The early morning wind blew through the open windows of Renne's truck. Reaching to her right, Renne grabbed her styrofoam cup of cheap fast food restaurant coffee. Taking a sip, she made a face. It tasted more like coffee grounds than coffee, but today she wasn't drinking it for taste, she was drinking it for the caffeine. She had a long drive ahead of her; a drive she wished she wasn't taking.

Renne flipped on her turn signal and changed lanes. Looking back to the road from over her shoulder, a picture caught Renne's eye. It was a picture of her and Matt together. She had the picture tucked on her dashboard by the speedometer. Sighing, Renne wished that she had let Matt come along with her. Thinking about it now, she wasn't really sure why she didn't invite him or let him come. She had told herself that it was because he knew so much less about her family then he thinks he knows, and now would not be a good time for him to meet her family. Although she tried to deny it, Renne thought that the real reason may be because if he had come along with her, she would remember how much she loves- no, loved- Alpine Ridge, and she may never want to come back to Montana. As long as Matt stayed at Healing Hearts in Montana, she had a reason to go back...or at least that's what she tried telling herself.

The day was quickly getting away from Renne and the gas in her truck was going even faster. Renne sighed when she heard the beep of the gas meter telling her her tank was almost completely empty...again. Flipping on her turn signal, Renne switched lanes again and got off on the next exit to fill up her tank for the second time that day. Once her tank was full, Renne looked around for a place to eat. Since she was unfamiliar with this part of Montana, Renne went inside the gas station store to ask the clerk where a good place to eat, and maybe get some shut-eye would be. The kind clerk pointed Renne in the right direction, and gave her a printed map with the closest hotels in the area.

Renne made it to the little diner easily, thanks to the clerk's directions. As she waited for her food to be brought out to her, Renne decided that she was much too tired to drive anymore today. If she left this town at around 5 in the morning, she should arrive in Alpine Ridge around eight or nine. Thankfully, Renne had made good time today, and was only about an hour, or less, from the Wyoming border.

The clerk at the gas station was right, this food was delicious. Renne didn't realize how hungry she was until the aroma of the home cooked food filled her nostrils. Deciding to save the leftovers, Renne asked for a box so she could finish the food tomorrow. After she paid her tab, Renne jumped in her truck and headed to the closet hotel. At this point, she didn't care how nice the hotel was. All she wanted was a bed, and this hotel had at least that.

Exhausted, Renne checked into her room, and threw her overnight bag on the bed. Letting out a big breath, Renne plopped down on the bed beside her bag. Right now, all she wanted to do was sleep, but she promised Matt that she would call him when she was hunkering down for the night. Reaching into her pocket, Renne pulled out her phone. Her eyes were so tired that she was barely able to dial his number. Finally she managed to press the call button. Matt picked up on the second ring.

"Hello?" Matt's voice asked quickly.

Renne couldn't help but smile. She loved his Southern drawl. "Hey, just got to my hotel for the night." Renne said.

"Oh good. I was startin' to get worried because I hadn't heard from you all day."

Renne fingered her short hair as she laid down on the bed. "I know. I'm sorry. I was drivin' all day."

"It's okay." Matt replied. Silence hung on the line.

All Renne wanted to do right now was sleep, but she really wanted to talk to Matt at the same time. She missed him even though it had only been less than twenty four hours since she saw him last. "So how is everything at the ranch?"

"Good. I have your to do list safe in my pocket. I'm proud of you for not callin' or textin' me every ten minutes with somethin' else I gotta do, or retell me thangs that you've told me a hundred times already."

Renne could hear the smile in his voice. She let out a chuckle. "Thanks. But don't think I'm not mentally stressing about everything back there. I'm pretty sure my truck knows how to work the ranch as well as any of us do because of how many times I ran over the checklist out loud making sure I didn't forget to write down anything." Renne said truthfully. She was lonely in her truck by herself, so she was talking out loud and went over everything that needed to be done at the ranch while she was gone.

Matt's chuckle on the other end made Renne's heart miss him even more. Then there was a pause. Matt stopped laughing. Renne could hear him let out a big breath. "Do you have any idea how much I miss you?" He asked, the loneliness evident in his voice.

Renne closed her eyes and wished she was back at her ranch with Matt right now. "I miss you too." She was surprised at just how much she missed him in less than twenty four hours of being apart.

"It's just a few short days, after all. You'll be back before you know it." Matt reassured Renne.

"Just a few short days." Renne whispered back into her phone. After she hung up, she prayed that's all this trip would be: just a few short days.