Too Much

Pocketing his phone again, Tal's smile fades just a little. Closing his locker, he puts his baseball cap on and slings his jacket over his shoulder, limping on this way out of the shop. 

"Hey - you still coming over tonight?" 

Tal stops and turns to look at Eli, who still had to work a couple hours yet. "Hmm? Oh. Sorry, no. Ryan just called - we're gonna go out."

"Well you don't look very happy about it." 

Tal shrugs. "She wants to talk about something. I guess with the way she's been lately..."

Eli quirks an eyebrow. "Don't worry 'til you have to. Quit moping and go have a good time. I'll have me a nice steak...with the dog."

Tal manages a smile and he shakes his head. "I think I'm gonna be more glad when Scarlet gets home tomorrow than you, so I don't have to listen to you whining anymore." Heading on out to his car, he figured he could run a couple errands, go home and get cleaned up and still have time to meet Ryan at the restaurant for dinner.

Answering his phone, Alec was rather surprised to hear Ryan's voice. They'd parted on good terms today and she wanted to see him again, but he hadn't expected a call. Smiling, he leans back against the kitchen counter after having just put a few things away for Misty. "Hey..." 

The good feelings he'd had though, start to fade quickly with the word, "but." And as his heart starts to sink, his smile dissolves. What was she saying? He could hear the emotion in her voice and detected tears. But why was she saying she loved him and telling him to leave her be at the same time? He didn't understand. If she couldn't let go of what he'd done, why had she said she forgave him? Why had she smiled at him the way she had? Why had she said she still loved him? 

Confusion riddles Alec's mind and heart, and quite suddenly he realizes that Ryan had stopped speaking. "Okay." His voice was quiet...defeated. He did love Ryan. And if this was what she wanted... he didn't have much of a choice. Eli was on the warpath... Ryan herself didn't want to see him... there wasn't much left. And all hope that had risen earlier was all at once gone, leaving a dark, empty hole once more. 

Swallowing hard, he stares at the kitchen floor. He'd been foolish. To think he even had any kind of chance at all with Ryan had been so stupid. She said she wanted to be friends... but he had his doubts it was true. And even if it was, she didn't want it now anyway. 

Feeling the tears sting his eyes, he clears his throat. "I'm sorry... I asked too much of you. I won't bother you anymore." There was more he wanted to say. More about his feelings. More about his love. But this time... he knew it was pointless. "Take care of yourself, Ryan." 

Taking the phone from his ear, he flips it shut, not wanting to prolong the conversation. He'd pushed, and this was the result. It was his own fault. But it still hurt. 

Talk

Looking down again and running a hand over the side of the car Ryan just continues to think about Leo's words. He was right, she did need to make a desition and she needed to do it soon. In this whole thing someone was going to get hurt and she new that, it was best to do it now before it got harder, and before she went mad herself.

   "Thanks Leo, for always being my friend through everything. I really do appreciate it and you."

Pushing off the car and taking her cell phone from her pocket Ryan plays with it for a few moments. Walking out of the shop and around the corner she calls Tal's phone. They were more than likely going to hang out tonight like always at her place but she wanted to talk to him alone tonight. 

   "Hey Babe, sorry to bother you at work but...I was wondering if you'd like to do dinner and a walk on the beach tonight. I...have something I need to talk to you about."

Happy that Tal had agreed to go out tonight with her Ryan really hadn't expected anything else. She loved spending time with her, and being there where they were no matter what. That was one thing she liked about Tal.

Closing her eyes for a second Ryan collects her thoughts before opening them again and dialing Alec's number this time. Waiting Ryan wasn't sure if he'd even answer or not. He might not even be home. Continuing to wait Ryan lets out a small sigh...on one hand she wanted him to answer, and on the other she didnt but she had to talk to him.

   "Hey Alec it's Ryan. Listen...I wanted to tell you what I said before when you here is the truth. I do still love you...but...I can't let go of what you did to me. Not yet, not this soon."

Sucking in a deep breath Ryan could feel a hot tear trickle down her cheek. It hurt, it hurt very much to say what she was saying but Leo had stuck something inside of her and to give up Tal right now...it would be something that very possibly she might regret later down the road. It was something...she wasn't ready to chance. She loved Alec, but Tal...there was something about him that went her mind was not clouded over powered that feeling.

   "I want to be friends Alec. I'd like us to build a friendship again, but right now...please...if you do still love me will you take a few steps back and let me work through this with Tal? I need to find out if this is my path now, and than our friendship can come after."

Okay?

Leaving his work be for now, Leo leans on the car as he continues to study Ryan. She really did seem upset about this whole thing - not to the point of it being obvious to everybody, but it showed in her eyes... in her tone. Leo hadn't dated her for all that long, but it had been enough for him to get to know her pretty well. And right now, he could see the inner battle she was facing. 

"Well... from past experience... if somebody's gonna get hurt... better to do it sooner than later when you're in even deeper." He purses his lips grimly. He knew she didn't want to hurt Tal. Whether anybody else saw it or not, Leo knew she had a soft spot in her heart underneath her toughness - it pained her to hurt anybody else, especially when she cared for them. 

"I gotta admit, I'm a little surprised you're stuck where you are. What I've heard about Alec isn't all that great." He shrugs. It was her life, but he had his own opinions. "But if you really are having a hard time saying no to him... maybe that's where your heart has been all along. Seems to me, you and he have something that goes deeper than a casual relationship if you can actually overlook the things he's done, and if he's still pursuing you. On the other hand, I thought you seemed pretty happy with Tal." 

Letting his gaze fall back to the car engine, he reaches for a wrench. It wasn't his call - it was hers, and he didn't have a right to go choosing sides. He did hope she made the right decision though. Tal was an honest, kind, godly man. Alec was... not. At least from what Leo knew. But Ryan wasn't stupid - she wouldn't go kissing a guy who was a dirtbag, and again... it was her own business.

"Just make sure when you decide, that later down the road you won't look back and regret which route you took. 'Cause then you got nothing." 

"Is Ryan okay?" 

Eli turns his attention from removing tape from the car that had been painted. Tal's question had caught him off guard, and he wasn't sure what was meant by it. "What do you mean?"

"I dunno." Tal shrugs lamely as he helps remove the tape. His eyes remain on his work and don't travel to Eli. "Just wondered if everything was okay lately, I guess."

"Why?"

It takes a moment for Tal to figure out his response. "She's just seemed a little... well, 'distant' doesn't feel like the right word, but something like that. I don't know. Just something feels... off."

Eli quirks an eyebrow. He knew that Ryan had not spoken about Alec to Tal, but was it that turmoil Tal had been sensing? "Eh... ya can't always read women. They like to keep us guessing."

Tal throws him a wry grin, but his eyes remain clouded. It wasn't that he was really worried, or all that concerned. There was just something different about Ryan lately that he couldn't put his finger on. She didn't seem upset... and she was still smiling and still seemed satisfied with their relationship - he was trying his hardest to please her. And yet... it was almost like storm clouds in the distance, despite a forecast of sunny skies. "Okay, well, just thought I'd ask. Guess it's nothing."

As Tal continues to work, Eli pauses, watching him for a moment. It wasn't nothing, and that was the problem. But maybe after his little conversation with Alec yesterday, Ryan wouldn't be stuck in the middle anymore.

Stopped from stepping away, then being pulled back in for another, deeper kiss, Rosalyn doesn't hesitate to return it. She loved how it felt to be in Chad's arms... she loved his warmth... she loved the way his kisses felt. She didn't know if it would feel the same with another man or not, but she didn't care to find out. 

As Chad draws back, she smiles up at him, enjoying the touch of his hand. "Mmm... you better let me go or else I might just drag you to the couch with me and use you as a pillow." Running her palms down his arms to meet with his own hands, she gives them a squeeze. "Come early and you'll have me to yourself for a little while before it fills up in here." 

Finally letting go, she turns and heads for the little living room off the dining room, before she really did drag Chad along with her... 

The couch was a comfortable one, but it still wasn't Rosalyn's bed, so sleep didn't come all that easily, even if she was exhausted. Eventually getting to sleep at a late hour though, her body did not want to rise when she'd planned. Sleeping through her cell phone's alarm, she missed rising and getting started with her day early like she'd wanted. Instead, she still lay sound asleep on the couch under a blanket, still in her clothes from the day before. 

Hurting!

Pulling away from Con a little bit Katie smiles up at him a little. She new this would not be the last time she saw him, and she new that Con was not going away anywhere but still knowing he wouldn't be here hurt. But he had to do what was best for him and she did know that.

   "Oh Con, I know I will still see you but...just take care of yourself too."

Reaching in Katie gives Con another hug that last several moments. He was her big brother, the big brother she'd always wanted. He meant the world to her and she would indeed miss him no matter what.

Looking at Leo and hearing his question Ryan looks down at the car he was working on. Silent for several long moments Ryan just thinks. She should of guessed if someone thought something was wrong it would of been Leo, he was her best friend after all.

   "I don't know if I am or not Leo. It seems no matter why I try I keep hurting people. I told you once before when I went back to Alec that I thought I had made the wrong choose. What if I am going to do that again? My heart tells me one thing, and than my mind and logic tells me something completely different."

Letting out a sigh and looking up at Leo Ryan's eyes roam his. She was confused still, and stuck between loving two people. It was a hard desition to make but she new sooner or later she would have too no matter how much it hurt. It was only right and Ryan new that.

Brushing a strand of hair behind Rosalyn's ear Chad smiles at her once more. She really did make him happy, and he liked having her around. Coming to the ranch to see her again no matter what happened had been his best desition he had made.

   "Good Night my sweet princess."

As Rosalyn comes close to him Chad puts an arm over her shoulder leaning in to her a little bit. As she backs away from the kiss Chad holds her firm with his arm just leaning into her again. Pressing his lips to hers once more he lets a few more of his own emotions forward before breaking away. Running a finger over her jaw bone and down her neck a little it.