Dan stops by the feed store a couple of weeks after seeing Tylee. He wears his big happy smile as he strolls through the door.

Becca declares her greeting as usual, "Well look who's back!"

"Did you think I was going to runway?" Dan teases earning a eye rolling from Becca.

"So what can I get for you today?" Becca asks.

"Is Bill around?" Dan inquires.

She smiles letting a hint of pride show, "I have the store all to my self."

"Well in that case I will be back after a while to pick up the fence panels I need." He tells her catching the excited look in her eyes. Oh great, she is up to something and I have a feeling I am going to be caught in the middle of it.

"Alright, I will have them on the charge for the Rockin' Chair." She assures him while her inner matchmaker is swirling with ideas. He exits and she lets out a squeal, her plan is working perfectly!

***

It has been two weeks since Tylee has been in town, two weeks she has worked hard. Sweat drips off her tall body with broad shoulders, for a girl, as she cleans out one of many water troughs. She turned the pump, she was using to pump the water out, off as her phone rings. It is Becca.

"Hello?"

"Hey Tylee! You think that you could come into town next week?" Becca's voice shrieks through the phone.

Tylee cocks an eyebrow, "That's a week earlier than usual and would put off my supply schedule."

"I was thinking to spend time and then you could come back for supplies," Becca tells her.

"Sorry Becca I can't."

Becca sighs, "Okay, at least let me know as soon as you can when you will be coming back into town."

"Will do," She replies.

The unlikely friends hang up and Tylee continues on with cleaning out the water trough. She slowly begins to see the bottom of it as she scoops the mud and muck out. Finally! I can tell this hasn't been done in over a year.

The weeks fly by and before Tylee knows it she has warned Becca and then is heading into town a couple days later. After much pleading from Becca Tylee arranged it so that she is spending the night with her friend. Daisy, of course, came along on the adventure.

"Lets go Daisy!" Tylee calls opening the pickup door. The dog jumps in and gets comfortable in the passenger seat. Tylee throws her bag in the backseat before getting in and pulling out of the driveway. 

***

Dan is riding through cattle when his phone rings with a sigh he pulls it out of his pocket and answers it without looking at the caller ID.

"Hello?"

"Hey Dan! It's Becca, can you come into town and hang out for the day tomorrow?" The familiar bubbly voice sounds through the phone line and into his ear.

He cracks a small smile, "Kind of short notice. I don't have a lot going on around here so I think I can manage, but what's the occasion?"

"Oh nothing just been boring around here," She tells him hoping that he doesn't pick up on what is really goin on.

"Becca Williams I know you way better than that there is some occasion," He says sternly.

She sighs and gives in, "Well there might be something going on."

"Becca! Just tell me what is going on! I kind of need to know how to plan my day."

She smiles, "Like you plan your day anyway."

"I do! But stop changing the subject. I need to know the occasion in case I need to dress up or something," He tells her getting frustrated.

She shrugs having fun with the conversation, "You can if you want."

He heaves a sigh once more and gets stern, "Becca you better tell me why it is you want me in town or else I am not going to come."

"Fine! Tylee is coming to town and is going to spend the day with me."

"Why couldn't you just tell me that in the first place?" He inquires.

"I don't know."

His frustration settles down and he begins to think the idea over, "I'm not sure I get the whole point in this, but sure I'll be there."

She squeals, "Great! See you tomorrow. Bye Dan." With that the phone line goes dead.

"Bye Becca," He mutters stuffing his phone back in his pocket. 

Dan finishes riding through the cattle and then back to the bunk house. After getting a quick drink he started his white GMC single cab pickup provided by the ranch and heads off to check waters.

The next morning seemed to be a rushed one for Dan. He cleaned up shaving the stubble that had grown the past week and combed his hair into place. The other guys in the bunk house gave him a hard time about 'cleaning up for a girl' he shrugged them off with a smile. He headed to the feed store where he had been instructed to meet.

"Hey Dan!" Bill calls from behind the counter.

He shakes the older man's hand,"Morning Bill!"

"Dan! Glad you made it!" The voice belonged to non other than Becca Williams.

"I told you I would." Dan replies.

Dan talked with Bill for a while before the feed store door opened ever so slightly and the only noise being that of canine nails on the hard wood floor. Becca rushed to the door and started rambling as fast as the wind can blow, ignoring the dog all together.

This being the first time Dan had ever seen Tylee other than her back he was in total awe when she came into view. She had wavy light brown hair that flowed down her back to her waist. The work she put in was evident as her shoulders where broader than most women's and her arms where no twigs. Even from a distance Dan could tell that her hands where darkly tanned and had many scars.

"Dan this is Tylee Jackson, Tylee this is Dan Hargrove." Becca introduced pulling Dan from his thoughts.

"Hello ma'am, nice to meet you," Dan politely voices removing his hat.

"You too," Tylee answers barely audible. Dan noticed the timidity that swarmed about the young women and felt as if he should do something to ease the feeling, but had no idea what.

Becca led Dan and Tylee to the back room where she and Tylee often hung out. She sat in the only chair that was by itself leaving Dan and Tylee to sit on the love seat side by side. Tylee sat quietly as usual not saying a word.

"How has Willow Wind been?" Becca directs the question at the silent Tylee.

"She's good. I rode her bareback the other day to gather some cattle and she was great," Tylee answers her voice still soft, but saying more than usual because of the topic.

Dan turns slightly to face her better, "Is Willow Wind your horse?"

"Yes sir, she is a five year old," Tylee answers making herself speak her thoughts.

"Please just Dan." His sunshine smile sheading its light. She nods, the conversation falling silent and irritating Becca.

"Tylee, how many horses do you have now?" Becca regenerates the conversation.

"I have about ten ride able ones and then a brood mare." Tylee fidgets with her hat brim as they sit.

"Do you raise a foal every year?" Dan inquires curious about her world. Wow, cattle, horses, dogs, a brood mare. What more does a piece of land need?

"Most every year," Tylee speaks not making eye contact with anyone.

He scratches Daisy behind her ear, "How many head of cattle do you run?"

"I have two thousand head, half calve in the spring half in the fall," She tells him pushing herself to speak more than her simple answer.

"So do how long does it take you to do spring and fall works?" Dan asks not only wanting a glimpse into her world, but also loving the sound of her soft voice.

"It takes me about a month to a month and a half," She answers slowly getting more comfortable with the idea of expressing more of her thoughts.

"Do you do it by yourself?" Dan notices that with each answer she gives she becomes a little more relaxed.

"I do now. Papaw used to get guys to come help, but when he passed away I didn't keep that up," She tells him making herself give a little background to keep the conversation going.

"I'm sorry about your Papaw," Dan says with a sad expression also curious about her background.

Tylee shrugs a little, but when she looks up Dan can tell that it still hurts. "I'm used to it now."

"How old were you when you started working on the ranch?" He asks thinking about himself at ten following around his dad.

She finally gets up enough courage to ask him a question, "I have helped Papaw since I was old enough to sit up. I took over running it when I was sixteen. When did you start ranching?"

"I was born and raised on a ranch, but it wasn't until I was nine or ten that I started learning the horseback end of things. After I got out of high school I got a job and worked there for three and a half years before moving here six months ago. I work for the Rockin' Chair Ranch." He tells her. Becca is pleased with the simi flowing conversation so she slips back into the main part of the store.

"What brought you to Sundance?" Tylee speaks after a long silence.

"I found the ad for the ranch job and it was closer to my family than North Dakota. Has your family been in this area a long time?" He asks wanting to know her past and why she never mentioned her parents.

"Papaw bought a small part of the ranch and he built the house for he and Granna. He expanded the ranch as they had the money," She tells him wondering exactly what God's plan was for the land and her.

"Did your parents live on the ranch?" He asks but immediately regrets it when he notices her stiffen. He just got her to talk more than two words to him he didn't want that screwed up now!

"They did," She speaks after a long uncomfortable silence, "They were in a car accident when I was two."

Dan is caught off guard by the words and wants nothing more than to wrap her up in his arms and comfort her. Something tells him that that would only push her away, though, "I'm sorry." His voice is soft, but for the first time Tylee realizes how deep it is.

"I don't remember them, but Papaw and Granna were great." She says getting a feeling that he was sincere unlike most people.

"They raised an amazing women." He remarks with a smile big enough to cover the earth. Tylee blushes every shade of red making it hard for Dan not to laugh. She was even more beautiful when she was embarrassed.

A/N

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