Second Chances

Chapter 2

      After everyone was ready, they all headed out to Silverhawk's village in the western area of Alexander Valley. Adam and Silverhawk were riding behind everyone else. Both were looking around because they felt like they were being watched but didn't see anyone. After awhile the feeling went away. Adam kept a watchful eye on Andie as she joked around with Tim and Austin. He laughed when Austin and Chance challenged her to a race to the village. Andie  laughed and accepted the challenge. All of a sudden everyone decided to race. Silverhawk  made it  first. Adam, Tim and Andie tied for second. Chance and Sami were a close third and fourth with everyone arriving after that. Adam wasn't expecting Andie to be such a great rider. She was laughing as she jumped down from her horse.  Upon hearing the riders, Silverhawk's wife, Ann, came out of her tepee. She had been Andie's best friend for years.  They hugged and Ann gave her a package.

     "What's this?" Andie asked.

     "A little gift. I know you don't like to remember what today is but I made you something special. Come inside my tepee for a minute."

     Adam watched as the two women went inside. He wondered what the big deal was about today. He thought that it was odd that she didn't have a man by her side like most women who were grown did. He saw Tim sitting over by the fire talking with his friends. He went to water his horse before joining everyone. After about twenty minutes Andie came out wearing a beautiful Indian dress with moccasins that her friend had made. It was a soft, light brown sleeveless dress made out of deer skin. It showed off her voluptuous curves perfectly. Adam could only stare. He felt his body react in a way that he wasn't prepared for. 

     Andie and Ann walked over to the little group sitting around the bonfire that had been started.    There was bottles of alcohol being passed around. Tim got up and told his sister how pretty she looked. As Andie was finding a seat near the women on one side of the fire, she walked right into Adam. He reached out to help steady her. They both felt a jolt of electricity at the brief touch. Both had wide eyes. Andie blushed as she apologized for bumping into him. Neither realized that they were being watched by Silverhawk and Tim. Tim looked over at Silverhawk with a raised eyebrow. He couldn't remember the last time he saw his sister blush. Silverhawk was watching the pair intently as Andie abruptly turned and walked over to where the women were sitting. He had to smirk at her confused expression. Adam continued to watch her for a minute before walking over to sit next to Tim on the other side of the bonfire. He had a few questions he wanted answers to.

      "Why is your sister without a man of her own? It is unusual for a woman to be alone out here in this country," he asked.

      Tim wondered how much he should tell Adam about his sister. He decided to tell him everything to see what his reaction would be. 

      "She was married once, as Silverhawk stated earlier. Twenty years ago today. It is also her birthday and would've been his. It's also the day he was murdered twenty years ago. There hasn't been anyone since. She thinks of herself as an old lady and had her one shot at happiness. Before you ask, she turns fifty today. Those are also the reasons she hates this day. Silverhawk and Ann are the only ones that can get away with doing anything for her on her birthday."

     Adam couldn't believe that she was that age. She really didn't look older than him. It didn't bother him at all. He was a little confused at what he felt during the brief moment they touched. He knew she felt it, too, but had a feeling she was going to fight it after what Tim had said.

    "Wow, I never would've thought she wasn't still in her thirties. I still don't understand why she's alone, though."

     Tim looked at him, a little surprised that he wasn't bothered by her age like others were. Maybe that's why he and Andie liked being around Silverhawk's people instead of most other people. They were accepted for who they were, not what people expected them to be. He noticed Adam kept glancing over at Andie and hid his smile. He saw Silverhawk watching them and gave him a slight nod with a small smile. Tim thought he might tell him more information to see how the young brave would react. Other reasons why the white men didn't want her.

     "It's hard for her sometimes. Men don't want anything to do with her because after Joel was killed, Chris had raped and beat her. The bastard than took a whip to her. She has many scars on her back. The white men see her as damaged goods."

      "Then your people are fools. With us, surviving something like that proves how strong you are," Adam stated as he stared at her with a new sense of respect after learning what she had gone through. He never understood how the white people treated their own when it came to things like this that clearly weren't her fault. Sure, he was technically a white man, but living with the Indians for years, he felt and saw things the way they did. He wouldn't go back to that way of living ever.

     Tim started to respect Adam after that remark. He decided right then that Adam was what his sister needed. Now to come up with a plan to get them together. He also noticed Andie glancing over at them with a frown. He smiled at her to let her know that everything was fine. He watched as she let her gaze roam over Adam and had to silently laugh at her. She didn't know how to be very subtle. It had been years since she had even glanced at another man. He looked over at Silverhawk who had a huge grin as he was just watching the two. They needed to talk soon and come up with a plan.

     Adam felt eyes on him and looked up to meet the dark blue gaze of Andie. Their eyes locked for a minute. The air seemed to sizzle around him as they held each other's gaze. For a second, he felt like he couldn't breathe. What in the hell was going on, he thought. Damn, she was an attractive woman for her age.  It really didn't bother him. If he were being completely honest with himself, he found it a turn on. He had to mentally kick himself when he realized Tim was saying something. He felt stupid asking him to repeat what he had said.

      "I said that she doesn't like it when men treat her like she is helpless. Or overbearing." Tim couldn't help but grin when he noticed that Adam was distracted by the pair of blue eyes on the other side of the fire. It was obvious that Adam had an attraction to his sister. He had noticed the little staring contest that they seemed to be in for a few minutes.He also knew his sister would fight it before giving in. He was positive that Adam would be the one to get through her walls. He couldn't wait to see how this would play out. Andie needed someone who would accept her for the way she was. The men in town looked down at her because of what happened. Once in awhile some of the tribe members would flirt with her but she always laughed it off. While they had known Silverhawk's tribe for years, she only felt a friendship for the young braves. Would she use her age as a shield with Adam? She would probably try. For some strange reason, Tim didn't think that Adam would let that stop him. He glanced at Adam again. The man was once again watching Andie as she sat on the other side of the bonfire. He also caught the quick glances that she kept trying to sneak at Adam. Hmmm. She never acted like this. Tim took this as a positive sign. Maybe, just maybe, Andie was ready to move on.