New look

Hearing Dan was still at the ranch, Mick really wasn't surprised, but he wasn't all that thrilled either. "I see."

He reaches for his coffee and takes a sip, his eyes showing he was thinking. "I know he's a good worker," he admits. "I don't know... maybe I just got off on the wrong foot with him. Sensing there was more to his past than he said, but not realizing I should have known it in the beginning. I don't know. Maybe it's a personality issue."

Mick sighs. Or maybe it was seeing a greater potential than he had in other young workers so he wanted to push Dan to make him go far. Maybe there was a part of Dan that reminded Mick of himself and that's what was the scariest part. He didn't want to see Dan make some of the same mistakes he had.

Another connected subject comes to mind, but he's afraid to ask. The reason he'd left on bad terms with Dan wasn't because of personalities or potential - it was because of his daughter. "And... him and Jade?"


"Yeah, hello?" Jay answers the phone holding a hand over his open ear to block out the background noise. Hearing Katie's voice, he immediately breaks into a wide smile. "Katie!" He couldn't hide his pleasure if he wanted to. Not only had she called him on Christmas, but she'd called him Dad too.

"Hey, kiddo. Merry Christmas! How are you?"


JT nods, holding Bree a little tighter. "Amanda and I have already talked about a foursome camping trip. No city, no work, no phones.... just the four of us. I think it'd do us all good and I betcha Gunner would come too."

Guiding Bree to the bed, he sits down with her. "We could even bring his telescope. The stars must look amazing out beyond the city lights."


Hands stuffed in his jacket pockets, Ty wanders down the sidewalk. It was quiet... much quieter than normal. Shops were closed and there was far less traffic. People were inside homes with families or out of town on a day like today. But not Ty.

He'd been asked by Wyatt to join him, Aerith, Reese and Angelica for dinner, but he'd declined, saying that he'd been invited to Texas. That was true - he'd been asked by his mom. When she'd asked him, he'd told her that he'd been invited to a dinner here - which was also true. He'd just left out the part to either person that he'd declined the other offer. He really wasn't sure why, but he didn't feel in the festive spirit this year. Come to think of it, he couldn't remember when he really had. His home life hadn't been great and by the time he left there, he'd been in some trouble with company that could care less about Christmas. This year he just felt like keeping his distance from the hubbub. No one would miss him.

Continuing to walk, his stomach growls. Lunchtime. And he'd skipped breakfast. He couldn't be seen around the house until later though, so he'd have to find something out here to eat. Good luck finding that.

But luck was with him more than he thought. Coming to a familiar little cafe, he sees that they're open. The owners either weren't festive either or they wanted to cater to people like him.

Entering by the front door, Ty sees that there are very few people inside. Only two or three at this point. He wanders to the counter and stares up at the menu board like he normally did. But this time, he was met with a surprise. "Hey, Joe, you've remodeled!"

"You bet we have." The guy behind the counter grins. "New color, new logo... What do you think?"

"It's pretty," Ty agrees. There was only one problem. The number menu was gone.

"What'll it be today, Ty?"

"Um... I don't see your number five anymore."

"Nah, we've switched things around a little bit. All the chicken is there on the left panel." Joe points with a pencil. "Few new things, too."

"I... see that." Ty shifts his weight and stares at all the words that were up there. There weren't as many pictures anymore either. "Um..." He sees that one of the customers has come back to the counter and was waiting for him. Being polite and buying himself some more time, he steps aside, letting the gentleman go ahead of him. Still squinting at the board, he backs up a step, not realizing that Libby was in the booth behind him.