The Healing Ranch

Chapter 7

It had been a couple weeks since Tate had started working for Megan. He enjoyed the work, and more and more started to realize that he enjoyed her company. She was always positive, even though life hadn't dealt her the best of cards. Tate was currently riding about 2 miles out from the ranch, checking fence on a new pasture closer to home. Winter wasn't far off and it was time to start thinking of moving the cows to the pasture right on the ranch instead of the one about 8 miles down the valley. Midnight shifted beneath him, and Tate patted his mane to steady him. Just then his phone rang, startling both him and the horse, who jumped sideways, but settled as soon as Tate spoke lowly to it. He grabbed his phone from his pocket and answered it without checking the number.

"Hello?"

"Tate. How's it going baby?" A smooth voice purred over the end of the line and his back stiffened immediately. He knew that voice anywhere.

"Brea? That you?" He knew it was her but asked the question anyway.

"Course it is darlin. Who else would it be? Or have you replaced me?" Her voice carried that heavy southern accent and he almost winced at the suggestive tone of it. Brea had been his on again, off again fling for years, even before he started drifting.

"Well no. I wouldn't say that I have." He felt uncomfortable talking to her now and he didn't know why. Somewhere in the back of his mind, a picture of Megan taunted him. He also hadn't thought of Brea since coming here. Was he replacing her?

"Good baby. I'm just wonderin when you're comin back down. We sure do miss you down Texas way." He frowned again.

"Brea I haven't been back in over two years. I ain't lookin to come back anytime soon." Since he originally took off, he'd been home a couple times, mostly for big holidays and to see his momma. Going home had started to hurt too much so for the past two years he had stayed far away.

"Mmm. What a shame. I sure do miss you." He shook his head. Sounded like she had broken up with that guy she had gotten married too a little over a year ago.

"Yeah? Marriage didn't work out?" He felt cruel but he didn't know what to do with this girl. Usually he played along with her, and they always saw each other when he went back home, whether she was single or not. Now he didn't even want to talk to her. He knew she wasn't faithful, but it had never mattered to him because well, nether was he.

"Oh don't be mean Tate. You and I both knew it wasn't going too." He sure did. Which is why he had been avoiding her for the past year, ever since she had told him the news of her engagement.

"Yup. Why are you callin me though? I don't want to talk to you. We left what we had behind in the past. Last time you called to tell me about the engagement I told you to never call again." He had been angry that night. Not at Brea but at some guy who had made a hot shot comment in the bar, and landed him in jail for fighting the night before. Needless to say, Tate hadn't been in a good place last year. There was a long silence over the phone.

"I miss you Tate. And I miss hangin out with your family." Her tone was sincere and he closed his eyes against the pain that slashed through his chest.

"Yeah me too. But I ain't comin home anytime soon and even if I did, I ain't talkin to you. We were over a year ago and we should've been over a long time before that. Please don't call again Brea." He hung the phone up without hearing what else she had to say. Suddenly the fence was more important than anything else in the world.
****
He rode in just before the sun set, tired and dirty. He had found a few spots of the fence that needed fixing and had put his soul in the work. Anything to keep his mind of Brea and his family. He quickly brushed down Midnight, checked to make sure the horses had been fed and headed to the house. Megan always had the horses fed before he got back, even had the horses he was riding ready to go so all he did was swing the bucket over the door. Tonight was no exception. He stopped at the water barrel and splashed his face and arms with the cold water, cleaning the grime off them.

"Here Dad come eat. I made roast. It's your favourite." He heard Megan before he saw her and a little grin grew on his lips without his permission. He strode into the dining room. One look at her told him that she hadn't had a good day either. The bags under her eyes were dark and heavy and her eyes seemed to be a bit red and swollen. She was sitting behind her dad, trying to get him to come to the table.

"Hey Megan. James why don't you come sit? We can discuss the winter pasture over a hot plate of Megan's amazin cooking." She gave him a thankful look, and wheeled over to the table to finish setting it.

"I don't know who you are and I don't know why you are in my house." James looked at him, a hostile glint in his eyes. Tate had never seen him like that before.

"Ah. I'm sorry I must not have introduced myself. I'm Tate the new ranch hand." He stretched out his hand and watched as James looked at it in confusion, then took it slowly. After a few more pleasantries, Tate was able to lead him to the table.

"Thanks." Megan whispered, as she set his plate down in front of him. He caught her eyes and noticed the pain there, before nodding and turning to his food. He watched out of the corner of his eye as she got her own food and wheeled over to the table. Supper was silent, except for him trying to make small talk with James, who didn't answer much. Finally he helped Megan clear the table and then she disappeared. He could hear her talking to her dad softly and assumed she was coaxing him to go to bed.  An hour later she still hadn't come back, and he had washed, dried and put away the dishes. He wandered down the hallway towards the bathroom, not really wanting to go back to his little cabin yet.

"What would you do grandma? I just feel so lost." Megan's voice stopped him and he peeked his head around an open door. Megan sat on her bed holding a picture frame. Tears streamed down her face. Tate's heart broke, but he turned away from the scene. He didn't deserve to be the one comforting her. His past told him that much. Besides, he was pretty much a stranger to her and he didn't know if she would appreciate his nosing around more that he already had. Quietly he slipped out the door and headed to his empty little cabin. It was what he was used too, but suddenly it wasn't what he wanted anymore.