyone looking for a job I will let you know though!" She smiled and then glanced at her phone. "Oh my! I must be going. Jake wanted to meet for lunch. We should catch up more sometime!" Elizabeth bent and hugged Megan quickly and then waved and was gone before Megan could say bye. Megan just shook her head and went into the post office to put up the ad for help. Next she rolled over to the feed store to put an ad up there. As she was tacking it to the bulletin board a voice stopped her.

"Looking for a hired hand?" The deep, smooth voice with the slight southern twang to it made her turn and she saw the man from yesterday. He bright blue eyes seemed to bore into hers and she had to admire his perfectly sculpted face.

"Well yes I am." She wondered why he cared, especially after the way she had treated him yesterday.

"Well I'd like to apply." She started and looked at him with wide eyes.

"Really?"

"Yup. Names Tate Simmons. Pleased to meet you." He stuck his hand out and she shook it, feeling the callouses that spoke of the hard work this stranger had obviously done.

"I'm Megan Brooks. I'm sorry for the way I acted yesterday. You kind of caught me at a bad time." She smiled apologetically and his answering smile almost took her breath away.

"Don't worry about it. Anyway how do I apply for this job?"

"Well I don't really know. I guess since I don't know you, I would like to do a little interview with you. I want to know your experiences and what you are like."

"Sounds reasonable. When and where?" His agreement took her by surprise and she floundered for a minute.

"Uh how about the ranch? Tomorrow around 3?"

"Works for me." After giving him directions to the ranch, Megan headed back to her vehicle. After loading herself in and using the hand controls to get the vehicle moving she realized what she had just done. Promised an interview to a complete stranger who she knew nothing about. She also had no money to pay this stranger if he did get the job. She groaned quietly.

"What have I got myself into?"