Supper

"No... no, he still has no memories." Justin falls silent for another moment or two, suddenly feeling very much that he didn't want to talk any more about this. He didn't like the questions. He didn't want to think about Jared any more today. But why it made him overly sensitive towards Beth was a mystery to him, which put him even more on edge.

"I guess I'm not confident, no," he concludes. Flopping back onto a throw pillow again, he withholds a sigh. "So you got any plans for the weekend?" Changing the subject yet again, he gropes for something that wouldn't touch any more of his nerves today.


"So... who's the guy?"

Ariel spins around to see the look of protective question on Colt's face. Studying him for a moment, she turns back to Jasper, combing out the gelding's mane after she'd given him a bath. The stable was her haven, so that's where she'd headed, trying to clear her mind of Trey. So much for that now. She wouldn't lead on that she was upset though. Nobody knew she'd spent the drive out here crying, and she'd like to keep it that way. "Who said there was a guy?"

"Word gets around about beach parties." Colt comes up on the other side of the horse to lean on Jasper's back, looking over at Ariel. "So? Better looking than me?"

Ariel smirks at him. "Maybe."

"You're cruel."

"I learned from the best." Her eyes flicker with a mixture of annoyance and humor. "Shouldn't you be out in the far pasture checking fences or something?"

Colt's mouth turns up into a smile. "Trying to get rid of me?"

"I thought I already did that."

"Oooh. Ouch." Colt feigns a stab to the heart. "And I was going to ask you out to dinner tonight and everything."

"You must be getting desperate."

"Yeah, well, you know how it goes. Wait, no... apparently you don't." He eyes her suspiciously. "So who is he?"

"It's none of your business, Nosy. And besides - it's over anyway."

"Aw, well that sucks."

Ariel reaches across and swats his arm with the horse comb. "Be gone!"

"Hey, watch where you whack that thing!" Colt moves around and takes Jasper's head in his hands, looking the horse in the eye. "Buck her off next time she rides you."

Ariel rolls her eyes. "As if. He wouldn't buck if you promised him sweet feed for life."

"It was worth a shot." Colt sighs and ambles away. "I got chores to do. See you later."

Ariel looks up and sighs, shaking her head. "Colt... I'll do supper with you."

Colt looks over his shoulder as he smiles. "I'll swing by your place after I'm done here tonight."

Concentrating on Jasper again, Ariel calls after Colt. "You still need to find yourself a new girl!"

"Yeah, yeah." He waves with his back to her as he continues his route to the stall he'd been cleaning.

Ariel smirks and whispers to her horse. "He'll never admit that he misses me. But you and I both know it's true." Though her mind still swam with questions about Trey, maybe supper out would help clear her head.


The morning dawned bright and clear. By breakfast, word had spread that Dylan was back at the ranch, though he hadn't shown up for the morning meal. It was difficult for those who had been worried to not go to him, but they all knew it was best to leave him be and let him come out in his own time.

Chores continued throughout the morning, everyone busy with their own tasks. It wasn't until close to noon that Mick takes a short break from his work...

"Dan?" Mick finds him in the barn and motions him towards the tack room. He hadn't spoken to him since yesterday, but it was time. "A word, please."

Entering the small room, he waits for Dan then shuts the door so they're completely alone. Folding his arms, he just studies the younger man for several moments. "I got some things I wanna say and... it's gonna take a few minutes, but all I ask is that you just listen." He really did have a lot to say and wasn't all sure how to say it so that it came out how he wanted.

"It's no secret that I've had it out for you from day one." He wasn't teasing, but wasn't being harsh either, and he continues to look Dan square in the eye. "I've been hard on you - especially since you and Jade started to date." The information wasn't new, but he felt the need to draw it all together so it could finally be concluded.

"I saw your potential but was disappointed in your past. When you got involved with Jade, I didn't trust you. I saw your heart and your dedication to God but there was still a lot about you that scared me."

Pausing a moment, he paces in a small circle to collect his thoughts. "I was asked why I didn't approve of you or like you, but the issue never was that I didn't like you - I've always liked you a lot. You've been a hard worker and have never let me down as one of my ranch hands. The truth of the matter is that I never was quite sure why I had a problem with you. I thought maybe it was your past. I thought maybe it was just a clash of personalities. I thought maybe it was just because you were the first guy who got serious with Jade." He shrugs. "But if I'm going to be completely honest, then I have to admit that I didn't know the real reason, and I wasn't willing to think about it - until last night."

Taking another moment, he purses his lips. It was obvious that he was in very deep thought. "When Dylan said you brought him home, I suddenly realized that I haven't truly been looking at you for yourself. I've been looking at another young man named Logan Philips. Quite honestly, that realization hit me pretty hard and I feel stupid for not seeing it sooner. I guess I just wasn't willing to take the time and figure out my own feelings."

Mick cocks his head, hoping that Dan was following his train of thought. "Logan was a guy I worked with when I was, unknowingly, working for the Agency there for a few years. He had a lot of potential and I really liked him. I helped him climb the ladder and got him to where we'd partner up every once in a while for cases. He was good. Then one day we had a mission that went bad - because he dropped the ball. He folded and let us all down. I realized that while he did have potential, that I'd overlooked his weaknesses - and it cost us two lives that day. He wasn't who I'd thought he was."

He swallows hard, not liking the memory that he'd tried hard to forget. "They say we all have twins in this world - and I've suddenly realized that you could easily be Logan's. The way you look, the way you walk, the way you talk... everything. And without even realizing it, since you started here, I saw Logan, and I knew I couldn't trust you. I was waiting for that day when you'd fold and let us down and I was afraid of what it would be - something with the horses... breaking Jade's heart... anything. And..."

He stops again and takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I never gave you a fair chance. While I didn't understand what I was feeling, that doesn't make it right, and it's my fault for not allowing myself to see you as you and not someone else. When you brought Dylan home... I suddenly realized that while we all do fail sometimes and let others down once in a while... the big fall I was looking for... it simply didn't exist. And that's the difference between you and Logan. He had a cocky streak that wound up being his downfall. That's what you don't have. And I realize now that... I can trust you a lot more than I have been."

Mick studies Dan's eyes, as if truly seeing him as a different man for the first time. "A month ago, I was pretty upset that you let Dylan walk away from here. I didn't agree with you and... there was a part of me that blamed you for not stopping him."

A wry sort of grin surfaces. "They say you can't teach old dogs new tricks but... I'm a pretty old dog and... I just learned something new. I learned that my own past experiences sometimes do get in the way and I can't see the real truth. Because the reality is that you're a good man. You've stuck it out here, you've respected me despite our differences, you've been a hard worker and... you've looked out for my son."

It takes another short pause for Mick to take control of his emotions. "I blamed you for letting Dylan go... but if it wasn't for you, he wouldn't be back now either. And... I need to thank you for that. I couldn't bring him back on my own. I couldn't rescue him. But you did. And I'll always be grateful for that."

Glancing at the floor then back up again, a new look was in Mick's eyes. It was a look of a father's love for both of his children. It was a look of defeat. A recognition that he needed to let go. "You've proven to me that first, you're more than I gave you credit for. And second, you're a man of God and a man of integrity. And as such..." He takes another deep breath. "...I have no right to keep you and Jade from getting married whenever you want." Emotions pool in his eyes. "Maybe last night was about you rescuing Dylan... maybe it was about me learning a lesson... but because of those, I can no longer feel right about standing in your way. Just promise me you'll take care of Jade, respect her, and be as godly a husband as you can be...and you both have my blessing. It's you I see now - not the failings of a man from my past."