When Single Riders Come Together (COMPLETED)

Chapter 18

The flames flicker around the marshmallows. Dan slips his arm around Tylee's waist and kisses her cheek. "How do you like the tradition?" He whispers.

"It's nice." She smiles and rests her head on his shoulder.

After the fire had died down and everyone was bulging with s'mores blankets were spread out on the grass. Everyone stretches out to search for consolations. "There is the Little Dipper!" Greg declares pointing skyward. Everyone follows his finger trying to place the stars.

"I give up, I can't ever find them." Dan mutters with a sigh.

Tylee looks at him and smiles. "No you aren't. Look over there, that is the Dog Star."

He follows her finger looks around where she is pointing, nothing. He sakes his head in dismay. "I still don't see anything."

"You'll get it just takes time. Papaw taught me, but it took me three years to get the hang of it." She smiles making him determined to learn the constellations and how they work, even if he gets brain damage.

"Is that the star you were talking about?" He asks much later.

She follows his finger a smile spreading across her face. "Yeah! See I told you you would get it!" She smiles and kisses his cheek.

"What else have you spotted?" He inquires wrapping her in his arms.

Smiling she lays her head on his shoulder. "Found the Little Dipper." She points skyward and he follows her finger. "It looks like a little cup, kind of."

"I see a bear," He mutters cocking his head to the side.

Susan jumps and shrieks, "You found the bear! Where, where." Dan points it out to Susan and Tylee. "Dad! Dan found the bear!"
***
Dan sighs and flops on the bed, "Tylee for the last time you are NOT sleeping on the floor."

"Well than neither are you." She crosses her arms and stares at him.

"Fawn! You are making this way too complicated! I am sleeping on the floor and you are sleeping on my bed." He matches her stance and stares back into her eyes. 

"No, I can and will sleep in the sleeping bag."

He smiles and nods, "Great! I will be happy to put it on the bed for you." He smirks picking her up and spinning in circle.

"Tedddddy Bear!" She exclaims throwing her head back and sighing.

"Yes my Fawn?" He whispers moving his hands to her ribs. Smirking he tickles her. She squirms around laughing and flailing her legs. When his own lungs are drained from air from laughing at her he carries her to the bed laying down beside her. When the laughter dies down he kisses her cheek and grabs his night shorts.

Tylee sighs and buries her face in the bed spread that holds his sweat and pine smell. How did he manage consume her every thought while seeming to do it effortlessly?

Thank you Lord! Thank you for placing Dan in my life.

When Dan steps out of the bathroom and back into his bedroom he smiles. Tylee is laying on his bed, the wrong direction, sleeping peacefully. He kisses her cheek before rolling the sleeping bag out on the carpeted floor.
***
Tylee squints her eyes as the sunlight meets them. Turning her head away from the window she opens her eyes finding herself in a different room than her own she starts to panic until she remembers the star gazing and amazing meal. Sitting up a grin spreads across her face. On the dresser was a coffee mug with a note attached. She moves to the dresser picking the note up and reading it.

My Fawn,

Good morning beautiful! Hope you slept well. Mom has breakfast waiting in the kitchen when you are ready to eat. I am riding out with dad to see the horses in the back pasture, but we will be back by 10 unless we find something wrong. If that happens I will send you a text. :) See my beautiful Fawn soon!

Tylee picks her phone up from where it had been charging and glances at the time. Nine thirty, just enough time to work up the courage to be downstairs when he walks in.

Glancing at herself in the mirror in the bathroom she nods in approval. Her hair was in its usual three strand braid, Cruel Girl jeans clad her long skinny legs, and a teal button up gives her grey eyes a light blue tent. Her gaze diverting to her worn out boots causing a smile to spread across her face. The longer she wore them the better they felt.

Dan stares out the window of the old ford that he learned to drive in. The grass rolls by as his dad steers the pickup to the mare's pasture. The rolling fields much like the ones at Hearts Bond slip him into thoughts about the future. He could see Tylee and himself riding to the pond with her swelled with his child.

His dad's interrupts his day dream. "Y'all leaving today?"

"Yes sir, we have to get back to tend to things. I'm sure there are calves on the ground." He smiles thinking of the smile Tylee always wears when she discovers a new one. 

A smile slips to Sam's face, "There is always something to do on a ranch." The way his voice carried a longing told Dan that his dad missed it, a lot.

"You miss it don't you?" He inquires glancing in his dad's direction.

Sam nods, "Yeah, I do, but I couldn't take it like I used to." The conversation falls flat as they near the green pipe gate and Dan hops out to open it, closing it behind the ford. As he slams the pickup door the sound of hoof beats against the earth can be heard.

"That's my girls" Sam mutters when the mares come into view. Dan smiles and steps out of the pickup. He grabs the feed sack from the bed of the pickup before his dad can. Stringing the cubes out he watches as the mares line up with their bulging bellies.

"Dad, Jess looks close," He voices pointing to the brown and white paint mare. Sam steps next to him observing the mare as well.

He nods, "Yeah she does. We should take her up to the barn, this is her first year."

Dan nods and fetches a halter from the back seat. He moves to the mare's side and slips the lead around her neck. When she lifts her head he slips the nose band over her nose then leading her to the trailer. "Who's she bred to?"

"James' black paint." Sam closes the trailer gate as Dan ties the lead rope.

When the mare is tied and the gate is closed Sam turns around and directs the pickup through the gate. A comfortable silence settles between the father son pair as they bump down the ranch road back to the house and barn. Upon arriving at the barn Dan unloads Jess and helps Sam settle her in a pen. Then the duo moves towards the house.

"Everyone can resume smiling now that I have returned!" Sam declares flinging the door open. Serval eyes roll and Kathrine laughs before enveloping him in a hug.

Dan is slightly surprised to find Tylee laughing. "My Fawn," He whispers in her ear wrapping his arms around her from behind.

"Good morning, Teddy Bear." She smiles as she whispers it to him.

"I guess you found my note?" He inquires, she nods. "That's good, you ready to head back?"

She nods again, "I think so."

After saying goodbye to his family they head back towards Sundance and the ranch. Daisy who had followed Tylee around the whole weekend laid in the seat watching the pair as Dan drives and Tylee hums with the radio.

Upon arriving at the house they find the animals happily grazing in the afternoon sun. After unloading Tylee's bags in the house Dan takes his own to the bunkhouse. When he is sitting in the living room his phone vibrates with a text. He smiles and sighs at the words Tylee has typed. 'I am riding Wind. Love you Teddy Bear!'

"She never stops does she?" He mutters. Deciding that he should surprise her with supper he heads to the main house. Rummaging through the cabinet he is puzzled when there is a knock at the door. Becca wouldn't knock and Bill knew that they would be back to feed. Who could it be? No one just stumbles upon Hearts Bond.