On the Fence

Chapter 38

"You've been very efficient today, Taylor," smiled Zeke as he stood over me. I gave him a courteous smile back, my stomach in knots. It was Friday afternoon, and I was finishing up my work in the office, my mind far away on another ranch, desperate to leave so I could feel Aiden's arms around me one more time. I couldn't stop my eyes from glancing over at the clock on the wall for the hundredth time that afternoon.

"I appreciate how hard you've worked today, but something just came up that I need you to make sure get's finished before you leave. I understand it may take some extra time here today, but you can have tomorrow morning off to compensate for that," Zeke continued, looking away to grab some papers to hand to me.

He completely missed the look of horror that crossed my face at his words. Work late? Wasn't I going to be off in half an hour to go see Aiden? I managed to blink the look off of my face as Zeke turned back to me, laying some papers on my desk in front of me.

"These have to be taken care of before you leave, as they are some of my biggest orders for the year," he smiled kindly at me in his way.

My mind hummed as I looked at the papers before me, a feeling of dread and despair clenching at my heart. I wanted to break down and cry at the delay, but if there was even a chance of seeing Aiden, I had to finish these in record time. I bit back the tears threatening my eyes and picked up the papers that had come in. I started working on them as fast and diligently as I could manage.

I had worked extra hard that day, wanting to try to finish early, if not on time today, so I could hurry and make it to see Aiden before he left. Zeke's order had just thrown a wrench in my plans and likely had cost me my last moments with Aiden before he had to leave.

I was struggling to manage my frustration with the situation. Why today of all days? I did my best to remain quiet, to hide my sighs of impatience and anxiety that were building in me. My inability to keep from glancing up at the clock as the minutes ticked by while I worked didn't help.

We reached normal quitting time, and my anxiety doubled. My chest started to feel tight as I worked on the order. It was for bucking horses and bulls for the rodeo in a few months and one other for a specific bull for breeding that Zeke seemed willing to sell. I had seen some papers come across my desk earlier in the month for some purchases of new bloodlines he was bringing in.

Ten minutes past, fifteen, and then half an hour. The more time that passed, the tenser I got. My chest was tight, and I was beginning to have a hard time breathing normally. I finally pushed the enter button on the computer and shot out of my chair, forty-five minutes past when I would have been off.

Zeke's head shot up at my sudden movements, and he opened his mouth like he was going to try to catch me up for conversation, but I cut him off as I dodged out of the door, "I'll see you later, Zeke, I have to go." I didn't even give him the chance to respond before shutting the door behind me and running to the front door.

I did my best not to slam the ranch house door as I ran over the porch, sailed down the front steps, the yard area, and into the stables. Normally running around horses like I was wasn't a good idea, but at that moment, I didn't care if I spooked the green ones; Pearl remained calm even as I jerked the door to her stall open and rushed over to saddle her as fast as I could.

"Darlin, what in tarnation are you still doing here? I thought you would be long gone by now?" Tyler asked, coming up to look over at the stall door as I slipped Pearl's bridle on.

"Zeke had some big orders that I had to complete before I could leave, today of all days. I've missed him already, Tyler. I just know it!" I choked out, desperate for it to be a lie, even though I felt the truth of it in my heart. I would have been there half an hour ago if I had been off on time.