Page 15 of For the Love of the Bull Rider

When everyone was prepared to leave that evening, Tim hugged Ryan and kissed the top of the boy’s head with a promise he’d be back the next morning. He had no idea where Matt was, but he’d be there for Ryan until his dad was home, safe and sound.

Chapter Seven

Tim stood in the barn office, watching the cowboys out the window as they herded horses up the hill. Doc Grant was in the hallway for wellness checks on the animals as the Katydid prepared for the fall.

After Matt Collins got out of jail, he thanked Josh and Tim for their help moving cattle but declined Tim’s offer to help him outwith Ryan. He wouldn’t allow Ryan to visit the Katydid when Aunt Katie called to ask at Tim’s urging. The boy was missed, but Tim was sure Matt’s embarrassment at being arrested was the driving force behind the disappearing act.

Aunt Katie found out from Jerilyn Collins that Lanny and Matt got drunk and then got into a fight over an old girlfriend they had in common, which ended in a brawl. Apparently, when Danny, the ranch foreman, showed up that morning for work, the two men were shouting at each other loud enough that Danny called the sheriff after hearing a gunshot.

Nobody was wounded, but Tim wondered if anyone would find out what had actually happened. He hoped Matt would get over his embarrassment and his bruised ego enough to let Ryan come for a visit at the Katydid soon.

The office phone rang, bringing him from his reflections. “Katydid Farm, Tim speaking.”

“Tim? It’s me, Ryan Earl Collins. I’m at school, and I got sick. I called home for Daddy, but nobody answered. Can you come get me? I feel really bad.” The boy’s voice was whiny, which wasn’t like Ryan at all.

“I don’t think I can pick you up without permission, Ryan. I can try to find your dad, though. Hang tight. Someone will be there to pick you up soon.” Tim hoped the boy believed him.

After ending the call, Tim dialed the Circle C—the name of Matt’s ranch. The phone rang forever, and when it wasn’t answered, a more aggressive plan was needed.

Tim forwarded the office phone to go directly to voicemail before rushing to the driveway, hopping into the little, rusty-red pickup Tim used for running errands. It was big enough to haul most things needed at the ranch, but small enough to be easy on gas.

Going to the house to talk to Aunt Katie was an option, but it would waste time for someone to pick up Ryan. Tim headedstraight to the Circle C and stopped in front of the barn, hearing the radio blaring from the hallway.

There wasn’t an office in the barn of the Circle C like they had at Katydid, just an old phone in the hallway. With the radio playing so loudly and all the cowboys out of the barn, nobody would have heard the phone. Tim walked to the back sliding doors and took in the sight of a few hands who were busy installing cattle panels for an impromptu pen in the upper pasture.

Since Matt was nowhere nearby, Tim decided to go to the School Superintendent’s Office where Jerilyn worked. He wondered why Ryan hadn’t called his grandma in the first place, but that was a question for another time. There was a sick little boy currently in need of care. He got back into the truck and drove to the school complex, parking in the visitor parking area.

Tim walked into the office to see Jeri behind the front desk, so he rang the bell to get her attention. She glanced up with an irritated expression that quickly changed to a smile.

“May I—Well, hello Tim. What can I do for you?” Jeri walked to the reception desk between them.

“Ryan called the farm. He’s sick, and he couldn’t get his dad on the phone. I went to the ranch and saw everyone working on fences and pens, but I didn’t see Matt, so I thought I’d stop by here to let you know. Not sure why he didn’t call you straightaway.”

Jeri shook her head, concern evident. “Matt’s not happy with me because I made Marty leave him in jail for the night. He was behavin’ like an ass, and he needed to have some time to think things over and decide how he should have better handled that situation with that bastard, Lanny Whitehead.

“When he got out of jail, he told me that I wasn’t welcome at his house, and he won’t be comin’ over to ours. He said I shouldn’t bring over suppers anymore, and I haven’t seen mygrandson in nearly a month. I’m just as stubborn as Matthew, so if my baby boy is sick, I’m beggin’ ya to go take care of him. I’ll call over to the school and give my approval for you to pick up Ryan. Are you gonna take him home or over to Katie’s?” Jeri asked.

Tim was a little surprised by her confession about the state of her relationship with her son, but at the heart of the matter was a sick little boy sitting in the office of his school. “Well, when I’m sick, I want to be at home, so I’d like to take him to the Circle C. Unfortunately, I don’t have a key to the house. I can take him home with me, but I’m worried about…” He trailed off as he thought about Matt being upset with him for butting into his and Ryan’s life.

Jeri Collins produced a key and smiled at the young man. “Take mine. You’re right; Ryan needs to be home if he’s sick. There’s chicken broth in the freezer. Just take it out and put the container in hot water to thaw. I always keep it on hand in case somebody’s having tummy troubles.

“I won’t come over to the Circle C unless you need me. I believe, Tim, you’re destined to be a big part of our lives. Ryan needs someone who will give him undivided attention right now, so if you don’t object, please pick him up. I’ll deal with Matthew,” she told him with an expression that led him to believe she was done with her son’s bad behavior.

Tim most certainly would have avoided the situation if he wasn’t so worried about Ryan, so he left the office with a note from Jeri Collins and drove to the grade school. When he walked into the office, he could see the admin assistant on the phone. Tim pulled out his license and the note Jeri had given him, placing them on the reception desk.

After the assistant hung up the phone, she smiled at him. “You must be Tim Moran. I’m Bonnie Eads. Jeri told me to expect you. Ryan’s in the nurse’s office. Let me make a copy of yourlicense, and I’ll show you where you can get him. His teacher, Miss Blankenship, said he threw up, and Nurse Tyler said he’s running a fever. Sounds like a twenty-four-hour bug, I’d guess. It’s been making the rounds,” the assistant added.

She seemed nice but she wasn’t a damn doctor, so Tim nodded in agreement and followed her down the hall to the nurse’s office. When they walked in, he saw little Ryan Collins sitting in a green plastic chair with his backpack on the floor next to him. His eyes were half-closed, and he looked utterly miserable.

Tim walked over and knelt to the boy’s level. “Hi, buddy. How are ya?” The boy glanced up at Tim with a sad smile.

“I wanna lay on the couch,” Ryan whispered.

Tim picked up Ryan and his backpack before heading back to the office. After Ms. Eads handed back his license, he took Ryan out to the pickup and belted him in. “We’ll be home in a few minutes,” he assured the sick little boy.

Poor Ryan looked so pathetic. Tim fought tears and anger built inside him at Matthew for not being there to get the boy when he called. It was horrible to imagine the boy didn’t have anyone he could rely on.

As the pair made their way through town to SR-131, Tim glanced over to see Ryan was asleep. He continued to the Circle C, and when he drove up the road to the house, he noticed nobody was around, yet again. As he stopped the truck, Ryan’s eyes sprung open and he leaned forward, throwing up on the floor.

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