The Healing Ranch

Chapter 27

The next two days flew past in a whirlwind of rodeo, food, and cowboys who had at some point been Tate's friends. Megan's head spun as she thought about the past few days and how much she had seen and how many people she had met in the short span of time that they had been here. It seemed as if Tate had friends everywhere and there was always someone coming up to them to welcome him back. Megan was relieved at the fact that no one seemed to think of her as different.

"You ready to go?" Tate walked into the sitting area of their hotel room, tucking his shirt into his jeans as he walked, and then quickly fastening up his pants and his belt. He was wearing a black western shirt and blue jeans and had attempted to brush down his hair that curled down at the corners.

"I am." Megan nodded. They were meeting up with a bunch of Tate's friends to go out for supper on the river walk of San Antonio since it was their last night there. In the morning they were going to be heading north to Tate's hometown to visit his family.

"You look beautiful." Tate stooped to give Megan a quick kiss, before straightening up to grab his hat and pull on his boots. She blushed, even though it was something he said every time they went out together.

"Thank you Tate. I'm sure you will also have every girl's eye on you tonight." She winked at him and laughed, wheeling towards the door. Just as she passed him he leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"As long as one of them is you." She laughed and hit his chest and then allowed him to push her to the elevator. Nerves bubbled in her stomach as Tate confidently navigated the crowded downtown streets. She had met all his friends, but hadn't talked to many of them and she wanted desperately for them to like her. She was wearing a soft pink western blouse and dark jeans, also paired with her cowboy boots. She had left her hat in the hotel room and had chosen to do a fishtail braid in her long blonde hair.

"Is it bad that I'm a little nervous?" She blurted, wanting to talk to get her mind of the upcoming evening. Tate looked surprised as he stopped at a stop light and turned to look at her.

"Well no. But you don't have to be nervous. All these guys are nice guys, even if they are rodeo bums." She chuckled at his description and then shrugged.

"I want them to like me." The light had turned green again and Tate was focused on the road, but he grabbed her hand and brought it up to his mouth, leaving a gentle kiss on it.

"I promise they will." She squeezed his hand in response and then asked her next question.

"Will there be any other girls there?" Tate shrugged in response.

"I have no idea. Some of them might have girlfriends. Some of them might even bring a buckle bunny that they've been having fun with this weekend. I don't know what their plans are though." Megan nodded and bit her lip, hoping she didn't have to deal with snobby girls as well as the nervousness of being with Tate's friends.

"Who will all be there?" Again he shrugged.

"Honestly, I have no idea. Cole was invitin anyone who knows me I think." He laughed at her expression. "Oh come on. It won't be that bad. We went out for supper with a few of them the last couple nights."

"I know. But not all of them." The last two nights they had gone for supper with Cole and one other guy. Both nights they were different guys, but both of them had been friendly enough. Megan stared out the window as Tate pulled into a parking lot near the river walk.

"I guess this will have to be close enough. The parking is awful around here." He grimaced before jumping out of the truck and going to pay for parking. When he got back, he got Megan's wheelchair and helped her out of the truck.