The sound of chirping birds and the distant babbling of the river woke Spencer in the morning. She smiled as she pulled herself up, wrapping her blanket tighter around her shoulders as she shuffled from the bed of the truck. She could see Rip sitting off in the distance, his gaze looking even further.
"Leave it to you to still be up before the sun," Spencer smiled as she sat next to Rip. He startled from his daydream at her voice, but his concern quickly dissipated. Waking up to Spencer in his arms- it had been damn near life altering. After so many months of not seeing her, not holding her, Rip almost broke down when he woke up.
"I'm not entirely sure I slept," he laughed as he looked at Spencer.
Spencer's shoulders shook with silent laughter as her gaze flew across the scenery in front of her before settling on Rip. He looked as light as she felt. They both knew there were still many hills to get over to get back to where they had once been, but each day brought them a step closer.
Rip watched as Spencer's fingers mindlessly toyed with the ring around her neck. He had been disappointed to not see her wearing it, but he also understood. They were dancing on a knife's edge right now, desperately clinging to their feelings to keep them from teetering over. But the wrong gust of wind could send them over.
"When do you need to get back?" When do I have to let you go again?
"I have some time, soundcheck isn't until noon. You could come, if you want?" Please don't leave.
Rip stiffened, although he tried to cover it as he laughed. "I think a shower should be in my near future first." I have to go back.
Spencer smiled as she nodded, but Rip could see it didn't reach her eyes. Her next words surprised him as her whole body had stilled to silence before she spoke.
"I'll come with you."
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It felt weird, like really weird, for Spencer as she sat in the passenger seat of her truck as Rip pulled into Yellowstone. She didn't think it would hurt as much as it did now to see the house, the wranglers, and her father standing on the porch with Beth. Both looked shocked to see the redhead step out of the truck, and even more surprised to see her walking toward them.
Spencer kept her gaze on Beth, not bothering to look at her father. She had told Rip she needed to get her guitar anyway, so it made sense to suck it up and go with him. But now that she was here, she couldn't bear to look her father in the eyes. Not after everything he had put her through.
"It's good to see you Squirt," Beth smiled, pulling Spencer into an unusual hug. Beth was never really a touchy person, let alone one that hugged, but she had missed Spencer more than she realized. Holding down the female front of the family was dragging on her.
Spencer only nodded as she flashed a quick smile, "I just came for my guitar."
I'm not staying. John had heard the underlying words in her voice, and it broke his heart just a little more. He waited until she went inside, the front door closed behind her before he turned to follow, but Beth stopped him.
"If you ever want her to come home, ambushing her like that will do you no fucking favors."
Beth had become icy with her father, even icier than he had thought was possible. They both knew the cause lay with the youngest Dutton currently wandering around her childhood room, but John didn't blame Beth for her feelings. Hell he didn't blame any of them, not anymore. No he knew the problem lay with him, and he knew he may never live the day to see it resolved. And so he stayed, holding onto the fraying thread of his relationship with his youngest daughter.
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Kayce was sitting on the side of the truck bed when Spencer returned from inside the house. And she didn't think twice about her actions. She gingerly placed her guitar case in the back seat, ensuring the door was closed as she took a breath. And then she shoved all her body weight as her brother, his own body stumbling to the ground at the sudden movement.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Spencer yelled as she shoved Kayce once again. "Did you think I wouldn't find out what you fucking did!"
Kayce didn't respond, instead taking the shoves from Spencer. The rest of the ranch had heard the yelling start and had stopped what they were doing to watch. Monica began to run over, but Kayce waved her off. He knew this needed to happen just as much as the rest of the wranglers.
Spencer couldn't stop the tears from falling as she pushed her twin against her truck. No one flinched as she sent Kayce's head cracking to the right and then back to the left. But a collective step in occurred when Spencer's knife pulled from its sheath on the back of her belt.
"The next brand to leave this ranch will be doing so in a body bag." She kept her tone low and lethal as she spoke slowly and carefully so only Kayce could hear. "And I don't give a shit if it's one of us."
Kayce could feel the tip of Spencer's knife poking into his throat, but not in a way to harm him. No, the knife was a show of power. But the deadliness dripping from Spencer's words? Those were the real threat, Kayce knew that as well as the next.
"I made the wrong call," he whispered, trying to not speak too loud to let the knife puncture.
"This is my fucking ranch, whether I'm here or not. You are stepping down, effectively immediately. Do you understand?"
Kayce only nodded, hissing as the edge of the knife pricked his skin. Spencer huffed, letting her brother go and signaling to Rip that she was ready to go as she slammed the passenger door. As the truck pulled out of the drive, one thing was clear...
The Queen was back.
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Spencer had stopped seething by the time they made it to Paradise Valley. Rip had been uneasy about going to Dan's house, but he eventually was brought around when he saw Ryan sitting out front.
"So this is where you've been sneaking off to every weekend?" Rip joked as Ryan scuttled to his feet quickly at the sight of the truck. Looking like he had been caught red-handed. Ryan visibly relaxed after a minute though, when Rip's face broke into a grin.
"You are so very fucking late right now Spencer Hope Dutton!" Sawyer yelled as she ran out of the house, a million and one things in her hands. The three wranglers immediately moved to the blonde's aid. One thing was for certain, Spencer was the brains and the brawn of the operation, but Sawyer very much ran the show when she was mad. A trait she seemed to pick up more from Spencer with every passing day.
The two trucks were loaded with outfits, guitars, and probably more booze than Spencer had ever seen in one sitting within a matter of minutes. Why Sawyer had decided all of it needed to come, well, no one questioned it. Soon after the couples were on the road to the stage.
It was when they pulled up that Spencer realized she may have fucked up. Dustin was standing at the fence, his expression neutral but she could see the anger vibrating off of him.
"Fuck off Dusty we're ten minutes late," Sawyer launched into the boy as she started pulling gear. "So you can stand there and yell and piss me off even more, or you can get off your ass and make this painless for everyone."
Dustin opened his mouth to respond, but a pointed look from Ryan, Rip, and Spencer made him shut it.
Spencer could see the questions rolling in Rip's head, but she didn't have time to answer them now. She sent him an apologetic smile as she grabbed his hand and squeezed once before running off after the flustered blonde chaos that was Sawyer. Which left a very uncomfortable trio of men staring at one another.
"I don't think we've met before I'm Dustin," the brunet spoke up, reaching his hand out to Rip. Ryan chuckled beside Rip, knowing full well they had met before.
"Rip," was all Rip gave, shaking once before dropping his hand and pointing at the bolo tie Dustin had on. "That's not how you wear that, by the way."
Rip held an innocent smile but his eyes told another story as he tipped his hat to Dustin and followed Ryan after the girls. Ryan could barely contain his laughter as he waited for Rip, the pair shaking their heads as Dustin fumed behind them.
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It was later in the evening, and Rip and Ryan found themselves surrounded by more and more people as Ingrid finished her set. Ryan perked up, clearly knowing the schedule of the night as Spencer stepped on stage. Rip was thoroughly surprised at the amount of fans the girls had amassed over the winter, although he knew it was well worth it. And to see Spencer glowing on that stage, he was beyond proud to witness this.
"How 'all doing tonight?" Spencer's voice rang through the speaker system, a chuckle following her words as the crowd cheered. She began to strum on her guitar as she spoke again. "I'm so very grateful to have you joining us on our journey this summer! It's been a whirlwind getting here, and I don't think there's been a day I haven't woken up shocked to be here. If y'all don't mind, I'm gonna take you on a little journey through my life, how I got into singing, and bring you to today. Does that sound good?"
More cheers rang out, and Spencer launched into her first song. Rip chuckled as he began to recognize the chords. But he soon became entranced in watching Spencer play, the way she moved across the stage, how she interacted with the kids who came up to the front. God it made his heart stutter to see her so at peace, so confident in herself. He had seen how much her family was taking from her, had seen the drain pulling on her emotionally for years, but no more so than the previous one. It pained Rip to realize he hadn't been as involved in being Spencer's solution as he thought he had been.
"You good?" Ryan nudged Rip from his emotional spiral. He only nodded at Ryan, turning his attention back to Spencer as she finished a different song.
"So I know I said we would be moving through my life, but I wanna take you back to a few months ago." Spencer started, and Rip instantly perked up, confusion drawing across his face as Ryan chuckled next to him. "My whole world got turned on its side. And without Sawyer, without my music, I think we'd be having a very different conversation today. But, for as long as I can remember, there's been one other person who has been a rock for me. I'm not gonna call him out now, I don't think he'd care much for that. But as long as he knows he's my favorite cowboy, and that's never gonna change."
Spencer held her breath for a moment as she searched the crowd of faces, searching for the blue eyes that she had called home for so long. Rip's face was a mirror of hers, so many words left unsaid, but they each knew the story like the back of their hand. She nodded once, letting go of her breath and began to sing.
"And the tennis court was covered up with some tent-like thing."
Rip swore the rest of the world faded away as Spencer began to sing. Like it was just him and her, and a million miles in between them. And Spencer smiled as she sang, like she felt the same. If anyone was paying attention, they would have seen the two with eyes locked, unspoken declarations of love pouring between them.
"Never thought I'd meet you here, it could be love," Spencer forced herself to look away, to let the world back in. Even as she sang, as she poured her soul at Rip's feet, she was still worried. Worried he'd walk away again, worried they would never be able to be the same. And she couldn't watch as she saw him get up and leave.
"And I'm never gonna love again."
She held back her tears as the crowd roared in applause, forcing herself to smile and wave as she walked off the stage. Sawyer's smile dropped as she looked at the sadness rushing over Spencer. Neither spoke as Spencer poured herself into Sawyer's arms, her chest shuddering with each sob.
Sawyer gently pulled Spencer from her shoulder, drying her friend's tears as she smiled. "I think you might want to check the dressing room after you collect yourself. Okay?"
Spencer looked at the blonde with questions, but nodded as she finished drying her tears. She patted Sawyer's shoulder, letting her pass to go onto the stage next. Rather than feel embarrassed for crying in public, Spencer pulled herself together to face whatever Sawyer had left for her in the makeshift dressing room.
Spencer's heart stopped as she opened the door to see Rip standing there. He had pushed his way through security to be there, but that had been about all the plan he had. Now he just stared, practically in awe of the woman standing in front of him.
"I'm not gonna lie, I didn't really plan this out," he spoke up after a moment, a blush racing up his neck as Spencer's eyes crinkled with laughter. "You look beautiful Darling."
Spencer couldn't stop her breath from hitching as Rip spoke. She wasn't sure why it mattered so much this time, but just seeing him made her heart skip a beat. "I thought you left."
Rip's heart felt like it fell through the floor. "I made that mistake once, and I'm never gonna do that again."
Despite her better judgment, Spencer flung herself into his arms. She squeezed him like it would be the last time she saw him. And she let out a laugh as he pulled her tighter to him.
Rip broke away first, using his hand to guide Spencer's face so he could look at her. He paused, once again unsure of what to do. He knew what he wanted to do, hell he'd been dreaming about it for months. Spencer took the words from him though as she leaned forward, pulling his lips onto hers.
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Dustin had seen Rip go into the dressing room, and had waited to watch with satisfaction when Spencer promptly kicked him out. But he stood and waited, and waited, and waited. It took a mischievous looking Sawyer banging on the door to draw Spencer from the room, her hair and clothes askew. The redhead ran quickly after Sawyer to close the show, leaving Dustin to stare down Rip with his jaw clenched hard.
Rip paid no mind to the boy, tipping his hat as he closed the door and walked back out to watch the rest of the show. That seemed to only set Dustin off more. He pulled his phone from his pocket, dialing his uncle immediately.
"Tell Dad it's time, we start tomorrow."
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author's note. hello pretty people! sorry for the delay, it's the heart of my semester rn so i'm kindly getting my butt kicked by school. i will do my best to keep pushing out updates twice a week, but please understand if they drop to once a week for the time being. i want to give y'al nothing but the best because you're amazing and deserve the best!
also here is my little lineup of songs i was jamming to for each of the girls this week!
sawyer
1- another man's jeans
2- hole in the bottle
3- rich
4- barefoot & buckwild
5- hey cowboy
6- ladie's in the 90's
7- i'm gonna getcha good
8- high horse
9- you're drunk, go home
10- heart like a truck
spencer
1- kerosene
2- if i was a cowboy
3- good ol' girls
4- i only date cowboys
5- geraldene
6- america's sweetheart
7- hold my halo
8- mama's broken heart
9- something in the orange
10- cowboy like me
11- actin' up
12- wolves (added in book 3)
together
1- drunk ( and i don't wanna go home)
2- here for the party
3- if you go down (i'm going down too)
4- shoot tequila
5- wine, beer, whiskey