#wheeler hall

[themetalcorefan]

Wheeler Hall, Berkeley.

[bylrlve]

So…

A host for Starcourt Study Hall posted on r/byler a couple of weeks ago, asking for information about Byler for a ship episode she and her co-host are planning. This podcast not only does breakdowns of each episode of the show, but does episodes digging into themes, theories, MBTI testing of particular pairings, and, you guessed it, ships.

They’ve done episodes on Jancy, Lumax, Stancy, Jopper (an MBTI and a ship one), and Mileven. I reached out through reddit DM and have been communicating with her since. I’ve sent posts by @emblazons, @queerxqueen, @kidovna, @givehimthemedicine, @chirpsythismorning @gayofthefae @snacksizedgates @tryingonametaphor @doriandrifting @starbylers @conflictofthemind @aemiron-main @byler-alarmist @mikesbasementbeets @sennqu and @theninaproject - yep, this is an exhaustive list. I also linked her to my blog archive so she can see my reblogs and posts.

The first episode script is 1 hour 8 mins. Yes, I said first, because the second episode will be out next Wednesday 16/9.

The host I’ve been communicating with, Marina, has told me that she’s now fully on-board with byler, ‘hook, line, and sinker’, that she’s excited, and that she thinks it makes more sense of a lot of things re: Mike. She also concluded that it ties into broader themes and makes the show richer. Bylers? Are not crazy.

ETA; this week’s ep covers s1 and 2, and next week’s covers s3 and 4.

[d4jamso]

Mmmhmhmgmgn mermaid byers and prince Mike RAAAAAAAAAAA

[frankenstein-ate-my-left-shoe]

it's steddiemas!! i am so excited for these prompts!!! i'm sure i'm not going to make something for each day, but there are a good few that i'm excited about; my plan is to make all the ones i do write be one story, but we'll see how that goes 😅

@steddiemas Day 1 - Deck the Halls

pairing: steddie | word count: 1,793 | rated: G

Eddie wakes up too early on November 1st. But hey, when nature calls, you answer.

He takes care of business and is turning back to the guest room he’d crashed in last night when a movement catches his eye.

Someone is awake already, and is weaving a string of artificial greenery along the bottom of the rail where the second floor is open into the living room.

Eddie takes another step forward and sees Steve's face peeking up over the floor, perfectly and completely content. The seemingly always furrowed brow he has is gone, his eyes are soft, and his lips set into a just barely there smile as he hums quietly to himself.

“Steve?” He immediately regrets interrupting Steve’s peace, as he startles at the sound of Eddie’s voice.

He looks up at Eddie briefly, then immediately relaxes back into his task. “Oh, you’re awake! Listen, I love you man,” Eddie’s stomach swoops at the words. “But I'm kinda in a groove right now, so once a couple of the others are up I’ll start making breakfast, ‘kay?”

Eddie nods in agreement despite Steve already looking away back to the garland in his hands. He really wants to ask why in the actual hell he’s hanging Christmas decorations the literal day after Halloween, but what comes out is “How are you not dying right now?”

Steve’s hands pause, and he blinks up at Eddie in confusion so he continues, “You had just as much to drink as I did last night…?”

Understanding floods the other man’s face. “Oh! I have a splitting headache right now.” Steve says, getting back to the task at hand and weaving the end of a string of lights through a gap between the banisters.

“Yet you’re awake. And putting up Christmas decorations.”

“Yes.”

The crease re-appears between Steve's brows, though not nearly as deep as usual. 

“Cool. Cool. Follow up question: why are you putting up Christmas decorations?? It’s only the day after Halloween!”

Steve stiffens at that, his brow furrowed fully now.

‘Shit, take it back asshole!’ Eddie chides himself.

“Exactly. It’s time for Christmas.” Steve sniffs, pausing before he continues in a soft voice, “I like Christmas..”

He doesn’t look back up at Eddie, and is now shoving the garland and lights through each gap in the railing, rather than slowly guiding them through.

Eddie watches him for a couple moments then says, “Alright big guy, what can I do to help?”

Steve is immediately relieved, looking back up at Eddie with a big smile (and no crease between his brows, thank you very much), “Wanna put the decorations on the mantle?”

“Sure thing Stevie,” Eddie smiles back at him, turning on his heel to trot down the steps and hang a left into the living room.

He freezes, taking in everything around him he couldn’t see from his spot in the hall upstairs.

There’s red and green tubs, boxes stacked upon boxes, loose strings of cranberries and shedded artificial pine needles absolutely everywhere.

There’s also a complete lack of any Halloween decorations left in the giant room. 

So, in the last however long Steve's been awake, he has: cleaned up from their party the night before, put away all the spooky decorations, pulled out a department store’s worth of Christmas decor, and is currently hanging garlands from atop a—holy shit!

“Steve! Why the fuck are you up so high??”

Steve twists back at Eddie's outburst, looking confused as all hell. “What do you mean, ‘Why?’? You just saw me upstairs, how else am I supposed to hang this?” he says, shaking his arm full of un-placed pine and the ladder in the process.

“You could’ve put them in from upstairs! On stable ground!” Eddie stresses, scrambling between and over boxes of holiday cheer to get to the other end of the room.

“I’m fine Eddie, I’ve been on a ladder before.” Steve snorts, going back to his lights. 

“Steve, sweetheart, you cannot be up that high on a ladder without someone holding onto the bottom!” Eddie says, finally getting over to him and grabbing onto it with both hands, leaning his weight onto it. “What if you fell? No one was awake! What if no one heard you!”

“Please.” Eddie could hear the eye roll in Steve’s voice, “I was perfectly fine.”

“Yeah, well, Wayne would kill me if I let you commit an OSHA violation.”

“What’s an OSHA?”

“Nevermind, keep working Stevie.”

He continues to work steadily, weaving and pruning the fake greenery to his liking and bunching up the end to stuff between two posts when he decides to come down.

He comes down the ladder and makes to move it when Eddie stops him.

“Oh no you don’t, you’re not going back up there.” he states, quickly letting the ladder fall together back from its extended length.

“I’m not done!”

“Didn’t say you were.” he says, leaning the ladder against the wall instead, out of the way, “You’re just going to do this from up there instead.”

For a moment, it looks like Steve is going to argue, but he gives up before he even starts, huffing petulantly and grumbling up the stairs. “And they call me ‘Mom’.”

“Thanks, Stevie!” Eddie calls after him.

“Yeah, yeah.."

Eddie snorts a quiet laugh, but goes back to his original task. He starts examining the boxes strewn out in front of him, the one labeled ‘GARLAND’ is already open, another boasts the title ‘LIGHTS’, another just says ‘KITCHEN’; after three huge tubs labeled ‘TREE’, he finds a smaller cardboard box with ‘MANTLE’ scrawled onto the side with marker.

You can’t say Steve isn’t organized.

He pulls open the top and starts to pull out the decorations. Everything in this box is colored in the few same shades of red, muted green, a handful more in bright silver. From the bottom, he pulls out a much shorter string of garland than the one Steve’s still fluffing to perfection upstairs, this one wound with a thick red, white, and green plaid ribbon.

“What?” Steve calls down after Eddie starts to laugh.

“More plaid, Steven?” Eddie grins, turning to show the garland in his hands.

This time, Steve snorts out a laugh, “Shut up, man.”

Eddie digs a little farther and comes back out with a small plastic box of thumbtacks and gets to work on the mantle. Using the ribbon to pin the length to the wood above the fireplace, he sets it in place along the edge, glancing up to fluff the fake branches out how Steve’s got the ones upstairs.

He gets into his own groove in no time, going back and forth from box to fireplace and placing the various baubles and tchotchkes how he thinks they should be. The clunky and gaudy seeming holiday themed frames at the bottom of the box throw him off for a moment, but soon there are years of awkward pictures of the shitheads leaning along the mantle.

A little red frame holds one of Max and El laughing brightly in just as brightly colored make-up and clothes, a framed polaroid of Robin and Steve in their Scoops uniforms, one of Will dressed up for Halloween; The pictures all must only be a few years old, Steve didn’t really get to know the kids until ‘84, but this little Dustin in the frame with the 3D train on it, and this one with a very disgruntled-looking Mike with his hair slicked flat in an over-the-top tree frame go right in the front.

“Nancy gave me that one of Mike, if you can believe it. He’s gonna hate that it’s up here.” Steve says from behind him now, a smile in his voice “Claudia gave me this one of Henderson. It’s actually from before their Snow Ball back in Middle school, I did his hair.”

Oh fuck, that’s adorable. Eddie’s heart squeezes in his chest. “You never told me that,” he says, accepting the last frame from Steve. A bright blue one with a Teddy Bear in each of the bottom two corners. This one has a JC Penney professional-looking shot of Erica and Lucas in matching holiday sweaters. Definitely a Mrs. Sinclair specialty.

“Erica gave me that one last Christmas, after everything happened at Starcourt.” he smiles, “They’re gonna hate that they’re all up like this.”

“Good.” Eddie grins, turning to face the other man, “What’s next, Stevie?”

They spend the next couple hours decorating; Steve tackles the tree next, working on it while he directs Eddie what to put up next, and making sure to call him back for any more ladder use at Eddie’s insistence.

At one point, Robin shuffles out from the first floor guest room she shared with Nancy, but she takes one look around and shuffles back down the hall.

Sooner than he thought, Eddie finds himself standing in the middle of a Sears catalog. The tree is huge, a fake one to fit the Harringtons’ high ceilings, covered in multicolored lights, red, green, and silver baubles, stringy silver tinsel, a sparkling star on top. 

The stair railings are lit up along both the top and bottom, the kitchen towels and utensils swapped out for holiday themed ones, even the front doormat is switched out for a Christmas themed one.

Steve is wandering around the place, vacuuming up stray glitter and pine needles, poking and prodding things until he’s satisfied, and Eddie is packing up anything unused and carting the tubs and boxes back to the garage.

After his last trip, Eddie swings back through the door to the living room under the steps at the same time Steve is coming back through the other way, both his arms filled with the last of the unused lights.

They collide, of course, and Eddie bends forward on instinct to catch any falling strings

“OOf–shit sorry, Stevie, I–” he glances up at Steve’s face for just a moment, but looks back up immediately, standing straight and keeping his eyes trained on something past Steve’s face, taped haphazardly to the underside of the doorframe.

“It’s okay, Eds, you oka–what’s wrong—?” Steve looks up as well.

Mistletoe.

“Mistletoe? How’d that–? Eddie, I didn’t– You–we don’t have to—”

Eddie’s lips find themselves brushing against the warm, soft skin of Steve’s cheek before the younger man can collect his thoughts.

He lingers there for a moment, pulling back with the lights in his arms instead. “I’ve got these, sweetheart, wanna get started on breakfast?”

Steve looks completely floored, his face flushed red and mouth agape; Eddie gives him a quick wink, then turns back toward the garage just before his own face starts to burn hot. “Holy shit,” he whispers to himself, smiling wide, “Jesus H. Christ.”

it was 100% robin that taped up the mistletoe in case you were wondering lmao

i looked up to make sure OSHA was around in '86 and it was established in 1970, enacted in 1971. if you assume wayne is a union man like i do, he would've definitely known all about proper OSHA compliance

also, i looked up old pictures of 80s era christmas trees and when abouts fake trees came into popularity (which was in the 80s :o) ) to get the descriptions right, and you just know the harringtons would've been on top of all the trends (though i think steve would prefer stringy strips of tinsel over long garlands of the stuff).

other parts! Pt. 1 (Day 1) [YOU ARE HERE] | Pt. 2 (Day 2) | Pt. 3 (Day 5) | Pt. 4 (Day 6) | Pt. 5 (Day 7) | Pt. 6 (Day 11) | Pt. 7 (Day 13) | Pt. 8 (Day 18) | Pt. 9 (Day 21) | Pt. 10 (Day 25) also on AO3! this year

[i-heart-yellowstone]

12 - New Parenting Style

Part 13

Raised Fair Share of Hell

Tag list @bvbwestfall l @hcwthewestwaswcn @child-of-of-the-sunshine @elenavampire21 @keep-the-wolves-close @kmc1989 @tallrock35

“Faith, sit down in your seat please.” I warned my daughter who was basically bouncing up and down in the passenger seat while I was driving the truck down the driveway on my way to take her to see her father since I felt bad they hadn’t gotten to spend time together since I had left him.

She sent me a half smile that only lasted about a second before she squealed. “I’m going to see daddy. I’m going to see daddy!”

“I wish I still had your energy, kiddo.” I shake my head, chuckling with the rest of the drive was easy enough with us parking outside the main house. Getting out first I opened the door and unbuckled her seat before she climbed over my body seeing her father coming down the steps.

Kayce barely caught her body in his arms. “Daddy!”

“Woah. If you get any bigger girl you might have to start carrying me.” He chuckled holding her up on his chest grinning up at her.

Leaning my back against the side of my truck once I had shut the passenger door. I felt bad for keeping them apart but I wasn’t sure I could let my heart fully care for the youngest son as easily as I had at 17 years old. “I’ll be back before dinner to pick her up.”

“Stay momma.” Faith reached out with one of her tiny hands extended out to me.

Kayce teased with those puppy dog eyes of his. “Yeah, stay with us, momma.”

“Don’t call me momma, Dutton!” I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest.

He bites his lip before smirking at me not being able to not tease me, had been that way since we were teenagers. “Momma Lissa Rae.”

“Faith, jump.” I ran forward where she jumped out of his arms watching me tackle her father into the gravel driveway. She laughed so loud, enjoying the sight before her. I moved my hands over his body, finding his ticklish spots that I knew far too well.

Kayce attempted to grab my hands and stop me but he couldn’t stop cackle in laughter squirming underneath my touch. “Alissa, stop - Lissa!”

“Will you stop calling me momma?” I asked, barely pausing on my tickle attack.

He released a breath staring up at me before rolling me onto my back, pinning me down in the gravel by holding my wrists down. “I can’t help it’s true. You are a momma.”

“Our daughters, not yours.” I stick my tongue out at him.

He smiled hoping my nose was getting up to stand then offered a hand helping me up off the ground too. “I’ll get back later just you wait, Lissa Rae.”

“Mommy, why does he call you that?” Faith asked tugging on my hand closest to hers.

Kayce picked her up in his arms, holding her against his hip. “That’s her nickname, sweet girl. Like how Grandpa John calls you Faithy Rae.”

“What’s your full name, mommy?” She eyed me with the curious eyes of a child.

“Alissa Rae Lambert.”

She stuck her tongue out at me. “Don’t you mean Dutton like daddy?”

“Oh yes. My bad.” I ruffled her hair playfully making my way back over to get inside my truck knowing I should probably help my family out with their cattle since that was where we were living currently. “I’ll pick you up later.”

Kayce slightly turned his body towards me, stopping me from leaving. “You could stay for the day. I’m sure your sister can understand that you should have time with your family.”

“Fine, I’ll stay. But you owe me for a few nights of babysitting Kayce.” I pointed my index finger at him with a warning look in my eyes.

The evening eventually rolled around where the three of us were all sitting in the living room just playing old games because that was one of the things our daughter liked doing besides riding horses all day like her parents. Laying on the couch in the living room I just silently watched the two play rock, paper, scissors for I think the 10th time in a row. “Three. Two. One. Rock, paper, scissors!”

“Oh come on. How are we matching each other?” Kayce slapped a hand to his forehead with his other hand and his daughter's back coming up with Rock. The reason they had done ten rounds simply because they had thrown out the same option for half of the game.

Faith giggled, falling on her back on the rug. “We’re mind readers, daddy.”

“My little telepath.” Kayce crawled over to her on his hands and knees till he was hovering over her and began tickling her stomach. That was her serious tickle spot where she cackled out in a fit of giggles.

Running a hand over my mouth it hurt me to not tell him that I was secretly seeing someone else even though we were married until death do us part. I feel like even if we split up we’d always find our way back to one another because we’re best friends and that bond lasts forever. “Faith, it’s gettin’ to be bedtime. You better get your little butt to bed if you want to stay the night with your daddy.” I looked at the time on my phone screen seeing it was almost nine o’clock meaning it was already past her bedtime.

“Five more minutes.” She begged me for those puppy dog eyes.

Kayce raised a brow glancing over his shoulder up at me where I gave him a silent look that he knew I meant business. “Not tonight, Rae Rae.”

“But daddy.” She whined with a sad expression.

He rose to his feet helping her up to her feet gently pushing her towards the hallway where her bedroom was and thankfully she listened to his order. “Not but’s, Rae Rae. You gotta get some sleep if you want to go riding tomorrow like we talked about.”

“Goodnight baby girl.” I kissed her forehead when she passed me and waited till I heard the bedroom shut before I went in the direction of the front door to grab my coat and boots to leave. “I’ll pick her up after I help my sister put some new saddles on our horses.”

“So we’re just not gonna talk about us before you leave huh?” My husband asked seeing me slip the sleeves of my coat on, keeping my back facing him the whole time.

“What exactly is there to talk about, Kayce.”

He sighed heavily, dropping his hands down at his sides in frustration. “You just pack up all your things and go back to your family's home. You take our daughter away from me and refuse to talk to me for longer than a few seconds. I want to know why.”

“Kayce, I’m not keeping your daughter from you. She’s sleeping down that hallway right now. So I don’t see the real problem you’re talking about.” I slowly turned around on my feet to face the rancher with my hands on my hips.

“I want you to explain what we truly are and why I saw you kissing one of my fathers ranch hands a while back.”

Taken back by his statement I knitted my brows in confusion and slight horror. “W-what. I haven’t been seeing anybody else. Why would you say such a thing?”

“Don’t lie to me, Alissa. I know you and Ryan are hooking up.” Kayce snapped sharply back at me. “I came over to your parents house after work and saw you making out in the living room.”

Completely changing my demeanor I ran my hands down my face snapping back at my best friend. “You've been spying on me then, Dutton. I can't believe you would do something like that. I'd never do something so hurtful to you!”

“Oh you mean cheating with another guy behind my back.” Kayce shouts back at me, stomping up to me until there’s barely any space left between us. “I’ve been thinking that we were still in this together. But apparently, we’re not in the same marriage that I thought we were in.”

Leaning up on my toes I pushed my nose against his, intensely staring into his chocolate brown eyes. “We haven’t truly had a marriage, Kayce. I became your wife but you’ve spent more time with Monica then me and I know why cause I have your family and my own whereas she didn’t have much. Your mother raised you to be a good person.”

“I’m gonna try to be better, to do better, Alissa.” He spoke down to me until I slapped him across the face, holding the side of his burning cheek.

“You say you’ll do better but I can’t believe anything you say anymore. When we were teenagers you promised me that we would always be together and protect one another. Our families revolve around each other and live the same lifestyle. Except looking at you now all I want to do right now is get as far away from you as physically possible.”

My best friend softly asked me a question I wasn’t expecting to come out of his mouth. “Are you saying you don’t love me anymore?”

“I honestly don't know.” I breathe out heavily, dropping my shoulders. “I don’t hate you but I’m not sure I love you anymore.”

Kayce blinked through some tears that had slipped out when the words came out of my mouth. “I think - you should go.”

“Kayce, I didn’t mean it like that-“

He held up his hands ordering me outside without another word. “Just go Alissa.”

“I’m - I’ll see you in the morning.” I muttered slipping out the front door and to my truck. Slamming the drivers door closed I hit my hands on the steering wheel, heavy tears I began sobbing not thinking this would be how my night ended.

[bylrlve]

Here’s the second Starcourt Study Hall Theoretically… Byler episode, as promised. This episode, which analyses s3 and 4, clocks in at 1 hour 50 minutes. Combined with the 1hr 10 minute episode 1, this adds up to a full three hours spent on byler!!! 💙💛

Shout outs to those whose posts I sent to Marina: @emblazons , @queerxqueen , @kidovna , @givehimthemedicine , @chirpsythismorning @gayofthefae @snacksizedgates @tryingonametaphor @doriandrifting @starbylers @conflictofthemind @aemiron-main @byler-alarmist @mikesbasementbeets @sennqu and @theninaproject

Prev

[autochops]

looking backwards / driven forwards

[queer-book-character-tournament]

Characters, book, and author names under the cut

Shara Wheeler/Chloe Green - I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston

Maurice Hall/Alec Scudder - Maurice by E.M. Forster 

[bikinikillarchives]

kathleen hanna at St. Joseph’s Hall, Washington, DC, October 19, 1991. by Alice Wheeler. more from this show here!

[addie116]

Pride month’s over, but here are more queer books in rainbow order that I like.

[zubin-staresat-yourfave]

can zubin stare at mike wheeler and will byers?

Zubin Sesghi is staring at Mike Wheeler and Will Byers

[hawkinsincorrect]

Nancy: You look like you need to get smacked.

Steve: I might enjoy getting smacked.

[notti-stellate]

Who I write for

JJ Maybank

Rafe Cameron

Sam Winchester (platonic)

Dean Winchester (platonic)

Paxton H-Y

Ethan Morales

Edward Cullen

Jasper Hale

Jacob Black

Carlisle Cullen (Platonic)

Eddie Munson

Mike Wheeler

Eddie Kaspbrak

[brionysea]

nancy being questioned by police at age 15: she obviously needs emotional support from her mother (who doesn't stand up for her when she starts getting slut shamed by grown men)

mike being questioned by feds at age 12 after being missing for hours: let's stand in the other room and leave him alone lol he's fine

[taylorswiftshipsbyler]

do you ever think about how like. joe hawley and rob cantor and zubin sedghi and andrew horowitz and ross federman predicted byler. you know. with their song greener? yeah. me too.

[i-heart-yellowstone]

13 - Families Looking For Answers

Part 14

Raised Fair Share of Hell

Tag list @bvbwestfall @hcwthewestwaswcn @child-of-of-the-sunshine @elenavampire21 @keep-the-wolves-close @kmc1989 @tallrock35

Kayce rode up on his horse to the exact spot where his mother was killed after her horse collapsed onto her legs and seriously injured her where she ended up dying. He dismounted his horse slowly walking over to his father who was leaning on his palms that rested against the wooden fence. “You come here much?”

“Every chance I get. Been 20 years. No - 21. 21 years and it feels like yesterday. I still feel her, smell her. Been half a man without her. It’s not an excuse. I was just a better father when she was with me.” John bent his head towards the dirt underneath his boots simply staring at them before he finally looked back at his son. “Hope you never know what that feels like, son.”

Kayce raised his head up scanning his brown eyes over the bright blue sky above him. He shoved his hands inside the pockets of his brown jacket. “I already know what it feels like.”

“Alissa still refusing to talk to you?” He questioned his son.

Kayce gave him a one word answer. “Yeah.”

“What happened, son. You haven’t mentioned her or Faith, Kayce. So please help me understand what has happened between the two of you.”

The youngest Dutton child heavily sighed, avoiding his father’s gaze. “I don’t want to talk about this now, dad.”

“Well too bad because we’re going to talk about it right now.” John takes strong strides up till he is in his son’s face.

Kayce snaps getting in his face. “Her father hates me. He hates me for accidentally getting another girl pregnant before he knew his own daughter was having a baby of her own. And I’m starting to hate myself because I’m getting closer to realizing that you might have been right. You were right that I should have helped Monica while she carried the baby but after I shouldn’t have stuck around!”

John ran a hand down his face. “Listen to me, son. Alissa Lambert is probably the best thing for you like your mother was for me. You need to start realizing that before you lose her.”

“She wants nothing to do with me, dad. She looked me in the eye and said “I don’t hate you but I’m not sure I love you anymore”. I’m not seeing hope that we will get back together.”

John grabbed his son’s forearm forcing him to look him in the eye. “You need to do whatever you can to get her back. Don’t let her disappear from your life. You don’t deserve to be unhappy, neither does Alissa and especially not keep Faith from having both her parents in her life.”

“I’ll do the best I can, dad.” Kayce nodded his head before the pair turned around staring back at the empty field with nothing more to say.

Alissa’s pov

Closing the bar door I locked it up tight making sure the horse wouldn’t escape before I headed upstairs until I quickly entered the living room and flopped down on the main couch covering my face in my hands.

The past few days have felt like an eternity. My emotions have been all over the place after the intense fight that me and Kayce had when he told me about seeing me sleep with Ryan. I didn’t know what to feel about our argument.

Footsteps creaked against the old wooden floor of our old ranch farmhouse and I wasn’t able to know who it was until the person spoke to me. “Honey, can I talk with you?”

“I guess so, mom.”

My mother Margaert stepped around my legs and sat down gently beside me on the couch cushions. “How have you been feeling lately?”

“I really don’t want to talk about Kayce right now.”

She attempted to hide the question she was really asking me. “I’m not asking about him. I’m asking about you.”

“Mom.” I sent her a warningful glare dropping my hands from over my eyes. My mother was secretly a noisy person. She means well but I wasn’t really interested in having any conversation about me and my best friend. Griffin, my father, always wanted the best for his daughters. He had raised us like we were sons to him, more so than innocent daughters. Except he didn’t have much care about the youngest Dutton when he found out he got another girl pregnant.

She lowered her gaze to her hands in her lap. “Look I understand that you two aren’t getting along. But he is a good guy. You’ve been best friends for as long as I can remember so please just tell me what is going on between you two?”

“We had a fight after he saw me sleeping with one of his father's ranch hands.” I throw my hands up in the air already knowing she would have some response back but I didn't let her finish. “And I don't want to hear you scold me because Ryan and I had agreed it's no strings attached sex. We literally met at a bar and came back here whIle you and dad were asleep with Faith. Urgh! I just can't believe he was spying on me.”

My mother gently touched my shoulder. “I won’t tell your father about this. But I will tell you that I still see a future between you two.”

“How do you see a future between us when he keeps going back to Monica Long?”

She briefly paused biting her lip that she only ever did when she didn’t have an immediate answer. “I’d say give him some time. He’s raising two kids by two different women. He’ll figure out that he’s the son of a rancher and should be with a rancher's daughter sooner or later.”

“Yeah maybe you’re right, momma.” I slowly nodded my head in agreement with her.

My mother wrapped her arms around me hugging me for a few minutes whispering in my ear before we heard someone coming down the hallway. “Plus one thing is for certain. You and that Dutton boy will always look out for each other.”

“Lissa, there you are. There’s something we need to talk about on the front porch.”

Laying back against the couch I attempted to read her face to see what this conversation would be about. Unfortunately that was no luck given the fact that she was sending me a stone cold emotionless look. “Alana, I don’t want to talk about Kayce.”

“We’re not gonna talk about him. You are going to talk to him and finally settle this thing between you two once and for all.” My sister declared to me, snatching me up from the couch and dragging me upstairs and into her bedroom.

She locked the door behind me, reaching inside her dresser drawer taking out some forms that she pushed into my hands. “What is so important we have to talk about this very moment - huh - divorce papers, are you serious?”

“Look I am not the one who came up with the idea.”

I cut her off before she could say more. “Daddy gave you these to give to me didn’t he?”

“Yeah he did. He wouldn’t let me leave until I willingly took them from him.” She admits lowering her gaze to the boots she was wearing, seeing me throw down the papers on the bed before I shoved her out of my way leaving the bedroom. “Alissa, wait. Where are you going?”

Stomping down the hallway I grabbed my phone and care keys heading out the front door. “To the bar. I need to drink with Beth.” Slamming the front door I got in my truck to go pick her up , simply needing to distract myself from everyone being so focused on me and Kayce when both of our families had people coming after our generational ranches.