Lie

Jamison grinned a little at the compliment on his memory. "Yeah, I don't really have a photographic memory, but I guess it's pretty close. I forget not everybody remembers things like I do." It would seem his talent really would come in handy around here, especially as he learned all these new things that were far outside his wheelhouse. He wasn't used to walking into a situation half-blind like this, and he hadn't expected to be placed with the tech guys, but... something new didn't scare him. He loved to learn, and this was a pretty steep learning curve without any formal computer training, but at least he would be challenged, and that's where he thrived. 

At Dalton's question, he shook his head. "Nope. Well, not in the romance category." He quirked a little grin. "When I get lonely though, I turn to these guys." He reached in his back pocket to pull out his wallet where several slightly tattered pictures were. "This is my youngest sister, Tiffany, with her husband John and their two girls, Isabelle who's five now, and Meghan just turned three. Then this is my middle sister, Kim with her husband Paul, and then this is my oldest sister, Lynn with her husband Keith and their two kids, Chloe who's eight and Evan will be six next month."

His eyes lit up as he described each little family, proving how much he adored them. "I'm closest to Tiffany since she's just a year older than me, but she lives out in New Jersey." His tone dropped just a little. "I got to see them last year, but Skype comes in handy. Then Kim and Lynn both live about five hours away in Utah." He didn't talk often about his family, but when he did, he always missed them just a little more. Especially his nieces and nephews. 

Putting the pictures away, he sighed. Keeping himself busy every day helped, but he did get lonely sometimes. Even his parents lived ten hours away in northern Utah. Surrounding himself with work and books and new things to learn was his life. 


Kirk grinned, rather liking it when Adison toyed with his hair, and returned her quick kiss. He laughed at her comment, a mischievous twinkle entering his eye. "Dessert huh? As in ice cream or... did you have something else in mind?" 

Standing up, he grabbed his car keys and slipped his arm around her shoulders to walk out. "I'm thinking...subs. We can discuss dessert...later..." 


Aaron would just as soon not discuss his family. His childhood had not been a happy one, and he didn't like revisiting it. But he also knew if he clammed up, that would just signal a weak spot that Sam could pick at and get a foothold on his psyche. So the best option was to just talk about it and act as though none of it bothered him. 

Doing his best to keep a neutral expression, he simply shook his head. "No, we weren't close. No surprise though, since our mom was never around either." He smirked. "I'm not sure which boyfriend was my father, but Jacqueline and I think we figured out which guy was her's at least. Between our mom's booze and shacking up with guys who knows where, me and Jacqueline were pretty much on our own. By the time she got to high school though, she was running with a new crowd that didn't include little brothers, so I was...left to my own devices most days."

Try as he might, he couldn't hide the pain in his eyes. He could smirk all he wanted, and hold his chin high, but he had no idea he was still exposing his hurt through his gaze at Sam. It was all strategy to share his story so she couldn't ask again nor think it was a sore spot. But confident words were not a thick enough mask.

"When I was seventeen, I got in a fight after school. Not my first, mind you. I won. And while I was walking home, a man approached me. At first I thought he was military, but he wasn't. Talked about bigger and better things. Talked about getting me out of the slums and into a place where I could sharpen my skills and use my aggression against enemies." He shrugged. "I had nothing to lose, and it was either that or wind up working in the rubber tire factory like the rest of the losers from that part of town. So I went home, packed a bag the next day and the guy picked me up in his car." He'd never graduated. Never said goodbye to his mother. Never had seen his sister again. 

"And that was that. I finally had a future." He shook his head. "And now...I'm here, wishing I never would have trusted Garret Jackson, because he ruined it all."


"Psst. Hey. Dylan." 

Dylan was just walking past the barns in the evening light, and spun around to see Travis. He arched one eyebrow skeptically. "What?" 

Travis tucked his hands in his jacket pockets and looked around to make sure no one else was within earshot. "You seen Ashlee all day?"

"You mean since you to got back from your little joyride?"

Travis' eyes narrowed, and he sighed. "Yeah, that's what I mean."

"Nope. Figure she's hibernating." 

Travis glanced down to the bunkhouses. "She got a window?" 

Dylan almost laughed. He'd talked to Ashlee through her window once himself a while back in a not-so-different situation. "Yeah." The wheels in his mind turned. "Back side of the bunk. East corner." 

"Thanks." Travis nodded. He just wanted to make sure Ashlee was okay, that was all. And apologize. 

"Uh-huh." Dylan turned and kept walking to go finish up a few chores before turning in for the night. 

It was a while later when Travis emerged from his own bunk again, and after dark. He didn't know when Stacy did her rounds, but if he went straight to Ashlee's window, it wouldn't matter, right? Carefully walking in the shadows of the quiet ranch, he sneaked around to the bigger bunkhouse and around the back where Dylan had directed him. A light was on. At least that meant she would be awake. 

What he didn't know was that Dylan had lied about whose window he was really going to. 

He tapped lightly on the glass before speaking quietly. "Ashlee?"