Aaron didn’t respond right away to Sam, but after a few moments, he did sit up, and didn’t resist with Rick helped him slide from the table and stand. He was actually grateful not to have to worry about the stairs, though he didn’t say so. Remaining silent, he let Sam help him to the little bedroom, where he gingerly sat on the bed and propped his leg up with a pillow as he leaned back against the wall.
Ignoring her, he just closed his eyes. He really should blame her for this since she was the one who gave him a bad time last night. And yet...he also knew he should have been smarter. If Garret would have seen him, he’d... He stopped his thoughts. What would Garret care? He’d betrayed him. End of story.
Aaron opened his eyes again and looked at Sam with a hollow gaze. “Why are you here?” he questioned.
Ignoring her, he just closed his eyes. He really should blame her for this since she was the one who gave him a bad time last night. And yet...he also knew he should have been smarter. If Garret would have seen him, he’d... He stopped his thoughts. What would Garret care? He’d betrayed him. End of story.
Aaron opened his eyes again and looked at Sam with a hollow gaze. “Why are you here?” he questioned.
Trent smiled as he read Thirteen’s response, and quickly typed out a reply.
Life is good. Thinking of visiting soon. Will let you know.
Love and miss you too.
Feeling Thirteen moving around, Ryder pried open his eyes and shifted a little to see her. Apparently he’d fallen asleep at some point. He’d been so warm and comfortable here on the couch. “Everything okay?” he mumbled. She didn’t have very many people to call or text, so he wondered.
“Yeah... I’ll join ya.” Travis smiled and nodded. He’d be sure to get up on time in the morning. “Goodnight, Ashlee.” Finally turning, he wandered away slowly, glancing over his shoulder once before making his way to his own bunkhouse. Maybe there was more than one reason he’d been brought here.
Not too far away at his own bunkhouse, Dylan sat on his porch steps. The little scene hadn’t escaped his attention, and he felt his stomach turn just a little. He wasn’t even sure why, though. Ashlee was finding a new friend, and that was good, right? He should be happy for her, right? Besides, he could probably find a friend in Travis himself if he wanted to. So...why did he feel unhappy? Sighing, he eventually got to his feet to go inside and go to bed. Another long day awaited him tomorrow.
The morning broke bright and clear, and as promised, Travis was in the barn even before Ashlee, to help her with feeding. It was fun working alongside her, being able to laugh and chat about everything from horses, to school, to learning how to drive, to favorite movies. Travis knew that it wouldn’t be this fun to do chores every day, but he wouldn’t let that from at least letting him enjoy it for today. By lunchtime, he’d helped clean a row of stalls – as much as his ribs and arm would allow, and was given the rundown about the normal routines of which horses went where on most days. The best part though was his visit to Angel’s office.
...Sliding in to an empty seat next to Ashlee at one of the tables in the dining room, he gave her arm a nudge with his elbow. They’d parted ways earlier, and he hoped she wasn’t too sick of. “Hey...this seat taken?” He grinned. “Got some good news a few minutes ago... Angel cleared me to go riding, as long as I don’t do anything crazy, so...I thought maybe you could help me find which horse I could ride and...maybe go riding with me?”
Dylan slipped out the back door and trudged towards the barn. He tucked his hands in his jacket pockets and kept his eyes down. His stomach growled, but maybe he would just as soon work through lunch.
“Hey, you’re going the wrong way,” Sparky teased, meeting him halfway.
Dylan slowed and shrugged. “Not hungry,” he lied.
“Ah.” Sparky stopped and cocked his head. Was it just him, or had Dylan been even more withdrawn the last few days? He seemed even moodier than normal, like something was wrong. “Say...you wanna come have lunch with Faith and me? She’s making her chicken salad sandwiches...”
Love and miss you too.
Feeling Thirteen moving around, Ryder pried open his eyes and shifted a little to see her. Apparently he’d fallen asleep at some point. He’d been so warm and comfortable here on the couch. “Everything okay?” he mumbled. She didn’t have very many people to call or text, so he wondered.
“Yeah... I’ll join ya.” Travis smiled and nodded. He’d be sure to get up on time in the morning. “Goodnight, Ashlee.” Finally turning, he wandered away slowly, glancing over his shoulder once before making his way to his own bunkhouse. Maybe there was more than one reason he’d been brought here.
Not too far away at his own bunkhouse, Dylan sat on his porch steps. The little scene hadn’t escaped his attention, and he felt his stomach turn just a little. He wasn’t even sure why, though. Ashlee was finding a new friend, and that was good, right? He should be happy for her, right? Besides, he could probably find a friend in Travis himself if he wanted to. So...why did he feel unhappy? Sighing, he eventually got to his feet to go inside and go to bed. Another long day awaited him tomorrow.
The morning broke bright and clear, and as promised, Travis was in the barn even before Ashlee, to help her with feeding. It was fun working alongside her, being able to laugh and chat about everything from horses, to school, to learning how to drive, to favorite movies. Travis knew that it wouldn’t be this fun to do chores every day, but he wouldn’t let that from at least letting him enjoy it for today. By lunchtime, he’d helped clean a row of stalls – as much as his ribs and arm would allow, and was given the rundown about the normal routines of which horses went where on most days. The best part though was his visit to Angel’s office.
...Sliding in to an empty seat next to Ashlee at one of the tables in the dining room, he gave her arm a nudge with his elbow. They’d parted ways earlier, and he hoped she wasn’t too sick of. “Hey...this seat taken?” He grinned. “Got some good news a few minutes ago... Angel cleared me to go riding, as long as I don’t do anything crazy, so...I thought maybe you could help me find which horse I could ride and...maybe go riding with me?”
Dylan slipped out the back door and trudged towards the barn. He tucked his hands in his jacket pockets and kept his eyes down. His stomach growled, but maybe he would just as soon work through lunch.
“Hey, you’re going the wrong way,” Sparky teased, meeting him halfway.
Dylan slowed and shrugged. “Not hungry,” he lied.
“Ah.” Sparky stopped and cocked his head. Was it just him, or had Dylan been even more withdrawn the last few days? He seemed even moodier than normal, like something was wrong. “Say...you wanna come have lunch with Faith and me? She’s making her chicken salad sandwiches...”
Dylan’s mouth watered. He loved Faith’s cooking. And...he really was hungry. At least it would just be them without the whole ranch crammed into one room. “Okay,” he agreed.
“Good.” Sparky smiled and nodded to the little lane that led to the house. “Come on.” He didn’t want to burden Faith by bringing an extra mouth to feed, but he knew she wouldn’t mind.
It wasn’t long before they had arrived, and Sparky went to find Faith in the kitchen. Slipping his arms around her from behind, he leaned his head over her shoulder to kiss her cheek. “Hi, lovely,” he greeted warmly. “I brought Dylan with me.” He lowered his voice just a little. “I think he could use a little family time, if that’s alright with you?”
“Good.” Sparky smiled and nodded to the little lane that led to the house. “Come on.” He didn’t want to burden Faith by bringing an extra mouth to feed, but he knew she wouldn’t mind.
It wasn’t long before they had arrived, and Sparky went to find Faith in the kitchen. Slipping his arms around her from behind, he leaned his head over her shoulder to kiss her cheek. “Hi, lovely,” he greeted warmly. “I brought Dylan with me.” He lowered his voice just a little. “I think he could use a little family time, if that’s alright with you?”
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