Wayne Gray

Great way to put how Taggert has so far approached life at Nasser Ranch, and how he is beginning to doubt that approach is required. I think you'll like watching Taggert's progression. And... some of the other guys' journeys, too. Thanks for commenting and reading. There's more coming on Monday.

Oh, it's not a week. It's only five days. I'm mean, but not THAT bad! Yeah. Taggert woke to find that he'd been taken care of by Ash. And he doesn't quite know how to hold that. A guy like him, who wonders at motivation, who questions everything, he can't find a reason why Ash would do that. Other than the fact that Ash cares. And Taggert is having a hard time processing that. Then, seeing the examples around him of men simply being who they are, that's really making him question things, too. And he's likely better for it. Taggert is in rough shape emotionally. We can see that. So can Ash. Up until now, Ash has been pretty patient with him. He did have a bit of a moment, cornering Taggert (Do you regret it?), but he was likely owed. I mean, the man kissed him. Ash deserves a little something after that. Thanks for reading, Dave. More to come. In LESS than a week!

Damn it, I had replied to Cane! I knew I did!

I thought for sure I'd already replied to this, but I guess not. Let's try again... LOL. Okay, that's a funny way to put it, but you're not wrong. And yes, Taggert has put up a huge wall around both his heart and, more importantly, his trust. It takes repeated examples for him to trust. You're right, though. The place he finds himself isn't threatening, and he's not sure what to do with that. Sadly, he wasn't prepared for decency. For being treated like a human being. And he's getting that, not just from Ash, but from them all. Thanks for the comment. More coming on Monday.

So... I never specifically call this out, but Cara and Terry are a pair. Which... explains some of his behavior in chapter seven when Cara volunteered to drive out to open the gate that'd been missed. It becomes a bit more apparent over time, but yeah. Cara is married to their cranky cook. So they snuggled up on their own mattress along with the guys. They were cold because they'd been wet from rain and wet clothes all day. It seeps into your body and bones, and it takes a while for the body to warm up again. It wasn't too cold in the building itself, but they were chilled nonetheless. You're not thick. You're just watching a story unfold chapter by chapter. Maybe you're right about Taggert. We'll see. Thanks for reading and for the comments. More to come.

The way Taggert behaves reminds a person of a creature that has been mistreated. I think you got that right, just from what we can say now, and based on what we've seen. Nicely put. And you're right about that clean-up. Without a visual inspection, they won't know which fences need repairing or if there are injured animals out in the fields. They've already put in a lot of work focusing on animals and fencing, but there's a lot more to go. They do get to take a break now, a little one, since they've determined the animals are all right. And they can certainly use a break, and Branford knows it. It's part of why he's such a good man to have in charge. He knows their capabilities and their limits. Yes. Ash just wants some communication. To Taggert, it may feel like pressure, and I guess it is of a sort. But... Ash doesn't seem to be asking much. We'll have to see if Taggert can meet him half-way. And that's coming. Thanks for commenting and for the read. I appreciate it.

Haha. That's a great way to put it. Love that. Taggert has absolutely thrown up walls around his heart and his trust. Something has taught him that giving either away is dangerous, and those walls, while cracking, are still there. But you're right. He keeps looking for danger, and he's not finding any. That's disarming. He has a way to go, but he's slowly getting there. Thanks for commenting and reading. Hopefully I'll see you here again on Monday.

Thanks, Chris. Taggert does have a past, and we're watching the fallout from that now. Will he be able to get over it? We'll have to see. The ranch did survive. We'll get a look at the damage soon, but yes, it does appear they survived relatively well thanks to all their preparation. More to come soon.

Thank you! It’s great that you took the time to comment on the work - I appreciate that. I hope you continue to enjoy the story!

Yes. Taggert’s past emerges once more to hinder connection in his present. But Ash’s steady, consistent presence does a lot to disarm at least some of that vigilance. And it’s likely Taggert would be better for it, if he could allow Ash into his life. Thanks for the great comment. And thanks for reading.

I’ve been there too. Trapped in a few rooms with hurricane lanterns, an emergency radio, a few board games, and family/friends, all trying to pass the time while the world rages around us. And yeah. Ash is beginning to realize some things while Taggert has already figured out some stuff he doesn’t necessarily want to know. A slow awakening at war with denial. It’s a fun dynamic. 😀 You’re right about Taggert and those lasting wounds. They’re on display here as he struggles to even understand how Ash could want him. What can he offer Ash? What could he offer anyone? He may not ask the questions but they underpin a lot of what he does. Thanks for reading and commenting. The guys will return on Monday.

He was also quite literally exhausted. And walls tend to wobble when a person can’t think straight. But even after his nap, Taggert is obviously wanting connection. He hates that he wants it, but he does. We’ll have to see if he allows himself that or not. Thanks for commenting and reading.

I like the way you put this. Because you're right. Whatever is happening between Ash and Taggert isn't over. Not decided. Not yet, at least. I've been working on my description game. @MacGreg was a great inspiration in this aspect of my work. He hasn't been around in a while, but his work remains, and it's worth reading. I'm glad you liked the work I put into that aspect. And I like how you called out the relationships between all of the guys, not just Ash and Taggert. Those relationships matter too. And we'll see more of that soon. Thanks for reading and commenting. There's more to come on Monday.

Chapter 8: Aftermath The system that'd spawned the storm hadn't left. It drifted north for a while, weakened and reorganized, then began birthing new cells behind it. The scanner made that much clear. “…rotation confirmed…” Static. “…another wall cloud west of—” “…storm chasers repositioning—” Rain still battered the compound in uneven waves. Sometimes steady and light, and then sometimes violent enough to drown out conversation completely. No one argued when B

tim, don't worry about reading or writing right now. The work will be there for you when you're ready - both your own and that of others. I hope Michael provided a tasty dinner. No matter where it came from.

An author's chosen handle doesn't influence me at all. I give many a shot, and if I like what they do, I keep reading.

Oh, I'm so glad you found this one and gave it a try. This is the most emotional thing I've ever written. I don't know if I'll ever beat it on that level. Chapter 16 really wrung it out of me. You probably know the scene I'm talking about. But this story wasn't about death, and I'm gratified that you could see that. It was about showing connection and leaving a legacy. And yes, some of those connections are different. Some are challenging and make us think. We watched Kent and stanley stumble into their own life, and how they grew into something new. And we got to see Tad, Chris, and Nate become Three. And how sweet it was for them, even if it was fleeting. Then, Markus. And how finding Nate and Chris completed his journey, too. Thanks for reading and for the comment. I appreciate the time you spent on my work.

That's a fantastic compliment. Thank you. I hope to see you on Wednesday for the fallout of what has happened. Fun times ahead!

You're not wrong. The ranch suffered a direct hit from the storm. Even being well-prepared, there will still be a lot of work to get back to normal. Now, things would have been a lot worse had they not taken the steps they did, but they're still in quite a situation. Yes, James is now revealed to be the son of Bert Nasser. While Cara's first try at supervision didn't go as smoothly as she'd have liked. Still, for such a huge event, the ranch came out of things battered but alive. And that's probably the best they could have hoped for. Thanks for reading and commenting, Parker. More to come.

Glad you enjoyed it, Chris! James reveals to the others that he's a Nasser. He doesn't want the dynamic to change, and from the guys' reaction, maybe it won't. Since it seems they're all giving him a little bit of hell over it instead of deference. Wednesday will reveal the aftermath of that kiss between Ash and Taggert. Thanks for reading and commenting!

I'm glad you enjoyed it! It helps that I've been fascinated by tornadoes for decades, and even saw one in person. It's something you don't forget. Taggert broke a little and ended up showing more of how he felt than he likely wanted. But now that he has, what are they going to do? More to come. Thanks for reading and commenting.

Yeah. Tornadoes are crazy. I've been in a typhoon (the southern hemisphere's version of a hurricane), but I didn't have the fear that I did when I saw my only tornado. That thing was just a monster. And it was rated EF1! The ratings are imperfect - based on damage done and not windspeed. So if one touches down in an area with few buildings, it'll always be a low rating, no matter how strong the winds are. That scale always irritated me for that reason. Yep. Ash was being his golden retriever self, trying to fix a problem without much thought for his own safety. He's not usually that dumb, but Cara was upset, and he thought, "I can fix this. Go open the gate. Simple." We saw how that turned out, didn't we? Ohhh... I can't wait for the next chapter to post so you can see that conversation! It's so fun! I WILL wait. Because I must. But... I don't want to. Thanks for reading and for the comment. This was a fun chapter. The next one has less action, but more progression, if that makes any sense. I guess we'll see on Wednesday!

I read it that way too! jeez! LOL

Ah, no. These are little twin beds. So the guys will be... ah. COZY. Yeah, let's go with that. LOL Thanks for reading and commenting. There are probably gonna be some uncomfortably snuggly cowboys soon. Or, maybe not. We'll see.

I have partaken in a few of kbois stories, though not all. I plan to remedy that soon. Thanks for the nice comment and the read. I'm glad you're enjoying the work so far.