Guilty

Hunter cocked his head a little, seeing the slight bit of fear in Ryan's eyes. He offered her a gentler smile. "It's not a dream. Promise. You may get slapped in the face some days...but it'll be okay. It's like spinning out in the sand. Your car might get turned around for a few seconds. But you just gotta pull out again, turn back around and keep heading for that finish line." He instinctively reached out to give her shoulder a little squeeze. "You've got this." 

Dropping his hand, he just stood and watched the dark pasture another few minutes before finally turning around. He could easily stay out here all night, but it was time to head back...

...After saying goodnight to Ryan a few minutes later, he aimed for his bunkhouse. But soon he was back outside again and aiming towards the barn instead of going to bed...


"So... what's up?" Mick wandered over to where Hunter sat alone on a hay bale in the barn. Most of the lights were off, and the ranch had grown quiet for the night. Mick had been on his way to his own house when he'd seen the barn door cracked open and realized someone was still out here.

Hunter didn't look up, but smiled a little as his fingers continued to fiddle with a stray piece of hay. "That obvious?"

Mick chuckled and took up a seat next to him, leaning back into the prickly chair. "Only a little." He paused, but when there was silence, he prompted again. "I'll leave you be if you want, but if you'd rather talk, I'm here."

It was Hunter's turn to chuckle. But it still took him several moments to speak. "I feel guilty."

Mick's eyebrows arched. "About what?"

"Ryan."

Mick straightened a little. "Excuse me?"

Color came to Hunter's cheeks before he smirked. "Not like that. I just... I've spent all this time with her the last few days and..."

"You like her."

Hunter leaned his head back into the hay and groaned. "No. Yes. I don't know. I shouldn't."

"Why not?"

"Because. All this was just...just to help. Nothing more. I was coming here anyway and I brought her because her brother wanted me to. I mean I know I brought it up but not for this."

Mick stretched out his legs and sighed. "Okay... so?"

"So my role is just a conduit. A way to help her find some peace. Like I did here."

"Why did you want to help her in the first place?"

"I dunno." Hunter shrugged. "It's just... I've known her quite a while, just from the races, you know? We didn't talk much, but we knew each other. And even though we compete, there's a camaraderie there. Most of us want to kill each other during a race, but afterwards, we'll help if someone's in trouble. There's always a bad apple in the bunch, but generally speaking...we support each other."

Mick cocked his head. "So what really happened with Ryan?"

"The man she loved died. I guess I don't know all the details for sure. But she...fell to pieces. That's the gist of it. Went out and almost got herself killed in her car, and she hasn't raced since. She's been... scared by herself in the daytime, and scared of nightmares at night. She used to be my top competitor with attitude and fire like anyone. Full of life." Hunter shrugged again. "Her brother got her back to watch a race and I convinced her to ride with me just to see if I could help get her confidence back. I hung out with the two of them, we talked, and... the topic of the ranch came up. And here we are."

Mick nodded slowly. "And now?"

"I am... constantly telling myself that my only role is to be a support. I wasn't meant to be anything else."

Mick was quiet for a few moments. "Still not sure what you're feeling guilty for, since you claim innocence to anything inappropriate."

"Of course." Hunter grabbed another piece of hay to twist around his fingers. "I'm just... finding it harder and harder to... ignore her... 'as a woman' as you so delicately put it the other day."

The corners of Mick's mouth twitched. "Well what's so wrong about liking her?"

"Because I feel like I'm taking advantage." There. He'd said it. "She keeps instigating time with me, and she seems to enjoy my attention, but she's lost and emotional and...vulnerable." Hunter's eyes fell. Mick was probably the only person he'd ever be this open with. "And when I have my arms around her, I can't help but feel that if she wasn't going through such a hard time...this wouldn't be happening at all. That she wouldn't be so receptive to my affection - physical or otherwise. She needs support and...what if I'm just... unintentionally taking advantage?"

"Are you? Taking advantage?"

"I hope not. I mean if I am, I don't mean to. She needs a friend. Wouldn't it cause more damage to push her away?"

"Do you want to push her away?"

"Of course not. I couldn't do that to her."

"Because you like her."

Hunter groaned again and threw the crumpled strands of hay onto the floor.

Mick grinned. "It's okay to like her, Hunter. You're not doing anything wrong."

"But that's not my purpose. My purpose was just to give her transportation, and to help her find some peace."

"And...what if that peace is by finding you?"

Hunter swallowed hard. "And... when she has found herself again... and she doesn't need me any more... then what?"

"Ah." Mick nodded. "So... is this about you thinking you're taking advantage or... you being scared because of what's happened the last two times you fell for a woman?"

Hunter smirked. "I dunno. Both?"

Mick reached over to give his shoulder a hearty pat. "Tough stuff. I know. Just take it slow. That's all I can say. Maybe Ryan likes you right now just because you're making her feel better, and her feelings will fade when she's strong again. Or maybe she really does like you because you're a nice guy, and this might be the start of something really neat. Only time will tell. So stop worrying and just let it play out." He smiled. "And quit feeling guilty. Just keep your head on straight and things will eventually become clear."

Mick's words ran back and forth through Hunter's mind as he returned to his bunkhouse, took a hot shower and got into his sweats and a clean t-shirt. He sat up reading on his phone for a while, unable to shut off his brain, even though he knew he'd have to be up at the crack of dawn again. Eventually though, he finally gave in, shut off his light and rolled over to try and sleep.


Ty had almost dozed off when Sam startled him back to attention. He blinked once, then shook his head. "Uh-uh. Called in sick. Said he might be in this afternoon if he felt better but didn't say what was actually wrong."

He yawned again before standing up and stretching. "Aaron was pretty quiet all night. He got out like usual. Wandered around. He's kinda got a normal route now. Stopped by the break room again, too. That was kinda interesting." He bent to hit a few keys on the keyboard and brought up the new feed on one of the monitors and rewound the footage. It showed Aaron setting his crutches aside, then using one of the chairs as a brace to do some modified pushups. He also used the counter to keep himself balanced as he practiced putting weight on his knee, and Ty fast forwarded through to where Aaron had finally wound up sitting at the table, his leg propped up with some ice he'd gotten from the freezer, and flipping through a new magazine someone had left on the table. 

Ty smirked a little. "I'd say he's bound and determined to get his leg back. He doesn't realize Hal put a camera in there and apparently didn't want anyone to know he was working out. Not to mention, ice is handy and I wouldn't be surprised if he's been scavenging for leftover magazines or newspapers to read." He shrugged. "He was there a couple hours then went back to his room for the rest of the night."