The Healing Ranch

Chapter 26

Tate woke up early the next morning despite not sleeping the night before and the long travel day. He rolled over and stretched, careful not to wake up Megan. He watched her sleep for a minute, loving the way she looked with her blonde hair all over the pillow and a peaceful expression on her face. He wished she could understand that he didn't want any other girl but her. He quickly went for a shower, got dressed, and then left the room to go down into the lobby to get coffee. The breakfast area wasn't open yet, so he grabbed coffee at the coffee station, nodded to the clerk running the desk and then made his way over to a bunch of chairs in the lobby. He sat, drinking his coffee and thinking about returning home again. All of a sudden his phone rang, making him jump and wonder who was calling him this early.

"Hello?"

"Tate!" The feminine voice came over the line and he frowned for a minute before recognizing the voice as Brea's.

"Brea. Why are you callin me? I thought I told you not to do it ever again." He growled out, wondering why she was up at 6:30 in the morning anyway. Brea was the type of girl who hated anything other than drinking, guys, and sleeping in.

"Well I'm lonely and I thought maybe I could convince you to come see me again. I miss you." He furrowed his eyebrows. There was a slight slurring to her words amidst the thick drawl and he shook his head.

"You can't seriously be drunk right now." A high pitched giggle entered his ears and he pulled the phone away with a wince. How had he ever been able to stand this woman?

"But Tateee down in San Antonio we stay up alll night." She cooed and he shook his head. She was obviously down here for the rodeo too, or more likely the after parties full of cowboys.

"So you haven't slept all night. Instead you've been drinking?"

"Unless you count blacking out sleeping." She giggled again and then went quiet. "None of these guys here compare to you Tate."

"I don't want to hear it. Remember you got married to someone who wasn't me? You'll do just fine without me."

"But Tateee. I got rid of him because I missed you. I wasn't thinking straight when I married him."

"And you still aren't. Don't call me again Brea. I won't answer next time."

"Oh come on." She whined and then he heard a crash and some giggling. "Whoops I didn't even see that wall."

"You need help Brea. Serious help. But you ain't gonna get it from me so leave me alone." With that he hung up, shaking his head. The girl was unstable and he wished he had never gotten involved. After a few more minutes of thinking, he got up and headed upstairs again. When he entered the room Megan was still fast asleep. Two hours later the clock turned 8 and he heard her start to move around in the bedroom. He poked his head around the doorway.

"Mornin darlin. Want me to run down and get you some coffee or do you want to wait until we go down to breakfast?" She was sitting up, rubbing her eyes and yawning.

"Morning. I could use some right now." He nodded and smiled at her, before heading back downstairs to get her a cup and pour himself another as well. As he stood there filling the cups, he thought about letting his mama know that he was coming home. Then again, it would be kind of fun to surprise them all and show up. He thought about how that might be as he headed up the elevator. Megan was sitting in the sitting area when he walked in and he crossed the room to her and handed her her cup.

"There you go darlin." He bent and left a soft kiss on her forehead and she smiled and nodded.

"Thank you." He watched her as she sipped it and stared blankly ahead before she turned with a small frown on her face.