Ryan stood in front of the building, pacing back and forth. He's debating with himself whether or not this was a good idea but he knew he had to. It wouldn't be right not to.
"Fuck it," Ryan muttered before walking into the official government building.
"Can I help you, Sir?" the secretary asked as she smiled at him.
"Yeah, uh, I need to talk Jamie."
"Do you have an appointment?" she asked.
"Well, no but does he have a moment to talk?" Ryan asked.
"He's not in yet-," Right at that moment Jamie walked into the room and was about to head into his office.
"We need to talk, it's important," Ryan told him and moved to open Jamie's office door for him.
"I don't have a lot of time," Jamie told him, he was slightly shocked to see Ryan there so early in the morning.
"This is not going to take long," Ryan told him and nodded towards the office, indicating for Jamie to walk in. The suited man sighed but complied as he walked into his office. Ryan smiled and tipped his hat at the secretary before closing the door behind him.
"What the hell is this?" Jamie asked as he threw his briefcase onto his table.
"You can drop the hostile act. I'm not here to shout at you or beat the crap out of you for making Mae cry, even though I should-" Ryan's words were cut off by Jamie, "Why is it always about her? She said just as fucked up things to me as I said to her."
"Because you're not the one that has been kidnapped time and time again, you're not the one that was raped more times than any of us can even think of, you're not the one that was physically and psychologically tortured by her psychotic fucking ex! You've had a shitty life, guess what? It's not nearly as bad as hers. She's hurting, she's probably going to be hurting for the rest of her life. It's not your fault and it's not her fault but she expected her big brother to be there for her. She loves you, she will always love you. She spent hours crying in my arms about how much she regretted what happened between you two. So yes, she might have overreacted and said some fucked up things but after all she's been through, we can fucking excuse that. You were the one that should have handled the situation more carefully," Ryan sighed as he took his hat off of his head and ran his hand through his hair.
Jamie stared at his desk, he could understand Ryan's point of view and he knew that he had a point but Jamie was still hurt. Mae's words cut deep but he knew that his own cut just as deep to her. He wanted to stay mad at her but she was his little sister, maybe not by blood but by love and experience.
"You're right," Jamie sighed.
"That's not even why I'm here. I didn't want to lose my temper like that," Ryan sighed.
"I needed to hear that. I took my anger out on her when she wasn't the one that deserved it," Jamie replied, "What are you here for?"
"Mae and I are going away for the weekend. I'm going to ask her to marry me," Ryan told him, "I want to ask you for your blessing. I already asked John, Beth, Kayce, Rip and Travis. You and Mae might not be on the best of terms right now but she loves you and your blessing would mean a lot to her."
Jamie stared at Ryan in shock, "You have it. Thank you for asking me."
"Really?" Ryan asked in slight surprise.
"You're good for her. You've always been. I don't think she would have been able to make it through the last few years without you. You have my blessing because you've always been there for her. She's always been your number one priority. She deserves someone to be there for her and she loves you so you have my blessing," Jamie assured him.
"Thank you," Ryan told him and Jamie nodded.
"Now I really do have meetings," Jamie gestured to the door and Ryan nodded and turned to leave.
"Just make her happy," Jamie called after him.
"I plan to," Ryan called back before he left the room.
xxx
"You ready, Darlin'?" Ryan asked as he walked into her room to see her putting her toilettries bag next to her suitcase filled with clothes.
"Yeah, I just have to go say bye to my dad and then we can go," Mae told him.
"I'll take the bags to the Jeep," Ryan told her, kissed her cheek and then walked out of the room.
Mae followed but stopped at John's office.
"Hi, Daddy we're about to leave," Mae smiled as she walked into the room.
"You still have no idea where he's taking you?" John asked with a smille as he stood to greet her.
"No but I know you do, so any hints?"
"Not happening," John smirked as Mae pouted at him, "I'm not ruining his surprise, just enjoy it. You deserve this getaway."
Mae smiled and wrapped her arms around him, "I love you."
"I love you too, Sweetheart."
Ryan then walked into the room and smiled as he watched the father and daughter hug.
"You take care of her," John told him.
"Always, Sir," Ryan replied with a grin.
"Alright, you two get on the road. I don't want you to arrive after nightfall," John told them.
"How far are we going?" Mae asked and the two men just smirked at her.
"Don't get me wrong, I love that you two get along but I hate that you two are ganging up on me," Mae frowned at them.
"Just go and let me know when you get there," John laughed as he pushed the two out of the room.
xxx
When Ryan first asked her, Mae was excited about the trip but as the week continued she felt nervousness creep up in herself. The amount of drama that has been circling her family recently has her in a complete nervous spiral about leaving. However, the moment the two left Bozeman Mae felt a crushing weight lift from her shoulders. She never knew how badly she needed a getaway but Ryan knew, he always knew what she needed.
Mae grinned as she took off her boots and leaned against Ryan and placed a sloppy kiss against his cheek. Ryan grinned before glancing down at her and then back at the road.
"What was that for?"
"I didn't know how much I needed to get out of there for a little break. It's just a thank you," Mae smiled.
"No thanks needed, Darlin'. I needed this break myself, anyway," Ryan grinned back.
"So are you going to tell me where we're going yet?" Mae asked and Ryan just smirked before turning up the volume of the radio and letting Luke Bryan's voice filled the car.
xxx
Five hours and numerous sing along session later, the two arrived.
"Welcome to Thompson Falls. It has spectacular forest and waterfall views and only about 1300 occupents. It's also my home town," Ryan told her and Mae's mouth dropped open into a smile.
"Really? I get to see where the Ryan Winchester grew up?" She grinned.
"It's small but let me give you the grand tour. On your left you'll see Thompson Falls High School, home to the Blue Hawks," Ryan pointed out for her.
"Ooh were you a football player?"
"That's classified,"he grinned back.
"That means yes! Oh my gosh I want to see pictures of teenage Ryan in his football uniform or better yet, toddler Ryan in his first uniform," Mae clapped her hands with an excited grin.
"Yeah no, I'm keeping you as far away from the photo albums as possible," Ryan shook his head.
"No, no please. I have to see them," Mae begged and he shook his head at her.
"Not happening."
Mae continued to pester him about baby photo's the entire drive up to a large house on the out skirts of town. Ryan reached over and pinched her exposed thigh and she gasped before swatting his hand away.
"And welcome to my childhood home," Ryan told her as he parked the Jeep, "My grandparents left it to me but I see it more as a getaway house. I can't give up being a wrangler for this place so I just rent it out for holidays and pay the neighbours to keep up with maintanance."
"It's beautiful," Mae smiled as she stared up at the two story house.
"Yeah it is. My grandpa built it to my grandma's exact wishes," Ryan smiled as he looked up at the house.
"I love it when you talk about them," Mae smiled as she stared at him, "You get this smile on your face and it just shows how much you love them and will always love them."
"Even if my mom's trying to be better now, I know for a fact that she'll never truly be as much a parent to me as they were. I can't imagine where I would have ended up without them in my life."
"They're proud of you, Ryan. I know they are because I am proud of you," Mae told him and he smiled at her.
"How about we head inside?" Ryan asked as he climbed out of the Jeep, Mae following him. Mae couldn't help bit admire him in his dark blue flannel with the sleeves rolled up. He was handsome, she always knew that but in this particular moment he was irresistable to her.
"Wait! Don't get the bags yet. We can get them later," Mae called out to him.
"Why?" He asked confused but Mae just grinned as she pulled him down to a kiss.
"So I can thank you for bringing me here," she grinned up at him.
"Jump, Darlin'," Ryan smirked as he lifted her by her thighs and attached his lips to hers. He carried her up the stairs and unlocked the house while Mae continued to place kisses all over his neck and collarbone.
Ryan kicked the door closed behind them and pushed Mae up against the door before connecting their lips again.
"Rya- Oh! I'm so sorry!"
Mae and Ryan pulled away from each other to see a dark brunette woman staring at the two in shock. She had light blue eyes and had to have been in her fifties.
Ryan stared in shock, "Ma?!"