Status Updates From Safe Haven (Triple Creek Ra...

“I can’t thank you enough.”

“You don’t need to. You lived and breathed for this team for fifteen years. We haven’t forgotten that. Just let me know how to help.”

“The team’s legal and PR teams are yours to use as you need,” he says. “You may no longer be on my starting lineup, but you’re still one of ours, and we’ll take care of you, Ryker.”

“You’re always feeding me.”

“I’ve been hungry before. The people I love will never go through that.”

“Always you, baby. And it will only ever be you for as long as I’m breathing. You’re it for me. You’re in the marrow of my bones, seeped into every broken crack of my being. You smooth out my rough edges.”

Anger is a living thing inside me, but I need to reassure her, to remind her that she’s all that matters.

Oh, that’s why.

“She’s gonna kick some coyote ass,” Aiden informs me before popping more Cheetos in his mouth.

“They’re fucking hunting again tonight.”

“We’re going to have to kill them, Ry. Or they’ll make their way through our whole herd.”

“I know. It fucking sucks. We need to get a donkey.”

“I’ve already put out the word that we’re in the market for one,” Dusty replies. “In the meantime, those coyotes won’t stop on their own.”

(What are donkeys for? Alternate prey for coyotes?)

I don’t ever want you to think that I would want to move Aiden and myself in here because you want to fix something for me. I only want you to love me.

I don’t want you here just because I think you need me to rescue you. You don’t. You’re fucking badass.

(This called to mind the scene in “North & South” mini-series when John was trying to assure Margaret he truly loves her, not just rescue her.)

“Why won’t people I love let me help them?”

“Even birth mother … I begged her to move away, to stop bringing men home, to be happy with just us. But she didn’t listen, & she stayed until it killed her.”

“My dad. Ray. I asked 100X if needed me to come home to help after Mom died - he always said no. I could have hired people for him. I could have come here myself & taken care of him.”

“Yeah. We should have discussed it first. I don’t like being handled.”

I pull back and frown down at her. “Do you seriously think that’s what I was doing?”

“Yeah. I do. Aiden was upset, and you handled it. My refrigerator died, and you’re gonna handle it. You simply take over.”

I had to put a cow down this morning. Something attacked her in the night, and she was a fucking mess, suffering in the pasture. I’m glad neither of the younger kids saw her.

That’s some shit you don’t get out of your head.

Sure, this is a ranch. We have farm animals, and I’ll be adding more, but that doesn’t mean that I’ve become completely desensitized when it comes to the suffering of animals.

“What the fuck?” Aiden mutters under his breath, and I don’t even bother to shoot him a dirty look for swearing. Because what the fuck?

Shawn is famous for not liking to text. He calls or sends voice notes almost exclusively. It’s just how he works.

Who the fuck eats protein waffles on vacation?