The Healing Ranch

Chapter 36

"Yeah well, I don't think he's enjoying being back here all that much." Megan didn't try to have a bitter tone in her voice, but she winced when she did anyways. She hadn't realized that she was bitter about the fact that Tate had been so moody since coming back, but she realized now that she thought it was a little childish on his part.

"Give him time. He's homesick. He'll come around sooner or later." Caroline reassured but Megan didn't believe the woman. She had a feeling that sooner or later Tate would be packing his bags and saying bye-bye to Montana, and her, forever.

"Maybe." Megan's mind wandered throughout the whole conversation, which quickly turned to new recipes they had both tried, the weather, how the rest of Tate's family was doing and other normal topics. About thirty minutes later Megan heard the front door open again and turned to see Tate shaking his wet hair.

"Well, I've got to go sweetheart. Take care now and tell Tate I said hi." Caroline's voice echoed over the line and Megan marveled for a moment what perfect timing the woman had.

"Will do. I'll call again soon." Megan replied before hanging up the phone. Tate didn't speak, just disappeared into the kitchen. Megan heard coffee being poured into a mug before he came back into the living room.

"Cow is calving. I've got to get her into the barn and then it will be a waiting game between me and the cow. See who gets fed up and gets the calf out first." Megan smiled a little at the impatient tone he had, but bit her lip when she saw that he wasn't trying to be funny.

"It'll be alright Tate. Promise. These cows have been calving in this weather all their lives, and they know pretty much what to do. The worst part is that they only do it on their time." She smiled mischievously at him and he allowed himself a smile as he bent to kiss her.

"Alright. I'll take your word for it." She reached up and kissed him again and then he was back outside into the cold. She sighed a little as the door slammed behind him and found herself wishing for the way they had been in Texas, especially at the start of their trip. She missed the happy, positive Tate who had suddenly been replaced by a brooding, stressed out one.

*****

"Dang!" Megan's eyes opened as the door slammed open and Tate came in with a gust of wind. She had fallen asleep on the couch while waiting for him to come inside. Throughout the day he had monitored the cow and eventually the calf. Now it was almost 1 in the morning.

"What's wrong?" She asked, sitting up and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. The fireplace was going and she had set a stack of blankets beside it to warm, just in case the calf or Tate ended up needing them.

"It's so cold that I swear my toes have froze. Why someone would ever want to live in this cold is beyond me." He pulled off his boots and jacket before quickly walking over to the fireplace, rubbing his hands as he went. Megan quickly got herself into her wheelchair and followed behind him, moving to be beside him when he sat down in front of the fireplace.

"How's the calf?" She asked, hoping that he wouldn't have bad news. He looked up at her and gave a small smile, although his eyes were cloudy with exhaustion.

"It's alive. And it seems to be doing well. It's warm enough in the barn, but I spent the last hour checking the cows in the pasture. The wind picked up again and it ain't easy to see out there." He ran his hand through his damp hair, and Megan could sense the waves of stress rolling off of him.

"Tate I promise it will be okay." She took one of his hands in between her two small ones and rubbed it vigorously trying to get the feeling back in his fingertips. She focused on one and then the other and when she looked back up he was smiling softly at her. He leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss on her lips before standing up and stretching a little.