"Sir, I can explain. It wasn't-" Slade stopped himself. He was going to say that it wasn't what it looked like, but that was false. It was exactly what it looked like, but nothing was going to happen; they stopped before it could. 

              "I don't care. I want you and all of your stuff moved out today." Zane said, not allowing time for another word. He turned and walked out of the barn, slamming the door on the way out. 

             "Slade, I'm so sorry. He doesn't mean it...he's just upset. Give him time to come around." Lacey pleaded with Slade. She reached out to grab his arm, but Slade jerked it free with a scoff.

             "Lace, your dad was serious, okay? We almost let things go too far, and your dad saw. I need to face my consequences. Don't downplay this, okay?" Slade said angrily to his girlfriend, immediately walking upstairs to his loft, most likely to begin packing his things. Once he was at the top of the stairs, Slade slammed his bedroom door shut, making Lacey jump. Never before had she seen him get angry, let alone snap at her. She tried to convince herself that there was something else that caused Slade's anger, but she couldn't be sure. All she knew was that she had to fix this. 

           With a sigh, Lacey followed her dad into the house. Once inside, Lacey called out, "Dad...can we please talk?" 

         Zane was angrily walking through the house, about to start supper since Lacey's mom was in town with the boys. 

            "Dad. Stop walkin' around. I can't keep up with you!" Lacey raised her voice, frustrated at herself for not being able to move freely like she used to, but also mad at her dad for not giving her two seconds of his time. 

              Lacey's angry voice made Zane stop, turning to look at her with his hands on his hips. They were in the kitchen. "What do you want to talk about, Lacey?" 

              "You can't fire Slade. What you saw wasn't what you think, okay?" She was trying hard to keep herself calm, knowing yelling at her dad would only make matters worse. 

               "It is exactly what it looked like. Slade and you were making out, about to take things too far." Zane's attention span was already distracted from his daughter.

             Lacey rolled closer to her dad, hoping he would pay attention to her. "Jeremy and I used to make out, and you never reacted like this." 

         "Yeah, because I knew Jeremy really well. Y'all were friends before you started dating. I don't know Slade that well. He's only worked here for a few months." 

            Lacey scoffed. "Slade is a much better guy than Jeremy. Slade and I talk about everything, and we both decided we would never let things go...there...before either of us are married. Jeremy used to literally beg me to have sex with him, but Slade doesn't think like that with me. And believe it or not, that was the first time Slade and I ever made out." She was talking with her hands, feeling herself getting angry all over again. 

              Zane spun around, pointing a finger at Lacey. "I don't care, Lacey. He broke the rules and I want him gone, and I want him gone now!" 

              "Rules? What rules? I am happy, genuinely happy for once in my life. So unless it is a rule now that I can't be happy, Slade did nothin' wrong. You just came in at the wrong time, and dad, nothing would have happened regardless, because in case you didn't notice, I am paralyzed which means I can't use my legs for anything, or even feel anything below my hips!" Lacey slammed her hands hard against the arm rests of her chair, making her dad give her his full attention. She had practically screamed out that last sentence. It took a lot to get Lacey genuinely mad, but her and her dad had never really gotten along well, so this argument wasn't anything new.

          Lacey shook her head as she glared at her dad. Lowering her voice slightly, Lacey added, "Slade has done more for me in these past few months than you have ever done for me. He is the one who takes me to therapy, who encouraged me and gave me confidence, he was the one who got me out to the barn, and he is the one who got me back on the horse today. Unlike you, he is the one who builds me up and makes me feel like I still have a purpose. Ever since my accident, all you have done is tear me down and make me feel like I need to completely change everything about my life. Slade had shown me that even though things have changed, I don't have to." Despite being angry, Lacey knew she shouldn't be saying these things to her dad, but she was furious with him. She expected her dad to erupt and blow up on her, so she braced herself, but was taken aback with her dad's response.

            Zane's expression softened, and his voice was quiet. For the first time all day, he gave Lacey his full attention. "Slade got you back in saddle? You rode a horse today?" 

               "Yes, dad, I rode a horse today for the first time since my accident and you would have seen it if you weren't in here engrossed in your job and brainstorming ways to break up me and Slade!" She took a deep breath. "What you saw in the barn was me and Slade celebrating that I got back on the horse today. I over came one of my greatest fears, and was proud of myself, and Slade was proud of me. We were celebrating, and that was it." 

             "Lacey, honey, I'm sorry. I didn't know that. I...when I came into the barn and saw..." Zane breathed out. "I just don't want you to get hurt."

             "Slade would never, ever, do anythin' to hurt me, and if you had just given him the change to explain that, he would have told you that we stopped before anything would have happened. Slade and I love each other, so yes, we will kiss occasionally, but we have talked and you don't need to worry about anything further happening between us."

             "I know...I'm sorry, Lacey. I really am. Did Slade say anything about what I said?"

             "Yeah, dad, he did. He snipped at me for the first time ever, and I am pretty sure that he is upstairs in his loft packing up his stuff right now." Lacey wasn't so much as mad anymore, she was more irritated at how her dad over reacted. 

               Zane rubbed a hand over his forehead. "Can you please talk to him? Just tell him that he still has his job and that I over reacted?" 

               Lacey scoffed. "No, dad. I am not doin' your dirty work for you. You are the one who caused this, so no offense, but I am staying out of it. It's your problem to deal with, not mine." With that, Lacey rolled out of the kitchen, heading anywhere but in the kitchen with her dad.

                                        ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Zane made his way out to the barn, walking up the steps to Slade's loft. Seeing the door shut, Zane formed his hand in a fist, knocking three times on the door, waiting for a reply. 

             Slade went to the door, turning the knob to open it. When he saw who it was, he refused the urge to roll his eyes. Instead, he stood with one hand against the door, only opening it enough for himself, not welcoming Zane in. "I'm just about finished packing my stuff. I will be out of here by tonight." Slade's jaw was set firm. 

             "There's no need for that." Zane started. He tucked his hands in his jeans pockets. 

             "So you're sayin'..." 

             Letting out a breath, Zane did one thing he rarely ever did, and that was put aside his pride to admit he was wrong and apologize. "You still have your job here, Slade. I over reacted earlier and I apologize. It was not right of me. I wish that you could have seen it from the eyes of a father, seeing her baby girl about to make a mistake. I was wrong in not letting you share your side of the story."

             "Well, I appreciate it, sir, and I do apologize for what happened. I can assure you it will not happen again. And just for the record, I only have good intentions with your daughter. Her and I will never cross that line...I know that isn't what it seemed like today, but sir, please believe me that I have had a shaded past with women, but I have nothing but respect for your daughter." 

              "I understand that. Lacey explained all of that to me. So, stop unpacking. We have work to do." Zane stretched out his hand to shake Slade's, hoping for a truce. 

               "Yes, sir." Slade shook his bosses hand. 

               "Good." Zane turned. "You can start by dragging the outdoor arena, and grease up that annoying squeaky gate in the north 40." He was walking down the loft steps with Slade behind him. "I also need you to take the trash down the road to the dumpsters, check the mail, and refill the feed bins. Can you get all that done for me by supper time?" 

               "Yes, sir, absolutely, sir." Slade obediently said, trying hard to remember every task on the list that Zane had just given him. "I'll start with the feed bins." He turned to walk to the feed room, but Zane's voice stopped him.

                "No you won't." Zane turned to Slade. "First you will go inside and apologize to my daughter. She was upset that you snapped at her, and my actions made her even more angry. She needs her boyfriend right now. So first, go make her happy, then you can come out and finish your work." 

              Slade smiled, turning to jog into the house. Even though Zane was a hard head sometimes, Slade loved his job here. The thing he loved most, however, was getting to see Zane's beautiful daughter every day.