A few days later, the medicine man gave Andie the ok to go back to her regular activities. There had been another bad storm. Adam and Andie were checking on the water level of the river. They wanted to make sure that it wasn't in danger of flooding. The house was up a hill away from the river but the tribe was pretty close to it. Tim wanted to start building another barn but they had to get more lumber. And he wanted to check on Rob and Kelsey. She should've had her baby by now. Andie wanted to go to see the baby. Tim wasn't sure if it would be a good idea for her to go into town.
"I'm not going to be kept a prisoner, Tim. I'm not afraid of a Chris anymore. I refuse to let fear run my life," she argued.
He sighed. "Ok. But we will take the wagon to bring the lumber back. I'll see if any of the men want to go." He was still worried after the few attempts on her life. Adam, Avi, Chance and Sami would accompany them into town. Adam didn't want her going without him. She just mentally rolled her eyes. She was a big girl, after all.
When they made it to town, Tim stopped at Rob's first. Rob took them to see Kelsey and their new little girl, Lydia. Andie would visit with Kelsey while Tim got the lumber. She didn't really want to run into any of the townspeople, anyway. She sat down near Kelsey and held the little girl. Adam and Tim noticed the look of wistfulness in her eyes even though she tried to hide it. Adam promised not to be gone very long. Kelsey watched her as she cooed at the baby. She felt bad that Andie couldn't have children after what had happened to her.
"So how is married life with that handsome man? I love the rings, by the way. They are very beautiful." Kelsey asked.
"It's been great. You know that I never planned on being involved with anyone again after Joel, but there is just something about Adam. He doesn't mind me being older. He accepts my flaws and handles my stubbornness well. He does get a little over protective like Tim sometimes, but I can live with that. To be perfectly honest, it feels good to be loved again."
"I was so happy when I heard the news. You deserve happiness, Andie. Don't let anyone say that you don't. I've heard what people say and it's wrong. Your pa would be proud of both you and Tim."
"I only wish that I could give Adam a child. I bet he would make a great father. Sometimes I wonder if that bothers him. I never got the chance to find out if I would've been a good mother. I guess, in a way, I'm like a mom to everyone at the ranch since I'm so much older. I even put Tim over my knee a couple of weeks ago."
"You did? I would've loved to have seen that. I probably would have laughed so hard." Kelsey laughed trying to imagine it.
Andie laughed at the memory. "It was funny. Jenika pushed him down to help get him over my knee. The look on his face was priceless. I even threatened to do that to Austin." Soon the men came back to get her and she handed the Now sleeping baby back to Kelsey. "You and Rob need to come visit sometime. We can have a cook out in the spring." Kelsey said she would love that.
As they were loading up into the wagon, Chris was watching from a window at the saloon. He had hired someone to set fire to the barn but not to kill her. He wanted that pleasure. After he was done with her. He had killed the man for not following orders. He wasn't happy about seeing Adam with her. His baby brother was turning out to be a bigger thorn in his side than he thought. As he watched them drive off he thought to himself, soon Andie, we will finish this. But not until I destroy you again.
Adam rode his horse next to the wagon. He wondered if she was thinking about how she couldn't have kids. She had been a little quiet since leaving town. He was glad that they didn't have a run in with Chris. He was glad that Silverhawk had agree to move his village onto their land. It offered more protection for Andie. Sure, she could handle guns and knives great, but each attack had been sneakily done. He needed to teach her how to be more alert. To sense things the way an Indian does. His gut had been right the day of the fire. Andie had said that if his gut told him something again, she would listen. He pretended to be shocked when she told him that, causing her to smack him in the butt. When he told her to do that again, it only led to something else. He let his mind roam. It still amazed him that she was fifty. A very sexy fifty year old. She didn't look her age at all. She worked hard and it kept her fit. He also was pleasantly surprised at how wild she always was behind closed doors. He didn't know how most women her age were, but her passionate side rivaled that of a women half her age. Maybe it was because of all the years she spent alone. Twenty years without a man would be hard for any woman. He also knew that in some states, women were told that sex was only a duty for having a child, not something to enjoy. He also knew of men that didn't even try to give a woman pleasure. Only took care of their own needs. He never was like that. His adopted parents had taught him that loving your mate makes everything so much better. They were definitely right. He cared about his first wife, had loved her but not the way he loved Andie. It was more like a friend type of love and mutual respect. His thoughts were interrupted when they had arrived home. Andie stopped the wagon and unhitched the horses. Austin came outside and helped unload the wagon. Tim decided that the would start on the barn the next day. Everyone was hungry. Oleana and Jenika made a late lunch for them. Andie was starting to get a small headache. The medicine man said that was natural. That she might get headaches more often than she used to but not to worry. She went inside to get some aspirin. Adam watched her with concern. She was still being a little quiet. After eating sandwiches for lunch, Andie said that she was going to exercise her horse. She hadn't ridden Midnight Star since before the fire. Nobody thought anything about it. She liked to ride her horse often.
Adam watched her mount her horse and ride towards the river. There was definitely something bothering her, he could tell. He had a feeling that it had something to do with visiting Kelsey. Tim was the only other person to notice her behavior. He knew how it ate up at her that she couldn't have kids. How it made her feel less of a woman even though that wasn't true. Nothing he said had made her feel better. This was something she had to deal with on her own. Maybe Adam would help her to see that she wasn't less of a woman. Tim watched as Adam decided to ride out after her. He went in search of his woman and instead found his cousin in a compromising position with Avi.
"Ahem, what do we have here? Why are you sitting on Avi's lap, little cousin?" Tim just smirked at the two. He knew that they were attracted to each other. He just hoped Avi would be careful with Kirstie. She had never been with a man before. He wasn't sure if Avi knew that or not. Kirstie blushed at Tim's teasing. She and Avi had gotten to know each other well in the last couple of weeks. He was always coming to check on her more and more. He always walked her to her room. Of course, his was right across the hall. She had been thinking more and more about going to visit him in his room sometime, but she was nervous about it. She needed to talk to Andie soon.
Adam found Andie sitting under a tree by the river, crying. He dismounted his horse and quietly sat down beside her. She quickly wiped her face, not wanting him to see how much it bothered her that she couldn't give him a child.
"Did that visit in town bother you, sweetheart?"
"No, it just made me think is all. Are you sure that you don't want someone who can give you a child? I'm never going to be able to do that for you. Maybe you need a real woman that can give you that." Her eyes started to fill with tears and she looked down.
Adam lifted her head so that she was looking at him. "I don't think any less of you. I told you that it is ok. I know why you can't. It is no fault of yours. Someone took that from you. Look at me, Andie. I'm almost 39. There are children out there that don't have any parents. If it would make you happy, we could find one of those. I love you, whether or not we have children. The most important thing for you to realize is that you are the only woman for me." He lifts up her left hand with her wedding ring on it. "Remember what this ring symbolizes. It represents us, always together. Our souls are meant to be together." He gave her a tender kiss and wiped away her tears. She just held onto him as if her like depended on it. How did he always know what to say to her? Was she really that easy to read? She loved Adam with all her heart. She also didn't want to hold him back from living a full life. He only wanted a life with her and that shocked her for some reason. She would spend the rest of her life trying to make him happy.
Adam helped her off the ground and onto her horse. They continued to ride around for awhile. The air after a storm always smelt good to Andie. She was looking forward to spring. They discussed Avi and Kirstie. Adam was surprised when Andie confessed to why she put them in rooms across from each other. She, like Adam, had felt that Avi needed someone to care for him and Andie felt that her cousin was just that person. Kirstie had that famous Foust stubbornness in her. Adam only shook his head and smiled. If Kirstie was anything like Andie, Avi was as good as gone. Just like Adam was when it came to Andie. He couldn't wait to see how his friend would handle the little whirlwind. That is what Adam liked to call her. She was so full of energy and life, just like his little fire goddess. Andie had confessed to Adam that Kirstie was innocent to the ways of men. He relayed that to Avi. He knew Avi cared for the young woman already by the way he handled her. He wasn't trying to force any moves on her to scare her off. He hoped that his friend would find the love and happiness that he had. If he does, the wait will have been worth it. Adam would go through anything for Andie. She was definitely worth it. They decided to race their horses home, ending in a tie.
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Second Chances
FanfictionA female rancher seeks vengeance against the man who killed her husband. An Indian brave seeks the brother who traded him to the Indians and killed his wife and child. Will the two find love as they join forces to get their mutual enemy?
