face warmed and Libby cleared her throat, stilling the urge to run. She doubted the trees sent her here to find another man attractive, but she wouldn’t be female and not be affected by him when he appeared so handsome, like some rugged horseman modeling men’s cologne.
She got a whiff of her own perfume, eau de horse , looked down, and groaned. Her blouse and jeans were covered in sweat and grime and her once clean boots had clumps of manure around the soles. There was no avoiding it with this many horses. Here she was, staring into the eyes of one of the most striking males on the planet, and she just happened to look worse than usual. Of course, none of that should matter because he assumed she was a boy. Not to mention Libby was an engaged woman.
It would certainly be nice if the trees helped her figure out what to do about Dave. Yet, having bigger issues to deal with at the moment than the purpose of her time travel, she followed Colin out the door.
He easily emptied the barrow and offered it back to her. Unfortunately, he also offered that thousand-watt smile that kept doing funny things to her insides whenever she saw it.
Averting her gaze, Libby tried hard not to gush as he walked away. The man would definitely be a heartthrob in her day. Too bad he’s here in the past, she thought, veering the now easier conveyance back to the stall where Nathan waited. But then it really didn’t matter. She wasn’t the type to draw the attention of men like that. Not that she even wanted to.
She hadn’t dated much in high school, too busy spending time with her horses. In college, she had little interest in dating and had never had a serious relationship until Dave. Her thoughts flew back to when they’d first met and a smile broke free. He’d been so romantic. The memory of their courtship resurfaced and she remembered why she fell in love with him. A rush of homesickness pulsed through her and a thought struck. Maybe this trip into the past was meant to make her aware of what was important in relationships. Dave had some wonderful qualities and she really did love him. Maybe her answer lay in communicating her feelings better.
Libby grabbed the pitchfork, barely able to lift it, and prayed for it to be so. Then wishing would take her home.
~
As Libby guided the bulky wheelbarrow back inside, Colin wondered about those few instances earlier in the day when he would walk past the boy, offering a quick glance, only to catch him staring. Each time their gazes had locked, he’d felt a tug—a connection. Even more peculiar, there was something about the lad that brought out his protective instinct. The same instinct he felt for each of his three children, who were all under the age of five.
Colin shrugged the thoughts off when out of the corner of his eye he saw Gus leading Zeus and turned in his manager’s direction.
The stallion’s ears perked up and his head bobbed as he drew near. “How’d he do today?”
Gus grinned, halting the horse. “Two seconds faster than yesterday, so I’d say he’s coming along nicely.”
“I wish Abby was here to see him run,” Colin said, rubbing his long nose. His wife had died in childbirth nine months earlier. That sad burden only added to his guilt of bringing Abigail to Kentucky, far away from her beloved Virginia. As a result, her last years had been miserable. “Maybe then she’d finally understand why this land is so important.”
“She missed her home, Colin. Some people just aren’t of a mind to leave those they love.”
He eyed Gus. “You and Berta did.” As immigrants, they’d traveled much farther, all the way from Norway. At least Abby had been able to visit her family now and again. Unlike Gus and Berta. Besides, it wasn’t as if she hadn’t known about his plans to leave Virginia before they married.
His friend nodded. “ Ja , but my wife wanted the opportunity America offered as much as I did.”
And Berta loves you, he thought wistfully. His
She got a whiff of her own perfume, eau de horse , looked down, and groaned. Her blouse and jeans were covered in sweat and grime and her once clean boots had clumps of manure around the soles. There was no avoiding it with this many horses. Here she was, staring into the eyes of one of the most striking males on the planet, and she just happened to look worse than usual. Of course, none of that should matter because he assumed she was a boy. Not to mention Libby was an engaged woman.
It would certainly be nice if the trees helped her figure out what to do about Dave. Yet, having bigger issues to deal with at the moment than the purpose of her time travel, she followed Colin out the door.
He easily emptied the barrow and offered it back to her. Unfortunately, he also offered that thousand-watt smile that kept doing funny things to her insides whenever she saw it.
Averting her gaze, Libby tried hard not to gush as he walked away. The man would definitely be a heartthrob in her day. Too bad he’s here in the past, she thought, veering the now easier conveyance back to the stall where Nathan waited. But then it really didn’t matter. She wasn’t the type to draw the attention of men like that. Not that she even wanted to.
She hadn’t dated much in high school, too busy spending time with her horses. In college, she had little interest in dating and had never had a serious relationship until Dave. Her thoughts flew back to when they’d first met and a smile broke free. He’d been so romantic. The memory of their courtship resurfaced and she remembered why she fell in love with him. A rush of homesickness pulsed through her and a thought struck. Maybe this trip into the past was meant to make her aware of what was important in relationships. Dave had some wonderful qualities and she really did love him. Maybe her answer lay in communicating her feelings better.
Libby grabbed the pitchfork, barely able to lift it, and prayed for it to be so. Then wishing would take her home.
~
As Libby guided the bulky wheelbarrow back inside, Colin wondered about those few instances earlier in the day when he would walk past the boy, offering a quick glance, only to catch him staring. Each time their gazes had locked, he’d felt a tug—a connection. Even more peculiar, there was something about the lad that brought out his protective instinct. The same instinct he felt for each of his three children, who were all under the age of five.
Colin shrugged the thoughts off when out of the corner of his eye he saw Gus leading Zeus and turned in his manager’s direction.
The stallion’s ears perked up and his head bobbed as he drew near. “How’d he do today?”
Gus grinned, halting the horse. “Two seconds faster than yesterday, so I’d say he’s coming along nicely.”
“I wish Abby was here to see him run,” Colin said, rubbing his long nose. His wife had died in childbirth nine months earlier. That sad burden only added to his guilt of bringing Abigail to Kentucky, far away from her beloved Virginia. As a result, her last years had been miserable. “Maybe then she’d finally understand why this land is so important.”
“She missed her home, Colin. Some people just aren’t of a mind to leave those they love.”
He eyed Gus. “You and Berta did.” As immigrants, they’d traveled much farther, all the way from Norway. At least Abby had been able to visit her family now and again. Unlike Gus and Berta. Besides, it wasn’t as if she hadn’t known about his plans to leave Virginia before they married.
His friend nodded. “ Ja , but my wife wanted the opportunity America offered as much as I did.”
And Berta loves you, he thought wistfully. His
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