Chapter Text
“I never liked the bitch anyway.” Boone spit out the words. He regretted nothing.
Tyler sat holding this tiny infant in his arms. She was his daughter, and the tests had confirmed this. His ex-had knocked on his door and handed her over. “You know, most birth certificates have no father. Hers is the opposite. I don’t know how I’m going to do this Boone.”
“You will do it because you are smart and strong T. That little angel will have the best father a girl could have, and she will be spoiled by an uncle.” He touched her soft pink cheek. “What are you going to name her?”
Looking into her eyes he knew he wanted to do his best for her. How could anyone give up on an innocent child? “Sarah. Sarah Lynne Owens.”
A few days later Tyler brought the baby to his new two-bedroom apartment where he made her a nursery with the help of Boone. He had formula, diapers, wipes, clothes, and everything she needed. His first night alone with her, he rocked her and hummed a tune.
“Hello sweet baby girl, daddy’s got you.” After a bottle and burping she settled down and he laid her in her crib. It was a rough night as every two hours she was awake needing changed and fed. Tyler did his best and made himself strong coffee the next morning. His phone rang in midst of his own nap, it was Boone.
“This better be good Boone.” Tyler sounded exhausted.
“Well, you sound out of it. You okay T?”
“Peachy man, this parenting thing is rough. Every two hours.”
“I know T, but you’ve got this.”
“Maybe or not.” He yawned.
-
Tyler took the summer off from his focus on his degree to care for her, but by the time Sarah turned one he was graduating with his Bachelor’s in Meteorology as if he had never taken time off. He had managed to complete school and be a single parent. On the afternoon of her first birthday, they had cake. She loved it and made a mess shoving cake into Boone’s face.
“Atta girl Sarah.” Tyler winked making her giggle.
Tyler wasn’t the best cook, but he did what he could to feed them while focusing on his studies and starting up a YouTube channel for storm chasing with Boone.
“I love the idea of this T, but what about Sarah? People are gonna flip if they know we are taking a baby into the field.”
He sighed frustrated. “Yeah, you’re probably right Boone but what choice do we have? I mean we could fix up the truck to be where it can’t roll and make sure she’s secure in the best car seat money can buy?”
“Alright now we’re talking.”
Sarah was popular amongst the viewers; ‘the wrangler mascot’, some called her. Of course, there’s those who decided sharing their unsolicited opinions under the guise of “parenting advice.” But Sarah was a happy and healthy 5-year-old, and that was all that mattered to Tyler. If there was ever a chase that he knew would be too dangerous, she hung back. He never put her in harm’s way that he himself couldn’t handle.
As for home schooling, both he and Boone traded off, though Boone let her get away with the ‘I’m sick, I don’t wanna learn today’ excuse a bunch more often than he’d admit aloud.
—
Sarah was sitting on a picnic table, going over her letters, while Boone was inside paying for the gas that Tyler was currently pumping.
Frustrated, she sighed, “Daddy, I don’t get it!”
“Sound it out. We’ve practiced that.”
Sarah looked at the word again, trying to get the sound of each syllable to come to her. She finally said the word correctly. Whenever they drove off, she was excited to be going on another chase as they pulled up to an area where there was a crowd gathered. “Hey daddy look it’s those clowns with the circus.” She pointed referring to StormPAR and his team.
“Yeah, I see them.”
He blared his music loud and smiled as his daughter bobbed her head singing along with Boone, who pulled out his camera. “That’s right we are live for another day of chasing.”
Kate Carter stood next to Javi as a man got out of a truck and signed autographs. “Who are they?”
“That’s Tyler Owens and his group of wranglers. He calls himself the tornado cowboy.”
“What’s that even mean?” She was curious.
“You tell me. He brings his daughter along.”
She crossed her arms. “Who brings a kid to a chase? That’s kinda dangerous.”
“Says the one who as a kid ran into the wheat fields naked.”
“Hey that’s classified information Javi.”
-
While Tyler was talking the crowd, Sarah ventured over to where she saw a lady standing picking up a dandelion. “Hi there.”
Kate jumped but turned to look at the tiny child. “Hi.”
“I’m Sarah. I’ve never met you before.”
“Because I’m not from here.”
-
Tyler noticed Sarah wasn’t with Boone. “Boone where’s my daughter?”
Boone looked at him and his shoulders shrugged, but then *he* started looking around, too, and spotted her.
“Yo, T,” he called out, gesturing to the tiny reddish brown-haired girl standing with the blonde who came through with StormPAR.
—
“Whatcha doing?”
Kate looked down at the kid. “Getting a feel for wind direction.”
Sarah nodded. “My daddy does that too. Sometimes. He… he says it helps him get a feel for da she-shea…um...,”
“Wind shear,” Kate finished. “It’s wind direction and or speed change over a vertical or horizontal distance.” Sarah looked confused still. “Basically, it can be important for forecasting severe weather.”
“Ohhhh!!”
-
“Boone who’s that?”
“I’ve never seen her before T, but Sarah seems amused by whatever she’s doing.”
-
“Have you ever saw a tornado? I like them.”
“I have.”
Tyler rushed over to the woman and his daughter. “Sarah! What have I told you about running off from Uncle Boone.”
“But this lady is nice and teaching me about lions like you.”
He looked at her. “I’m sorry ma’am if she’s bothering you.”
“She’s not a bother.” Kate was trying not to stare at the man, he was extremely handsome.
“Names Tyler.”
“Kate.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“You too.”
They shook hands. Kate looked at Sarah again, smiled, and looked at Tyler. “So, she’s yours?”
“Yes. Sarah is my little girl.”
Kate and Sarah share eye contact. “It’s very nice to meet you, Sarah.”
“Do you chase ‘torms like daddy does?”
Kate froze, “you might say that I have friends who do.” She glanced back towards where Javi and his crew were standing, while trying to avoid thinking of the past, but the longer she was in Oklahoma the more it was harder to not think of them.
“Wow. I do too. Daddy she’s cool.”
“Which storm are you going after Kate?”
“Wherever the wind takes me.” She grinned.
Whatever the hell *that* meant. Well, Kate thought she’d be cute and get one over on him. She didn’t, actually. Tyler and Boone were right behind her and Javi, with Sarah squealing from her booster.
When they actually went *into* the tornado, Boone made sure the girl was strapped down.
Meanwhile, Kate stood with Javi, balking at the idea of a *child* being in there at all. Handsome or not, she seriously questioned Tyler’s parenting skills with his offspring, and where was the child’s mother?
-
At the hotel later that night and Javi wanted to hang out, but Kate wanted to sleep. As she passed by the Red Dodge, she heard Sarah squealing with excitement.
“Omg omg!! So much *fun*!! When the boom went off…. I liked that part.”
“That’s my girl. Uncle Boones pyro tech assistant.”
“Yes, I’m the ass-asst… I can’t do it.”
Tyler chuckled. “Assistant sweetheart.”
Kate stood there and leaned against the railing on the staircase. She was fascinated at how amused this child was with weather, but after seeing her father she understood why.
“Like what you see City Girl?” Boone asked.
Kate jumped. “Huh? What, uh yeah, I do—uh did.” She chewed on her lip. “What’s with the nickname?”
“T said you came in from New York, that’s a big city.”
“That’s far away daddy. Do they have tornadoes there?”
“Not exactly.”
Sarah hopped off the tailgate carrying her bag of gummy bears. Before they knew it, she was standing beside Kate. “Here have a bear, the red ones are my favorite like daddy’s truck.”
She couldn’t say no and accepted a few bears in her hand. “Thank you. I like the red ones too,” Kate said with a warm smile. “Do you like chasing with your daddy?”
Sarah nodded enthusiastically and popped a gummy into her mouth, handing Kate a couple more. “I’m this many.” Sarah held out five fingers.
“That’s a lot.”
“How many are you?”
Tyler chastised. “Sarah, that’s not nice.”
“She’s fine. Well Sarah, I’m a grown up like your daddy. I’m this many years old.” She drew a 28 into Sarah’s palm.
“That’s a big number! I can’t count that high yet, but Uncle Boo is teaching me”
“Well, you will get there because you seem like a smart girl.”
“I try, daddy says I bright like the sun.”
Kate touched her head eating the last of her bears in her hand she was given. “You are bright and brave if I may add. Most little girls are afraid of storms. Wanna know a secret?” Sarah nodded and Kate leaned down to whisper in her ear, “I’ve been watching storms since I was your age too.”
Sarah’s eyes grew big. “Really that’s so cool!”
“Yep.”
Lily came over to them, “hey kiddo it’s almost your bedtime.”
Sarah pouted and gave Kate the biggest hug her tiny arms could manage. “Night night Miss Kate!”
Then, waving behind her, took Lily’s hand to the hotel room. Kate smirked, standing.
Boone leaned into Tyler. “I think she likes City Girl.”
“Yeah, Boone I think she does.” He tilted his head curious about her.
“Well goodnight boys.” She walked away and into her room. After her shower, she sat on the bed thinking about the intriguing cowboy and his adorable daughter.
-
“What do you think she’s doing with StormPAR?” Boone asked sipping on a beer.
“Not sure. It is a mystery she’s come out of nowhere.” Tyler finished a repair to one of the sensors on the truck.
“Well, if you ask me, she’s a lot hotter than Sam ever was.”
“Boone, not now.”
-
The next day, Kate stood facing the sky, a nice set of aviators sitting on her eyes.
Tyler was watching her and smirking. He was still trying to figure her out and for reasons unknown, Sarah seemed to like her just fine. Speaking of—she was in the van with Lily, working on homework, when Tyler took it upon himself to approach Kate. They ended up talking about the cloud coverage, and whether or not something would sprout from the clouds.
“You like working for StormPAR?” Tyler spat out.
“That depends. But I am enjoying myself. What is it you even do? Javi said you run a YouTube channel. That’s not a real job.”
He chuckled and raised a brow. She was intriguing. “I guess that depends on who you ask. We have over a million followers. The way I see it is we make a difference with what we do.”
“Does Sarah watch your channel?”
“She does. Now what is it about you that she likes?”
Kate rolled her eyes, “perhaps because I’m normal.”
Tyler was about to fire back when Sarah came running out, tugging on Kate’s pant leg. “Miss Katey, I’m twirsty.”
“Sarah, what have I told you about running off?” Tyler warned.
She frowned. “I’m sowwy daddy. I just like Miss Katey a whole bunch. She’s so cool!”
“You know,” Kate started, crouching to the child’s level. “I’m a little thirsty too. Why don’t I get the three of us some drinks? What would you like?”
“Soda!”
“No, absolutely not,” Tyler protested. “Sarah, you can have an iced tea but no soda.”
“Aww, but *daddyyyy*, I want *soda*!”
Tyler’s brows narrowed. “Sarah Lynne, we do not throw temper tantrums because I say no. It’s an iced tea, water, or nothing.”
“Otay,” she whined, sucking in her upper lip. “Miss Katey, may I have iced tea, please?”
“Yes, sweet girl.” Kate stood. “I’ll even get you one too Mister Grouch.”
Tyler ground his teeth together as she walked off to get the drinks from inside.
“You wike my daddy, you talked to him.” Sarah smiled at Kate as she sipped on her tea.
“Your daddy is a nice person. We should take him his drink.” On the way out of the gas station, Boone was standing there kicking dirt, and greeted them.
“Miss Kate this is my Uncle Boone. He’s the best.”
“I’ve heard great things about you from this little lady.”
Kate smiled. “Well good to know.” They walk over and she hands Tyler his drink. “As promised.”
Tyler sighed heavily. “Thanks…” He twisted open the bottle and took a swig.
Sarah pulled at his pant leg. “Be nice to Miss Katey. I like her, daddy.”
Kate smirked.
“You’re right. Thank you, Kate.”
—
“Didn’t know StormPAR was in the business of helping.”
“From what I see they’re trying to make a difference.”
“That’s one way of putting it.”
“What?”
“Do you even know who you’re chasing for? How much more do these people gotta lose before y’all done making a difference?”
“Sorry says the guy and his crew setting up shop right after storms hit!”
“You’ve got a lot to learn Kate.” He walked away.
Lily rushed over to her, “hey Kate, here take some food.”
“No thanks I don’t have any cash.”
“It’s free, that’s why we are always selling stuff.”
Well shit.