Scandalous

Invited to join Stacy for coffee, Eric thinks for a moment that he'd better just go clean himself up and get started on chores. But... He cocks his head and looks up at her. If he passed up the offer, then perhaps he really hadn't retained what he'd learned here, sitting and watching the sunrise. Life was short.

He smiles as he stands and brushes some hay off himself. "I'd like that," he accepts. "And I'm gonna need plenty coffee today." He chuckles and leads the way to the ladder.

As they both descend on the barn floor, Eric spies someone looking around the corner at them with raised eyebrows. His cheeks flush slightly and he clears his throat. "Morning."

Sparky wanders into full view, the curiosity evident on his face as he looks between both Eric and Stacy. "Yeah... good morning."

Eric deliberately offers no explanation as to why he'd been up in the hayloft with Stacy, and simply turns for the door, leaving Sparky to continue chores. Once outside as they walk, Eric throws Stacy a sidelong glance that accompanies a stifled laugh. "Scandalous," he mutters teasingly. "Simply scandalous."


Dylan reads Dan's text message... over... and over... and one more time. Inner walls were crumbling one by one, leaving him feeling vulnerable and wanting only one thing - safety. From this life. From himself.

His thumbs hover above the mini keyboard on the phone.

Bang, bang, bang. "Dylan!"

He jumps and looks to the locked door.

"C'mon - let us in - I forgot the key!"

Dylan glances back at the phone. Searching the text messages he quickly erases the conversation he'd just had before stuffing the phone in his pocket and rising to get the door. Dan's last message would go unanswered.


Zach grins and nods. "I think that would be great. If you'd like, sometime you can come down on a day I'm there and I can introduce you and show you around."

Sighing deeply with a full stomach, he glances at his watch then back at Beth. "You still... wanna go see a movie or something? I have no idea what's playing or what you even like."