The Ranger's Passionate Love

Maybe I should just stay in and work on this tonight, worried Kyara. It's not like they really need me out there.

But a larger part of her rebelled at the thought. No, you know what? He might have invited me, but that's my place now. Those are my friends, and my one night a week off. I'm going.

Kyara put down the pad with the ideas for the new menu, and went to get her coat.

I'm doing this, she told herself. No matter how awkward it is.

Kyara marched into the dining area, leaving the clean-up for when she got back in. She immediately found Caitlin, K, and Ashley at a table in the corner and joined them. As she did, though, she scanned the rest of the group, looking for his face.

"Where's Mr. Hardison?" she asked as she got there, trying not to sound bitter and failing.

All three sets of blue eyes immediately locked onto her.

"He said he wanted to survey ahead," said Caitlin. "Why ... what's up?"

"It's nothing," said Kyara.

"Dish," demanded K.

"Fine," said Kyara, "But only once we're out on the trail. It's a little too close in here right now."

Kyara turned to her assembled patrons.

"Alright, folks. Let's head out," she called. "You don't have to come up on the trail, but you can't stay here."

People began to shuffle towards the door. Caitlin gave her an odd look, but it wasn't until she was underway herself that Kyara realized that it was probably because she'd taken charge in Jason's absence.

Well, she reasoned, it is my restaurant, after all.

One everyone had their ATV partners, the ladies held back, Kyara behind K and Caitlin behind Ashley. They let the others race on ahead, slowing about half way to the work site.

K cut the motor and climbed off, going to stand next to the other two. They left Kyara sitting on the ATV alone, feeling lost. She sat, taking a moment in the warm evening air. Trees rustled, insects called, and no one spoke.

Finally, Kyara looked up at her friends.

"Why didn't anyone tell me that Jason was the one who wrote the bad review about my place?" she asked plaintively.

Three jaws fell open.

"You didn't know?" blurted out Ashley, astonished.

Kyara shook her head.

"I didn't even know his last name," she confessed. "I just put it together last week."

"That's why you always call him Jason," said Caitlin, putting it together. "He never told you to call him Jay."

Kyara nodded miserably.

"He never corrected me," she said, her voice sounding small even to herself. "I think he didn't want me to figure it out."

"Bastard," concluded K loudly. "Rat bastard."

"We really thought you knew," hastened Caitlin. "I swear we would have told you." Ashley nodded in agreement.

"Why didn't anyone correct me when I kept calling him by the wrong name?" asked Kyara, looking at them. Caitlin shrugged.

"We thought you were just formal," she professed. "Like, it was Southern manners or something."