Sweat soaked his body, and he woke with his heart pounding in his ears. Tyler looked around to get his bearings and to remember where he was. He put his hand on the gun under his pillow, and the tension melted off his body. After so many years of living in a hostile environment, old habits died hard.

He’d been medically discharged due to having PTSD. Who wouldn’t have some PTSD after everything he’d seen while serving with the Rangers? The doctors had given him medication to help with his anxiety, sleep issues, and mood swings, but he didn’t believe in taking medications and felt that hard work and willpower would get him through this. Just as he laid his head back on the pillow, the alarm blared on the night stand next his bed and right into his ear.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m getting up,” he said, talking to no one but himself as he pushed up and jumped out of bed. The sun wasn’t up yet, but Tyler was familiar with getting up early. His workout clothes were set out on the chair in the room, and he threw them on and left the bunkhouse main door to start his morning jog. Yesterday when he had finished out his day, he’d been introduced to all the other ranch hands, some prior military like himself. He’d been told there was a jogging path that followed the inner fence line enclosing the main part of the ranch.

As he started to run, he breathed deeply of the cool clean air. The sun was coming up, and the oranges and pinks of early morning could be seen over the tops of the mountains in the distance. The mountain peaks were grey and white, and the sides of the mountains looked purple from the shadows and darkness. Though still early dawn, he could see the tall grass in the fields and smell the wilderness beyond the fence. Birds sang and swooped down across the fields to catch flying bugs.

As he went around the loop once, he came upon the barn and did a quick security sweep. Not seeing anything out of place, he jogged along the well-worn dirt path that wound around the property. During the day, the smells of horses and fresh morning air seemed to help stave off the flashbacks that plagued his mind. However, with darkness still around him, his mind began to slip.

Tyler could see clearly in his mind’s eye one of the most recent missions he’d been on with his former unit. Impressions of sand and sweat were foremost on his mind. Then came sounds of men huffing as they ran along the side of walls to infiltrate the building they’d been assigned to take.

With a shake of his head to clear his thoughts and bring him back to the here and now, Tyler ran back to the bunkhouse to change and get ready for the day.

He walked into the kitchen just as Jeanie came down the stairs to join the others at the bar to eat breakfast. As she came down into the room, it was like a ray of sunlight shining down on him on a chilly day. He felt better, and the last of the gritty memories faded away.

“Mornin’, Tyler,” Cookie said in his gruff voice.

“Mornin’,” he said. “What’s for breakfast, Cookie?”

“Oh, the usual, eggs, toast, bacon, and flap jacks.”

All the ranch hands greeted Jeanie and Tyler as they took their seats. The last two seats were next to each other at the breakfast bar.

He gave Jeanie a nod as she took her seat beside him. “Good morning. How did you sleep?”

“Pretty good. How about you, Tyler?”

Just then, Cookie interrupted. “Dig in grunts,” he said with a chuckle. He set out large trays heaped with fluffy scrambled eggs, mounds of crispy bacon and a tower of pancakes in front of the ranch hands. Everyone started passing the trays of food around, so they could get what they wanted of each item.

Jimmy sat next to Tyler on his left and Jeanie on his right at the end of the bar.

“Tyler, what do you think so far of our ranch?” said Jimmy between bites of eggs.

“I’m really impressed. I love working with horses. Used to go to my grandfather’s ranch as a kid on summer breaks until I joined the military.”

“Well, that’s why your taking to it so quickly.” Jimmy gave Tyler a nod as he took a bite of bacon. “It’s different from being in the military…a lot quieter for sure, isn’t it?”

“Takes a little getting used to,” Tyler murmured between bites of eggs.

Jimmy smiled at Tyler. “We all fall into our little routines and form a sort of unit, which I like. Reminds me of the military in that way.”

Already, Tyler was feeling bonds forming with these former warriors, fellow brothers in arms.

Down toward the end of the bar, Tyler could hear Percy and Gavin talking about needing someone to go into town to get supplies.

Percy leaned back and called down the bar. “Hey, Jeanie. We need you and Tyler to go into town this morning to get some supplies.”

“Okay,” she called back at them. She leaned into her food as she buttered her toast then slathered preserves on it.

Turning to look at Jeanie, Tyler asked, “So what kind of things do we get when we go to town?”

Jeanie put down her fork. “Well, feed and grains, and other horse supplies, is what I’ve been sent for before, but sometimes, there are other things like clothing that the guys need but don’t want to have to go to shop for themselves.” She gave a mock frown and looked down the line at the men sitting at the breakfast bar. Then she wrinkled her nose. “Between you and me, I kind of like shopping for the guys. My sister and I own a fashion boutique in Colorado. I get love to shop and look at clothes. Of course, it’s not the sort of stuff I have in my shop, but the guys always end up with something they normally wouldn’t have picked out for themselves. They usually get loads of complements on what I pick out for them.”

Tyler started laughing, and then Jeanie joined in. Looking into her eyes, he saw a twinkle. When everyone at the table turned to them with questioning looks, it made Tyler and Jeanie laugh even more.

“It’s nothin’, guys,” she said between gasping for air. “Just fashion talk.”

The guys all chuckled and went back to eating again. Once everyone was done, they all took turns cleaning their dishes and putting them in the dishwasher. They also helped Cookie with cleaning the pots and pans he’d used to cook their meal. After cleaning everything up and putting it all away, they all dispersed, and Jeanie motioned for Tyler to follow her.

Tyler noticed that Jeanie was wearing a turquoise and black flannel shirt today and slim dark denim jeans. Her boots where a soft tan cowhide with turquoise designs on them. Her dark blonde hair hung loose around her shoulders in soft waves.

“Alright, Tyler. Let’s get going. We need to head out, so we can be back by mid-day to help with the horses this afternoon.” With a little skip in her step, she grabbed the keys hanging by the kitchen door.

He liked being around her but had always been standoffish when it came to women, one or two dates and maybe messing around, but nothing more. Tyler remembered how his Dad had beat his mom, drank a lot, and always had a hot temper. To get away from that environment, Tyler had moved away and joined the military. Making sure he had control over his life so he he’d never put himself in a situation that would set him up to be like his Dad. They shared a hot temper, but Tyler kept a leash on his and made sure he had control over most of his own life. He simply didn’t have longstanding relationships with women because of this.

Jeanie walked ahead of Tyler, moving toward a F350 Model Ford truck sitting in the small parking area. It had a large front guard and a metal tool box that spanned the back of the truck bed. She moved toward the driver’s side of the truck and he accompanied her, helping her to climb into the front seat before he walked around the vehicle to get into the passenger seat.

On the drive into town, Jeanie kept looking out of the corner of her eye at Tyler. His shoulders were so broad, and his shirt clung to the six-pack of his abdomen. After a few minutes, she gave herself an internal shake. Keeping her eyes on the road was more important than looking at his physique. To distract herself from ogling him, she asked, “Where did you grow up?”

There was silence in the truck cabin for several long minutes. Then… “I grew up mainly in Washington state, but would summer in Wyoming at my grandfather’s ranch.”

The short statement seemed to weigh heavily in the air.

Tyler finally spoke again but a little softer than before. “Where did you grow up?” he asked, his voice soft. His words seeming carefully slow.

“I’m a military brat, and my Dad dragged my older sister and me all over the country and the world. My sister and I settled down in Colorado, and we love it there. Well, I did anyway.”

Again, silence in the truck seemed to last forever. Just when the silence started to feel uncomfortable, she steered the truck around a bend, and they could see the small town up ahead. They passed the Eagle Rock city limits sign and the highway became the Main Street of the little town.

“This town reminds me of the one near my grandfather’s ranch. That was years ago, and it’s probably changed since I last saw it,” he stated matter-of-factly.

She nodded in acknowledgment. The town was small, and the main street had most of the stores on it. She drove past the primary restaurant that served everyone from the truckers to the local celebrities who had brought ranches in the area. Jeanie and her sister had thought about starting a fashion shop here as well as their main store in Colorado. Those plans had been put on hold while she’d been finishing up her college degree, and before being kidnapped. Now, her hiatus stretched until she finished her therapy at the rehab ranch. Her dad had pulled strings with Hank Patterson, the owner of the Brotherhood Protectors, to let her spend her rehab at the ranch. Normally only prior military treated there. She’d been lucky her dad was prior military and had connections and that Maddie and her fiancé were both friends with Hank. On top of all that, Maddie and Jeanie had met Hank’s wife Sadie through their fashion boutique and had become fast friends with the actress.

Jeanie pulled the truck up to Barkley’s feed store. It was a large gray building with small chicken coops and water troughs on display at the front of the store.

Tyler jumped out of the truck and sprinted around to Jeanie’s door. Jeanie enjoyed watching the way his muscles moved under his clothes and how chivalrous he was toward her. He opened the door for her, and she swung her legs over the seat and climbed down from the tall truck.

“Thank you very much, Tye.”

He tipped an imaginary hat. “You are very welcome, ma’am.” He stepped back so that she could get past him and open the back door to get out her bag. She reached over and pulled her luxury chic handbag from the back seat of the vehicle. It seemed out of place here. Still, wearing her ranch gear she liked the little boost of confidence her fashionable bag gave her while she was in town—something soothingly familiar while she moved around in town. Tyler closed the door for her, and they both walked into the feed store.

Once inside, Tyler blinked. “Wow, this place reminds me of Walmart. Everything you could need is here.”

Jeanie smiled. “When you’re out in the boonies, the feed store becomes the catch-all that ends all.”

“I never went to the feed store with my grandfather in the summers. Usually, I just stayed behind at the ranch.”

She walked up to the counter. “Hey, Jay, I have a list for you,” she said, to the tall, lanky man behind the counter. “The ranch’s truck is out front.”

“Can do, Miz Finley. I’ll let you know when you’re all loaded up,” Jay said.

She smiled. “Thanks. We’ll look around while we wait.”

Toward the back of the store were a few clothing racks, and boots were displayed on a wall. Hats on pegs lined another wall. A glass cabinet held belt buckles, spurs, and long leather cords that could be worn around your neck, like a tie.

Jeanie faced Tyler. “While we’re here, we should pick up a few things for you, Tyler.”

“What? You don’t like what I’m wearing?” He spun slowly like a model.

She couldn’t help grinning. “You’re very, funny. From what I’ve seen so far, your wardrobe consists of only tactical pants, military boots, and a T-shirt. It gets cold here, and cowboy boots are better for riding a horse.”

He held up his hands in mock surrender. “Alright. What do you recommend, oh great fashion icon?”

“Haha, smart alec. Well, since you asked—boots, flannel shirts, and jeans, at the very least.”

With a quick look at his frame, she decided what sizes he would need and started sifting through the racks. An emerald green flannel and a sky-blue flannel caught her eye. They would look good with his coloring. Stepping to the other rack, she found dark wash and faded wash blue jeans. She pulled out.

“Here, can you hold these, while I keep looking.”

Tyler had a crease in his forehead and a small quirk to his lips but took the offered clothes.

“You have a determined look on your face,” he said as she walked toward the boots.

She pulled down the dark brown boots on display and smoothed her hands over the surfaces. The leather was soft and not shiny. “What size boots do you wear?”

Tyler arched a brow strode forward. “My military boots are size twelve.”

Jeanie grabbed the appropriate box, and then walked over to the hats. “Okay, one more thing… What size hat do you wear?”

“Hmmmm, let me think, my basic training hat size was seven and three-eighths.”

Reaching up to grab the right box size, she collected a soft brown, leather cowboy hat that matched the brown boots. “Alright, go try everything on and make sure they fit.”

Tyler walked off toward the changing room in the corner of the store. A few minutes later, he came out wearing the emerald green flannel, with the light wash jeans, boots, and matching hat.

Jeanie had to work to keep her jaw from dropping. The jeans hugged his hips, and the flannel tucked in accentuated his narrow waist and broad shoulders.

“Uh...yeah..those work,” she said.

His eyes seemed to sparkle, and a grin touched his lips. With a chuckle, he stepped back into the changing room.

Jeanie continued staring at the spot where Tyler had been standing, when a voice behind her said, “Ms. Finley, your all loaded up.”

She turned and gave the store’s owner a smile. “Thanks, Jay. Everyone goes on the ranch’s account. The gentleman I came with has a few items to purchase as well.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he responded.

While they were talking, Tyler walked up to Jeanie with his hands full of the clothes and boxes.

“Tyler, if you go over to the counter, Jay will ring you up.”

“I’ll meet you in the truck.”

She walked out to the truck and climbed back into the driver’s side. A few minutes later, Tyler came out with two boxes and a large bag. He put everything in the back seat and climbed into the passenger side. Sticking the key into the ignition and turning it on, she pulled out of the spot and headed toward the restaurant they’d passed earlier. “What do you think about getting lunch in town before we head back to the ranch?”

“Sounds good to me. Are they good?”

“The food’s the best in the area, so yes, they are actually very good. A local rancher who moved here from California bought the joint, fixed it up, and hired a wonderful chef.”

“There’s a gourmet restaurant,” he said pointing toward the restaurant she’d mentioned.

“Exactly,” she said, pulling the truck into a parking area across the street and little ways down from the restaurant. They both jumped out at the same time.

“Let’s cross over here, and then we can walk down the street and do a little window shopping on our way to the door.”

“Whatever you want, boss lady. I’m following you.”

“I like the sound of that,” she said and flicked her hair over her shoulder.

They crossed the street and turned left at the sidewalk. The first store they passed looked like it was being renovated. The next one had antiques, which didn’t interest her at all. Just as she started to walk past the alley way between the buildings, a loud popping sound came from down the alleyway. Jeanie was slammed onto the ground, and then dragged across to the other side of the alley.