Affectionately Jaelyn wraps her arms around Tyson's middle and lays her head against him. "Call me when you get home."

"I will. Drive safe and try not to kill your brother." He cracks a smile as his arms hold her close to him.

She looks up at him with raised eyebrows. "I am not guaranteeing anything," venom drips from her voice as she speaks.

He rubs her back hoping to ease the boiling temper. "Let me know when you get to your parents, Jae Sweet."

"Okay. Call me tomorrow and I will let you know about the other three because I know that we will be up till dawn discussing this." She rolls her eyes as she pulls back to be able to meet his gaze.

He nods and smiles. "I will be waiting on your text telling me you are free to talk."

"Okay. What time is your first class tomorrow?"

A look of pure dread crosses his face as he sighs. "Seven thirty."

Her eyebrows shoot up as she declares, "Dang! You don't even get to sleep in."

"Eh it's college life. No sleep and good grades." He shrugs trying his best to brush it off so she won't worry. It wasn't the first time he had went to class tired and he is sure it won't be even close to the last.

"I now know why the good Lord didn't send me to college. Besides that I couldn't live in the city to save my life. I would go insane." Her voice picks up speed with every word.

He throws his head back and laughs. Until now he hadn't realized how much he has missed her animation in his life. "Ah my sweet isn't a city girl."

"You should know that." She pokes him in the chest as the wind blows the mesquite beside them making it rub her neck.

He twitch makes him chuckle and he grabs the leaves closest to them. "I know it I just thought I would tease you a little."

"I can handle that." She laughs.

"Good, I don't want to-" He gets interrupted by her phone ringing. She sighs and answers it. Cane's enraged voice instantly booms through the iPhone SE.

"Where the heck are you?! I'm not loading all this crap by myself!"

Sighing Jaelyn taps the screen ending the call. "And the brother demands."

"I guess it is time to stop protesting against leaving and just give it up... As much as I don't want to." He squeezes her to his chest. Two years went by without her he can handle a couple weeks, right?

"I guess so," she whispers.

Placing his lips on hers Tyson breathes in her horsey scent. It has always had the power to over take him and take his brain away. "I love you Jaelyn Maxwell."

"I love you too Dr. Tyson Reed." She smirks waiting for him to catch on.

He holds up a finger. "December, in December."

Laughing she laces her fingers through his and they start walking to the house from their hiding spot in the water lot. As they pass the barn Bart's deep chuckle meets their ears. Tyson smiles and shakes his head.

Rounding the corner of the house the couple meets Cane stomping out of the house. His eyes are squinted to slits and his jaw is clinched tight. His stature causes Jaelyn's fists to ball at her sides.

"What are you standing there watching for?! Your stuff is in the house." His sharp tone pierces the air like a sharp knife in a soft banana.

With a huff Jaelyn releases and re-balls her fists before trudges inside the weight of anger on her shoulders. Grabbing her bag she throws it over her shoulder throwing herself briefly off balance. With her boots in her hand she stomps towards the back door almost running into Tyson in the process. How could Cane just ruin this for her? She sighs as she puts her stuff in the backseat of her brother's pickup.

"Jae sweet, you want to go get the horses?" Tyson's soft voice brings her from her thoughts. The way he asks what they should do instead of asking if he could help made her feel a hint of pride. He knows her. Time hadn't changed that and she was thankful.

"Thank you, Superman," he whispers lacing her fingers through his. They walk to the pens with halters hanging off of their arms.

He opens the gate allowing her to go through first. "Does it matter which halter goes on who?"

"Not really," She tells him as she halters a filly. When all the horses but Cobalt are haltered Tyson looks at her expectantly. She smirks and hands him the lead ropes before vaulting onto her horses back. "Now I can take all but three of them."

"Are you sure?" That left her with six horses to lead. Was that safe? He feels his palms get sweaty as his mind replays the accident leading to her concussion. Quickly pushing the memory away he refocuses on reality.

"Yeah he doesn't mind ropes and stuff." She takes the lead ropes from his hand and moves them around to be situated. "It will be fine." She smiles reassuringly before urging Cobalt forward.

He hesitates before moving forward in fear that he would wake up and find it all a dream. That she was back in his life, as skillful as she is and that she has such horsemanship. The young lady he had left two years before had bloomed into a strong woman that has him drooling on himself. Sure she was pretty when they dated before, but now she no longer looked like the average college girl. She was a diamond waiting to be discovered and loved forever.

"You coming Superman?" Her voice calls him from his thoughts. "You okay?" She asks him once he was beside her at the trailer.

"Yeah I have never been better. What makes you ask?" He chides himself when he realizes that he was talking really fast.

She cocks an eyebrow at him before turning back to the halter she was tying on Cobalt's head. "You were standing in the middle of the road with your jaw dropped. What's not to wonder about?"

"Was I really that obvious?" He groans while opening the trailer gates.

She laughs leading Cane's horse to the gates. "Pretty much."

He rolls his eyes and mentally slaps himself. "That is just amazing." Sarcasm drips from his voice.

She wraps her arms around him from behind. "Don't worry I think it is quite adorable."

"You do now?" He turns around and places his hands on her small hips.

She nods wearing a Montana sky smile.

"Maybe I should try to do it more often then." They stand staring into one another's eyes when Cobalt shoves Jaelyn's shoulder with his nose.

Tyson cocks a eyebrow at the horse and an amused smirk rests on his lips. "Well I know I am personable, but I thought you knew I was all yours."

"When did you learn such proper language?" She teases.

He smirks widely and cocks his head. "Unfortunately I ain't never been able to get out of English class."

She rolls her eyes. "The country ain't never left you," she mocks him using the same double negatives.

He laughs and grabs one of the horses and loads it in the trailer.

Getting back to business she takes a lead rope and says, "Cobalt needs to go on the back beside Chuck."

Tyson feels his heart sink, the week is over and the separation begins.

His sudden mood change isn't lost on her. She touches his arm as she goes by him and asks, "What are you so gloomy about?"

He smiles and wraps his arms around her. "Nothing that you need to worry your pretty little mind about."

Tying the halter she smiles a little. "You sure?"

"I am positive." Kissing the top of her head he can't help the smile that takes up residence on his lips. "Can you come to college with me?"

Her cheeks scrunch up with a grin. "I wish I could, but no I have too many horses that I must work with. I don't think your back yard has enough room for them all."

He laughs and rolls his eyes. "You mean my nonexistent back yard?"

Rolling her eyes she pulls kisses his cheek, pulls back, and pats his forearm. "Okay whatever. Drive safe."

He catches her by the arm and pulls her back to him. "I will, but I ain't leaving 'til you do."

With her hat in her hand she lays her head on his chest once more.

He uses his index finger to lift her chin up making her eyes meet his. "Smile, it makes the world brighter. Especially your glowing one."

His words cause her to smile and bite her bottom lip. She turns around to lean her back against him and starts to kick a rock.

"Hey, Jae sweet, I can't see the smile if you aren't looking at me." He chuckles. "Stop rolling your eyes at me."

"I wasn't! Okay maybe." She looks up with a cheesy grin. How she had missed those hazel eyes.

"I knew it!" He declares his fist shooting into the air.

"Superman, please, just stop." She laughs as he bounces around.

He stops suddenly and puts on his sad face. "Must I Jae Sweet?" He wraps his arms back around her and kisses her forehead.

Before she can answer Cane's voice breaks the happiness in the air, "Let's go Jaelyn!"

She nods and gives Tyson a weak smile. "I'll talk to you later," she whispers staring into his eyes.

"I love you, Jae Sweet. Be safe and let me know how things go," he tells her before pecking her lips lightly leaving them both wanting more.

Walking with her to the passenger door he opens it for her. When he is sure she is in he pushes it closed and smiles at her. As the pickup rolls backwards away from him he smiles and waves. Whirlwind might not even describe the week.