Bennguin Animal husbandry for the 5+ headcannons 8D
1) Tyler is the big city slicker sent to the country to lay low during his scandal. Itās not a big scandal, heās only minorly famous for being rich and hot on Instagram, but like, maybe he said some shit and did some shit that got caught on camera and his mom told him, very nicely but in her most Disappointed tone, that it would probably be good if he lay low for a while, just until her latest deal goes through. Tyler doesnāt actually want to fuck things up, even if itās bullshit how much of a fuss everyoneās making about some partying and some admittedly badly phrased tweets, so he goes. Itās not like they donāt have the internet everywhere, and the dogs will be there so thatās whatās important.
The town he goes to is a little town in the middle of nowhere, which is about as close as Tyler gets to figuring out the geography. His mom knows a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy, and then Tylerās driving up to an honest to god ranch, through some pastures that are filled with cows.
Gerry pops his head up, barks out the window at one of them. The cow does not react. āYeah, weāre not in Kansas anymore,ā Tyler agrees. Or maybe the point is they are. Where did his mom even send him?
Where she sent him, he sees on the sign when he turns in the drive, is the Star Ranch. And who she sent him too, he sees, when he gets out of the car and rings the bell, the dogs tugging excitedly on the leashes to explore, is a big man about Tylerās age, with eyes as big and brown as the cows, and who looks far more surprised to see Tyler than Tyler is to see him.
āHi, Iām Tyler Seguin,ā Tyler says.
āYeah, I know,ā the dude mumbles. He runs a hand through his hair, then straightens. Tyler canāt help but look. His shirtās loose, but damn. āIām Jamie Benn, my family owns the place. Come on in.ā He steps aside, still looking awkward. This...doesnāt bode well. But Tyler can make it work, he figures. There have to be some views around here for some good Insta posts. And at least the dogs will be happy.
2) To say Jamieās happy to have a...lodger, at the ranch, is an overstatement. He gets why, and the money theyāre getting for Seguinās room and board is plenty welcome--theyāre a small operation and moneyās always tight--but to say Jamieās awkward with new people is an understatement. Jordie always gives him shit when he says that, says he just needs to work at it, but Jamie doesnāt see why he should. Heās fine with the cows, with the employees on the farm, and at the market where they sell, and Jenny and Jordie can handle all the rest of the marketing and sales.
But itās not like he doesnāt want Seguin to fit in. And, as Jenny had said, when they were talking it over, Seguinās got more Instagram followers than Jamie can conceive of, so anything he says about the farm will be great publicity. The east coast hipsters, she says, are a vast but untapped market.
So he tries. He greets Seguinās dogs, who seem pretty great and make Jamie laugh as they all try to lick his face, then shows them around, to the room where Seguināll be staying, around the house, whatever. Itās getting late to go around the grounds, and Seguin-call-me-Tyler-no-seriously had a long drive today; he doesnāt want to press. Tyler doesnāt ask, thougn he does look around at everything curiously, like itās all alien to him. Jamie guesses it might be, for a kid who grew up in the city. Itās all Jamieās ever known.
Still, itās a relief when Jordie comes back in, so he can take over the conversation. He has Tyler chattering over dinner, about his drive and the dogs and his home and the Canucks and whatever else comes to mind. Itās nice, to have the noise; itās always quieter when Jennyās away, and Jamie and Jordie spend too much time together to talk too much. Tyler doesnāt seem to have that problem; Jamie can see why heās so popular online, in the city. Heās pretty clearly making an effort, but that doesnāt stop the magnetic charm from working.
It probably helps that heās got that ridiculous body and that smile and those curls that are like an invitation for someoneās fingers to tangle in them, and he clearly knows all those things. He flirts with Jamie and Jordie indiscriminately, and when Spezza comes in from the barn to tell them that heās heading home for the night, Tyler flirts with him too.
After dinner, they clean up, and chat a little longer, then, Jordie stretches to head upstairs. āNight, then,ā He says. Tyler makes a shocked face.
āAlready?ā
Jamie snorts, and Jordie grins. āSunās down, city boy. And we wake up early here.ā
āOh.ā Tyler still looks gobsmacked.
āYou donāt have to,ā Jamie says, taking pity on him and the horror on his face, and only laughing a little. āThough the cows might wake you up anyway.ā
āNo rooster?ā Tyler asks, rallying impressively. Jordie chuckles, ruffles Jamieās hair, then heads upstairs with another good night.
Itās silent, for a long, long moment. Tylerās just watching him.
āHe also has to call his girlfriend,ā Jamie offers. āThatās why, um. Itās early even for us.ā
āThank god.ā Tyler grins. Jamie nods, but he doesnāt have anything to say either, so he gets up to go to bed too, after telling Tyler where the TV is and how the remote works and that shit. Tyler waves him away, but. He looks kind of alone, in the big kitchen all by himself, and very out of place.
3) Tyler spends three days almost always in his room. Or at least, Jamie thinks so; heās in his room except for meals when Jamieās in the house, anyway, and he doesnāt see him much around the ranch, except for when heās running with the dogs. When heās not in his room, heās wandering around the house or the yard, fidgeting like a dog who can smell the rain.
Heās not getting in the way or anything, but Jamie still only lasts until the fourth day before he knocks loud on Tylerās door, as the sun rises outside.
It takes him a few minutes, but then the door opens, and Tylerās sleepy face pokes out. āIs something on fire?ā He asks, rubbing a hand over his face. Jamie swallows, because Tyler sleep-rumpled is a sight, but then,
āGet dressed,ā he says. āYouāre helping out today.ā
āIām what?ā Tyler asks, blinking. Not like heās refusing, just like he doesnāt get it.
āYouāre going to learn how a farm works,ā Jamie tells him. āCome on, milking waits for no man.ā
Tyler blinks, then shuts the door.
Jamie mostly expects for that to be the end of it, but five minutes later Tylerās got jeans and an old Leafs t-shirt on, and heās scrubbing water off his face. āOkay,ā he says, looking determined. āLetās go.ā
So they do. Jamie takes him around the farm with him, introduces him to the hands and shows him how things are done. Tylerās green, but heās not stupid, and he asks questions and he touches the animals with the right amount of gentle firmness, and Jamieās not going to think about that.
Theyāre finishing off feeding the sick cows in the barn when Esa comes over, to talk with Jamie about the fence in the back pasture.
āYou finish up here,ā Jamie tells Tyler, wiping his hands off on his jeans. āIāl come back when Iām done.ā
Tyler stares at him, like heās never heard that before. āJustāfinish up? With this?ā
āYouāve got the hang of it.ā Heās been good so far. āIāll be right back.ā
āUm, yeah.ā Tyler gives him a little salute, which makes Jamie chuckle. When he comes back from dealing with Esa, the cows are all fed, and Tylerās looking at him, a little nervous and a little proud.
āLooks good,ā Jamie tells him, and Tyler grins. Jamie canāt look at that grin for long.
They finish up the day, then go back in to shower before dinner. Before they go inside, though, Tyler catches his arm.
āHey. Thanks. For this. I know I slowed you down, butāā
Jamie shrugs. āLooked like you needed something to do. And training only speeds people up in the long run.ā
Tyler smiles again, then glances away for a second. āI thought you didnāt like me,ā he admits, with a twist to his lips.
āWhy?ā Jamie doesnāt get it. He doubts anyone ever dislikes Tyler whoās met him.
āBecause you didnāt talk to me?ā Tyler says, with a self-deprecating laugh. āAnd wouldnāt look me in the eye?ā
āNah, thatās just Chubbs,ā Jordie says, coming out of the office to throw an arm around Jamie. āI told you, he takes a while to settle in. How was your first day at the office?ā He asks Tyler, and Tyler lights up again, talking about it.
Jamie slips away to shower as he does. Thereās only so much of Tylerās grin that a man can take.
4) It all spirals quickly, after that.
Tyler would like to say that he isnāt to blame. Heās only human, and heād like to see the person who could see Jamie Benn hand-feeding a calf and not fall for him hard and fast. Or see him pitching hay, his shirt sticking to his broad chest as he worked in the sun. Or see him with the other employees, leading everyone like heās forgotten heās supposed to be shy and awkward. Or see how excited he gets about organic farming and all the sustainable changes theyāve made to the farm (that heās made, Jordie tells Tyler, as Jamie pretends he isnāt listening; apparently itās been Jamieās baby). Or watched a baseball game with him, seen him yell at the screen and get flushed and hyped about it. Or justāseen Jamie, who looked at Tyler and saw what he needed, who didnāt hesitate to trust him with the things he loved most. Not a lot of people have trusted Tyler, historically.
And Brownie can go suck it, if he thinks this is just that Tyler usually falls hard and fast. Jamieās different. Jamieās not one of the charming people back in the city, all flirting and hard edges and fast times and fun. Jamieās. Different, is all Tyler can say, and if Brownie doesnāt believe him, whatever. Tyler knows whatās up.
And for a while, itās just sort of fun, in a hopeless sort of way; Tyler watches Jamie and banters with him and Jamie warms up, slow and sure. Itās sort of nice, actually; Tyler feels like he earned every time Jamie laughs at him, every time Jamie rolls his eyes and flips him off when he tries to sneak a picture of him framed by the morning light. It makes him feel special, that Jamie trusts him with that. And it just feels good, to make Jamie smile.
It also feels good to see Jamie squirm, which is why Tyler asks, at the bar Jamie took him to to meet up with some of his friends to give Jordie the house for the evening for a date night with his girlfriend, āSo he was a big shot in high school?ā
The guy Jamie had introduced as Tyson but who had corrected Jamie that it was T-Beauty laughs, as Jamie rolls his eyes.
āOh yeah, for sure,ā Tyson says, grinning mischievously at Jamie. āShoulda seen him. Baseball, hockeyāthis guy was the shit.ā
āFuck off,ā Jamie retorts, but heās blushing in the good way. āIt was all a team effort.ā
āSure, mon capitan.ā Tyson salutes. Tyler laughs as Jamie shoves him almost off the stool. āWow, see if I give you a compliment next time!ā
āYou compliment everyone, they arenāt worth anything,ā Jamie complains, and Tyson scoffs. Tyler watches. Itās nice to see this too, Jamie casual and comfortable and having fun. Heās a little flushed from his few beers, even though theyāre kind of shitty beers, and his long legs are stretched out in front of him.
āFine then. Should we talk about how despite being captain of two varsity teams, you still only just managed to ask Jess Rogers to prom, then?ā Tyson asks, and Tyler leans forward.
āYeah, I think we should.ā
āI really think we shouldnāt,ā Jamie says. He pushes up from the table. āAnother round?ā
āYeah. Whatever their best whiskey is, though, I need some real alcohol,ā Tyler tells him, and Jamie makes a face but goes. Tyler is, again, only human, so he watches a little. Jamieās jeans are not doing him any favors, but it still manages to work.
He starts to dig more about high school Jamie, because thatās definitely a topic he wants to know more about, so he only looks back at the bar to see some guy chatting with Jamie, a guy a little shorter than Jamie wearing flannel and cowboy boots and standing just a little closer in Jamieās space that Tylerās seen Jamie be comfortable with before.
āOh, hey, speak of the devil,ā Tyson says, following Tylerās gaze.
āWhat?ā
āJess Rogers.ā Tyson nods towards the guy. Tylerās heart thumps. And maybe his dick a little bit. Okay then. āHeās been trying to get back in Chubbsā pants since high school, but he was kind of a dick. And not in the way Jamie likes.ā
āSo thatās what Jamie likes? Dicks?ā Tyler tries to be casual, but thatās not something heās particularly good at.
Tyson gives Tyler a look like he definitely failed at the casual. āThe literal kind, sure. The metaphorical kindā¦Iāll leave the shovel talks to Jord, eh? Heās more intimidating than me.ā
Tyler reaches out to pay Tysonās arm. āDonāt sell yourself short,ā He tells him, and Tyson laughs.
āI like him, can we keep him?ā He asks Jamie, when Jamie gets back. He hands Tyler a drink, and Tyler takes it. When he takes a sip, he let some linger on his lips so he can lick them, keep eye contact with Jamie.
Jamie definitely watches his tongue. āUm, yeah,ā he says, just a beat too late. āAs long as heās here.ā
5) Subtlety is not Tylerās game, and what he needs is just to see, so he doesnāt particularly try. He pushes hard into Jamieās space, he flexes, he flirts hard, and it gets him what he wantsāJamie is definitely looking back. He didnāt notice before, didnāt think there was a reason to, but. He knows how people who want to fuck him look at him, and thatās definitely it.
Or. Itās it. But maybe itās more? Tylerās less certain about that look.
Anyway, one step at a time, and Tyler knows how to put his best foot forward, so he waits until they get back to the ranch, after he lets the dogs back in and Jamie feeds them both water. Then he steps forward until Jamieās back is to the wall, and he could move if he wanted to but itād take pushing past Tyler.
Jamieās breath catches, and his eyes widen. āTy?ā He asks, a little quiet. Unsure. Like he thinks he might be reading this wrong.
āNo harm no foul if Iām wrong,ā Tyler says, and then he kisses Jamie. Jamieās not surprised for long, and of course he kisses like Tyler thought he might, beneath all the aw shucks Canadian boy exteriorābossy and sure and steady. Itās not the best kiss Tylerās ever had, probably, technically, but who cares about technicalities when Tyler can bite at Jamieās lip and hear the noise he makes at that? When Tyler can pull back to see Jamie staring at him, still like heās confused but also like heās so, so pleased?
āUm. So. You wantāā Jamie starts, and it sounds like it might take him a while, so Tyler takes over.
āUpstairs, Jameson. Unless you want your brother to catch us bare-assed on the couch.ā
Jamie snorts, grins. āWouldnāt be the first time,ā he says, with that hint of a grin in his eyes, and Tyler laughs incredulously as he tugs Jamie upstairs.
6) Jamieās days pass in a haze of Tyler. He gets his work done, of course, butāTyler comes with him around the farm, helps out on his own tasks. Pushes him onto the hay of the barn to kiss him, like Jamie all sweaty really gets him going. Poses for selfies with cows and tries to coax Jamie into them. Works out in the yard when he knows Jamieās working on accounts in the office with the window with a view. And then when theyāre done for the day, itās justāmore Tyler, joking and teasing and snapping his pictures and bugging Jordie and waiting for Jordie to go to bed before pushing Jamie onto the couch and going to his knees.
Jamieās not a virgin, heās had sex before. Heās had boyfriends before, and theyāve had very satisfying sex lives. But Tylerāsāitās pretty clear heās done a lot of shit Jamie hasnāt thought of, and heās happy to share the fruits of his experience with Jamie.
But itās not just that. Tylerāsāhe helps out with the calves, and heās started trying to learn to ride a horse even though heās laughably bad at it, and he sometimes grabs Jamieās hand just to play with his fingers, casual and sweeter than Jamie had expected.
Jordie just laughs and rolls his eyes at them when he sees them, because if Jamie had been considering keeping it a secret, that chance was basically gone when heād come down with a hickey on his neck and Tyler looking very smug. Itāsā¦nice. Working on the farm, coming home to dinner with his brother and Tyler.
āHe seems very nice,ā Jenny agrees. Sheās back in town for a few days, and had, like everyone else, been immediately charmed by Tyler. Now sheās sitting at a booth in the bar with Jamie, watching as Tyler dances with one of the girls there. Jamie would maybe be jealous, but Tyler keeps looking at Jamie, like heās checking in, and alsoāTylerās really hot when he dances. He dances like he knows everyoneās watching and he loves it.
āHeās going to break your heart.ā Jenny doesnāt say it like an accusation. She says it like a fact.
āYeah.ā Jamieās not stupid. He knows whatās going to happen. Tylerās a city boy, and heās still got his Instagram and his twitter he updates all the time and all the friends who keep up blowing up his home and the way he laughs at their run down bar and complains about how thereās no good Chinese food and ordered better sheets online because theirs werenāt soft enough. Tylerās bright as a star, and about as far away. Jamie knows that. Knows that once everythingās died down, Tylerās going to go back to the city and forget all about this dull little town. āBut itās good while it lasts.ā
Jenny shakes her head. āJamieāā she starts, all big sister, but then Tylerās there, holding out his hands.
āDo you mind if I steal your brother?ā he asks Jenny. āSomeone said there was going to be a line dance and I need someone to show me how.ā
āOh I am notāā
āTake him,ā Jenny says, laughing a little. She catches Jamieās eye, shrugs. āHeās being modest, heās good at them.ā
āOf course he is, what isnāt he good at?ā Tyler asks, and Jamie snorts and rolls his eyes but lets Tyler pull him to the dance floor. It is good, he thinks, Tylerās hand in his. For as long as he can have it. Ā
7) Tyler doesnāt think about any of thatāabout the future, about what happens when he goes home. He just thinks about Jamie. He knows heās playing out of his league here, because heās a fuck up and JamieāsāJamie, steady and grown up and a business owner and all that, but Tyler knows what heās good at, and heās definitely got tricks in bed that Jamieās not used to. Which works out well all around, because Jamie might not be used to them but he can read Tylerās play like nobodyās business, and heās learning fast. Tylerāsāworried is the wrong word, butā¦heās not entirely sure how heāll keep tricking Jamie into staying with him, when the sex stops being so novel. Normally Tylerād buy him shit, or something, but the time Tyler had gotten Jamie some nicer sunglasses Jamie had thanked him, but given him an odd look, and he still wore his old ones.
But for now, Tylerāsā¦happy. Sure, the ranch is a little quiet, but he likes working with animals, and how heās getting enough of a hang of the ranch that he actually feels like heās being helpful sometimes, and hanging out at the bar even with its shitty beer and janky sound system, and he likes Jamie. He lies Jamie a lot.
āYeah, youāve said,ā Brownie tells him, patient even though Tylerās told him about Jamieās thighs a hundred times, probably. Tyler loves his bro. āAre you sure, though? This place looks weird.ā
āWhat do you mean?ā Tyler asks, defensive. The ranch is fucking great.
āThe pictures on the website make it look like itās in the 40s, thatās all.ā Tyler makes a face, and pulls out his laptop. Brownieās not wrong.
āHas anyone redone your website in the past forever?ā He asks Jamie, knocking on the office door. Jamie looks up from his computer, with the pinched expression he always gets when heās been thinking about the accounts. Tyler doesnāt want to ask, because itās none of his business, but he knows what everyone says about farms and how shitty the business is nowadays.
āUm, I donāt know. I think my dad got someone to make it a while ago? We havenāt had the money to hire someone.ā Jamie flushes, like he always does when he as to admit to shit like that.
āBro, you know that like, itās all about marketing these days, right?ā Tyler asks. āDo you even have social media?ā
āI donāt know, I think Jenny doesāā
āOH, wow, your twitter hasnāt been updated for literal years.ā Tyler shakes his head. āCome on, you have adorable animals as your business, how is this nor working?ā
āWeāve been busy trying to run a business,ā Jamie snaps, that temper of hisāslow to rise, but Jamieās seen him blow up at some teenager who was throwing rocks at the cowsācoming in.
āYeah, right,ā Tyler mutters. Obviously this is none of his business. āClearly I know nothing about that.ā
āFuck, Tyāā Jamie takes a breath, runs a hand over his face. āI didnātāI just donāt know about shit like that, okay? Jordie made me shut down my twitter after I did some stupid drunk tweets.ā
āOkay, I need to see those, first,ā Tyler informs him. āAnd. Yeah. Okay. So you donāt mind if I take some photos of the calves?ā
āNo? I donāt see whyāā
āTrust me,ā Tyler tells him, patting his thigh, and Jamie looks up at him, no hesitation.
āOf course.ā
Tyler swallows. Itās so easy. It makes Tyler feel like he deserves it. Like he wants to be the kind of guy who deserves it.
8) ThenāTylerās mom calls, and says itās time he can come home.
She calls Tyler, then Jamie separately, to finalize the payments. So Tylerās already packing when Jamie knocks on his door. Jamieās not surprised, that heās getting out of here as fast as he can. Heās just.
Well, he knew what was going to happen, didnāt he?
āSo your flightās tomorrow?ā He asks.
āYeah, bright and early.ā Tyler surveys his room. A lot of his shitās moved to Jamieās in the past few months, so thereās actually not too much here. āGod, I canāt wait to see everyone. Brownieās been texting me nonstop since I told him, weāve got so much to catch up on.ā
āRight.ā Jamie swallows. āGood. Iām glad you get to go home.ā Heās not going to be an asshole about this, heās not.
āAnd mom got a new dog! Sheās got to meet her nephews.ā
āYeah,ā Jamie agrees, and Tyler turns to look at him. Jamie tries, he really does, but Tylerās managed to get good at reading him, these past months. His hand comes up, rests on Jamieās cheek.
āHey, whatās up?ā
āWhatās up?ā Jamie echoes. āIāfuck it, never mind.ā He turns on his heel, to go downstairs, to go out with the animals who donāt leave him behind. Who are his, his land, his town.
āJamie! Come on, whatās wrong?ā Tyler follows him down the stairs. āTell me.ā
āItās nothing,ā Jamie says, tight. āHave fun in the city. Maybe think about us when you eat some ice cream, if you use real cream.ā
āWhat?ā Tylerās arms cross over his chest. āThink about you?ā
āIf you have the time.ā
āIf Iāwhat the hell?ā Tyler demands. āAre you breaking up with me?ā He throws it at Jamie, but Jamieās known him well enough to hear whatās underneath it.
āItās notāyouāre leaving,ā Jamie says. Itās obvious.
āYeah, so? Theyāve got things called phones now? And FaceTime?ā Ā Heās getting paler, as Jamie shakes his head. āAre you honestly dumping me when you canāt get laid all the time anymore?ā
āDonāt be a dick,ā Jamie snaps. āI just donāt want to draw out you breaking my heart.ā
āSo youāre going to break mine now?ā Tyler retorts. āFuck you.ā
Maybe this is easier, Ā Jamie thinks. Maybe it is easier like this.
āFine,ā he says, and takes a breath. Straightens. Heās fine here. Heāll be fine again. āGood luck, Ty. I mean it.ā
Tyler glares, and Jamie goes outside.
9) He doesnāt see Tyler again before he leaves.
10) Tyler goes home, because fuck Jamie. Fuck Jamie and his ranch and his earnestness and his thinking Tyler would just forget about him. Tyler wishes he could forget about Jamie. He tries. Tyler goes out to a party the second night heās back, after spending the first with his mom, pretending like she doesnāt see right through him. He goes out and dances and drinks and finds a guy and tells himself he is definitely going to hook up with him. He definitely is, and who cares who might have a camera, who might see and talk about wild, scandalous Tyler Seguinā
Except. Except he canāt help but see Jamieās face, and of course, and fuck him. Fuck him for ruining this too. Fuck him for making Tyler think he doesnāt need this.
Tyler gets home by 1. He canāt help but notice his momās smile, the next morning.
So partying doesnāt work, so Tyler tries something else. It doesnāt take much research to find a shelter, which seems up his alley. And itāsāit is fun, because itās playing with puppies, and thatās never work, but. Itās not the ranch. It doesnāt have the same feel to it. Tylerās volunteering, sure, but heās notāheās not adding something a five year old couldnāt do. (Thereās no Jamie, Tyler knows. Thatās the difference. But Jamie hadnāt wanted him in the end, heād figured out that Tyler wasnāt worth keeping without sex, and thatās. Not unexpected.).
Then Jenny shows up at his door.
āHi,ā he says, too confused not to let her in. Or maybe to resist her pushing her way in. āYeah, come in.ā
She makes it to the entranceway before she turns on him. Itās like a weird dream, having a Benn standing here, in his house. āI told him it was a bad idea,ā she says, like theyād started the conversation already. āI told him it would fuck him up, but did he listen to his older, wiser sister? Of course not.ā
āWhatāā
āMy brother,ā she says, stabbing a finger at him, āHas been miserable.ā
Itās a weird mixture of feelings that evokes in Tyler; he never wants Jamie to be unhappy, but thereās a visceral satisfaction in it too. āSo?ā He manages to ask. āHe broke up with me.ā
She snorts. āYou canāt break something with an end date.ā
āWe didnāt have an end date he didnāt put on it,ā Tyler snaps. She rolls her eyes.
āCome on. Like you were ever planning to stay with him when you were done with us.ā
āOf course I was,ā Tyler retorts. She rolls her eyes again, all condescension.
āAnd what, show him off to your fancy city friends? Your hick boyfriend? Sure.ā She shakes her head. āWe all knew what it meant.ā
āYeah, Iād have introduced my boyfriend,ā Tyler says, trying to keep calm. He would have. Heāitās weird enough having Jenny here, he thinks. Itās true. What would Jamie do here? At one of the parties, like last night? He would have. He would have. āWhat are you doing here, anyway?ā He asks, because thatāsātoo much. āSo Jamieās miserable. Iām doing great.ā
She snorts again. āUnlike my brother, I actually have an Instagram, Tyler. Tell me another one.ā
āWell what do you want me to do?ā He tries again. āIf youāre so sure itāll never work out.ā
āIā¦ā she sighs. āYou left it on a bad note. I know Jamie feels especially bad about that.ā Of course he told her. The Benns donāt keep secrets from each other. āMaybe if you talkā¦ā
āThen he can call me.ā
āI tried that. He thinks youāve already forgot about him.ā She shakes her head. āI think heās just trying to keep it a clean break, for his own sake, butāitās not really clean. Not like this.ā She looks at him again, and she doesnāt have her brotherās eyes at all, but itās still somehow close. āLook, if youāre actually happy, let it go and heāll get over it, butāthink about it. Maybe itāll help you both.ā
11) She leaves. Tyler thinks about it. About we all knew and breaking my heart and forgot about him. About the shelter and the ranch.
Then itās a lot, so he goes on Instagram, because thatās easy. That he knows.
Except he scrolls through until he finds a picture he took, the one he managed to sneak of Jamie holding a calf, feeding a bottle. Itās gotten good pick up, and not all because of the guy.
Tyler canāt look away from the guy though, the way heās holding the calf in his arms, the way his face is caught between laughing irritation at Tyler taking the picture and fondness at the cow. He thought even then that this was only a thing until Tyler left, Tyler thinks. Heād thought it was only for slice of time, and heād still turned down Tylerās gifts, still smiled at Tyler like he didnāt want anything else, anything more.
The next pictureās of the ranch too, the sign against a sunset. Itās gotten really good engagement, actually. And a comment, a āare they sustainably farmed? Link please!ā
Which. Huh. Tyler turns that over. Thinks about it, too.
And makes a choice.
12) Jamieās hot, and tired, and he needs a good shower after heād spent the whole day dealing with a sick cow who theyād had to move into the barn. Itās hot, sweaty work, but itās also the kind of physical work that Jamieās good at, that keeps his head in the game and not anywhere else. Say, a city thousands of miles away. Where it has no business being.
Heās considering how to escape Jordieās continued campaign to get him to go out to the bar that night, like hooking up with someone else could wash Tyler away, when he comes into the yard andāTylerās there.
Jamie blinks. He doesnāt think heart break causes hallucinations. Butāthe other options is Tyler is back here, sitting on the stoop in the ranch yard, wearing the jeans and sneakers like he was planning to work and not the designer stuff he had arrived in before. Looking at Jamie like he was a sight for sore eyes.
āUm. Tyler?ā Jamie asks, and Tyler scrambles to his feet.
āHi. Jamie.ā Tyler grins, and itās as big and overwhelming as it ever was.
āWhat are you doing?ā Jamie asks. His heartās beating loud in his ears. This is the hurt he wanted to avoid.
āYeah. So. Hereās the thing. You need a marketing person.ā
āTylerāā
āThereās a whole untapped social media market out there, look. I posted a picture and I got like, a dozen requests for a link.ā Tylerās pulling out his phone, like heās going to demonstrate it, that hint of nervous heād have when he needed someone to tell him he was doing a good job. āYou can really expand here, andāā
āTyler,ā Jamie interrupts again. Heās sure Tylerās right, this is what Tylerās good at, but. Jamie feels ripped open. āWhy are you here?ā He swallows. āI thought you were back home. Not thinking aboutā me āus.ā
āYeah, funny story.ā Tylerās smile isnāt very amused. āSo this guy broke my heart.ā Jamie really doesnāt want to hear this.
āTyāā
āTurns out, heās got this complex, see. Thinks that heās forgettable. Like I could ever forget about him.ā Tyler shakes his head, tsking his tongue, but heās not looking away from Jamie.
āYou went home.ā Jamie knows that, even if Tylerās back here, with the hot sun on their necks. āYou went back to the city. This isnāt your home.ā
Tyler takes a second, squaring his shoulders, like heās gathering courage. Then, āBut it could be,ā he says, and he soundsāhopeful and trying not to hope at once, like he could be casual. āIācould help out on the ranch, and do the marketing, andāā
āYou got bored here for three months,ā Jamie cuts him off, before he can start to hope. This place is in Jamieās bones and blood, but he gets itās not for everyone. āYou couldnāt get back to the city fast enough, I sawāā
āBecause I missed people. But thatās what visiting is for.ā Tyler swallows again. āI havenātāIāve never felt like I could actually be useful, until I came here. Until you trusted me with this. Thereās nothing back hāback there, that feels like this. But I can help, andāā
āWe canāt pay you.ā Jamie feels like heās throwing things at a wall, but he needsāhe canāt. This is too much, too terrifying, too everything he wants.
Tyler smirks, suddenly. āYouāll be able to once Iām done.ā
āTyler,ā Jamie says again, because itās all he can say. āAre you sure?ā If he wasnātāJamie knows that heartbreak would be so much worse.
Tyler nods, brilliant and bold and reckless. āCan I stay?ā
Jamieās officially done with words, so he grabs Tyler and kisses him instead, and Tyler kisses him back just as desperate, like he doesnāt notice the sweat or the heat or any of it. Like heās coming home.

















