The Healing Ranch

Chapter 21

It was early the next morning when Tate drove back into the ranch yard. His head pounded after another night of heavy drinking and his limbs were stiff after sleeping in his truck overnight. He had kept his word to Megan and had not driven home drunk though. He hated the heavy feeling inside of him, because despite how much he drank, he always remembered his pain in the morning. Right now, Megan's face as she watched him leave haunted him and her pleas rang in his ears. Sighing, he walked onto the porch, not knowing what he would find inside. He opened the door and pulled off his boots, before stepping into the living room and stopping short at the sight that greeted his eyes. Megan was fast asleep in the chair, with the Christmas tree lights blazing.

"Oh Megs." His heart hurt as he took in the awkward angle she was sleeping at and as he drew closer he could see the tear tracks that had ingrained themselves into her cheeks. He blinked hard and his headache seemed to worsen. Stooping down he gently picked her up, cradling her close and carrying her into her room.

"Tate?"She stirred a little in his arms and her eyes fluttered open.

"Shh. I'm right here hon." Instead of coaxing her back to sleep, his words seemed to wake her up more.

"Tate! I was so worried and I am so so sorry and I left the tree lights on and stayed up in case you came home but I guess I fell asleep and I...." She broke down then and he swallowed hard.

"Shh darlin. It's all okay now." He laid her gently on the bed, but she kept her arms tight around his neck.

"Please don't leave Tate. What time is it?"

"Okay I won't leave. Just let me pull my jeans off okay? It's 4:30 in the morning." He spoke in a low, soothing voice, hating that he was the one who had put her into this state. She slowly released his neck and he quickly stripped out of his clothes before stretching out on the bed beside her, his muscles screaming in protest.

"Tate. I'm so sorry." Tears were still trickling down her face and his heart broke even more than it already was at the sight of the sad, lonely girl. Her blonde hair hung down her back in a mess and her eyes were red and swollen from crying.

"It's okay Megan. I'm the one that is sorry." He pulled her to him, liking the way that she wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed herself as close as she could get to him. Her warmth felt good against his cold, and tired body.

"No everything you said last night was right. I have no business trying to get involved with your family. I just.. I just want you to talk to your mom so bad! She misses you so much and.. I guess it's just so hard for me to understand because I have no one and you choose to push the people that love you away. I would kill to have my family back Tate!" She sniffled and he could feel his chest growing wet from where she had her face buried in it.

"Megan, I overreacted. I have a mean temper on me and it's somethin I've struggled with ever since I was old enough to talk. It ain't a crime for you to talk to my mama and now that I've stopped to think about it, I don't mind it at all. I'm glad y'all seem to get along. Last night it just felt like you betrayed me."

"I know Tate. I should have told you. I just didn't want you to get mad and it was only the second time I had talked to her and.." She broke down again and he held her close, brushing her hair away from her face and shushing her.

"It's okay baby. It's okay." When she had stopped crying he pulled back a little to look at her. "I get why you can't understand me but.. it's just hard for me to remind myself of what I did. I know my mama and dad miss my brother and it's hard to know that you are the reason for someone's pain. So it's easiest for me to just not see them or hear them. Then I don't have to remember their pain."

"I get it Tate. But it isn't your fault." He didn't say anything to that, just held her tighter. After a long silence she spoke again.

"Do you think you could call her sometime this holiday season?" The question was simple enough but it sent a sharp pang through his chest and he inhaled sharply. She didn't react, just waited for his answer.

"Maybe Megan. I can try anyway. For you." He bent to kiss the top of her head and smiled when she kissed his chest.

"That's all I ask for."

*****

The next few days were full of lightness and fun. Megan spent most of her time baking Christmas goodies and thinking about what to get Tate. Tate spent most of his time outside working as usual, but in the evenings he would help Megan and they would laugh and dance around to the Christmas music that was always playing. They hadn't brought up Tate's mother again and Megan hadn't talked to her either.

"Tate don't do that!" Megan warned and then laughed when Tate made a face after taking a pinch of cookie dough.

"Why does it taste so gross?" He wrinkled his nose in disgust and she laughed again.

"Because you have to cook it and frost it before you eat it." He just shook his head in disappointment and kept stirring the dough faithfully. Megan beamed when she looked over at him. Despite their fight a few days ago, Tate looked happier than he had when he had first started working for her. His brown hair was getting longer again and was always somewhat a mess due to the hat he wore everywhere.

"Why are you starin at me?" He suddenly turned to look at Megan and she blushed bright red.

"Umm.. What do you want for Christmas?" She quickly changed the subject and wished her face wasn't so bright red. Tate knew she liked him, and she knew he liked her, but she wasn't sure if their relationship was far enough to tell him that she thought he was the handsomest man she had ever seen. After all, their 'relationship' only consisted of innocent kisses now and then and talking to each other. They also sometimes slept in the same bed and cuddled together but no one had ever addressed their feelings to the other except to say they care.

"Don't try and change the subject on me." Tate raised an eyebrow at her and she laughed, and blushed harder.

"Well what do you want?" He just shook his head at her and smirked.

"Nothin. I don't need anythin right now. I'm okay with just havin you. Plus you are pretty cute when you blush." Megan laughed nervously again and ducked her head, her heart racing faster. Was this his way of telling her that he wanted a relationship?

"Aww you don't have to hide." Suddenly his big hand went under her chin and lifted her head up so she could meet his eyes. She saw laughter dancing in them and she just shook her head in amusement. He was just teasing her. He bent down and kissed her lightly on the lips and then turned back to the cookies he was mixing.

"Seriously though Tate. I don't know much about you, except for your deep dark secrets." She teased him and he laughed.

"That is true. I guess our relationship goes a lot deeper than the surface." Her heart leaped and she looked at him harder. Was he implying they were already in a relationship? He didn't say anything more and she decided that he didn't mean anything.

"So what do you like to do? What should I get you for Christmas?" She questioned again and he just shrugged.

"I don't know Megs. I like workin hard I guess. I used to be more into huntin and rodeoin but once I started driftin I didn't do much of those." Megan nodded, pondering his words over and over again. She had to come up with something to give him for Christmas.

******

Sorry this is a short chapter and not very good towards the end. I kind of just needed something to make it a bit longer and this is what I came up with! There will be another chapter coming soon though and I promise it will be better than this one! :) Thanks for reading guys and I hope you are still enjoying the book! ~S