Tim set the chicken down on the table then took his seat at the far end of the table. Amy smiled next to him as she grabbed a dinner roll. Ty rushed into the dining room, the last to sit. Jack glanced up at him annoyed. "Dinners at 6 sharp." Tim commented shooting Jack a smile. Jack rolled his eyes before grabbing a cob of corn on the plate in front of him before handing it to Lisa.
"I've got a list of supplies we need for the horses." Amy said trying to cut the odd tension.
"Maybe the ranch hand could do his job once." Tim said glancing over at Ty.
"Dad?!" Amy shouted her eyes glaring at him.
"Tim, he does have a broken arm." Lisa said defending the boy. Amy was thankful but also realized she shouldn't have acted so upset. Her family was bond to catch on.
"Amy, don't you think Ty should do the feed run?" Tim questioned folding his arms and looking at her.
Amy glanced between her dad and Ty. She swallowed hard mentally apologizing. "Yeah, that is why Grandpa hired him." She glanced back at Ty chin etched. The sarcasm matching her fathers. She watched as Ty flinched slightly. His figures changing for a second obviously hurt.
"Fine. That is why you keep me around." Ty barked back. His tone cutting right though Amy. She bit her lip and looked back down at her plate. "Wouldn't want to be replaced." Ty added causing Amy's head to shoot back up.
"Excuse me?" Setting her fork down loudly. "Replace you? How many times do we have to have this discussion? I moved on! You left me, remember?!" Jack, Tim and Lisa were glancing at each wondering if either of them were even aware they were sitting there.
"For what I understand you and Caleb got together only 4 months after I left. You really missed me." Ty fired back.
Amy was speechless and hurt.
"You two can finish this discussion tomorrow." Jack said banging the table with his arm. Both stopped to look at him questioning. "Feed run. Both of you." He finished. Everyone else went back to eating. Amy glanced back across the table at Ty who's disapproving frown turned into a small smile. Amy bit her lip to stop herself from laughing. Instead she returned the smile quickly before letting out an overdramatic sigh at her grandfather just to seal the deal.
"Alright, no funny business. I want both of you to behave and get back here in one piece. Do I make myself clear?" Jack held his keys out to Amy but wouldn't let go until she agreed.
"Yes, Grandpa." She frowned.
"No auguring either." He shouted as Ty climbed into the passenger seat.
They weren't down the road very far before Ty grabbed Amy's right hand with his casted left. She smiled over at him. "You heard Grandpa, no auguring." She giggled before she could get the sentence out.
"I can't promise that. Besides it could take us all afternoon if we can't agree on anything." He raised his eyebrow suggestively.
"Ty!" Amy shot him a sideways grin as she drove the rest of the way into town. They barely got parked before Ty had his seatbelt off and was sliding into the middle seat. "What are you doing?"
"I've been waiting since last night to do this." He kissed her on the lips surprising Amy.
"Ty...what if someone sees?" She said rubbing her bottom lip selfconsciously as she glanced around.
"You worry too much." He leaned in again but this time Amy turned away.
"Can we get the feed?"
"What's the matter? I thought you were happy about this little shopping trip?"
"I am. It's just...we can't get caught. Okay?" Amy grabbed the door handle. Ty stopping her.
"Wait? Why, not? How long do I have to be your little secret?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Does it really matter? They know your not with Caleb. So aren't they gonna start to wonder on their own? Ask questions? Last nights screaming match, was that to prove a point?"
Amy watched him his face etched with disappointment. "Ty, you have to understand something."
"No, what you need to do is find a way to be okay being with a delinquent." Ty opened his door now.
"That's not it. Please, listen?" Amy begged sliding over. "You seen the way they acted with Lou. I don't want that to happen to you. Or us."
Ty shock his head. "So you have no intention of telling them?" He watched Amy's face hoping it would change. It didn't. Ty sighed as he walked toward the front of the truck. Amy jumped out meeting him at the sidewalk. She grabbed his hand in hers.
"Please, don't..." She paused. "I screwed up once I can't let you walk away again." Her eyes were misty with unshed tears.
Ty reached up to brush her cheek. "That's not gonna happen. And I screwed up too. If I have to be your secret that's okay. Better then not being with you at all."
Amy smiled. "It's only until I figure out a way to break it to them gently."
Ty nodded sadly as he dropped Amy's hand. He took a few steps forward ahead of Amy pretending they didn't want to be there at Maggie's together.
Amy pulled out her cell phone the minute she got to the ridge. She slowed Spartan before hoping off and dialing Lou's number. She waited impatiently until Lou finally picked up. "Lou? I need your advice."
"Hey, Lou. What's new?" Lou mocked.
"Lou! Please!"
"Okay. What's wrong now?'
"At least try to care." Amy looked over at Spartan munching on the grass. "So you know how I said I had feelings for Ty?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, I finally told him."
"Yeah, I know. Right before the accident. What does this have to do with anything?" Lou asked getting annoyed.
"We are kinda together. We've had our first date and everything. Problem is Ty's all upset cause I want to keep it a secret."
"Amy, I'm not even sure what your asking and I know it's a bad idea. Peter and I fought about that for awhile. In fact it got to the point where we nearly broke up over it." She glanced over Peter playing with Jackson.
"So Ty's right?"
"If he's having an issue with it. Then yes. Amy, the last thing you want is to be caught. And Grandpa's already asked me if I know anything your not telling him about the crash."
"What'd you say?" Amy asked worried.
"Nothing, of course. There isn't anything to tell. But you're going to have to talk about it eventually. Grandpa still thinks Ty was drinking and you're covering for him cause he was drunk. The way you begged Dad to let Ty stay. They are getting suspicious."
Amy leaned against Spartan. "Ty thinks it's cause of his past or prison record."
"Is it?"
"No. But...well, you know Dad. He's gonna have a bird when he finds out. As far as I know Grandpa had never mentioned it. But Ty's the complete opposite of Caleb. And he's bond to find out."
"I wish I could help but your the one who's gotta find a way to except the truth."
"Truth? What do you mean?" She asked confused.
"From Ty's perspective it looks like he's the issue. Not you. You gotta love him enough to take the risk. My biggest mistake was worrying about everyone else."
Amy jogged into the house throwing her jacket on the bench as she kicked her shoes off. She almost missed seeing her dad and grandfather sitting at the dining room table as she headed toward her room. She slowed her pace and watched them. "What's up?"
"You tell us?" Tim said folding his arms leaning back against his chair.
Amy swallowed hard. "Uh, about what?"
"It's been a few weeks since the car accident and you and Caleb called off your wedding. We've been patient enough. What's going on?" Jack said firmly.
"Nothing. We broke up." She said attempting to continue her walk.
"Sit down. We need to talk." Tim pointed to the chair across from them. Amy gulped. "What happened between you and Caleb?"
Amy sighed as she looked away. "Nothing, really. We just sorta fell out of love." She answered quietly.
"So why'd you start planning a wedding? You had to have felt this way long before." Tim asked.
"I did, I guess. I just figured my feelings would change. I felt bad for keeping saying no."
Jack glances at Tim. "You don't want to marry Caleb? This was your choice?"
"No. And yes."
It was Tim's turn to sigh. "Okay, so what happened with the accident then?"
Amy bit her lip. "I already told you. It was raining so hard I never seen the tree."
"Honey, if your covering for Ty that's okay." Jack said.
"Why would I cover for him?"
"Amy?" Tim started.
"No. Why would I? He asked for a ride home. It's not like he could drive his motorcycle home in that rain. You and Lisa were driving home from Calgary that night. You know how the conditions where." Amy pointed. "I couldn't leave him in town no matter how angry I was at him." Jack nodded.
"He was drunk. Did you know Ty was drinking?"
Amy paused considering her answer. "That night? No. But I was aware he's been drinking, a lot." She briefly looked at Jack before back at her hands on the table almost ashamed.
"I take it you knew?"
"Yeah. I did. But I thought he smarted up."
"He called you to come get him. That's a start. Weeks before that he was driving drunk." Amy defended.
Jack sighed. "It doesn't help things that he gave you a ride home once having been drinking. We didn't know what to think. The accident scared for us, Amy."
She nodded. "I'm sorry. I really am. But it was an accident. And I didn't know Ty had been drinking, promise."
They sighed before Tim nodded at Jack. "Thanks for being honest."
"Can I go now?" Amy asked hesitant.
"Sure, honey." Tim said pressing a kiss to her forehead as she jumped up. Amy forced a small smile.
"Things still are not adding up." Jack said once Amy was in her room. Tim nodded in agreement.