Wayne Gray

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.

Thanks, Dave! Yeah, no thank you on another tornado. Luckily, I didn't get clipped by the one I saw, but it got uncomfortably close. And I was a twelve-year-old boy, hanging onto the axle of a big drilling truck (a rig that weighed probably 5-10 tons). Literally the only shelter around. But it probably would have rolled if it had been hit directly. I watched it hit a huge oak tree. Stipped every leaf, then small branches, then it T W I S T E D it apart. It couldn't uproot it, but it literally tore it in half, leaving about four feet of shredded trunk in the ground. It was wild. While amazing, I have no desire for a repeat. LOL We'll have to see what the guys do after this. The way Taggert is behaving, it's apparent he's processing things, and we really don't know yet what he'll decide. Will he pull back or lean in? That's really the question. More to come. See you on Wednesday!

LOL. Well, James worked awfully hard at being an "average cowboy." He's not. But he plays one pretty well. Branford has earned the title "sir" through experience, work ethic, and his position on the ranch. Bert Nasser has earned it through his bloodline and by putting in the work to continue what his family started. We're going to meet Bert, and it'll become apparent that he's not a rancher in name only. Thanks again for helping me get this one right, Kitt. You know what's coming, so I appreciate you dropping in.

Yep. People in vehicles that get caught up in one either get rolled until the vehicle just crumples, or pulled into the sky and tossed like toys. Hundreds of feet sometimes. It's like being at the whim of a giant that doesn't care if you live or die. Hell, like one that isn't even aware you exist. So that danger was very real for our guys. They both knew it. Thanks for reading and commenting. More is on the way on Wednesday.

Yep. Wind can literally pull grass out of the ground in a strong tornado. They can be utterly devastating. And that's why there are all sorts of hoops and requirements for storm-rated structures in Tornado Alley. There've been cases of people sheltering in what were supposed to be safe structures, only to have the whole thing yanked out of the ground and everyone killed. So it's a big deal. Thanks for the comment and for reading. More coming!

Thanks for the nice words. I'm glad the storm felt real. I've always loved thunderstorms. The power wrapped up in one is awesome. And I mean that in the true sense of the word. I've experienced a few supercells and one tornado. I could stand to see another supercell. But... one tornado is plenty. lol More is on the way. 🤠

Yeah, back in chapter 3, that bit about James is revealed during his conversation with Ash about Taggert. Admittedly, it's just a line or two, pretty easy to miss. Wealth works differently for these guys. Yeah, they're "worth" a lot when you consider land/equipment value. But liquid capital is held by the ranch itself for operating costs and emergencies. It's not really "theirs" if they want the ranch to keep operating smoothly. Sure, Bert and James could cash out and be sitting on $100-$150 million. But that's what it'd take. Otherwise, James has ready access to... maybe $100,000. Bert could likely yank $20-30 million out of the ranch's operating capital, and it'd keep running okay. So long as nothing broke. So, yes. They're rich. But only if they break the ranch they love to prove it. And that's a hilarious quote from Speed. Go Sandra B. LOL Thanks for reading and for the great comment. More to come!

Hehe. You picked some good quotes. And eldritch is SUCH a good word. For me, it conjures this... otherworldly moment. Something that just shouldn't be, but irrefutably is. That's a tornado. I've seen one. A weak one, but... still, they seem like something unreal. Like something made up for a movie that somehow got loose, and is tearing across the countryside. Yeah. Eldritch is a great word for that. And yes. I telegraphed their flight to The Middle. All the talk about repairing it, how it's one of two places that can stand the storm, and how the tension between them demands an alone moment for it to burst. Yeah. I don't care. Not everything has to be a secret. LOL It was stupid for Ash to take off into the storm. To be fair, there had yet to be a report of a funnel on the ranch. But... it was looking pretty damn likely. So, yeah. Stupid. He just heard how distraught Cara was, and thought... "I can fix this." And... well. Off he went. And we saw how that turned out, didn't we? Sometimes being "stupid" pays off (Forest Gump). And I don't know how good I am at this, but I'll take it! Thanks for the great comments. More to come on Wednesday.

Glad you were on the edge of your seat. We've got external threats, internal struggles, and their combination that produced what we saw here. Let's find out how they both deal with it afterward. That's coming on Wednesday. Thanks for reading and commenting!

That's the way we like it, eh? Thanks for reading and commenting. There's more coming our way on Wednesday.