Jim had just knelt to look at a horse's leg when his eyes catch sight
of Chad entering the barn. Immediately bristling, he tries to stay
calm, but only for the horse's sake. Its leg was bleeding enough the way
it was.
Opting to just ignore the other man, he starts
to clean the wound, his ears listening to Chad whether he liked it or
not. He was leaving, huh? Good. Jim didn't care about the reason as long
as he was gone. Words about Rosalyn didn't surprise him - she was his
daughter after all, and he already knew what a fine young woman she was.
Gently
wiping iodine over the deep cut in the horse's leg, his quiet demeanor
was a contrast to what was going on inside of him. Chad needed to get
out of here.
Purity was up for debate, and love?
Seriously? It wasn't love and Jim knew it. All Chad wanted was to
satisfy something else entirely. As far as taking anything out on
Rosalyn, Jim figured she could use a good talking to with some reminders
about family rules, and Chad would not interfere with that. How their
family ran was none of Chad's concern and Jim would have none of anyone
telling him how to handle things.
Prepping a bandage,
Jim's eyes remain on his task, his mouth shut. Chad could be as sorry as
he wanted to, but Jim had no intention of getting to know him. There
was no point. This little romance would not last.
Jim
pauses his work to finally turn his gaze and see Chad walk away. Good
riddance. It had been a pitiful battle, but at least the guy was finally
leaving.
It would be quite a while before
Rosalyn would wander away from the main building. Busying herself with
supper preparations, cleaning and laundry, she kept her mind occupied
and off of subjects that she didn't want to think about. Eventually
though, she knew she needed to go clean and put fresh linens in the
bunkhouse Chad had used. He'd been her guest after all, so she should be
the one to tidy up. Not that it would be hard - for as little time
spent with him, she could tell that, for a guy, he was pretty clean and
organized.
Making her way quickly to the bunk, she
avoids contact with anybody else. She knew he father was the only one
who had a real problem with Chad, but she was quite embarrassed with how
everything had turned out, and she'd just as soon not talk about it.
Upon
entering, her eyes immediately see Chad had left something on the bed.
Assuming it had been by mistake, she's ready to simply take it and keep
it until she sees him again, but seeing the note and bracelet along with
the shirt, she stops. Reading the note, new tears spring into her eyes.
Didn't he know this wasn't going to work? Couldn't he tell that it
would be too hard? It wasn't fair to him. He shouldn't have to put up
with this. For his sake, he should have just left for good and forgotten
the whole thing - including her. She had her phone in her pocket in
case he did text her to say where he was staying, but part of her
wondered if he actually would.
Easing down to sit on
the bed, Rosalyn fingers the bracelet. It was simple but pretty, and
even prettier to her, knowing who it had come from. Slipping it on her
wrist, she just looks at it for a few minutes. Then slowly, she lies
down on the bed, curling onto her side and pulling Chad's shirt close.
Her head sinks into the pillow and she breathes deeply his scent that
still lingered.
Opening her eyes, Cindy gives a start. How long
she'd been asleep on the couch, she wasn't sure. But after so many tears, talking,
more tears, more talking and even more tears, she had been utterly
exhausted. The dim light coming through the window suggested that
evening was upon them, and she knew that reality must be faced. She
couldn't stay here forever.
Sighing deeply, she nuzzles
her head into Wes' chest. Lying half on top of him, she didn't want to
leave his warmth and comfort. It all still felt like a dream, and she
was still scared of waking up and finding him gone again.
Finding
his hand, she curls her fingers around his. "We need to go to the
ranch," she mumbles softly. "I'm just not so sure about sharing you
yet."
"Yeah...okay." Scott wasn't all that sure
about going out for lunch today, but he would. Lunchtime would be here
shortly anyway since he'd gotten in to work so late.
Hearing
Dalton had finally popped the question, then being asked to be his best
man, Scott looks over to him quickly. A smile spreads on his lips and
he nods. "I'd be most honored." Work - and his problems - are forgotten,
at least for a few minutes. "Do you guys have a date set yet?"
Glancing
down and seeing Grace's foot gently rubbing against his own, Jared
moves his eyes back to hers, a faint grin just barely emerging. After
taking a sip of water, he concentrates for a moment before wriggling his
toes against her foot.
"Careful," he teases, "I might be tempted to give you another kiss."
Sticking a forkful of salad in his mouth, he tosses her a flirtatious look before his smile finally pushes through.
