Finally Home to Yellowstone: Yellowstone Ranch Series

3

The whole afternoon slowed down now. I was nervous to go see Rip. Afraid of what he was going to say.

But the sun was finally setting and the work was mostly done for the day. As much as we could get done anyway. I trudged back to the house. Slowly and limping because of how sore I was. I took the steps into the house one at a time, my hip felt like it was replaced with jello and pin needles.

"Hey Mary." Kayce slapped my back on the way up the stairs.

I groaned,"Hey, Kase." I grumbled.

He chuckled,"Howd the ground feel?"

I finished the stairs and walked through the screen door. "You heard?" I asked.

"Oh yeah... Cowboy." He followed in behind me.

I turned and looked at the stairs for my bedroom and bathroom. "Fuck." I exhaled.

He laughed and walked by.

"What's funny, Kayce?" Dad said as he walked up to me. I straight my back.

"Yeah, Kase?" I asked loudly.

Dad looked down at me. "How was today?" He asked.

Fuck he knows.

I swallowed hard,"Good. Got the bulls tagged. They're going out with the mommas in the morning."

I started up the stairs as normal as possible.

"Any problems?" He asked.

I looked down the stairs at him and shook my head. "No. No problems, sir."

"Mhmm." He grumbled and walked on.

I released a deep breath and leaned against the wall. Beth was coming down the stairs.

"You look like hell." She ruffled her eyebrows.

"I know." I groaned.

*****

I took off my dirt covered clothes and tossed them into the hamper then turned to the mirror.

Bruises were forming down my entire left side, the side that took the brunt of everything. My left knee was swollen and my hip bruised. My rib cage looked awkward on the left side too. It was turning black in places. My back hurt every time I breathed in.

I stepped into the shower and did my best to wash but everything hurt so bad I made it a quick one. I slipped out of the shower and towel dried my hair. I pulled in an army sweatshirt and jeans. I pulled my Carhartt vest on over the sweatshirt and put socks and boots on. I looked in the mirror, suddenly conscious of how I looked.

I slipped out my room and downstairs. Beth sat on the couch drinking a glass of wine.

I stared down at her.

"What?" She asked.

I sighed. "Rip asked me to come to his cabin."

"And you're wearing that?" She scoffed.

I nodded and sat down next to her,"Yeah because he's pissed at me."

"But you like him?" She threw back the rest of her wine.

"Fuck no," I paused,"Well...no. I don't think so. Not yet. Like he's fucking hot. But not the personality. He's turned into an ass." I leaned forward and poured us two glasses of whiskey then gave one to her.

"Daddy, made him into an ass." She sipped the whiskey,"But, there's no way he invited you over to get mad at you. If he wanted to yell and carry on he would've done it at the barn in front of everyone. You know, male dominance." She slung the rest of her whiskey into her mouth.