The Healing Ranch

Chapter 14

"Sure smells good in here." Cole's voice echoed through the kitchen and she smiled at Tate's reply.

"Yup. But Megs is the best cook this side of Texas so it's to be expected." She heard them clomp in and turned around just in time to meet a smiling Tate standing in front of her. He bent swiftly and dropped a sweet kiss on her cheek, using it to cover his whisper into her ear. "You don't know how happy that hummin makes me darlin." Her whole face went red and she giggled, butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

"Go sit down. Breakfast will be on the table shortly." She pushed a little at him and her eyes went to where Cole was standing. He had an odd look on his face, a mix of smugness, happiness, but also worry. Suddenly she was embarrassed that he had witnessed their exchange and quickly turned around to plate the breakfast.

"This is delicious Megan." Tate complemented her as they started eating and she smiled. She zoned out during breakfast, listening to the two men discuss cattle, Texas, and rodeo. They seemed like brothers. At 8:00 sharp a vehicle pulled into the yard, followed by another and another.

"Well looks like everyone is on time anyway." Tate finished the last bites of his breakfast before standing up and stretching. Cole soon followed and both men strode to the door, reaching for their coats, and hats. Megan noticed the two pairs of chaps slung over the porch rail and heard the jingling of their spurs as the pulled on their boots. They sure were ready to work cattle today. She followed them out to the porch to greet the helpers, and was surprised to see four trucks with horse trailers behind them. Men were piling out and heading around the back to start unloading their horses.

"Megan!" Megan winced at the sound of Elizabeth's voice. She was really hoping that her friend wouldn't bother coming today. She didn't know if she had the energy to listen to her sympathies about her father and her talk about how amazing Jake was. She quickly shook her head. She should be happy that Elizabeth was here.

"Hey Lizzie. Glad you could make it."

"I told Jake that I simply can't leave you alone to feed all these men! I mean I'm sure you have trouble enough getting supper on the table every night. I don't expect someone like you to have to feed everyone and these men shouldn't either." Megan winced as Elizabeth breezed up the porch, stooping to give her a quick hug. She felt embarrassed to be almost coddled in front of these men, especially when she was very capable of doing things for herself. She caught Tate's eye and saw him frowning.

"With all due respect ma'am, I think Megan handles herself very well. She made us the most amazing breakfast I've had in a long time and she keeps her place very tidy. She is a very independent and extraordinary woman. Don't you think?" It wasn't Tate who spoke, but Cole, who had smoothly slid between Elizabeth and Megan. Elizabeth looked like she was in shock.

"Well. Of course. I didn't mean.. I was only trying to help." She sputtered, staring up at the handsome cowboy.

"I'm sure you were ma'am. It's right kind of you. I was just informin you of Megan's capabilities." With that, Cole strode off the porch towards the where the men had gathered and Megan caught sight of Tate's slight smirk before he too, turned towards them.

*****

It was almost noon and Megan was exhausted. Lizzy insisted on bossing her around her own kitchen, trying to take over everything Megan started and demanding that she went and relaxed. Megan fought hard to keep her temper in check.

"Lizzy really. I can make a salad for supper at the very least." She insisted.

"Oh Megan let me help you! I rarely come over anymore as it is. So who was that strange man here?" Megan bit back a sigh.

"That was Cole. He's Tate's friend from Texas and he follows the rodeo circuit. Bull riding I believe." Elizabeth's hands stilled for a short second.

"My my Megan. You really are letting every stranger from Texas just drift right in. Don't you think you should be more careful?" Megan gritted her teeth.

"He's Tate's friend. That's enough for me. Besides he's very kind and polite."

"Oh honey. I really don't think you should be trusting Tate so much. He seems like an okay man but Jake said... well Tate was mixed up in some shady stuff back in Texas." Elizabeth's fake voice set Megan's teeth on edge and she clenched them hard.

"People can change Lizzie."

"Oh I know. But it would be so easy to take advantage of some in your situation..." Megan tuned the rest of the words out and set to ignoring Elizabeth as she tried to concentrate on what she was doing. Her friend meant well but Megan wasn't in the mood to listen to her bad talk Tate or slyly mention about someone in 'Megan's condition' any more.

*****

A long day later the men rode back into the ranch with 200 cows running before them. Tate swung open the pasture gate and stood back and watched the cows being herded into the pasture that bordered the barn and the house. It had been a good day, full of laughter and teasing and he had gotten to know the men from town a lot more. Almost everything had gone alone smoothly, with only a few cows going missing and needing to be flushed out of the trees lining the pastures. He closed the gate behind the last cow and looked up at the 9 men circled around him.

"Let's head in. Supper should be on the table." He called and cheers went up through the crowd. He watched Cole talking to a man that both of them had grown to like named Brady. The two were laughing as they headed to the corrals. As they unsaddled their horses in the corrals and brushed them down, Jake sidled up to Tate.

"Sure is nice what you're doing for that girl." Tate glanced up from where he was checking Midnight's hooves.

"Yeah? Well I mean she is my employer. I don't do much for her." His temper was immediately sparked by this man and he remembered noticing that he had continually slacked off during the drive. He didn't like him.

"Hmmm. I'm sure. Does she know you're a criminal?" The man's smooth voice made Tate's back stiffen.

"What do you mean?"

"I know what you did in Texas. You murderer." The words were hissed with malice and suddenly Tate was filled with a blind rage. He lashed out and grabbed a hold of Jake's collar.

"It was an accident." His snarled, in Jake's face.

"Sure. You brainwashed the courts and most people, but not all." With that, Tate threw a punch at the man, knocking him to the ground. Just as he was going to pounce on him, Cole stepped in, grabbing the back of his shirt and pulling him away.

"Control yourself Simmons. You don't need this on your name and besides you're scaring your girl." Cole hissed low in his ear and Tate let himself relax. Rage was boiling underneath the surface but he glanced towards the porch and saw Megan sitting there, her hand over her mouth. She softly shook her head at him and wheeled back inside. Tate turned to look at the other men, but all of them, including Jake were ignoring him, but one of them smiled at him showing their understanding. So Jake wasn't well liked. Tate looked back again at the porch but Megan was gone. He swore and Cole shook his head.

"Gets tough when you have a girl to apologize too hey?" He smirked a little and then left, leaving Tate shaking his head.

*****

Long chapter and also split into two parts! The next chapter will continue where this chapter left off! Also you get a little teaser aboutTate's past! ~S