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Chapter Text

In his defense, the first time had been for entirely practical reasons.

An unusually early heatwave had bowled over Sapulpa and made the barn unbearable to work out of. The air was sticky, dripping with humidity, and the heat clung to them worse than the cobwebs. They made various attempts to set up fans, but after some of Tyler’s sweat dripped directly on to Kate’s notebook when he leaned over to verify her calculations, she made the wise suggestion of moving their work outside.

Kate’s mom graciously passed around glasses of homemade lemonade while Tyler and Boone dragged some plastic folding tables to the shade. Everyone took a collective sigh of relief as they sipped lemonade. It felt good to take a moment and enjoy the breeze as it passed, unsticking the shirts from their sweaty backs. Lately they had been chasing storm after storm, trying to gather as much data for Javi to present to clients as possible.

“Kate, you’re a genius!” Boone declared, throwing his arms wide and sprawling out on the grass. It was clear that he had no intention of working anymore today.

“I only made the obvious suggestion,” she said, shrugging off his praise. But Tyler couldn’t help but agree with Boone. He had wanted the ground to just open up under him when that drop of sweat fell off his nose and right on to Kate’s paper. The heat combined with his embarrassment was too much in that confined space. Now the tension easily rolled out of his shoulders as he watched the wind create amber waves in the neighboring field. He always felt better outside.

“I’m just glad my underboob stopped sweating!” Lily laughed. The lemonade in her glass sloshed threateningly as she threw her arm haphazardly over Kate’s shoulders. Kate eyed her glass warily as everyone laughed before cracking a smile of her own.

Tyler could only stare at Kate as she tossed her head back, smiling wide with the sunlight tangled in her hair. Her smile was something else and lately he felt less and less able to resist it.

After his grand gesture at the airport and receiving a hefty fine for his troubles, they just got so busy. Overwhelmed by their collective to-do lists, Tyler never found the right time to talk to Kate about whatever it was they had. Even late nights in her hotel room when the pizza grease made her lips unbearably shiny and it would’ve been so easy to lean in, just didn’t seem like the right time. He felt like each missed opportunity took up space between them and pushed the words further down his throat. He could barely breathe when she was around, breath caught up by all the things he wanted to say.

But that didn’t scare him. It only made him more attracted to her. He knew that he should’ve been afraid, but he felt drawn to her the way that he was drawn to tornadoes, all adrenaline and no self-preservation. He would gladly chase her if only to find solace in the eye of her storm.

Kate caught him staring and raised an eyebrow. Tyler quickly looked away and took another sip of lemonade, trying to hide behind the rim of his glass. He hoped she couldn’t see how red his face was becoming. There was only so much embarrassment a man’s ego could take in such quick succession. He had to get some distance between them before he made a fool of himself again.

“Come on Boone,” he said, walking over to where his friend laid sprawled out on the grass. He nudged his leg with his shoe. “Get up brother, I need your help loading the trailer.”

Boone groaned but obliged and got up, following Tyler as he grabbed both of their cowboy hats and sunglasses from the nearby table. Everyone else took it as their cue to get back to work, picking various spots on the lawn.

The yellow barrels were sitting outside the barn, already filled with the right amount of polymer for the E1 they were chasing tomorrow. Tyler backed the truck into position and with Boone’s help, they began to load the trailer, carefully ensuring that each barrel was secured correctly. After they were done, Boone quickly went in search of shade and lemonade. Tyler was just taking off his hat to fan himself when he heard footsteps approach.

“Should we add extra polymer just in case?” Kate asked.

“We certainly can,” he said, turning around. She was carrying her notebook and shielding her eyes from the sun. “It’s always better safe than sorry, but based on projected moisture for tomorrow, I’m not even sure our girl is going to properly form.”

Kate bit her lip in thought, staring at the barrels as if they could give her the answers. Tyler patiently waited, considering the barrels himself and double checking the restraints. He knew that their close calls often caused Kate to overcompensate in materials and while he was comfortable with the amount of polymer they currently had, he would always defer to her judgement. It truly was better safe than sorry. It was important to him that she not only was safe, but also felt safe.  

“Maybe you’re right,” she finally said, coming to stand beside him. She still sounded unsure.

Tyler’s brows knitted together in concern, barely keeping himself from reaching out with a reassuring touch. He instead put all of that warmth into his tone. “Hey, if you want to add more, we can always add more. It’s not like we are going to run out. Javi secured funding for another shipment just yesterday.”

“I don’t know. It just seems like such a waste, especially now when people are relying on us to shut down tornados that are heading their way. What if we do run out though? These investors have only just started to sign on,” she said, squinting as she reconsidered her calculations again. The white page was nearly blinding in the sun. Tyler could barely read her handwriting with his sunglasses on. “God, the sun is so bright.”

Tyler carefully leaned in, cautious of what happened last time he hovered over her notes. She raised a good point, but he had faith in Javi and their budding business to continue to drum up funding for supplies. “The math checks out. Do you want to run it in the simulation again?”

“That couldn’t hurt…” Kate trailed off as she brought the notebook closer to her face. She was starting to hunch over, trying to create a big enough shadow over the pages. “I can barely see what I wrote.”

He couldn’t say for sure why he did it. Maybe it was because he knew that he couldn’t fix the guilt that caused her to be overly cautious in the face of a storm, so he wanted to fix what he could? Maybe his fantasy mind mutinied over his rational one and acted on its own? Maybe it was some higher power getting tired of him never making a move?

He would never know for sure, but he did know that one second, his hat was on his head and the next, he had placed it on hers. Kate paused and looked up at him, momentarily distracted from trying to decipher her notes. Tyler froze, stunned by his own action. He often helped her with her bags when they checked into motels or offered her his jacket when it was cold, but this was different. He hadn’t made an offer; he just placed his hat on her head and was now staring at her instead of saying anything helpful.

“The sun,” he hastily explained, gesturing vaguely to the sky above them like an idiot. His brilliant mind, that only moments ago, seemed so willing to hijack his body for its own purpose, abandoned him now as he floundered for the right words. “I mean, the hat helps block the sun.”

Now, he really wanted the ground to open up and swallow him whole.

Kate surprised him and laughed. “It sure does. Thank you,” she said as she casually tilted the brim down so that it more effectively blocked the sun. She redirected her attention back to her calculations now that she could see them better.

Tyler waited for her to say more, to ask him why he had done that, but she remained engrossed in her work. He was about to have a heart attack.

“Honestly, I think I’m just being overly cautious.” Kate finally said. Her voice broke through his spiraling emotions, and he returned his attention to her. “I trust our work.”

Tyler swallowed as he took in the full force of her in his hat when she looked up. He was grateful for his sunglasses. They hopefully hid the intensity of his stare. It was just a hat, but it was also his hat on her head. Some minor connection between him and this incredible woman. He vaguely remembered a rule about cowboys and their hats.

“Thank you for always indulging me,” she said, taking off his hat and handing it back to him.

Tyler could only nod as he accepted his hat and watched her walk away. This was really the start of him indulging himself.

Chapter Text

He was a little drunk and wanting to show off, so he could hardly be held responsible for his actions this time.

They were back in Oklahoma, celebrating the grand reopening of the local rodeo. Tyler was excited to finally see it restored to its former glory. Even if the rodeo ended up hosting one of his scariest nights in recent memory, he still thought of it fondly. This was where he and Kate had their first real conversation and started their friendship. He would just avoid looking at the motel pool.

They got there a bit earlier than usual, but the stands were already packed. It was initially Dexter’s idea to dress up a little to celebrate, but he didn’t seem to be the only person who had that idea. As Tyler scanned the crowd for open seats, he noticed fancier hats and polished belt buckles. He tugged at his own Stetson a little self-consciously.

Kate spotted a few empty seats towards the center, and they made their way over. Once seated, Tyler felt like his heart was getting bigger by the second. This was exactly what he needed. The smell of the arena mixed with boot shine made him feel right at home. The air crackled with lively chatter and excitement. Tyler felt, at once, grounded and like he might simply float away from sheer elation at any time. He closed his eyes and let the feeling wash over him.

This was interrupted when Boone nudged him in the shoulder. “Hey man, want a bite?”

Tyler cracked one eye open to look at his best friend, holding a paper plate with bread pudding out to him expectantly. Boone had somehow already found food. This uncanny ability was an incredible skill. “Where did you even find that?”

Boone shrugged as if to say it was his loss and resumed stuffing his face. “Hector handed it to me,” he said, gesturing with his fork to an older gentleman, presumably Hector, further down the row. Sure enough, he had a 2-quart baking dish on his lap and was serving people nearby homemade bread pudding.

“Are you sure you don’t want any?” Kate asked, as she accepted her own plate. “It looks amazing.”

Tyler had to admit that it did look delicious, but he was more in the mood for the liquid kind of bread. “Why don’t you save me some while I go get us some libations?” he said, standing up with a wink.

“Don’t ruin the night with your five-dollar words! And grab me something fruity, will you?” Boone called after him as he climbed down from the stands.

As Tyler made his way to the concession stands, he was noticed by one of the bull riders standing at the edge of the arena. He made a little tornado motion with his finger as Tyler got closer.

“Hey John! How’s it going? It’s good to see you man!” Tyler smiled, giving him a quick hug. John was one of his old friends from his bull riding days.

“Good! Excited to break the new arena in,” John said, “they have me riding Deano today.”

Tyler winced. That was a mean old bull. “He’s going to break your back.”

John threw his head back and let out a hearty laugh. “Can’t be worse than what Julie does to me. She just started walking and she’s walking all over me.” He was already pulling out his phone to show Tyler some pictures. He was a proud girl dad.

“Yeah? She’s walking already?” Tyler asked, leaning in and making all of the appropriate noises as John swiped through his photo album. Julie really was a cute kid. They caught up some more before Tyler began to extricate himself. The show would be starting soon, and he knew Boone was waiting for his fruity drink. “It was good to see you man, good luck tonight!”

“Hey, you too,” John said. He seemed to weigh something in his mind before adding, “I know it’s been a while, but we are short a man tonight. Would you be willing to join?”

“I don’t know John. That’s not my thing anymore. I’m severely out of practice.”

“I know, but you’d only be on Bruce. He’s gentle.” Sensing Tyler’s reluctance, John continued. “It’s the opening night. We don’t want them to open without a full set, right?”

“Of course not, but like I said, that’s not my thing anymore.” Tyler shrugged, apologetically. “I’m sorry man.”

John nodded before clapping him on the shoulder. The tension eased. “No worries. There’s time if you change your mind.”

Tyler nodded before heading over to the long line for drinks. He definitely wasn’t going to change his mind.

The line inched forward.

He was surprised that John would even ask him. Riding a bull wasn’t like getting back on a bike. You couldn’t just pick it up again.

The line moved forward again.

But then again, Tyler wasn’t just any bull rider. He was the best in his division.

The line moved quickly for a few steps and then abruptly stopped again.

But that was several years ago. He was way out of practice. It would be fun to get back on the bull though…

Someone tapped him on the shoulder. “Hey man, it’s your turn.”

Tyler quickly apologized before stepping up to order. He got a few tall beer cans, ensuring one of them was fruity, and made his way back to his crew. Tyler had just sat down and passed around the drinks when the national anthem blared out of brand-new speakers. The arena girl appeared with her American flag banner held high. The effect was completed when sparklers started shooting out of the top. She began her lap to thunderous applause.

“Bro!” Boone yelled, right in his face. “Did you see that?”

Tyler leaned back a little and said at a lower volume, “yeah dude, it was pretty cool!”

“Yeah! Do you want the rest of my beer? I don’t really like it.” Boone offered the fruity drink to Tyler.

“What? You wanted fruity!” Tyler laughed incredulously, “And you barely had any!”

“Yeah, but it’s not fruity enough for me.” Boone said, already returning his attention to the arena.

Tyler took a tentative sip. The sour cherry actually complemented the hoppy nature of the IPA. He caught Kate looking at him dubiously, out of the corner of his eye. “It’s actually not half bad. Do you want some?”

“No way, that’s all you.” She pushed the can back towards him.

Tyler shrugged and downed the rest quickly, his body recoiling at the instant sugar high, before cracking open his own beer. He took a bracing sip and enjoyed the bitterness.

Kate laughed and tapped her can against his, a small cheer. “Much better?”

“So much better,” Tyler smiled. “You know Kate I never asked, what’s your favorite event?”

“Definitely bull riding, but barrel racing has to be a close second,” she said, cheering loudly when the announcer’s voice crackled over the loudspeaker to introduce their bull riders for the night.

In the arena, the rodeo clowns made laps, amping up the crowd as they playfully chased each other around the barrels. As Tyler watched, he felt Boone’s fruity drink starting to warm him up inside, giving him a pleasant buzz. His shoulder bumped into Kate’s every time Boone stood up to cheer, but Tyler didn’t mind. He liked how warm she was against him. Around him, the crowd was louder than usual, clearly enjoying the show. It was safe to say that this reopening was a success.

The first few riders had decent luck, managing graceful dismounts despite not being able to stay on for very long. They progressed quickly through riders, none of them lasting. Before Tyler knew it, it was John’s turn. John spotted him in the crowd and made a small tornado motion with his finger. Tyler smiled and returned it, but his body was tense. Almost like he was the one in there with the bull. His heart beat faster with the added adrenaline as the announcer counted down.

The gates opened and the bull leapt out. Deano immediately began bucking wildly, trying to throw John off. The dirt from the arena floor sprayed in wide arcs as Deano’s legs kicked out powerfully. John was hanging on for dear life. Tyler winced. Deano was still as mean as ever.

John eventually was bucked off, but he lasted longer than the others and Kate noticed.

“He seems good,” she said, glancing at the leaderboard where John’s name jumped right to the top, “that bull has a mean streak. I’m impressed he stayed on for that long.”

Tyler didn’t want to examine the flash of jealousy too closely. He took another sip of his beer. “Yeah, that’s John. We used to ride together. He’s pretty good.”

“Oh, from your bull riding days?” she asked, leaning in close. She almost had to shout to be heard over the crowd. Tyler could smell her shampoo. He only noticed he had leaned in when he was whipped in the face by her hair as she turned her head, returning her attention back to the arena. He blinked and attempted to snap back to reality. How close had he leaned in?

Tyler mentally chastised himself for being weird as he watched the rodeo clowns attempt to corral Deano away from John. Once the bull was safely rounded up, John walked back to the center and grabbed his cowboy hat from where it had fallen in the dirt. Somehow, it had not been flattened in the chaos. Once he dusted it off, he set it back on his head and was rewarded with thunderous applause.  

“Were you as good as him?” Kate asked, eyes following John as he made his way towards where they were sitting.

Jealousy became entangled with an old competitive spirit in Tyler’s chest. The alcohol warmed his ears and loosened his tongue. “Well, I was a little bit better,” he shrugged, trying and failing to affect a humble air.

 “I’m sure you were.” Kate laughed, nudging him lightly with her shoulder. She always saw right through him. He liked that she kept him honest.

“Hey, I’m being serious.” He knew he sounded a little defensive.

Kate held her hands up in surrender, but the grin on her face remained. He couldn’t take his eyes off her face. He felt himself begin to lean in again. Was that just his imagination or was Kate looking at his lips too?

“Tyler!” John called from the arena and Kate looked away, taking a hasty sip of her drink. The spell was broken. “Are you joining us? It’s now or never brother!”

It felt like everyone turned in their seat to look at Tyler. He felt his face heat up, but his blood sang under the increased scrutiny. He was always a bit of a show off, thriving on being the center of attention. You didn’t become a tornado chaser without a little bit of main character syndrome. But nowadays, he only wanted to perform for one person in particular.

“Hey City Girl,” Tyler said, standing up and taking off his cowboy hat, “keep this safe for me.”

Tyler placed his hat on her head with a wink and began to make his way down the stands.

“What?” Kate sat up straighter and called after him. “Where are you go—”

The rest of her words got drowned out by the roar of the crowd.

When he won first place, he blew her an exaggerated kiss, the buzz of adrenaline making him bold.

Later that night when he was winding down for bed, he thought of her up there in the stands, cheering louder than even Boone. She did look amazing in his hat.

Chapter Text

The next time was just like the first. He was just solving a problem.  

The Dodge seemed to deflate a little as Tyler pulled into the motel lot and put it into park. It had taken a beating. The team had correctly estimated everything about this storm except for Tyler’s choice of fields to park his truck in. Unfortunately, some fencing equipment was nearby, and his beloved truck was battered with all manner of galvanized wire bits and crimp sleeves as the tornado passed through. He was pretty sure one of the tires was punctured. It would need repairs before they went out again.

But the first order of business was to get everyone checked in. Tyler got out just as the rest of his crew pulled up in the parking spot beside him. Closing the door, he winced at the scratches in the paint. They would have to get the logo fixed too. His likeness was currently decapitated and bald.

Javi let out a low whistle as he examined the truck. “Looks like Roscoe got dinged pretty bad. You, however, have never looked better. I think male pattern baldness suits you.”

Tyler, maturely, flipped him off.

Javi had taken it upon himself to name Tyler’s truck. It was originally Boone’s privilege, but after several awful suggestions such as Bertha, Tyler had taken away his naming privileges. Tyler still wasn’t sure about Roscoe, but it was starting to grow on him. It suited the faithful red Dodge.

“Are we officially naming him Roscoe then?” Dexter asked, running his hand over a particularly deep scratch. “Well, looks like Roscoe is in need of some TLC.”

“I still don’t understand why we can’t just go with Bertha.” Boone pouted.

“I don’t know Boone,” said Kate, her bag slung over her shoulder, “I think Roscoe suits him.”

Kate’s approval just about settled the name for Tyler. “Let’s get checked in and then we need to do some repairs. City Girl, you’re going to learn how to change a tire today.”

“I already know how to change a tire,” Kate protested.

Tyler winked as he grabbed his cowboy hat and her bag as he walked past her. She made a half-hearted grab for it, but he deftly dodged out of the way, all smiles.

Once they were checked in and everyone had a chance to find their rooms, Tyler knocked on Kate’s door. She opened the door with a glare. He only smiled wider.

“Hey City Girl,” he said, leaning against the door frame, “why don’t you come with me and learn how to change a tire?”

“I already told you that I know how to change a tire.” Kate rolled her eyes, but she was already closing the door behind her and following him. “Is Boone coming with?”

Between them all, Boone had the most automotive knowledge and had done the most work on the truck, especially the modifications. Tyler would certainly not have thought to rig Roscoe to shoot fireworks.

“He will later,” Tyler replied, “He’s been a little tired lately, so I told him to rest.”

In truth, they all were a little tired. It was hard to keep up during tornado season. Between storm chasing, managing their business, designing merchandise, and helping victims, they were stretched a little thin. Tyler would have to talk to everyone soon about taking a break to prevent burning out.

Once they got to the truck, Tyler knelt down to examine the front tire more closely. As he expected, the tire was punctured and needed to be replaced.

“Okay City Girl,” Tyler taunted, standing up with his hands on his hips, “what’s the first step? Walk me through it.”

Kate scoffed, already moving towards his tailgate. She tossed instructions over her shoulder. “Will you get the chocks to keep the wheels in place while I grab the jack?”

“See that would be the logical first step for any other tire change, but Roscoe here is taller. You can’t just jack him up like everyone else cause the jack won’t reach. You need the piece of w—”

“The piece of wood you keep under your seat.” Kate finished, unimpressed. She didn’t even turn around to look at him.

Tyler’s eyebrows shot up. “Wait, how do you know about the piece of wood?”

“Tyler, I’ve seen you and Boone change the tire on Roscoe enough times to know all the steps, including how to pry off the sticky hubcap on the back left tire.”

Well, color him impressed. Tyler felt that her display of knowledge allowed her some reprieve from his teasing. In truth, he liked that she was always impressing him. “Alright Kate, consider me humbled.”

She laughed and his stomach flipped. He adjusted his hat before doing as he was told. There wasn’t much talking after that, they worked in companionable silence.

When they first started working together, Tyler never stopped talking. He asked her every question he could think of and when he ran out of questions, he just started to ramble. He cataloged every reaction and answer. He hoarded the snippets of her old life that she revealed, turning them over in his mind when he was alone. Tyler wanted to know everything there was to know about Kate. He wanted to know her the way he knew the back of his hand, familiar in the ways that only permanent fixtures in life became.

They were about to finish when Tyler heard a quiet snap and Kate’s muttered curse.

“Are you okay?” Tyler asked as he hurriedly knelt beside her.

“Yeah, I’m fine, my hair tie just snapped.” Kate held up the broken elastic for him to see. “It’s just a pain cause now my hair is going to be in my face.”

“Do you want me to get you one from your room?” Tyler offered, already standing back up. He was an acts of service kind of guy.

“No, its okay. We are almost done, I’ll just make it work.” Kate said. But when she bent down and attempted to tighten the lug nuts again, her vision was immediately obstructed by her hair. She huffed and tried to blow the strands out of her face.

“Here, I have an idea. Tilt your head back,” Tyler said, using his fingers to comb her hair out of her face. He then took off his hat and placed it on her head, effectively keeping her hair in place and out of the way.

“Oh! Good idea, thank you!” Kate said, going right back to tightening the lug nuts. Just like before, it barely seemed to register with her. His tenuous claim.

Kate had just finished tightening the last lug nut when Boone walked up, mouth open wide in a yawn. “You guys need some help?”

“Sure, you’re just in time to relieve Kate of her duties,” Tyler teased.

Kate scoffed as she stood up, taking off his hat and shaking out her hair. She handed him back the torque wrench and the hat before walking away.  “Like I said, I already knew how to change a tire.”

Tyler could hear the smile in her voice and he couldn’t help but smile himself. This did not go unnoticed by Boone.

He waited until she was out of earshot before turning to Tyler, nudging him and waggling his eyebrows. “Making moves T?”

Tyler laughed, pulling Boone into a loose headlock and messing up his hair. “No dude, her hair tie snapped. I was just helping her keep her hair out of her face.”

“Sure. Sure. That’s what they all say,” Boone’s voice was muffed but the sarcasm was clear. Once he extricated himself and fixed his hair, he asked. “Do you think she knows what it means?”

“What what means?”

“Come on man!” Boone nudged him again, “the hat rule!”

“I don’t know.” Tyler said. That question had nagged at him too. “It doesn’t seem like she does. Either way, I’m not exactly a cowboy anymore.”

“Some cowboys wrangle cows, others wrangle tornadoes.” Boone said philosophically, tracing some of the damage on Roscoe. “Anyway, she’s from here, there’s no way she doesn’t know.”

“Who knows,” Tyler shrugged, ready to stop overthinking this, “ready to start fixing him up?”

When Boone didn’t immediately respond, Tyler turned to look at him. Boone was rarely serious, but matters of the heart were of great importance to him. Tyler waited for him to gather his thoughts.

“I know you two have had something for a while. But don’t make a claim until you’re both ready. It’s cheating you out of a genuine connection.”

Tyler nodded. “Yeah, I know. I just offered it to keep the hair out of her face. It wasn’t anything serious.”

Boone watched him for a beat before breaking the tension between them and gesturing at his likeness on the side of the truck. “Male pattern baldness does not suit you at all.”

“I could pull it off!” Tyler laughed, making a grab for his friend.

Sometime later when he was alone, his thoughts followed the well-worn path to Kate. Was Boone right?

If the sight of her in his hat again made Tyler’s heart skip a beat, well, that was his business. He was used to lying to himself at this point.

Chapter Text

He really didn’t have an excuse for this one.

“Hey Kate, do you want your bag?” Tyler asked, already tugging at his tie and loosening his collar. Everything felt a little too tight.

They had just gotten done with a successful presentation, updating their investors on their progress, and Tyler could not wait to get out of his suit. He knew the investors liked it better when they swapped the denim for dress pants, but he couldn’t help but feel like a dancing monkey in it. Even if the suit did make his butt look good.

Kate looked up from her conversation with Jason, one of their first investors, and smiled right at him. That eased some of the tension in Tyler’s shoulders. “Yes please. Do you want me to come with you to grab it?”

Tyler shook his head. “No need, I’ll grab it and be back up soon. Did you bring shoes?”

“Yeah, they should be under my seat.”

Tyler’s heart skipped a beat. Did she think of the passenger seat in Roscoe as her seat? Suddenly his suit wasn’t bothering him as much anymore.

Hoping he wasn’t grinning like a loon, Tyler flashed Kate his attempt at a normal smile and said, “got it. Be back in a second.”

Tyler caught Javi’s eye as he went, miming carrying a bag. Javi nodded and mouthed “thank you” before returning his attention to packing up their gear. They had a long drive back and Javi was eager to beat the traffic out of town.

When Tyler reached the elevator, he pushed the down button and waited. Behind him, he overheard Jason’s voice.

“You guys brought a change of clothes? That’s smart.”

“Oh yeah. Unfortunately, women’s clothes are not made with comfort in mind.” Kate laughed. Was he just imagining it or did she laugh a little too loudly just then? His elation began to sink like a stone. He resisted the urge to turn around to see Kate’s face. “It’s either fashion or comfort!”

“Tell me about it, these loafers are killing me,” came Jason’s reply. Tyler could hear the smile in Jason’s voice. Was that what his own voice sounded like when he talked to Kate? So clearly enamored that it punctuated every syllable?

Thankfully before he could do anything stupid, the elevator came. Tyler quickly stepped in and pressed the button to the ground floor. He finally looked up just in time to see Jason nudge Kate’s shoulder with his own as the elevator doors closed.

Tyler stared at his face, mirrored on the elevator doors, as the descent began. Jealousy was not a good look on him. It creased his brow and settled in the downturned corners of his lips. Dread coiled in his gut and his heart beat faster as he replayed the moment Jason’s shoulder touched hers over and over.

Now that he thought about it, Jason had been looking at Kate the whole presentation and only asked questions directed at her. And unlike some of the other investors who wore these things like a prop, Jason’s jeans and cowboy hat were actually broken in, covered in a light dusting of dirt. He was one of the few investors that Tyler thought actually understood the importance of the Storm Chasers’ work.

While he and Tyler were of a similar height, that is where the similarities stopped. Jason was bulkier, his muscles built from years of farming. His hair and eyes were dark where Tyler’s were light. He was careful during their meetings, double-checking their numbers to ensure that they were meeting quotas. He was steady and calm where Tyler was impulsive. Was he the kind of guy that Kate found attractive?

All of the tension in his shoulders returned. Kate’s laughter, a little too loud, echoed in his ears all the way down to the ground floor.

The doors of the elevator slid open with a cheerful ding and Tyler rushed out of the lobby, completely undoing his tie and unbuttoning his collar. It felt like he was choking. Clutching the tie in his fist, he leaned against the building and took several deep breaths of the city air. He let the sounds and stares of pedestrians wash over him. Closing his eyes, he tried to will the tight knot in his chest and the dread in his stomach to ease.

He wasn’t stupid. He knew he wasn’t the only person in the world that thought Kate was beautiful. Anyone with functioning eyeballs tended to. She had a self-assured charm that drew you in and a smile that kept you there. But it always felt like a sucker punch to the gut every time he saw someone flirting with her. Even worse when she flirted back.

Still, he had to remind himself that he didn’t have a leg to stand on. If he wanted the audacity to get jealous, he should’ve done something about it sooner instead of letting it all go unsaid because he was afraid of messing things up between them.

Kissing her at the airport would’ve been a start.

He could chase tornadoes all day long but was too chicken to make the first move with Kate. Maybe Lily wasn’t too far off when she loudly proclaimed one night, over a game of poker, that he had commitment issues. It was just that when he finally caught up to a tornado, it usually blew over, leaving him with nothing more than his own racing heart and residual adrenaline. He was free to move on and chase the next.

But chasing Kate was a constant back and forth. He hoarded bits of trivia, meaningful smiles, and damn near everything else about her in his heart. Every time he thought he caught up, she’d smile or say something witty that knocked him off his feet again. How was he supposed to stop chasing her when it never felt like he could catch up?

“You idiot,” Tyler said to himself as he unwound the fabric of his tie, cringing at both the wrinkles and his own behavior. There would be time later to feel sorry for himself.

Fishing the keys out of his pocket, he made his way down the block to Roscoe. Putting on his cowboy hat, he made sure to grab Kate’s shoes (they were right under her seat like she said) before retrieving their bags.

He steeled himself on the elevator ride back up, taking a deep breath before stepping out. His eyes immediately sought Kate. She was still talking to Jason, smiling widely. Tyler, ever the coward, decided to give Javi his bag first.

“Everything packed up?” Tyler asked, handing Javi his bag.

Javi accepted the bag before gesturing to the neat piles around him. “Close enough, just need to get these cords in their bins.”

“I can handle that,” Tyler said, “go ahead and change.”

“Are you sure?” Javi’s body was already angled towards the bathrooms.

Tyler laughed, waving him away. “Yeah man go, you’ve been in a suit since this morning. I can finish up.”

Javi didn’t need any more encouragement and quickly made his way to the bathrooms to change. Tyler couldn’t put it off any longer. Taking another deep breath, he made his way over to Kate.

She noticed him as he approached, pausing the conversation with Jason to extend her hand. That at least made him feel a bit better. His fingers tingled where they made contact with hers. “That was quick! Thank you!”

“Well, you know what they say, time flies when you’re having fun,” Jason teased, nudging Kate’s arm again. She leaned into his touch, laughing again, a little too loudly.

The ache in his chest returned. Tyler knew he was doing a bad job of hiding his emotions. He could feel the jealousy drawing his brows together. Not wanting Kate to see, he quickly bent down to avoid making eye contact, unzipping his bag to get her shoes. “Here, can’t forget these.”

“Oh, thank you,” she said, accepting the shoes and putting them beside her bag. She stood up and looked at him expectantly.

With the exchange of bags and shoes out of the way, Tyler suddenly felt awkward and gestured vaguely behind him. “I’m going to finish getting our gear together.”

“Do you need help?” Kate asked, already moving forward.

“No!” Tyler said a little too loudly.

Kate’s eyebrows rose.

“No,” he repeated himself at a much more normal volume. He really needed to get it together. “I got it. It seems like you and Jason are having a good time catching up. It won’t take long.”

“Okay,” Kate said slowly, “if you’re sure.”

Tyler smiled weakly and made his way back to Javi’s neat piles of cords. Behind him, he could hear Kate and Jason talking animatedly again. Tyler tuned them out as best he could as he refocused his mind to the task at hand. He ensured each cord was tightly wound before placing them into the bin.

Before long, everything was packed up and Tyler could no longer distract himself. He caught the tail end of Jason’s question.  

“—cowboy boots?”

“Oh yeah,” Kate said, “comfiest pair of shoes that I own.”

“I’m surprised a city girl like you has such a well worn pair of boots.”

“Well…” Kate began. Tyler could hear the exasperated eye roll in her voice. He smiled a little. “If you’d been paying attention to any of our presentations, you’d know that I’m originally from Sapulpa. I’m not much of a city girl.”

“What can I say? I was a little distracted.”

Tyler’s smile slipped off his face as Kate laughed. Tyler was running out of things to fiddle with and finally gave into the compulsion to turn around to observe their interaction. He wanted to know what Kate looked like when she was flirting. He knew he would be up late that night comparing and overanalyzing their every interaction for a hint of this version of her.

“Okay, so you’re from Sapulpa, but I don’t see a cowboy hat. Can’t be a country girl with just boots.” Jason teased.

Kate shrugged. “I had some, but they got blown away. Occupational hazard I guess. I haven’t had a chance to try any replacements.”

“What to try mine? It’s pretty comfortable.” Jason offered.

Oh hell no. That was the last straw for Tyler.

He stalked over, hat already off, placing it directly on Kate’s head. Whatever she was going to say in response to Jason’s offer was lost as she turned around, eyebrows raised in confusion.

“Thanks, but white would look better with her outfit.” Tyler said, rather tersely.

Jason’s hand was frozen halfway up to the brim of his black cowboy hat, eyes darting between Kate and Tyler for a few seconds before he awkwardly lowered his hand and chuckled. “Can’t argue there, white is definitely her color.”

Kate was still staring at Tyler, her cheeks flushing slightly, but she recovered well. “Well, thank you,” she said, tipping the brim with a wink before taking the hat off and handing it back to Tyler. “I think Javi’s out of the bathroom so if you gentlemen will excuse me, I’m going to go change.”

That eased the tension somewhat and Tyler took the hat, stepping aside for her. Feeling no need to stand near Jason, he awkwardly nodded at him and stalked back towards their gear where Javi was standing. He was back in denim.

Javi waited for a second, busying himself with double-checking the bins, before saying quietly, “I think the white goes with your outfit too.”

Tyler’s ears burned. “Shut up.”

White did really suit her though, especially when she was blushing under his hat.

Chapter Text

He had just wanted to help her breathe. 

Tyler wrenched the steering wheel to the left, narrowly avoiding the flying debris. He heard it scratch the roof of his truck as it flew past at an alarming speed. He could easily imagine the deep gouges that it would leave behind. How had everything gone so wrong so quickly?

“You should see an access road to the right soon!” Lily’s voice was barely audible over the wind and rain. “Tyler, its getting closer!”

Tyler risked a quick glance in his rear view to confirm the tornado’s trajectory before he leaned forward, squinting as he tried to make out any openings in the road. The steering wheel pressed hard into his sternum, bouncing against his racing heart. He barely had time to be afraid, his priority was getting them the hell out of there. He could hear Boone murmuring prayers behind him. He stepped on the gas pedal harder.

“You should see it now!” Lily shouted, hunched over her screen in the backseat.

Tyler saw the opening in the tall grass for a split second before he slammed on the breaks and turned right. For one moment, the entire truck hovered with two wheels in the air before his rear wheels bit into the slick ground and gained enough traction to haul them down the access road. Tyler fought for control as the truck fishtailed when he slammed his foot on the gas again. 

Kate’s arm bumped into his in the commotion and he couldn’t help but spare her a glance. Her mouth was set in a grim line and her fingers were white where they gripped the roof handle. Her eyes were squeezed shut. She was flattening herself in the passenger seat as if she could avoid being swept away if she could just get low enough. 

In that moment, Tyler didn’t think he could’ve hated himself more.

“Lily!” Tyler called, “where am I going next?”

“Hold on! I don’t know!” Lily shouted back, tapping erratically on her tablet. 

Tyler cursed under his breath as he veered away from another puddle. It had been pouring rain the last couple of days and the wet dirt made the truck even harder to control, especially at these speeds. 

“Lily!” Tyler pleaded as he saw the tornado getting closer in his rearview. They just needed to get out of its path and they would likely be safe. The issue with access roads were that they were designed to be the fastest and most direct routes for emergency vehicles, meaning they seldom had places to turn off. This was especially problematic when you were being chased by a tornado.

“Got it! Left turn up ahead!” Lily shouted triumphantly.

Tyler took his eyes off the road for a second to try and find the opening when he felt the truck jerk suddenly. His front tire caught the edge of a puddle. Tyler veered left, but he overcorrected, and the truck spun completely around in the wet dirt. They were now facing the approaching tornado. 

Without a second thought, Tyler put the truck in reverse and slammed on the gas. He threw an arm around the back of Kate’s seat, stretching to try and see out of the back window. It was quickly getting covered with mud and without the benefit of windshield wipers, he was going to lose visibility soon. He could hear the tires fighting for purchase on the slick ground as he tried again to spot the opening in the tall grass. 

“There!” Lily shouted, pointing. 

Tyler had a split second to make a decision. He needed to be able to see. 

He kept his foot on the gas pedal and overshot the turn before slamming on the brakes. He hoped that he wasn’t making a terrible mistake. The truck slid several feet, gears grinding as he put it back into forward drive and pushed his gas pedal to the floor. Mud sprayed out behind him as the tires spun in place for a heart stopping second before the truck lurched forward.

For the first time in his life, driving toward a tornado did not bring him any joy. He just wanted to save Kate and his friends. He knew that if they got out of this alive, he would never stop apologizing to Kate for making her relive her nightmares. 

This wasn’t the first time that Kate had sat with him in the truck, safely anchored to the ground as a tornado blew over them. But this time (one of the few times that Tyler had explicitly invited Kate to join them) the drills had failed. After pressing the buttons uselessly a few times, Tyler had had barely enough time to start the truck and back out of there as the tornado formed in front of them.

Tyler’s grip on the steering wheel tightened as the needle on the speedometer climbed steadily. His eyes were on the road, making small adjustments to avoid the worst of the puddles. Overcorrection now would be deadly.

The truck was quickly eating up the distance between them and the turn, but every gained inch also put them closer to the tornado. He could feel the strong winds buffeting the sides of the truck, threatening to push them off course. It would be a close call to make the turn.

“Everyone!” Tyler called, taking a deep breath as he finally saw the opening approaching, “brace yourselves!” 

Tyler whipped the truck to the right, hoping that he wasn’t going too fast. The tires squealed as Tyler attempted to steer the truck down the narrow turn off.  

His heart clenched as the wind slipped under them at the last second and lifted the right side of the truck in the air. The truck wobbled, frame creaking as Tyler continued to accelerate forward. He hoped that the two wheels remaining on the ground would be enough to pull them out of the wind’s grip. 

But it was taking too long, and Tyler felt the moment that the truck’s weight continued past the center point. Their speed and the wind were a dangerous combination. 

Tyler realized with horrifying clarity, as he fought for control, that the truck was going to tip over. Fear ignited in his chest.

“Hold on to something!” Tyler warned, hoping he could be heard over the wind and rain.

Lily screamed and Boone clutched at his seat as the world turned sideways. 

He only had time to glance over at Kate, who finally opened her eyes. Their eyes met for a second before they hit the ground with a metallic crunch. Tyler threw his arms up to shield himself as his body jerked against the harness. His head hit the driver’s side window with a hard crack, his cowboy hat providing little cushion.

Their momentum carried them several feet down the road, the metal scraping horribly over the mud and gravel. Roscoe finally came to rest on his side in the middle of the road. The engine sputtered one last time before choking out. 

When all movement stopped, Tyler slowly opened his eyes and lowered his arms. He mentally assessed his body. While pain flared all along his side, nothing appeared to be broken. He looked over at Kate, already reaching out to her. The truck had landed with his side down so Kate and Lily were dangling in their seats, held firmly in place by their harnesses. 

“Is everyone okay?” he asked, trying to turn in his seat.

A chorus of groans answered behind him. That was good. Noises meant everyone was alive. 

Beside him, Kate gave him a weak thumbs up. She looked pale and she was bleeding from a cut on her temple but otherwise seemed unharmed. He hoped that it wouldn’t scar. He didn’t want her to have another reminder, another nightmare to see in the mirror.

Tyler leaned over and gently brushed the broken glass that he could reach, out of her hair. The harness kept his reach limited. Kate shakily held his hand with her own, giving it a weak squeeze.

He gave her hand a soft squeeze in return before letting go and reaching behind him. “Come on Boone, talk to me. Are you good?”

There was a moment before Boone grasped his hand. His grip was sweaty but firm. “Lily and I are fine. I don’t think I broke anything. Lily?” 

“I’m okay,” she responded, coughing. “My ankle doesn’t feel great, but I’ll live.” 

“I’m glad to hear it.” Tyler chuckled, muscles relaxing until he felt the truck begin to violently shake as the tornado drew closer. “We aren’t out of the woods yet. Brace yourselves!” 

Tyler wasn’t even sure that anyone could hear him. The wind ripped the sound out of his words. Rain spattered them through the open window as the wind whistled by. Kate’s hair whipped around her face and her eyes were squeezed shut again. Tyler could see her lips moving, whispering something to herself as she gripped her harness tightly.

Tyler reached out to try and comfort her but his harness prevented him from doing anything more than touch her shoulder. He wanted to hold her in his arms and shield her from the approaching storm.

Kate's entire body was shaking with fear. Tears and rainwater streaked down her cheeks. 

As the tornado got closer, the wind rocked the truck harder. Tyler's extended arm smacked into the steering wheel as he was jerked around in his seat. His shirt was soaked by the rain pelting them through the broken window. He was immediately grateful that they were in a field and they didn’t have to worry about branches coming down from nearby trees. He just hoped that they were heavy and far enough out of the tornado’s path to not get swept up. 

Kate whimpered and Tyler could see her chest rising and falling faster. Her lips no longer moved in a steady murmur, and instead gasped for air with increasing desperation. She was hyperventilating.

Wanting to comfort her any way that he could, Tyler moved towards her only to be stopped immediately by his harness. He tugged at it in frustration as he watched Kate clutch at her throat. He needed to help her. 

Hoping he wasn’t making yet another terrible mistake today, he unclipped his harness. He immediately felt the wind grab at him as if with renewed effort now that he wasn’t being held in place. Keeping his movements slow and steady, he reached for Kate's straps. She watched him in wide-eyed terror, clutching at his arms as he undid her buckle. Tyler caught her in his arms as she slid off her seat, quickly buckling them back into his own. They sat with her mostly in his lap, back against the ruined truck door. He tried to arrange them so that he was blocking her from the worst of the storm. 

Spotting his hat on the dashboard where it had miraculously not blown away, he placed it on her head, tilting the brim down as he tucked her head into his chest. He could still feel her body heaving with ragged breaths. 

“Hey,” Tyler said, leaning down. His lips brushed her ear as he held her tighter in his arms. He hoped she could hear him. “You're safe. I have you.”

He kept repeating these sentences over and over as the tornado passed over them. As Roscoe's frame creaked threateningly. As the truck was pelted with debris. As the rain continued to pour down through the window. As the wind howled and beat on the sides of the truck, Tyler continued his promises to Kate.

He felt her breaths even out as the wind started to die down. She took a deep shuddering breath before slowly raising her head. Tyler reached up and adjusted the brim of his hat so he could see her face better.

His heart wrenched in his chest as he took in her tear-stained face. Even with puffy eyes and snot dripping from her nose, she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

“Kate,” Tyler said, voice catching, “I’m so sorry.” 

Kate was already shaking her head. “It's not your fault,” she croaked, “you couldn’t have known. I know you and Boone do tests every time before we head out.” 

Tyler looked away, arms tightening around her. Her warmth was a painful reminder of what he could've lost today. “I shouldn’t have put you in this position in the first place.” 

At that Kate gave him a watery smile and leaned her head against his chest. “Can’t just face your fears, you have to ride them,” she said simply. 

His hat dug uncomfortably into his neck as she adjusted her head on his chest but that wasn’t the only reason he had a lump in this throat. He knew what she left unsaid. 

They were storm chasers, both driven by that intoxicating blend of fear and admiration for tornados. She didn’t blame him because she wanted to be there just as much as he did.

For the first time since this nightmare began, he smiled, holding Kate tightly in his arms while they waited for Dexter to come get them in the trailer.

Chapter Text

He would not have bet a penny that this would happen. But it did.

“Did you guys see how the tornado split right over us?” Boone shouted excitedly at the camera as he read the comments pouring in on their livestream. “Hell yeah StormParSucks! Thank you for the 4-month resub! Yeah exactly WrangleMeThis, it literally split right down the middle!"

That tornado had truly been a thing of beauty, an elongated funnel with clearly defined striations. Tyler almost wept with joy when he saw it form in front of them. Now he smiled as he listened to Boone enthusiastically chatter with their viewers, basking in the potent afterburn of a great chase. But he wasn’t ready to let go of the adrenaline just yet. After all, there was a crowd waiting for their triumphant return. He wanted to match their energy.

Tyler stepped a little harder on the gas pedal as he spun the dial on the radio, quickly scanning through stations. He only had to listen to the first few notes before moving on, he knew what he was looking for. Someone had to be playing it.

Tyler looked over in Boone’s direction when he suddenly felt rushing wind fill the truck’s cab. Boone had rolled his window all the way down and was in the process of climbing out. He already knew the drill. He knew all about how Tyler got after a chase when the adrenaline rush left him too quickly and he needed another hit. Boone rolled his eyes when he saw Tyler’s wild grin through the windshield. Contrary to their public personas, Tyler was always the wilder one.

“Hey-hey! Oh-oh!”

Tyler found exactly what he was looking for and he cranked the volume as high as it would go.

“I’m a renegade rebel with my pedal to the floor!”

With Miranda Lambert properly singing her heart out now, Tyler whooped loudly as he stepped on the gas pedal harder. Dirt flew out behind them and he felt his chest fizz with residual adrenaline. It was never as strong as the first hit, but it would keep him satiated until their next tornado. Tyler laid on Roscoe’s horn as Boone leaned ever more precariously out the window, slapping the side of the truck with one hand (the other was holding the livestreaming camera) and singing off key.

The Tornado Wrangler crowd was waiting for them in the gas station parking lot as Tyler pulled Roscoe in. He could hear their cheers and shouts even over the music. This was the excitement that he thrived on. Tyler took a deep breath before opening the door and turning on the charm.

“If you feel it!” Tyler shouted, pausing with his arm raised for dramatic effect. His blood sang, heady with the attention of the crowd hanging on his every word. He brought his arm down.

“Chase it!” Tyler and the crowd shouted in unison. He could see why orchestra conductors loved their jobs; the power was intoxicating. He needed another hit.

“I said, if you feel it!” Tyler put his hand behind his ear and leaned dramatically toward the crowd.

They roared back. “Chase it!”

“That’s what I like to hear folks! Thank you for joining us on another tornado wrangling adventure! If y'all head on over to Lily and Dex, they can hook you up with exclusive Tornado Wrangler merch!” Tyler gestured to where Lily and Dexter were waving t-shirts and posters. “And I’ll be happy to sign anything if y’all want to auction it off on Ebay later!”

The crowd laughed good-naturedly before making their way to the trailer, hands extended and waving bills.

“Alright alright Tornado Nerds, form a line! We have more than enough for everyone. I want a line!” Lily shouted, corralling the crowd.

Tyler turned to Boone and signed off on the livestream, making promises to return soon. He leaned in and took the keys out of the ignition before finally stepping down from where he was balanced on Roscoe's side bar.

He took a deep breath and stretched, enjoying the restlessness that hummed under his skin. By now, Tyler was used to the way adrenaline left the system and relished in the almost rhythmically nauseous downward pull of his stomach. But it was the anticipation of the next hit that set his heart on fire and made his skin feel too tight. If he was being honest, this was his favorite part. Contrary to popular belief, it was not when a tornado was blowing over them that got his heart racing. It was really the moment right after a chase when his adrenaline was sinking, that the hope of the next tornado kept him buoyant. He savored when he got to look forward to the next hit. Tyler Owens was an adrenaline junkie to the core.

Grabbing his cowboy hat, he went down his mental checklist as he scanned the area for his crew. Lily and Dexter handling the crowd, Boone taking a photo with some fans, Javi and Kate…

Tyler stopped and scanned the area again, slower. No Javi or Kate. He could’ve sworn that they were right behind him.

He pulled out his phone and was just about to text them when he was tapped on the shoulder.

Tyler turned around to see two older women standing very close to him. He quickly affixed his Tyler-Owens-Professional-Tornado-Wrangler-smile on while taking a step back. “Oh, how can I help you ladies?”

They both smiled at him coyly before one of them extended a hand, perfectly manicured in fire engine red.“Hi Tyler, my name is Beth and this is my friend Cheryl.” She said it like she was telling him a secret.

Tyler’s nose twitched at the strong generic perfume wafting from both women but ever the gentleman, he shook Beth’s offered hand and tipped his hat to her friend. “Much obliged.”

“You said earlier that you’d be willing to sign some stuff,” Beth continued, still clutching his hand. She lowered her voice to what she likely imagined to be sultry, and closed the distance between them again with a step, “but does it have to be merch?”

Warning bells went off in Tyler’s head. His hand was dangerously close to touching her chest with this increased proximity. He gently pulled his hand free and placed them in his pockets as he took another step back, professional smile unwavering. His boundaries displayed quietly, but clearly. “Well, that depends Beth, what did you have in mind?”

She cackled as if he had said something funny. “Oh nowhere special, just here…”

As if choreographed beforehand, both Beth and Cheryl leaned forward and pulled the tops of their shirts down suggestively. Tyler quickly looked up before he saw any more bare skin.

“Ladies, I’m flattered,” Tyler said, addressing the sky, clouds, and God above, “but unfortunately that falls out of the scope of things that I am willing to sign.”

“Well why not?” Beth huffed indignantly. Tyler couldn’t be sure, but he thought she had also stomped her foot.

Tyler rocked back on his heels, considering what the best response was to untangle himself out of this situation. Fans like this were hard to dissuade. “Ladies, again, I’m flattered. Really, I am. But I’m not a rockstar. I’m just a humble storm chaser. I’m out here chasing storms with my friends and trying to have a little fun. I’m just not comfortable signing intimate body parts. That’s not how my mama raised me.”

His neck was starting to ache from being in such a vertical position. Thankfully, this seemed to be acceptable to the women as they straightened up with minimal grumbling. Tyler waited until he was absolutely sure that he wasn’t going to see anything before allowing his gaze to drift downward. Both women were wearing identical pouts.

“What are you willing to sign then?” Cheryl asked, sticking her lower lip out further with clear petulance.

“I can do arms or hands if we aren’t talking merch,” Tyler allowed.

That was apparently not the answer the ladies were looking for. Both women continued to pout as Tyler continued to smile congenially, neither willing to budge.

Just when a stalemate seemed inevitable, Beth suddenly brightened and turned to whisper conspiratorially into Cheryl’s ear. Cheryl listened intently before nodding vigorously. Both women giggled to each other before turning to look at Tyler. He raised an eyebrow.

“We’ll get some merch and be right back, Mr. Wrangler,” Beth said, her tone suggestive in all the wrong ways.

Tyler fought the urge to sigh and nodded. “Alright, I’ll be here.”

But they were already taking off toward the massive crowd around the trailer. He really hoped that they wouldn’t become an issue.

“What was that all about?”

Tyler turned and saw Kate. She was looking in the direction of the two women with a small frown.

There was another reason that the moments right after a chase were his favorite. After a chase, when the wind swept away some of her protective layers, Tyler was allowed a brief glimpse of a soul that so perfectly mirrored his own. They both starved for storms but were made hungrier rather than full after each chase. Her eyes held the same intangible hunger that Tyler recognized in his own heart. It was in these moments that he found Kate especially beautiful.

A breeze blew by, and Tyler took a deep breath in, clearing his nose and brain of the generic perfume. He caught the gasoline, dirt, and rain in the air, but also something undeniably Kate. It was earthy but not like overturned dirt. Kate was earthy like the ground was after it had soaked in the rain from the night before. It dampened the humming under his skin.

When he didn’t immediately answer, she turned and made eye contact with him questioningly. Tyler was very aware then that he had been staring and breathing her in. God, he was a creep.

“Nothing,” he hurriedly said, averting his gaze, “they just had an inappropriate request. Looks like they are going to get some merch for me to sign though.”

Kate nudged him and smiled. “You haven’t had a groupie experience in a while.”

Tyler barely moved away, absorbing rather than dodging her touch. He wanted to be close to her then, the desperation for casual intimacy like a yawning chasm inside of him. He wanted for it to be natural to wrap his arms around her and pull her close. To be allowed. Instead, he put his hands in his back pockets to remove temptation. Perhaps in another timeline where he wasn’t such a coward.

“And hopefully this isn’t another one,” he said instead of “you look beautiful” or “I’m sorry that I didn’t kiss you at the airport when I should’ve,” or any of the other millions of things he wanted to say to her.

Kate opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by some young fans approaching for a photo. Tyler’s attention was pulled away as he seamlessly slipped into his professional self, posing for photos and signing merchandise with a flourish. He wanted everyone to meet the energetic boisterous Tyler that they saw on livestreams. It was painfully necessary for him that their experience perfectly matched their expectations.

He tried to keep track of Kate so he could pull her into some of the photos (she was an official Tornado Wrangler now and he knew that she had a small but dedicated fanbase) but he ultimately lost track of her in the growing crowd.

It wasn’t until after he had handled several waves of fans that he saw her leaning against Roscoe, drinking a bottle of water and talking to Boone. The gas station parking lot had thinned out considerably with fans packing up and heading out now that the show was over. Tyler’s face hurt from all the genuine smiling he had been doing but he couldn’t stop. The community that surrounded and uplifted the Tornado Wranglers never failed to amaze him. He treasured these experiences and used them to chase away self-doubt when it came creeping in after dark. He and his friends were making a genuine difference with their company.

Tyler caught Kate’s eye from across the parking lot and she raised her water bottle in acknowledgement. He couldn’t help but smile even wider at her. Tyler was about to head over after he signed and thanked the last fan when he was hit with a cloud of generic perfume.

“Hello Mr. Wrangler.”

Tyler’s skin crawled at the honeyed tone. Nevertheless, he turned around with a full smile. “Hi Beth, hi Cheryl. What can I do for you?”

Both women were wearing oversized Tornado Wrangler shirts, clearly the last ones in stock. Beth held out a permanent marker. “Will you sign our shirts?”

Tyler, internally, let out a sigh of relief. He was glad this wasn’t shaping up to be a groupie experience and that these women clearly understood his boundaries. He should have really given her and Cheryl the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he shouldn’t have judged Beth’s tone so harshly. Maybe that was just the way she talked.

Encouraged, Tyler injected new warmth into his tone. “Sure! Just turn around and I can sign the back.”

“No, Mr. Wrangler…” if possible, Beth’s tone grew even more suggestive, “we want you to sign here.”

Beth’s bright red nail pointed to a spot on her chest and at once, Tyler’s charitable thoughts towards her evaporated into thin air. She was still asking for him to sign her boobs, just over a Tornado Wrangler t-shirt this time. Even if he somehow pulled the fabric away from her chest, there was no way for him to avoid contact with that part of her body as he signed. He recalled her excited whispering to Cheryl earlier. Was this what they had been planning? An assumed loophole in his boundaries that they could exploit?

“Now Beth,” Tyler began, “we spoke about this earlier and I don’t appreciate y—”

He was interrupted when he felt his cowboy hat being lifted off his head. Was this another presumptuous fan? He quickly spun around, hand already outstretched but stopped short when he saw Kate. She was walking backwards, his hat held firmly on her head. Tyler knew a challenge when he saw one. Her smile had chase me written in the margins.

“Hello? Mr. Wran—” Beth started, but Tyler interrupted her.

“Sorry just a second,” Tyler said, distractedly hurrying after Kate. Tyler was sure that he actually saw Beth stomp her foot this time. He heard them call after him and he was tempted to turn around to try and triage the situation, but Boone was already on it.

He gave him a crisp high five as he passed. “Go get your girl T. I got this.”

It was now or never. Kate had thrown his hat into the ring.  

“Kate!” Tyler called, jogging to catch up. He slowed to a stop when he was right in front of her. His heart pounded in his chest and blood rushed in his ears. He was at a loss for what to say next. Everything that he had been holding back for months was climbing up his throat, threatening to spill out all at once.

As he drank the sight of her in his hat, looking up at him from under the brim, Tyler was suddenly tired of this uncertainty. He abruptly realized then, just how much this back and forth without any real commitment, had taken from them. He wanted to be known by Kate, plainly. He wanted to share his feelings boldly instead of folding and tucking them away into every gesture. He had been naive to think that he could keep giving her pieces of his love and hope that they would simply fall into place on their own when he withheld the rest. It was like trying to finish a puzzle with just the edge pieces. Sure you got a vague idea of the picture, but there was a lot missing. It was time to be vulnerable.  

Tyler took in a deep breath and said, “Kate, I love you.”

There it was, his heart out in the open.

Kate’s body sagged in relief and her smile could’ve lit up the sky. “I know Tyler.”

“Why didn’t you say anything if you knew?” Tyler tried to keep the hurt from his voice even when he knew she wasn’t all to blame.

“I think for the same reason you never said anything either. It’s always been about the thrill of the chase for us. I don’t think I knew when to stop either. But when I saw those women, I realized that I didn’t want anyone else chasing you.”

“I felt that way when I saw you with Jason,” Tyler admitted.

Kate laughed and leaned against him, wrapping her arms around his waist. “I noticed. You weren’t subtle.”

“Oh shut up and kiss me City Girl,” Tyler said as he leaned down.

Cupping her face with one hand and holding her close with the other, Tyler kissed Kate.

The humming under his skin stopped. The chase was over. He had finally found solace in the eye of her storm.

But as he pulled back, rubbing his thumb over her cheek, a question nagged at him. “Did you know?” Tyler asked.

“Know what?”

“About the hat rule.”

She threw her head back and laughed unabashedly. In that moment, he could not have loved her more. God willing, he’d get to hear that laugh every day for the rest of his life.

“Of course I knew! I know you like to think of me as a city girl, but I grew up right here in the dirt beside you,” she said with mock outrage, “every country girl is aware of the hat rule Tyler.”

"If you really knew about the rule City Girl," Tyler smirked before leaning in to steal another kiss. He could barely believe that he was now allowed to that whenever he wanted. “Then you'd also know that you’ve been breaking it. If I recall correctly, this is the 6^th time that you’ve worn my hat without following through.”

“Oh, don’t worry,” said Kate, “I understand my obligations.”

And later that night per the hat rule, she did indeed ride her cowboy.