Chapter Thirteen

"Where's my loves?" Nicole asked with a smile as she entered the barn and instantly a horse snorted and Saraphine tossed her tan head over the stall door. Nicole smiled and went to the nine year old palomino. She scratched at the side of her face and Saraphine leaned into her hand.

"I've missed you," Nicole cooed to the horse and Saraphine tossed her head. Nicole looked over at Gemini's stall and saw that the gelding had his back to her and was looking stubbornly at the wall.

"I think he's mad at you," Bethany stated with a light laugh.

Nicole nodded, "I believe you're right," she replied as she walked toward his stall. Gemini lived up to his name and had always been the more emotional and moody of her horses. "My life is full of moody men," she added with a quiet chuckle.

"Gemini?" she purred when she got to the stall. The large buckskin acted as if he hadn't heard her and took another step toward the back corner. Nicole folded her arms on the stall door and sighed.

"Are you mad at me, boy? I'm sorry I was gone so long this time," she whispered and she watched Gemini's ears swivel as he listened to her voice. Nicole smiled and pulled a sugar cube from her pocket. She had shoved them in there before leaving her house, knowing that she'd visit with her horses and sugar cubes were the only way to earn Gemini's forgiveness.

"I guess I'll just have to give this treat to Saraphine," she said with a sigh as she turned her back to him. This had Gemini turning quickly and blowing out a loud breath as he crossed the stall and used his head to nudge her shoulder.

"Oh so you want my attention now, do you?" Nicole asked with amusement as she looked at him over her shoulder. He pressed his nose against her cheek and she felt her heart melt. "You only use me for my sugar," she stated as she turned and let him take the sweet treat from her hand.

"You know he loves you," Bethany countered as she scratched Saraphine's forehead, "You are the only one he acts that way with. He's hateful toward the rest of us."

"You're not hateful are you, Gemini?" Nicole asked as she pressed her cheek against his and nuzzled his mane. "You just learned to be cautious is all." Nicole had rescued Gemini. The twelve year old buckskin gelding had come into her possession six years earlier when his owner had finally landed himself in prison.

Nicole had fallen in love with the abused horse. He was covered in whip scars and when he'd come to be hers he had been so skinny that every bone he had jutted violently out of his skin. He had been mean, hate filled and nearly impossible to handle. Uncle Silas had tried to make Nicole put the horse down claiming he was worried that she'd be hurt but she had refused. After months of just sitting in the stall next to him she had begun to earn his trust. Now Gemini was nothing but a big baby and he loved her and only her.

"Well let's get these critters saddled up and take them out for a ride," Nicole said with a smile. She felt that usual tremor of excitement at the thought of riding Gemini. She always felt so free, so carefree, on top of his powerful body.

"So, those cowboys..." Bethany started as the two women walked toward the tack room at the back of the barn.

"You seemed to like Andrew, I noticed," Nicole said with a grin and Bethany blushed bright red, matching the t-shirt she was wearing.

"Are they really from the past?" she asked skeptically.

"Yes," Nicole replied. "Trust me I didn't believe it at first either but they are. They have no idea about technology and Ian, the self proclaimed charming one, shot my alarm clock the first morning because he was convinced it was something dangerous."

Bethany laughed.

"That's not all he shot. He also shot my smoke detector this morning and he tried to shoot my t.v. the other day but Cavanaugh stopped him."

"So you and Cavanaugh....?" Bethany asked, letting the question hang in the air. Nicole shook her head as she grabbed her favorite saddle.

"I know where your mind is going and the answer is no," she replied.

"Why not? He is certainly easy on the eyes."

"Yes he is and he is more hateful and bristly than even Gemini was," Nicole assured her. Then her voice softened, "Though he has good reason to be just like Gemini did."

"Maybe you just need to work on him the way you did, Gemini,"
Bethany stated.

Nicole smiled, "Maybe."

Bethany checked the small watch on her wrist, "Shoot!" she exclaimed. "I can't ride with you. I forgot that I have a....um...thing to go to."

Nicole frowned, "A.. um..thing?" she asked.

Bethany shifted her feet and looked guiltily down at the sawdust covered floor, "A dress fitting."

"Dress fitting?" Nicole asked, her confusion growing.

Bethany bit her lip and fidgeted with the edge of a saddle blanket on a shelf, "Yes for... for the wedding."

Suddenly realization dawned on Nicole. The wedding. Brian's wedding. Lisa's wedding.

"Oh," she stated blankly.

"I'm sorry," Bethany whispered.

Nicole shook her head, "No don't be sorry." she said quickly. "Lisa is your cousin so of course you'll be there for the wedding."

"I'm glad you understand. Could I come over tomorrow and visit?" Bethany asked.

Nicole nodded, though she was only half hearing what the girl was saying, "Of course." she replied.

Bethany apologized again and then quickly left the barn. Nicole carried the saddle to Gemini's stall, deciding to ride him first since his feelings were easily hurt.

She walked into his stall and then broke down as the saddle fell to the floor. Hot angry tears spilled down her cheeks and Gemini quickly came to her and nudged her shoulder. Nicole threw her arms around his thick neck and cried into his mane.

It wasn't fair. Brian had always said that he would marry Nicole one day. That they would have a family. Then her mother had gotten sick with cancer and while Nicole had been going to countless treatments with the dying woman and spending days on end at the hospital, Brian had begun sleeping with her best friend.

Then, when caught, the worthless excuse of a man had blamed her. He had said it was her own fault that he had strayed because she had neglected him. Lisa hadn't given any reason for her own betrayal. Now they were getting married.

Gemini stood patiently as Nicole's tears soaked into his silky coat. Nicole was not a crier. As a matter of fact she couldn't honestly remember the last time she had fallen apart like this but something about being reminded that her ex and her best friend were getting married had hit her hard.

"Nicole?" Cavanaugh's deep voice, full of worry, broke through her tears and she quickly pulled away from Gemini and wiped her face with her hands before turning to look at him.

"What are you doing in here?" she asked with embarrassment. She had never liked to have anyone see her cry.

Cavanaugh looked around the tidy barn and shrugged as he kicked at the sawdust covered floor, "I needed to speak to you," he replied.

Nicole patted Gemini's head as the gelding nudged her again, wanting her attention, "Okay," she said, pulling another sugar cube from her pocket and allowing the horse to take it from her hand.

"I want to apologize for all the times I have been rude or short tempered with you since I got here. I guess I got a mess up here," he pointed at his head, "and I took it out on you and that wasn't right."

"That's okay," Nicole replied as she patted Gemini and then stepped out of his stall, "You're not the only one with a mess up here," she added, pointing at her own temple.

Cavanaugh seemed like he wanted to ask her something but then he seemed to change his mind and he offered her a friendly smile instead, "Were you getting ready to go for a ride?" he asked.

"Yes. Gemini and Saraphine need the exercise."

"Hard to ride two horses at once," he noted and Nicole smiled.

"Yes it is."

"Would you like some company?"

Nicole felt herself blushing as she nodded and pushed a stray strand of hair from her face, "Yes, I would like that very much," she replied.

Cavanaugh nodded and let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He liked Nicole. If he was being honest he more than liked her. There was a spark in her and a spark between them that he wanted desperately to ignore but was finding that he could not.

He had only meant to come in here and apologize for being rude to her but the sound of her tears and the sight of her red rimmed eyes had him desperate to make her smile and ease her pain. He decided it wouldn't hurt to be her friend. Friendship never hurt anybody.

"Okay so who's who?" Cavanaugh asked, looking at the five horses currently staying in this barn.

"This is Gemini and that pretty girl is Saraphine," Nicole replied. "I've had Saraphine since she was three and Gemini came to be with me when he was about six. The other horses are Uncle Silas's and he doesn't name them."

"No offense but they got weird names," Cavanaugh stated as he sized up both horses in turn. It looked like Nicole was a good judge of horseflesh. Leah hadn't liked horses. She certainly would never have hugged one, cried into his neck and slipped him sugar cubes.

Cavanaugh shook his head. He had to stop comparing the women. There would never be another Leah but, then again, Nicole was pretty special herself. She had her own way that made her unlike anyone he had ever known.

"Oh really?" Nicole asked with a laugh that made Cavanaugh's heart lighten just a bit. "And what would you have named them?"

"Buck and Blondie," he replied with a shrug. Nicole gave him a droll look and he found himself laughing. Something about her made him feel better and he found it easier to be lighthearted and laugh when she was around.

"How original." she said with a shake of her head.

Cavanaugh shrugged and stuck his hands in his pockets, "So I'll ride him and you ride her?" he asked.

"Nope."

"Buck is the man's horse and Blondie is the woman's," he insisted.

"First off, cowboy," Nicole said as she stuck her finger in his chest and raised her brow. "I can ride any horse that you can ride and I will promise you that. Second, Gemini doesn't like anyone but me and he'd throw your good looking ass in the dirt the second you tried to climb on his back."

"Good looking ass?" Cavanaugh asked with a grin.

Nicole rolled her eyes, "You know it's good looking." she said with a wave of her hand. Cavanaugh laughed again, surprising himself. He hadn't felt this good in a long long time. Deciding to stop fighting against his fondness for Nicole had definitely been a good idea.

"I might have heard it once or twice," he admitted as his face reddened a little. "Let me have a try at him," he added.

Nicole let out a sigh and nodded, "Be my guest."

Cavanaugh limped to the stall and opened the door but as soon as he stepped in he saw Gemini's ears go back and he stomped his foot in warning, "Easy boy." Cavanaugh said gently but the gelding came at him, stomping and tossing his head threateningly. Cavanaugh quickly saw that there was no way he was going to be able to ride the horse today. Maybe someday but it would take a while before he earned the beast's trust.

"Alright, fine, I'll ride the pretty girl," he said with defeat as he closed the stall door.

Nicole smiled and held out a sugar cube, "You might want to butter her up a little now that you've insulted her." she stated.

Cavanaugh chuckled as he reached out to take the sugar cube from her. Their eyes locked as their hands brushed. Cavanaugh felt as if a bolt of lightning had just shot through his body as he stared down into her green eyes. Her lips were parted slightly and as he watched, her tongue darted out and ran across her full bottom lip in a nervous gesture.

Nicole saw Cavanaugh's eyes narrow and follow the movement of her tongue and she felt her thighs tremble and her knees get weak. She hadn't been with a man since Brian and suddenly the long neglected parts of her body were coming back to life with a vengeance and aching to be soothed.

For a moment she thought Cavanaugh was going to kiss her. His blue eyes had darkened and he moved his body closer but then he cleared his throat and took a step back, "Where are the saddles?" he asked.

Nicole pointed to the tack room, though she was upset to see that her hand was shaking. Cavanaugh nodded and turned and walked away. Nicole took several seconds to calm her breathing. Her body was on fire and craving his touch. She suddenly realized that having patience and waiting on him was going to be harder than she had first thought.

Gemini suddenly put his head over the stall and bumped her hard in the arm. She let out a strained laugh and patted the gelding on the neck, "You're still my only man, Gemini," she sighed sadly.

***

Andrew saw Bethany walking out of the house with a bag over her shoulder. Her tall slender body moved with a grace like he had never seen before. He noticed that she walked with her head down and watched her feet. Most of the women he'd known before had been confident, flirtatious and well paid for stealing a mans interests. But Andrew could tell that Bethany was different.

"Ian, you got some of that whiskey left in your flask?" Andrew asked as he put his shovel down. The two men were digging holes for fence posts for a new corral that Silas was wanting.

"Yeah. I'm saving it for an emergency."

"Give it to me please," Andrew begged as he bounced from foot to foot. "I need something,' he added.

Ian realized that Andrew was literally vibrating with energy and he felt sympathy toward the boy, "Alright." Ian pulled the flask from his pocket and Andrew eagerly pulled the cork and downed a deep swallow before closing it and handing it back to his brother.

"Thanks, I'll see you all later." he said and then he took off.

"But you're supposed to...." Ian called out and then he shook his head and shoved the flask back in his pocket. He saw that Andrew was heading toward Bethany who was about to get into a tiny red car and stabbed the dirt hard with his shovel.

"Damn traitor."

***

"Hey!" Bethany heard a voice call out and she turned quickly and saw Andrew running toward her. He had a big smile on his face, revealing the dimples in his stubble covered cheeks. His brown eyes were shining with a good nature and a happiness that seemed so unlike any other man she had ever seen.

"Hi,' she replied shyly as she pushed her long brown hair behind her ear. She hated her hair just then. Plain, brown and mousy. Just like her face; Plain. And her body? Plain. As a matter of fact 'Sarah plain and tall' had been her nickname throughout school after they'd read the book in fourth grade.

"Where are you going?" he asked as he skidded to a stop in front of her and took off his hat so he could run his hand through his thick nearly black hair.

"I.. I'm going to try on a dress," Bethany replied, her blush deepening. She had zero experience talking to men. The closest she had ever come was talking to the other nerds in science class and they certainly hadn't looked a thing like Andrew. And they hadn't caused her heart to beat faster the way he seemed to.

"A dress?" Andrew asked as he swatted at a fly that was buzzing around his head. "What kind of dress?"

"A...A dress for a wedding," she replied.

"Oh," Andrew's face fell. "You're getting married?"

Bethany let out a loud bark of laughter and then realized he wasn't joking, "No!" she assured him quickly. "No, not my wedding. My cousin's wedding."

Relief filled Andrews features, "Can I come?"

"You... You want to come with me to watch me try on a dress?" Bethany asked with surprise.

He shrugged and winked one of those brown eyes mischievously, "I can think of worse ways to spend an afternoon," he replied.

Bethany watched as his feet seemed to be constantly shifting position and his fingers drummed on his thighs. She had a moment of doubt. What if he hurt her? Then she shook her head and forced a smile. Nicole was always telling her to do fun things. Take chances. What better way to do that than to go on a date with a two hundred year old cowboy? After all if he was dangerous then Nicole wouldn't have brought him here.

"Okay," Bethany gave in. "Sure, you can come with me."

Andrew let out a whoop of happiness and quickly ran around the car and jumped in. Bethany took a moment to hope and pray that she wasn't making a mistake and then got in the car.