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By midday, we had made significant progress, and I felt a small sense of accomplishment. The physical labor had done its job, keeping my mind occupied and my emotions at bay. But as we took a break for lunch, I glanced at my phone, hoping for a message from Danny. Nothing. I sighed and stuffed the phone back into my pocket, forcing myself to focus on the task at hand.
After lunch, I headed to the office to go over the ranch's financials. There were always bills to pay, supplies to order, and accounts to balance. I buried myself in the paperwork, but my thoughts kept drifting back to Danny. Why wasn't he answering? Had something happened? Was he pushing me away on purpose? The uncertainty gnawed at me, making it hard to concentrate.
A knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. Tyler stood in the doorway, a concerned look on his face.
"You okay?" he asked, stepping inside.
I nodded, though I knew I didn't look convincing. "Just a lot on my mind."
He sat down across from me, his gaze steady. "You know, you can talk to me. Whatever it is, I'm here."
I appreciated his offer, but I wasn't ready to unload everything on him. "Thanks, but I'll be fine. Just need to get through this paperwork."
Tyler frowned but didn't push. "Alright. But if you need anything, just let me know."
"I will," I promised, giving him a small smile. He nodded and left the office, leaving me alone with my thoughts once again.
The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of numbers and invoices. I forced myself to focus, to keep moving forward, but the nagging worry about Danny wouldn't go away. By the time evening rolled around, I was exhausted, both physically and emotionally.
I headed back to the house, hoping for a moment of peace. As I walked through the front door, my eyes were drawn to the hallway table where my phone sat. I resisted the urge to check it immediately, instead heading to the kitchen to pour myself a glass of wine. I took a long sip, savoring the warmth as it spread through me, trying to calm the storm of emotions inside.
Finally, I picked up my phone. Still nothing from Danny. My frustration bubbled over, and I slammed the phone down, the sound echoing through the empty house. I took another sip of wine, trying to regain my composure. I couldn't keep doing this to myself. I needed to find a way to deal with the silence, to focus on the ranch and not let Danny's absence consume me.
The next morning, I was up early again, ready to tackle another day. As I walked out to the barn, I saw Tyler waiting for me. He gave me a nod, his eyes searching mine.
"Morning," I said, trying to sound more upbeat than I felt.
"Morning," he replied, his gaze lingering on me for a moment. "Ready to get to work?"
"Always," I said, grabbing a pitchfork and heading to the stalls.
By the end of the day, I was exhausted but felt a sense of accomplishment. The ranch was running smoothly, and I had managed to keep my mind off Danny, at least for a little while. As I headed back to the house, I felt a twinge of sadness. I missed him, missed the way he made me feel safe and understood. But I couldn't dwell on that. I had to keep moving forward.
The next few days passed in much the same way. I threw myself into work, focusing on the ranch and trying to keep my mind off Danny. Tyler continued to be a steady presence, offering support without pushing me to talk about what was going on. I appreciated his understanding, even though I knew he was hoping for something more.
One evening, after a long day of work, I was sitting on the porch, watching the sun set over the fields. The colors were breathtaking, a reminder of the beauty that surrounded me. But even that couldn't chase away the ache in my heart. I sighed, leaning back in the chair and closing my eyes.
"Hey," Tyler's voice broke the silence, and I looked up to see him standing at the bottom of the steps.
"Hey," I replied, trying to muster a smile.
He climbed the steps and sat down next to me, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "Beautiful evening."
"Yeah," I said, my voice barely a whisper.
We sat in silence for a while, the only sound the distant hum of the crickets. Finally, Tyler turned to me, his expression serious.
"You know, you don't have to go through this alone," he said softly. "Whatever it is, I'm here for you."
I appreciated his words, but the truth was, I felt more alone than ever. "Thanks, but I'll be okay. I just need to figure things out."
He reached out and placed a hand on my shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I know you're strong, but it's okay to lean on someone every now and then."
I looked at him, his eyes filled with concern and something else—something I wasn't ready to acknowledge. "I appreciate it, really. But I need to handle this on my own."
Tyler sighed but didn't push further. "Alright. But if you ever change your mind, you know where to find me."
As he walked away, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Tyler had been supportive, but his constant presence and concern felt more like he was keeping tabs on me rather than just being a good friend. I knew I needed to keep an eye on him, especially with everything going on.
