Chapter 33: Chapter 33

WREN

It’s been a quiet, yet busy couple of weeks since our trip to Whitefish. Lance and I continue to communicate about our future as we essentially live together at his home.

It feels surreal to be fully in a relationship again, a combination of exciting and scary. We even video chat with my mom and make plans to visit her in November for Thanksgiving.

As July slowly melts into August, I begin training for the multitude of other responsibilities I will take on starting in the fall.

I have farm experience so I don’t feel too overwhelmed, but I still want to make them grateful they hired me. I do everything from count livestock to manage supplies in the barns.

Puck gets to work too, which I know he loves.

I’ve enjoyed getting to work with more of the others. Roy, Logan, and Greg are full-time employees that have been assisting in my training.

Being around them feels like being on the fire crew again—where everyone jokes with each other, but at the end of the day, we’re all buddies.

I expect them to make fun of me for being with Lance, but everyone seems to be really happy for him.

I still don’t think of Bryxton or even the farm as my home, but it’s starting to feel more so than anywhere I’ve been since Max died.

One afternoon, I submit a feed report and some other numbers before heading in to the office in the main house.

Even though I’ve been here for three months and usually attend family dinner, I still feel weird entering the main house.

I knock at the open office door and see Meredith sitting at the desk looking at a laptop through a small pair of glasses. She looks up and gives me a warm smile.

“Hi Wren,” she says.

“Hi Meredith, here’s the feed report and number count from today.”

“Great.” She takes the reports then looks at me. “Sit, please.”

I suddenly feel nervous.

“Oh, sure,” I say, and take a seat.

She closes her laptop and takes her glasses off. “How are you doing?”

I shrug. “Good, training is going well.”

Meredith pauses, waiting for me to say more. When I don’t, she continues.

“And you still feel good about staying in Bryxton?”

“Yes, I enjoy the outdoors and there’s so much of that to enjoy here,” I say.

Meredith nods. I’m not sure what answers she’s hoping for. She gives nothing away with her facial expressions.

“Lance seems very happy, and I’m happy for you both. I know you have had some challenges in the last few years as well,” she says. “But I have worried that you would be...scared off.”

My heart starts beating faster.

“It has definitely been a more eventful summer than I was hoping for,” I say. Meredith raises her eyebrows at me. I feel a wall crumble inside me as the tension builds.

“I’m not really sure what you are hoping to learn from me, Meredith, but I didn’t come here with the intention of meeting anyone. Honestly, I didn’t think I’d meet anyone ever again.”

She sighs and nods. “I understand. I am protective of Lance. I’m protective of my whole family, but Lance is my first, my oldest, and he’s been through so much,” she says.

For the first time, I can hear her concern and trepidation. Suddenly, I see her not as a businesswoman or community pillar, but a mother.

“I know things have been a little...alarming around here. I wish I could say this is a new occurrence for us, but people have tried to hurt us before.”

“Why?”

Meredith throws her hands up. “We have land and resources, we’ve been a big part of building this community up. People don’t like change, even good change,” she says.

At this, she reaches forward and puts her hands on mine. I’m taken aback, but don’t pull away.

“I just want to make sure you are here for Lance and only Lance. Emma wanted power—Emma wanted status. Lance deserves more. He deserves kindness and patience and love.”

My head is swirling. She seems genuine but also a little...intimidating.

“Meredith, I—care about Lance. I’m not staying because of your estate, I’m staying in spite of it. Believe me, if it weren’t for Lance, I’d probably be halfway to Missouri by now.”

She chuckles and takes her hands back. “I understand. And I hope I’m not coming off as a brute. I picked you to work in the garage for a reason. I just want to make sure my instincts were right.”

I smile, remembering that first interaction that feels like a lifetime ago. Her and Lance fighting on the porch, Lance expressing anger at me and Puck. So much has happened since then.

“Then I guess I should thank you,” I say. “I truly thought my heart was too broken to love again.”

At this, Meredith smiles a big smile as I realize what I’ve just admitted to her.

“It’s amazing what we’re capable of healing from when we are given the space to do so, isn’t it?”

“Meredith, please don’t say anything to Lance, I haven’t said—”

Meredith laughs. “I won’t breathe a word,” she says, waving her hands. At this she rounds the desk and hugs me as I stand up. “I’m glad you’re here, Wren.”

“Thank you,” is all I can manage.

The next week flies by as the entire ranch prepares for the biggest livestock sale of the year.

Taking place about four hours away in Wyoming, the Northwest Grand Auction Event is an opportunity for the ranch to sell stock as well as pick up breeders, horses, and other animals to fill out winter pens.

We spend several hours prepping trailers and lining up trucks for the caravan to head out. Most of the farm will be going, including the family, Grant, the full-time workers, and Lance.

I was supposed to attend as well, but the day before we were planning to take off, we lost a tractor that we’ll need in the next week.

Lance was going to stay behind to fix it, but I offered to stay instead while he goes to the auction. I know he is looking forward to attending again and they’ll only be gone three days.

I’m hoping to have the tractor up and running by the time they return. I’m grateful that I can be a helpful part of the team and show my worth.

As Lance and the rest of the team pull out of the driveway, a weird feeling settles on me. For the first time in a long time, I realize I am not looking forward to being alone.

I miss him already.