Beau and Alyssa spent the next few weeks working hard during the day and loving hard at night. As the end of her internship grew closer Beau started thinking about ways to keep her on board—or maybe bring her back after the summer or even after her master’s degree was complete.

One warm sunny afternoon, Beau decided it was time to put Dolly back out in the pasture. She’d been healed up for a couple of weeks and didn’t need to be in the barn. Most of the other cattle were also out in the pasture. He walked into the barn and down to her stall.

“Hey, old girl. It’s time to give up your cushy life and go out in the pasture with the rest of the herd. Summer’s coming soon.”

Dolly lowed and he rubbed her head and neck. “Now, you have to promise me that you’ll be a good girl and stay away from any more beaver traps or anything else that could cause you trouble.”

She bumped him with her nose and he took that as a promise to behave. Beau led her out of the barn, past the corral, and through the gate for the pasture. “You keep an eye on those young’uns while you’re out there. You’ve got the most experience—I’m counting on you to keep those young mothers and their babies in line.”

When they were well into the pasture, he stopped walking, and the cow stopped too. She just stood there next to him. Beau wacked her on the rump. “Go on now, out to the herd.” Dolly rubbed against him one last time and meandered across the pasture. He watched her go for a few minutes and then decided to go find Alyssa.

Beau was a half hour early to the location he and Alyssa had planned to meet. He’d hurried through his work so he could join her earlier. She was already there at their designated place for the day too, so maybe she’d been just as eager. He noticed she was on her phone, so he just waited while she talked, drinking her in. She was animated and looked so beautiful it hurt. After a while, he started noticing her words.

“Being on campus is awesome.” She paused and listened.

“Yes, of course an online degree is great, but you learn so much more with being hands-on and from the other people in the class with you. Some things are just easier to learn if you can touch them and see other people and their reactions. Videos and live interactions are great and so much better than what online degrees used to be. But there’s just something so much better being on campus. Trust me on this.”

Beau’s gut clenched at her words. He’d been thinking about asking Alyssa to consider finishing her master’s degree online. But clearly, she loved being on campus.

“No, it’s not the same as being there. The online classes just lack something. I can’t really describe it. But there is a huge difference. I think you learn so much more at the school.”

He eased away without Alyssa seeing him. He needed to think about this revelation—or at least get his own emotions under control. He felt like he’d been kicked in the stomach or maybe the heart, by one of the bulls. He had half an hour before he needed to be back.

* * *

Alyssa finally hung up from talking to Rachel. That had been a long conversation. Rachel wanted to go to art school, but she was hemming and hawing. So, Alyssa had poured it on about how wonderful college was. She hadn’t been lying to her friend—there was a wealth of knowledge that was gained by being on campus, both in life skills and classwork. Rachel had never lived on her own. She was still living with her family, in the same bedroom they had played Barbies in as little girls. Alyssa thought Rachel was longing for some independence. She would get that independence at college, but it was still a relatively closed and safe environment.

Rachel was a great photographer and had studied everything she could find online, but she wanted to try new things and push herself. Art school would do that, too. She hoped Rachel would give it a try. Alyssa, on the other hand, was ready to settle down and just work. She kept wondering if she really wanted to spend another year in school to get her master’s degree. If she was honest with herself, which she tried to be, what she wanted to do was stay here on the ranch with Beau and work beside him. He was already trying some interesting ideas in reproduction and she felt like she could learn as much working with him during the breeding season as she would in school. He hadn’t invited her to do so and she hadn’t asked, but she might just do that and see where it led them.

She wondered where Beau was. She had hoped he would get finished early and meet her. She checked her Facebook and still no Beau. She checked her email and still no Beau. She texted her family and still no Beau. He was late and she wondered if something was wrong. Finally, he sent her a text.

Beau: Not going to be able to make it. Need to run into town.

Alyssa: Want company?

Beau: Not this time. I’ll see you tomorrow.

Alyssa: Not tonight?

Beau: No gonna be late.

Alyssa: Late is better than not at all.

Beau: Nope, see you tomorrow.

Alyssa: Fine.

She put down her phone instead of throwing it like she wanted to. What was going on? They’d spent every night together since the first one. Sometimes, it had been late if he needed to do something that didn’t include her, but he’d always shown up eventually. She didn’t know what to think. When she’d seen him at lunch there was nothing different about him, so what had happened between then and now? Her stomach clenched, as dread reared its ugly head. She only had a couple weeks left. Was he breaking up with her?

She slowly walked to the house. She would just go to her room. When she walked in the kitchen, Grandpa K was sitting there having a cup of coffee.

“Hi, Grandpa K. I’m not feeling too great so I’m going to my room to lay down. Could you spread the word that I won’t be down for dinner?”

“I can do that little lady. Is there anything I can do to help?”

She sighed and shook her head. She tried to smile but it felt more like a grimace. “No, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Grandpa K frowned but didn’t say anything else. Alyssa took some cheese and crackers and an apple to her room, for a snack later if she had the desire.

* * *

Beau knew he was being a chickenshit about this, but he just couldn’t face her. Maybe he should just break it off. That way, neither of them would be hurt later. Or, would it be better to enjoy her the last few weeks they had together and let it end naturally with her leaving for graduation and the summer? He didn’t know, and he had to think about it. He wished he had someone he could talk it over with, but he couldn’t think of anyone. Adam was dead-set against the relationship. He hadn’t talked to his parents about girls since he was fourteen. He had friends, but no one he was especially close to.

He’d told his grandfather he was going into town and wouldn’t be back for dinner. But he had no real destination. He could go get some food or go to the bar, he supposed, but he wasn’t feeling particularly social and he didn’t really want anyone bugging him. Maybe he’d go for a drive to give him time to think things through. He probably shouldn’t go too far in case there was some kind of an emergency on the ranch, but calving season was over and everything else was pretty well in hand, so he didn’t expect anything—but you never knew. Alyssa could probably handle anything that was needed, but he was the vet, and it was his responsibility. So, he would stay in the area and not go any farther than Hot Sulfur Springs. He could grab something to eat at Mama B’s Kitchen or the Glory Hole Café.

Beau drove around aimlessly for a couple of hours and still had no clue what he wanted to do about his relationship with Alyssa. He was tired of driving, still hadn’t eaten, and he was just wasting gas, so he headed toward home. There would surely be some leftovers.

He walked in the kitchen and found his grandfather still sitting at the table, which surprised him. It wasn’t that late yet, but his grandfather usually went to his room after dinner.

“Hi Grandpa, whatcha doing?”

“Waiting for you.”

Beau went on full alert. “Why? Is there something wrong? Why didn’t you text me?”

“Nothing is wrong with the stock. But I’m going to butt my old nose into your business. I’m thinking you did something to hurt Alyssa’s feelings. Since you left, ‘to go to town’ and she went straight to her room and didn’t come to dinner.”

Dammit. He felt bad for hurting her feelings. She didn’t deserve it. “I didn’t mean to hurt her feelings. I just needed to think about some things and make some decisions.”

“And did you do that?”

Beau shook his head. “I tried.”

“I’m guessing this thinking had to do with Alyssa which is why she looked so sad. Did you consider talking to Alyssa about what you needed to think about?”

“No.” Beau sat down at the table across from his grandfather. He felt too defeated to do anything else.

“Let me give you a piece of advice here, grandson. Always, and I mean always, talk things through. Nothing in existence can spin your life down the shitter faster than making assumptions, and then making decisions based on those assumptions. I had fifty-three years with your grandmother before she went to the great beyond. And I spent too many of the early years not talking things through and making bad decisions on false assumptions. Don’t do the same, boy. You do know the word assume, stands for making an ass out of you and me?”

Beau grimaced and nodded. “I have heard that a time or two, yes.”

“Then don’t be an ass, and talk to the girl. And while you’re at it, take some dinner up to her. I saved both of you a plate of food in the oven.” His grandfather stood up and put his coffee cup into the dishwasher.

“Thanks, Grandpa.”

“You’re welcome, Beau. Goodnight.” The old man walked out the door leaving Beau with his thoughts.