Lonely Secrets: Yellowstone Ranch Series

10

My head. Tylenol. I need Tylenol.

I readjusted my eyes to see where I was. The loft. Okay. Good. On the couch. I looked down and saw Rip asleep at the other end. He snored loudly. I tried to keep from giggling and stood up. Oh. Dizzy. I wobbling made my way to our medicine cabinet and grabbed the Tylenol. Rip stirred on the couch. He picked up his phone. I grabbed a bottle of water and drank half of it.

"We probably need to get going." Rip groaned as he stood up.

"I'll get Hannah and Ryan." I yawned and started towards her room. "Han?" I flipped the light on. Nothing. No one. I chuckled. "What's the odds they're still out in the truck?" I hollered to Rip.

"For fucks sake." He shook his head and grabbed my truck keys.

Sure enough, they were knocked in the truck, but thankfully fully clothed. I let Rip drive so I had time to sober up before I had to drive back home. He pulled into the ranch and everything inside me wanted to die. Kayce stood outside the bunkhouse, saddling a horse.

"Fuck." I mumbled as Ryan, Rip, and I got out.

Do I say hi to Kayce or act like I don't even see him? I have nothing to be ashamed of. We're not even together. And Rip and I didn't do anything.

Kayce looked over at Ryan and then at Rip. Then to me and back to Rip. He clenched his jaw.

"Kayce-" I started to speak up but before I could say anything else, he stepped towards Rip and swung his fist around, making contact with his jaw. "Kayce!" I yelled, tears filling my eyes. I was overwhelmed by everything.

"Calm the fuck down, man!" Rip shoved him away but Kayce continued on. Rip returned a few punches.

"Kayce, stop!" I cried. It was getting out of hand. Ryan tried separating them. I grabbed Kayce's arm and he jerked his head to me. Once he looked me in the eyes he stopped resisting. His eyes widened as if he just woke up from something, just realizing what he was doing.

"Ada..." he reached out to wipe my tears.

"No." I stepped back, brushing them out of my face. "Why, why would you-"

"I just thought that..." he shook his head, looking between me and Rip. Rip wiped the blood from his lip with the back of his hand.

"Even if we did, it doesn't mean you can..." I swallowed hard, trying to get the tears to stop. What the hell was I crying for. I let out a deep, frustrated breath and stormed back towards my truck. I jumped in the drivers seat and waited for Hannah to get in too. Kayce jogged up to my window but I ignored him.

"Ada, let's talk about this." His voice was muffled from the glass between us.

I sniffled and started to drive off the minute Hannah got in. I flew down the driveway and onto the road. "You're right about him." I looked over at her. My voice cracked.

"I'm sorry, AJ." She reached over and squeezed my hand.

*****

Within the following days, Ryan had been coming over to see Hannah. It was good for her. To have someone standing with her through her dads illness.

Thankfully, Dr. Stone called in to have another large animal vet in the office. It made my life and his easier. The in-office vet, Dr. Teal, worked clinic hours with Dr. Stone. Helping him stay caught up on his current patients with routine vaccinations, pregnancies, etc. I handled mostly emergency situations but of course helped at the clinic as much as possible.

I ignored Kayce's texts and calls. There was no reason for me to keep believing I could make things work with him. We lived two very separate lives. I didn't handle the stress from his problems well, and I definitely didn't need anymore reasons to feel unsafe. I had plenty of those issues before Kayce was around.