whispered.
"So why are we still standing here? We should be out searching for him."
"Calm down. We'll get him. It's only a matter of time before he slips up."
I kicked at the dirt with my booted foot. "Uncle Henry, we can't let him slip past us this time."
"I know Logan. I've got everything set up. If he gets close, we'll know it. But in the meantime," he looked over toward the frame we'd just finished building. "Working on Tom's project is the best way to keep you two on this land. People around here don't like trespassers, and since the Williamsons own the land all around the cavern, they're our new best friends. This way we can keep an eye on things, blend in, while being neighborly."
"So why aren't you being neighborly and helping us with this monstrosity?"
"First, I might die working in this heat and humidity. Second, it takes more than the brains of a turtle to run this operation, Logan. Besides, what good would all that working out in a gym do if you two don't put those twigs to some good use?" He lifted his hat and rubbed his hand through his hair. "You see the salt in my pepper? It's earned me a pass. Besides," he wrinkled his nose under his glasses. "Tom, and the town for that matter, already like me."
Robert laughed. "Is that so, old man?"
"You know they make hair color for men now, right?
"Those are fighting words, Logan…" Uncle Henry nudged my shoulder. "You better watch your mouth, or this old man might hang your skinny-butt up there next to the scarecrow."
Laughter drifted through the air. Uncle Henry looked past us, toward the Williamsons' front porch.
"All right, here comes Tom and Kaitlin. Boys, please don't forget why we're here and for goodness sake, try not to drool all over yourselves around his daughter. I would hate to have to pull the other 'old man' off you."
Kaitlin and her father walked up next to us, a small dust cloud following their feet. She had changed into a tan linen dress that stopped just above her booted ankle.
I'd seen her a few times in passing, but the night of the spring festival when I caught her watching me dance with Emily, I couldn't help my curiosity. She was drop dead gorgeous and to my amazement there were no guys vying for her attention. Not that I didn't catch them watching her, they just didn't act on it and that piqued my curiosity. In a matter of minutes I'd gathered enough information about her to know she was the product of her father's affair with an unknown woman who left her infant daughter at her father's door step to be raised by him and his wife.
I shook my head.
And, apparently because of the sins of her father, she was shunned by the town's people, yet she radiated strength and innocence in spite of it all. I decided I wanted to be the envy of every guy who was too chicken to stand next to her and willingly accept the dirty looks, even if it was just for one night.
Besides, one dance with her wouldn't hurt anything, but fate had other plans and I guess that was for the best. Considering how our first meeting went, that wouldn't have gone over well with Uncle Henry if I would have done something to keep us off this land… It could have been the end of our mission here.
"Howdy, Tom. Miss Kaitlin." Uncle Henry said, tipping his hat toward her. "How're y'all doing this evenin'?"
I almost couldn't contain the laughter that was sliding up. Uncle Henry had perfected his country accent in record time. Robert and I on the other hand were still struggling with it.
"Good, good," Tom said popping his suspenders against his rounded belly. "I appreciate you lendin' me your nephews. They've been workin' hard all day." Tom motioned toward the frame we'd been working on.
Robert leaned over my shoulder while Uncle Henry and Tom caught up on the town gossip. "Where the heck does she get her looks from? I've seen her mom out hanging laundry; she looks like humpty dumpty with a honey bun wrapped in her hair," he paused. "And I think it's safe to say they don't come from the marshmallow man either."
I couldn't help but snort at his description of her parents.
He fell silent for a second. "Why doesn't look like anyone in her family." Robert whispered.
He was right, her long dark hair and cobalt eyes we're out of place in this family. She definitely was different… beautiful.
I hadn't told him about the rumors I'd heard at the spring dance, afraid he'd think I was digging up information on her because I was interested.
I turned and looked over my shoulder at him. "I think Uncle Henry needs to be worried about you, not me."
"Logan, I'll admit: she's easy on the eyes, even though she looks like she walked off an episode of little house on the prairie," he said mockingly. "But we both know I have more self-control than you've ever had."
"I guess I'll just have to prove you wrong on that one, Robert." I couldn't help but smile as I watched her. "I think we're making her uncomfortable, watch how she keeps shuffling her feet and looking over here at us through her lashes." I continued to whisper.
Robert gripped my shoulder. "In any other time she'd be jail bait, you know that."
I nodded. He was right. We had more important things to worry about than this girl and I was determined to stay focused on the task at hand.
"Daddy – Mr. Henry, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go take Scout some fresh water."
Tom nodded. "Sure pumpkin. Go ahead."
I slapped Robert on the back. "I guess now is as good of time as any to make a better second impression, don't you think?"
"Sure thing little brother. You keep telling yourself that's all you're doing."
I shrugged his comment off and walked toward her. She was carrying a bucket across the open pasture toward a two-stall barn that had seen better days. You could see through the large gaps in the wood and it seemed to be leaning a little too far to the left for my comfort.
"Hey, looks like that bucket of water weighs as much as you do. Why don't ya let me help you with it?" I offered with a wide grin, strolling up next to her.
She looked down at the empty bucket and back up at me; her porcelain skin flushed pink. "No. I think a girl my age should be able ta' carry an empty bucket on her own."
I stopped mid-stride in the middle of the pasture.
"That was real smooth," Robert whispered, coming up behind me. "Now watch how big brother does it."
He swaggered up next to her.
"Evenin,' Kaitlin. Here, let me get that for ya." He said with his best southern accent, then reached down and plucked the empty bucket out of her hand.
"Thank ya, Robert." She said and glanced back at me with a smirk.
Dissension
Kaitlin
I walked over to Scouts stall, and opened the latch to his gate. "Hey there beautiful boy!" I said, patting his brown head.
"Are you planning on going riding this evening?" Robert asked leaning against the stall.
"I'd like to but, I'm not sure he's up for it…" I answered kicking the bale of hay that sat uneaten in his stall.
"What's wrong with him?"
"I'm not sure. He lost his appetite a few weeks ago and's been droppin' weight ever since. The vet's been out but he's not sure what's wrong."
Robert sighed. "I'm sorry to hear that."
"Me too." I mumbled resting my head against Scouts.
"How long have you had him?" Robert asked moving over and leaning against the gate.
"Ever since I can remember. Daddy said a man passing through with his pregnant mare needed a place to stay to let her rest. So he told the man that he, and his horse, could stay the night in the barn. The next morning, daddy's best horse was missing and we had a new mare and colt." I shrugged. "That was also the night I was born." Or when I was left on a stranger's doorstep to be raised as their daughter.
Robert laughed. "Is that a true story?" he asked, pulling me out of the fog of the truth.
I smiled through the pain of the memory and answered. "Yes sir. As true as the sky is blue."
He shook his head and laughed. "That's a great story, but if you didn't mind I'd rather you
didn't call me sir. I'm only twenty three and sir makes me feel older than I am."
"If that's what you want." I shrugged then looked down at the empty bucket he was holding.
"Where can I fill this bucket up with water for ya? Maybe a little drink will perk him up!"
"I'm sorry…" I said, and pointed to the pump just outside the barn.
Robert nodded and headed that way, swinging the empty bucket in his hand and whistling an unfamiliar tune.
I ran my hand down the length of Scouts back. "Feeling any better today?" I asked and reached for his brush. "You like it when I brush you, don't ya sweet boy?"
He whinnied as I brushed his brown and white mane. A smile spread across my face for the first time since he'd stopped eating.
"So you ask your horse a question and he answers?" Logan asked laughing.
"You again? I thought I left you in the pasture to graze with the cows." I snapped.
He cocked his head and a crease formed between his eyebrows. "I thought your daddy taught you better manners than that."
"You… you–" I bit my tongue and sucked in a deep breath, desperately trying to remember those manners. "Yes, Logan. He listens and understands me better than some people I've met recently."
He walked up and leaned against the stall in the same spot where his brother had just left. "Well, if I didn't know any better I'd think you were talking about me."
"If the shoe fits –"
He grinned, shook his head and held up his hand. "I overheard you talking to Robert."
I tossed the brush down and picked up the pick I used to clean Scout's hooves. "So you like to listen in on other people's conversations, you just don't bother listenin' when someone's talkin' directly to you."
"Oh believe me, I've been listening to every word that has come out of your mouth," he looked past me and focused on Scout. "Do you mind if I take a look at him?"
"What? Are you the new town veterinarian?"
He opened the gate and stepped in the stall. "No, but I do know a little about horses… and people."
I stood in silence as he made his way around Scout and stopped next to me.
"Kaitlin," I looked up and saw challenge in the most beautiful emerald eyes I'd ever seen. Mesmerized, I stumbled backwards over Scouts uneaten bale of hay. With lightning fast speed Logan had his arms around my waist pulling me back to a standing position. I'd never felt a longing to be kissed by anyone, until now.
Oh no, not again! What is wrong with me?
I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them to the same grin that snaked across his face every time he caught me watching him.
"Will you please take your hands off of me?" I snapped twisting out of his arms and praying he couldn't read my mind.
He gripped my wrist. "I'm sorry I keep upsetting you, but I'm just trying to help…" Frustration swam in his words.
I yanked free. "Well you're not helping. He's all yours." I said, walking out and slamming the gate with an ear splitting clang.
"Whoa, what'd I miss?" Robert asked holding a bucket of water full to the rim.
I jerked my thumb over my shoulder. "Your brother here thinks he's a veterinarian."
Robert laughed a deep, husky laugh. "Is that so?"
Logan shook his head. "I'm just trying to help her, but she's too hard headed to see that."
"I see your second impression is going according to plan, or is this your third?" Robert mumbled.
Stiffening, I whirled around ready to give him another piece of my mind, but the look on Logan's face as he inspected my four-legged best friend, stopped me short. "Logan, what's wrong?" I managed.
"How long ago did he stop eating?"
I shuffled my feet. "A few weeks ago. When I got back from riding' him I dumped oats in his pail but he wouldn't touch 'em."
"Where do you go when you ride?" Robert asked setting the water down inside the stall.
I craned my neck and scanned the pasture. "I like to go up by the creek. Why?"
Logan leaned over and mumbled something to his brother. They shared a look that I know too well from my years of being the subject of gossip.
"You weren't planning on riding him, were you?"
"I was thinkin' about it…"
"That's not'a good idea."
"Why?"
Logan opened his mouth to answer, but before he could get a word out Anna was racing across the open pasture, screeching, with her curly auburn hair bouncing around her round face.
"Kaitlin! Kaitlin! Momma finished your birthday cake!" Her molasses eyes, as round as marbles, were full of excitement.
"Birthday? Today's your birthday?" Logan asked.
I squeezed my eyes shut wishing my thirteen-year-old sister hadn't just mentioned that.
"Well, happy Birthday, Kaitlin!" Robert chimed in.
"Thank ya, Robert."
"So-uh, how old are you?" Logan questioned.
"Old enough."
"Kaitlin!" Anna scolded, turning her attention to Logan. "She's eighteen today!"
Logan stepped out of the stall shaking his head. "And all this time I thought…"
Robert cleared his throat and rested his hand on Logan's shoulder. "Well, it looks like the sun's about to set, so we should start heading back to Uncle Henry's. Kaitlin, see you bright and early tomorrow."
"G'night, Robert." I replied
"Good night and happy birthday, Lenny."
Taken aback by Logan's use of my nickname, I stopped mid step.
Anna laughed and slipped her hand over mine, nudging me toward the house. "He's just flirtin' with you, Kaitlin." she whispered.
I turned and faced my sister. "What! And how do you know about flirtin?"
A smile spread across her face. "Tommy flirts with me every day after school," she paused and shrugged. "At least that's what Betty told me he was doin.'" Anna glanced back at the brothers and giggled. "He's still watching–"
"Who's watching?"
"I don't remember his name, but it doesn't much matter, does it?"
"No!"
She giggled again then leaned over to whisper in my ear. "I overheard daddy tell momma there's something different about them boys, and that they reminded him of the man who stole his horse." she paused. "And he said they ruffled your feathers today so they should have nothin' to worry about."
"What!" I shouted.
"I guess he was right…"
"Anna, please just stop talkin' now."
Breakthrough
Logan
A week had passed since Kaitlin and I had last spoken and I'd first examined Scout. His health was steadily deteriorating; his drastic weight loss was now causing his ribs to protrude through his bay coat. I watched Kaitlin from the doorway of the newly constructed barn.
Every evening, like clockwork, she led Scout across the pasture to his old stall and brushed him until the sun faded into the night sky. Something was different about tonight; the stubborn optimism I'd observed in her over the last week seemed to be fading.
"Hey man! What do you say we call it a night? My legs are about to give out from underneath me."
"Yeah, mine too, Robert." I turned around to face him and scanned the eight completed stalls. "You know, I don't think that shop class we had back in high school was a waste of time after all."
He laughed and looked around the barn we'd almost completed. "Yeah, who knew we could do all this." he said, gesturing with his hands.
I shrugged. "We might as well stop. Tom said he wasn't feeling too good earlier and was calling it a night."
"What was I doing that I missed that? I'd have called it a night as soon as he did." He complained.
I smirked. "You were back there taking your anger out on that gate you've been trying to hang for the last two hours."
Robert reached over his shoulder and started rubbing his neck. "I'm really paying for it now… I think that since it's your night to keep watch, I'm going to get a hot shower and sleep in my own bed tonight. I'll see you in the mo
rning."
I frowned. "Do you really think that's a good idea?"
"The best one I've had in weeks." He laughed, walking out the barn doors.
♦~♦~♦~♦
Kaitlin didn't hear my approach, and if she did, she made no movement to acknowledge me. I walked up and stood next to her, knowing I was probably the last person she wanted to see, but I just couldn't stay away.
She glanced up with tear-streaked cheeks and my heart slammed into my chest. "Kaitlin, what's wrong? Are you hurt? Are you sick?" I shot out questions as panic surged through me.
She shook her head and wiped at the tears sliding down her cheeks.
"No Logan," she whispered, her voice faltering. "It's not me, it's Scout. I don't think he's gonna make it through the night… and there's nothin' I can do to help him."
She stepped forward and rested her head on my shoulder. My eyes widened and I cleared my throat, trying not to show how much I was enjoying her touch. "I'm so sorry…" I whispered unsure of what to do with my arms.
"I love him, Logan… Daddy said it's time we put him down - he said it's the right thing to do - but I can't, not yet. I've loved him my whole life! How am I supposed to just let him go?"
I hesitated then cautiously wrapped my arms around her, pulling her firmly against my chest. I could feel my resolve slipping just by holding this girl in my arms. "Kaitlin, it's going to be alright–"
She pushed back and looked up at me. "No. No, it's not, Logan." She said shaking her head fiercely.
I brushed at her tears with my thumb. "Kaitlin, please don't cry." My sudden need to help this girl was perplexing – even to me. I brushed my fingers down the length of her braid. "What if I told you I could help him?" I blurted out before I could stop myself.
I groaned inwardly as hope brightened her eyes for a fleeting moment.
"Logan? There's nothin' you can do - there's nothin' anybody can do." She sucked in a deep, shaky breath. "Daddy would've put him down already but I begged him to allow me to spend one more night with him to say good bye. I know he's suffering - and I know it's selfish. I just can't let him go… my father gave him to me," she cried.
Robert had recapped the story she'd told him about the day she was born: the man who'd stolen their best horse and left a pregnant mare in his place, only to have that mare give birth the same day. She clearly loved this animal.
My heart was breaking for a girl I barely knew and an animal that I could really have cared less about a week ago. I closed my eyes desperately trying to find my footing. I have much more important things to do with my time than sit here and comfort this hardheaded girl… I tried to remind myself.
"Kaitlin, I'll stay with him for a while. Why don't you go inside and get some rest? I'll come get you if there are any changes." I heard myself offering.
"No, I won't leave him." She sniffled, dropping to her knees next to Scout. I turned determined to leave her alone and let nature take its course, but I just couldn't bring myself to take a step in the opposite direction.
Uncle Henry should give me a gold medal for being this neighborly.
I looked out toward the fading sun. "Do you mind if I sit with you and Scout, then?"
She looked up with appraising eyes and shrugged. "You can stay," she whispered. "But I'm not leaving him."
I nodded and sat down next to her in silence, stretching my legs out in front of me.
She leaned her head against my arm. "Have you ever had someone you've loved die?"
The memory she triggered hit me like ton of bricks. She must have felt me tense up because she pulled her head up off my shoulder and stared at me with beautiful red puffy eyes.
"I'm sorry, Logan. I shouldn't have asked."
I exhaled. "No it's okay; it was a very long time ago... I was only four when it happened."
"You don't have'ta tell me if you don't want to."
I swallowed the sudden lump that lodged in my throat, knowing that if I started sharing my personal life with her I'd be crossing a line I could never take back.
"It's not that, Kaitlin. It's just that I haven't thought about it in years and it's a really sad story. I'm not sure if now is the time to tell it."
She huffed and grabbed a piece of hay twisting it between her fingers. "Logan… I'm not a child; please stop treating me like one." She warned cutting her eyes at me.
Not wanting to hurt her for more reasons than I care to admit, even to myself, I reached for her hand and stilled it in mine. "I'm sorry. I didn't–"
She reached up with her free hand and pressed her finger against my lips silencing me. A brief smile flashed across her face. "Thank you for sayin' sorry. It means more than you know."
In that moment I wanted nothing more than to kiss the finger she had pressed firmly against my lips, but she removed it before my thoughts became action.
"You don't have to thank me, Kaitlin." I said, unsure of my own voice because of the way she was looking at me.
What's this girl doing to me? I wondered. I'm not a teenage boy with my first crush. I'm a junior at one of the most prestigious colleges in the country… but this girl is messing with my head.
I jumped up desperately needing something to do with my hands. I glanced around. "How about I stack up a few bales of hay and make us a better place to sit?"
"No, I'm okay down here with Scout." She bit her bottom lip, studying me with sad blue eyes.
I turned my back to her and started stacking the bales anyway. When I was finished with my task of distraction, I glanced over at her. She was resting her head against Scout's as fresh tears slid down her cheeks. I squeezed the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes against the war raging between my head and my heart.
"Come on Kaitlin, he loves you… and if he could talk he would tell you that it's okay." I sat down and patted the spot next to me. "I'll tell you my sad story – that is, if you're sure you want to hear it."
She stared up at me then leaned over and kissed Scout's head. "I love you!" she whispered, then scrambled up and plopped down next to me, still sniffling. "Who did you lose?"
One thing I quickly realized about this girl, other than her obvious beauty, was her ability to ask a straight forward question without hesitating.
I leaned my head back against the hay and closed my eyes as I tried to pull the long forgotten memory to the forefront. "I was around four and I think Robert was almost 6 when our parents told us our friend went to heaven to become an angel. I can remember telling my mom that I wanted to go to heaven and become an angel too."
A tear slipped down her cheek. Then she pulled me into her arms and squeezed me so hard all I could do was whisper "I can't breathe…"
She finally loosened her hold. I stopped, lost in the fresh pain of the memory.
"Who became an angel, Logan?"
"My Katie," I smiled. "She was just a few months old when she died."
She reached for my hand and intertwined our fingers. I opened my eyes and looked down at our joined hands. Then I met the most compassionate eyes I'd ever seen.
I reached over and slid the back of my fingers down the smooth line of her cheek. "Your eyes remind me of hers." I said leaning in, unable to stop myself.
I needed to kiss her just once. Just one taste of those full, perfect lips. She closed her eyes and swallowed hard waiting for me to take what I knew we both wanted.
I can't do this, I scolded myself. It isn't right.
I banked down on my need and instead leaned my forehead against hers. I felt the warmth of her breath, and willed myself to not take from her what I could never give back. I closed my eyes and forced myself to lean back against the hay and finish my story.
"You know… I only have one picture of her, and it's with me and Robert at a family picnic."
She let out the breath she had been holding in and rested her head back on my chest. Not surprisingly, that did nothing to calm my still racing heart. I began desperately rubbing small circler patterns on her back trying to distrac
t myself from the knowledge of her lips being only a chin lift away from mine.
"How did she die?" she whispered.
I hesitated recounting the story my parents had finally told me at thirteen, and only after years of questioning them about it. Only then did I fully understand the horror my parents were trying to shield me