by M. L. Ray
“What in blue blazes do you think you’re doing?”
Michelle froze and then hung her head, spying Tyler’s boots standing in the kitchen doorway. She took a breath and then tried to decide if she should continue her crawl to the kitchen, turn and sit down on the floor, or try to get herself to her feet in the middle of the room. She didn’t have long to think. Before she knew it, Tyler was standing over her and pulling her up to her feet by placing his hands beneath her arms.
“Michelle, where’s Trey? Why are you crawling on the floor? Are you okay?”
Michelle felt her head spin as she was scooped up in his strong arms and carried back into the family room. “Tyler, put me down.” She inhaled and suddenly his scent reached her and she wanted nothing more than to ask him to keep holding her.
“No! Why were you crawling on the floor?” Tyler loved having her in his arms, and wondered what she would do if he kept her in his arms while they were sitting on the couch.
“Because I was bored! I was trying to reach the kitchen sink.”
Tyler stopped and turned around, carrying her back into the kitchen and sitting her down next to the kitchen sink. “What do you need from here?”
Michelle sighed, “Some ibuprofen. It’s in that first cabinet on the bottom shelf.”
“Wouldn’t you rather take one of your pain pills?” Tyler asked, reaching for the prescription bottle.
“No! I wouldn’t. I want to try some ibuprofen and see if it’s enough to take the edge off. I can’t think straight when I’m on that stuff.”
“What do you need to think about? You need to be resting…”
Michelle shook her head at him, “What are you doing here, anyway?”
“I came to see how you were doing. Your doctor ordered sabbatical from walking and moving around ends tomorrow. I thought maybe you’d like to come over to the ranch and see the horses. My own arrived this morning, or I would have come by sooner.” Tyler located the bottle of medicine and handed it to her. He located a clean glass and filled it with water for her as well.
“Thanks.” Michelle downed two of the pills and then finished the glass of water. “I’d love to come see the horses, but I don’t know how I would get around.”
“Don’t you worry. I have it covered. So you’ll join me?”
“On one condition. You get me back to the couch before Trey comes home and you don’t tell him how you found me.”
“Agreed. I take it Trey’s being a little overbearing?”
“A little? More like an avalanche. He won’t leave me alone. And now he’s got Jenna helping him badger me as well.”
Tyler chuckled, but dutifully delivered her back to the couch. Hearing a truck pull up outside, he grinned at her, “Just in the nick of time. They’re home.”
Michelle grinned at Tyler, “Remember, this is our little secret.” It felt so good to smile with him once again, she let her fears of the past fade away for a little while and just enjoyed the present.
He nodded and then turned to seat himself in the chair next to the couch. “I won’t say a word.”
Chapter 32
Jenna was amazed at how much the ranch had changed in the years since she’d been gone. Trey had insisted on driving Michelle over to Tyler’s, and she had tagged along as thoughts began to take place in her head.
Michelle had mentioned wanting to start up a horse therapy center, focusing on those with disabilities and younger kids. Tyler was taking over the horseback riding at Camp Red Bird, and was also going to be starting a training center for the Little Britches Rodeo in the area.
He’d been offered use of the rodeo arena in Ridgway, but had declined after seeing the ranch. He had all of the room he could ever need right there at his fingertips.
Jenna wandered around the large courtyard, looking at the larger bunkhouse and wondering how badly in need of repairs it was. At one time, the Jameson’s had managed the largest cow herd in the county. Over time, they had switched out their cows for horses, and then slowly dwindled the herd down to the dozen or so horses that were used at the camp.
Michelle was currently sitting on the front porch swing, listening to Tyler tell her and Trey all of the amazing things he had planned for the ranch. From the sounds of it, bull riding had been a very profitable venture for him, and he had most of the resources needed to make his dreams come true.
“Hey, Tyler?”
“Yes?” he hollered back from the porch.
“What’s up with the bunkhouse?”
“Not sure. It hasn’t been used in almost ten years. I can almost guarantee it’s needing some repairs. Why?”
“Just wondering is all.”
Tyler looked at her and then at Trey, “What’s going on in that mind of hers?”
Trey smiled, “She wants to start up a facility that caters to kids, teens and young adults. Kids that find themselves in situations like she did. She wants to get them out of the system and into a loving environment where they can flourish and grow up normal.”
“Amen! She told me some of the stuff she went through, and I can’t believe places like that still get state funding.”
Tyler let the conversation between the siblings go on around him as he began looking at his property. There was plenty of acreage to do what Jenna was dreaming about. The horses could be a vital part of that, and he’d seen facilities where caring for the livestock was part of the therapy process and teaching responsibility. “I’ll be right back,” he murmured to his other guests. He needed to know more about what Jenna had in mind.
Michelle watched Tyler approach Jenna and then smiled. “Things are about to get real complicated if the old Jenna’s still in there.”
“She is. Did she tell you why she came back here?” Trey asked.
“Something about her parents estate.”
“There was a life insurance policy, but the paperwork got messed up at the bank. Anyway, when it’s all said and done, she’s going to have a nice chunk of money to invest somewhere. She’s planning on setting up shop elsewhere, but she told me yesterday after church that she really feels led to set up here in Cathedral Hills.”
“Really? So she won’t be leaving any time soon?” Michelle asked with a smile.
“No. In fact, I’m hoping she won’t ever want to leave.” Trey looked out over the yard where Tyler was giving Jenna a tour of the bunkhouse. “I can’t stop thinking about her.”
Michelle giggled, “Sounds like love, big brother.”
“Yeah, it does, doesn’t it?” He heard himself and then grimaced. Way to sound like a lovesick puppy dog, there Trey! “She agreed to go to the harvest dance with me.”
“That sounds awful serious. You haven’t been to one of them since you got out of high school.”
“Well, I’m going this weekend, and Jenna’s going with me.” Trey looked down at his watch and scowled, “Duty calls. I’ve got a meeting at the bank in thirty minutes.”
“What’s Jenna up to today?” Michelle asked, hoping she already had plans. The thought of spending the day with Tyler, alone, was very appealing.
“She’s meeting up with Stephanie and Taylor at the diner and then they’re going to tackle the nursery some more. I understand there is both paint and wallpaper involved…I’m staying at the bank until their finished.”
Michelle chuckled, “Yeah that sounds like a good idea. Suzy Homemaker, you’re not!” She fondly remembered when they had tried to decorate the house together. She’d finally kicked Trey out, telling him he was more of a hindrance than a help. He’d laughed all the way out the front door and she’d realized he’d gotten exactly what he wanted. Her doing all the work!
“Hey, Jenna! Time to go.”
Jenna waved at him as he stepped off the porch and headed for his car. Michelle watched as she jogged to join him a few moments later with a wave for both her and Tyler before the car drove off, leaving her alone with Tyler.
She watched as he sauntered back across the yard and climbed the ste
ps to bring him right in front of her. “You ready for the tour?”
Michelle nodded her head, but then glanced down at her ankle, “Not sure how far I’m going to make it on those crutches. I hate to admit it, but I’m not very good at using them.”
Tyler squatted down and looked at her, “Not to worry. You aren’t actually going to be using them much. Give me a second and I’ll be right back.
Michelle watched as he took off towards the barn. A few minutes later, he threw the doors open wide and then led a team of two horses out who had been hitched to an old wagon.
Michelle smiled and clapped her hands, “Really? I didn’t think your parents still had that old thing.” The wagon had been lovingly restored, with fresh paint, new wood where needed, and carriage springs added. Years earlier, Tyler’s parents had taken a trip back to Pennsylvania, and his father had fallen in love with the Amish mode of transportation.
Upon returning, he’d spent all of his free time refurbishing an old western wagon. She remembered fondly the times he would hitch the team up to it and bring his wife to Sunday church. It had always seemed like a page out of history to her.
“Dad loves this old thing. Now, I packed up a picnic lunch. If the weather doesn’t turn on us, we might be able to do both a tour and lunch.” Tyler looked up at the sky and the dark thunder clouds that were starting to roll in. They looked ominous and were the beginning of the winter storm that was headed their direction.
Michelle pushed herself up and grabbed the crutches. Before she could get them under her arms, Tyler was there, picking her up in his arms. “Let’s do this the easy way.”
“Ty, you’re going to hurt your back carrying me around like this.” Too late, she realized she had used her nickname for him. She looked up at his face and then swallowed. The look in his eyes was so full of warmth and caring, she couldn’t resist laying her palm against his cheek.
Tyler searched her eyes, smiling softly when he saw the worry and concern in her own. “Hey, don’t worry so much. I like it when you call me Ty, you know that.”
“But that was before…”
“…before I made the biggest mistake of my life. One I’m hoping to correct, if you’ll let me.” He dipped his head and kissed her forehead, “Let’s get you into that wagon.”
Michelle nodded and looked away. All of the emotions she had for Tyler from a year ago were back. Stronger than ever. Who had she been kidding? She hadn’t gotten over him. She was still completely, unquestionably, in love with Tyler Jameson! The question now was what was she going to do with that knowledge.
Chapter 33
Tyler and Michelle passed Peter Nash arriving at the ranch as they were pulling out of the courtyard. “Hey, Nash. What’s up?’
Peter waved at them as he climbed out of his truck, “Hey Michelle. Sorry to hear about that ankle.”
“Thanks, Peter.”
“Tyler. I can’t seem to find my phone charger. I thought maybe I left it in the house.”
Tyler nodded, “I think I saw one in the kitchen, next to the coffee maker.”
“That would be it. Mind if I go retrieve it?”
“Not at all. Hey, did you happen to think any more on my proposition?”
“Sure did. That sounds great. Let’s get together sometime this week and talk about it.”
“Will do. See ya.”
“Proposition?” Michelle inquired as Tyler put the wagon back in motion.
“Yeah. I offered Peter the position of foreman for the ranch. He was offered a position helping out at a dude ranch down south, but I could tell he really wasn’t keen on leaving Cathedral Hills. I can’t handle everything I want to do around here by myself, so keeping him around seemed like an excellent plan.”
Michelle nodded her head, “That sounds like a perfect plan. With his experience in dealing with Stevie, he’d be a huge asset here.”
“Trey told me you wanted to set up a horse therapy center. He said he mentioned the possibility of doing something like that here at the ranch.”
“I wish he hadn’t done that.”
“Why not? It makes perfect sense to me.”
“Yes, it does. But I wanted a chance to talk to you about it myself. I didn’t want you to think I was trying to take advantage…”
Tyler pulled the team to a stop and then turned to look at her, “Let’s get one thing clear before we go any further. I am here. I’m not going anywhere any time soon. What we were building, before I screwed everything up, was special and unique. I want it back. I want you back. I’ve never wanted something as badly as I do a relationship with you.”
He stopped and watched her eyes widen as his words registered. Touching her jaw with his hand, he leaned towards her and whispered, “I want it all, Michelle. The white picket fence and flower boxes on the windows. Kids laughing as they play with a dog in the courtyard. You smiling as you work with the horses and your clients.”
Michelle couldn’t stop the tears from filling her eyes. What he was describing was her dream being spoken out loud. “That’s what I want.”
“I know. And sugar, I’m so sorry I messed things up a year ago. I never stopped to think about how scary watching me ride must have been for you. As bull riders, we never let ourselves think about what could happen. We pushed our fear aside, because without that ability, we would have never climbed on the back of those animals.”
“And that would have been a bad thing how?” Michelle asked.
“It wouldn’t have been, except that I loved it. I still do, but there is something that I love more. You.”
“You love me?” Michelle asked, searching his eyes for the truth.
“Yes, ma’am. I love you. I think you loved me too at one time, and I aim to help you find that love once again.”
Michelle shook her head and then watched as his face fell. “No, it’s not…what I mean to say is you don’t have to help me find it again. I wasn’t ever able to get rid of it.”
Tyler’s grin was infectious, and she found herself grinning back at him, “So, now that we have that settled, how about you show me this ranch.”
“How about I show you something else?” Tyler asked slyly, a gleam in his eyes she couldn’t interpret.
“Uhm…okay?” she answered hesitantly.
Tyler started up the team again and drove them towards the small copse of trees that stood at the corner of the first pasture. He pulled the team as close to the big cottonwood as he could get and then pointed towards the trunk. “See that?”
Michelle followed his hand and then gasped. There, carved in the trunk of the tree, was a heart with both of their initials carved into it. MC + TJ. “When did you put that there?”
“A few weeks before we both left town. I wanted to tell you back then how I felt, but we were both headed in opposite directions. I couldn’t say it, so I memorialized it here. I guess I was hoping that at some point in the future I’d get another chance with you.”
“Looks like the third time’s a charm.”
“Third time?” Tyler asked, and then nodded. “Yes! The third time is the charm. So, Miss Cottrell, I was wondering if you might consider letting me back into that heart of yours?”
Michelle felt all of her fears of the past fade away as a new light began to fill her soul. The last few months had been filled with sorrow and questions, but suddenly, hope was back. She slowly nodded her head, “I might consider that.”
Tyler leaned close to her so that they were sharing the same air, “What would help you make up your mind?”
“Kiss me?” Michelle whispered, sighing as his lips touched her own. She reached up and wrapped her hands around his neck, enjoying the warmth of his skin beneath the collar of his shirt. His kiss was tender, and sweet, and filled with the promise of so much more, she couldn’t help but respond.
Tyler felt like he’d died and gone to heaven. Everything he’d hoped to accomplish today was coming true. The ring in his pocket was a constant reminder of where he was hoping t
heir relationship would lead. Now he just needed to wait for the right time to ask the question!
Chapter 34
Peter found his phone charger and was headed back out of the kitchen, when the phone rang. Picking it up, he answered, “Jameson’s.”
A pause on the other end of the line had him pausing, “Hello?”
A soft voice on the other end finally asked, “Who is this?”
“This is Peter. Who is this?”
He heard the soft gasp and then the whispered, “Peter?”
“Yes. Who is this?” he asked, not recognizing the voice – it was too soft. He glanced at the phone base, but the caller was from out of state and he didn’t recognize the number. “Hello?”
“Uhm…is Tyler there?”
“He’s outside. Who is this?” Peter listened for a reply, but all he heard instead was silence. Growing impatient, he told the caller, “Look, either tell me who this is, or I’m going to hang up. I don’t have time for games.”
“Not a game. Please, don’t hang up. I need to talk to Tyler. Could you go get him?”
“I could. Tell me who you are and why I should do that.” The voice sounded kind of familiar, but was so soft, he having trouble placing it.
“Brooke. It’s Brooke. Oh…I have to go. I’ll call back when I can. Please don’t call this number back. Just…please don’t.”
Peter looked at the phone in confusion. Brooke? She had sounded panicked. What in the world was going on with her? And why didn’t she want anyone to call her back on this number? She’d sounded almost…afraid.
Peter scratched his head and then scribbled the number down on the inside of his checkbook. Something wasn’t quite right, and he intended to snoop around for some answers.
*****
Peter found Tyler and Michelle heading back to the ranch house on his way out and filled them in on the strange phone call from Brooke.
“How did she know I was home?” Tyler wondered aloud.
“I have no idea. I’ve got to tell you, there was something odd about her voice. Like she was scared or something. And she was pretty adamant about us not trying to call her back on the number that registered on the caller identification.”
