John had offered to have Katie stay up at the lodge for the night, Beth and Rip had been talking about it with Katie all week trying to make her more comfortable with the idea. They themselves were looking forward to a night just them together.
Beth and Rip both took her up to the lodge after work was over for the day. Rip carried her overnight bag and stuffed horse. He went into the lodge first and told John she was a bit nervous.
"Ok baby, if you need us or want to come home you just tell Grandpa."
"She'll be fine Beth." Both Rip and John said.
"There are some cookies on the bench, see if you can find the biggest." Katie let go of Beth's hand and went in search of cookies.
"Well maybe I'm not ok with leaving her." The smallest of cracks could be seen in Beth's exterior.
"Darlin', we are down the road if she needs us. She will be fine. Let's go whilst she's happy."
"You call me if anything happens to her. I mean anything Daddy."
"Beth, I raised four children. I can manage her for one night. Go, both of you." John turned on his heel before they could say anymore and closed the door.
"I found this one and this one too!"
"Woah, two huh! Let me have a bite." Katie extended one to John who took a big bite.
"Wow that's bigger than Daddy's bites." John laughed at her innocence.
"There are some marshmallows through there. You got and sit down on the couch and I'll come help you have one on the fire." John grabbed a few things from the kitchen to make s'mores.
"I've been waiting to have a night of just us."
"Stop talking before you ruin it, Rip." Beth and Rip took of their clothes to have fun of their own.
Beth's phone dinged later that night. It was John.
"Rip, it's my dad."
"I'm sure it's fine." Rip yelled from downstairs where he was cooking dinner for the two of them.
Beth opened the message and saw it was a photo of Katie holding a marshmallow on a stick next to the fire. A second photo came through and it was Katie grinning with a s'more in her hands, chocolate dripping down her shirt. Beth went downstairs to show Rip.
"I told you she would be fine baby." Rip kissed her on the forehead, before putting the plates on the table and passing Beth a wine.
"I was thinking we should organise her birthday and then our wedding. I'm sick of waiting."
Rip turned his head to look at her. "All right, let's get it done."
"I was thinking we could just have something at the lodge for Katie's birthday. Maybe a barbeque. Just family and the wranglers."
"Thanks to Katie I've got three days off, we could have the party and then just the three of us go somewhere for two days?"
"Sounds perfect."
"No going overboard with presents Beth."
Beth rolled her eyes at Rip. "Baby, I am not going to let her be a spoilt shit."
"Grandpa! This is so fun. Mama and Daddy never let me stay up late or have this much treats." Katie was bouncing around the living room while John sipped on a whiskey, music playing in the background.
"I can see why." John muttered to himself. He was watching the clock tick, wondering when she would tire herself out and go to sleep. He knew he would be getting up at dawn like every morning and wouldn't mind turning in soon.
"Right, time for bed. Come on. I'll read you a book." Rip had packed the horse book that they had recently bought.
"I'm not tired."
"I think you are. All little cowgirls are asleep now in Montana and that includes you." John tucked her in to Beth's old bed and started reading the book. Half way through Katie was asleep. Thank god John thought.
John woke at dawn feeling more tired than usual. Down at the breakfast table he found Beth already eating.
"Where is my daughter?" John looked around surprised.
"Ah upstairs asleep?" John thought she would have been awake by now and found her way downstairs. Beth got up as Katie came down the last step.
"Mama, you came!" Katie ran into Beth hugging her legs.
"Always my girl. Did you have fun?" Katie rubbed her eyes and nodded.
"I missed you Mama." Throwing her arms around Beth's neck tightly.
"I missed you too. What did you and Grandpa do?"
"We had marshmellows on the fire and s'mores and cookies and I got to dance and go to bed really really late. Last cowgirl in Montana late." Beth laughed at her enthusiasm.
"She kept you up really late didn't she." John nodded saying nothing.
"Now I'm gonna have to deal with a tired three year old today who has started to hate naps. Thank you Daddy." John waved her off ignoring her comment, he was just as tired.
"You need your hair brushed kid."
"I do it myself."
"All right, when we are at home." Beth finished her breakfast and Katie had hers.
"Mama I'm tired." Beth could see it in her eyes. Beth picked her up, and walked up and down the porch holding her in her arms. She hummed a tune that was familiar to her as Katie napped in her arms. John snapped a photo on his phone before leaving for work.
Rip approached the porch and Beth put a finger to her mouth telling him to be quiet nodding at Katie in her arms.
"How was she?"
"Sounds like she had fun, got high on sugar and stayed awake half the night."
"Told you she would be ok. Anyway, I'll see you later." Rip kissed Beth goodbye and left a kiss on Katie's head.
Beth sat down in the porch chair with Katie still in her arms and just enjoyed holding her for a moment and the quiet.
"You two look comfortable." Kayce commented.
"Hmm, well it won't be like this forever."
"You're not wrong. Tate is trying to get away from Monica as quick as he can when she hugs him."
"Kayce, we're having a little party for Katie's birthday next weekend if you want to come?"
"We wouldn't miss it." Kayce left heading to the stables.
"A party for me?" a sleepy voice asked.
"Yeah baby, for your birthday."
"Can I have a cake?"
"Sure. We can ask Gator to make it."
"I like chocolate." Beth nodded, making a mental note to ask Gator later.
Rip joined them for lunch later on, at the tree they all liked.
"I'm having a party Daddy."
"So I heard, can I come?" Rip asked.
Katie paused to think about it before nodding. "Cheeky." Rip told her before she went running off across the grass. Rip chased after her, easily catching her and throwing her up in the air. Beth could hear her screams and giggles from where she sat in the shade.
They could hear the chopping sound of a helicopter getting closer to land. Beth looked over and saw a helicopter with no Yellowstone insignia on it landing near Rip and Katie.
"It's loud!" Katie had her hands over her ears looking up at the helicopter. Rip had no idea who was in it. He looked back and saw Beth was standing now.
"Go to Mama, quick." He pointed Katie to Beth and told her to run. Beth held a hand out for Katie to hold when she got close, she stood in front of Beth; Beth resting her hands on Katie's shoulders.
"Who's is that?"
"Dunno baby."
John joined Rip where he was standing.
"Who is that Rip?"
"Dunno sir."
The helicopter landed and Roarke and a lady who Beth knew as Willa got out.
"You're on private property." John told them.
"We know. We're here to see you."
"So landing a helicopter on my land was the best way to contact me?"
"It seems so." Willa answered.
Beth approached them, leaving Katie where they were having lunch. "Thought I told you to stay off our fucking land."
"I'm here on business now." Roarke replied. "How's the kid?"
Rip clicked that this was the guy Beth and Katie had run in to when they went swimming. "Who're you?" Rip asked.
"Roarke." He stuck out his hand to Rip who didn't take it.
"Seems like my kid was right. I don't fuckin' like you either." Beth put her arm around Rip's waist and Roarke took his hand away.
"So what do you want?" John asked.
"They want to build an airport right here, Daddy." Beth answered for them.
"Little old to be calling him your 'Daddy' aren't you?" Willa said.
"I thought you were going to come out with something smart, but you surprised me." Katie had gotten bored and come to see what everything was about.
"Hey kid, nice to see you again." Roarke bent down to Katie's height
"No. Still don't like you." Rip smirked and ruffled her hair. He couldn't agree more, Roarke seemed slimy and Willa just as bad.
"I think you need to leave."
"Here read through this is all." Willa tried to give John a folder, John looked her up and down before she shoved it in Beth's hands.
"They seem like a problem Beth." John told her as the helicopter left.
"I'm workin' on it. They've fucked with the wrong bull." John kissed her cheek and left the three of them be.
