Time Will Tell

Time Will Tell part 18

Libby watched Nathan cautiously make his way toward the frisky colt. Her thoughts were not on work, but on her time with Colin. A surge of pleasure shot throughout her system over his comment about falling in love. She couldn’t pretend it hadn’t affected her. The fact that her feelings matched his lifted a huge weight off her shoulders. Of course, she refused to listen to the loud clanging bells of her conscience. She had the rest of her life to deal with it, once she went home. Colin was in the here and now and she intended to take advantage of the situation while she could. She might never get another chance at experiencing the love he had to offer.

As Nathan worked to secure a bit with lead and halter on the young horse with a minimum of effort, Libby caught movement out of the corner of her eye and turned to see Gus walking in their direction.

“I did it.” Nathan’s shout was full of pride.

Libby laughed. “You sure did, kiddo.” She nodded to the other side of the pasture. “Now see if you can coax him to follow your lead.”

“You’ve done wonders with the boy,” Gus said, his gaze on his son. “He’s taking to his task as if he were made for it.”

“He is his father’s son,” Libby said, holding a hand over her eyes to block out the sunlight.

Silently, they watched Nathan work until Gus’s voice interrupted the quiet. “Colin tells me you’re not from around here.”

Libby looked up at him and, chewing on the bottom of her lip, thought about how to answer. Finally she shrugged. “Yeah, I guess you could say that. Do you think I’m crazy?”

“Hell, Libby, that’s an understatement.” Gus took off his hat and scratched his head. “This whole thing is crazy. But Colin believes it. That’s enough for me.” He stuck his hat back on his head and tugged it into place.

“I guess that’s something.” Scanning his expression closely, she asked, “Did he tell you everything?”

“You mean that you’re a girl?” At her nod, he added, “Berta told me. But that’s not what concerns me now.”

His tone alerted her. She lifted her chin an inch and met his gaze. “What concerns you now that you know the truth?”

“I fear the two of you will do something you’ll both regret. I know Colin cares for you. If you aren’t supposed to be here, I can’t help believing that this whole thing is wrong.”

“How so?” The yearling she’d been working with yanked his head to the side, trying to pull out of her reach. “Easy, boy,” Libby cooed, grabbing the reins and holding tight until the horse calmed. Colin only wanted to spend time with her. How could that be wrong? She glanced back at Gus and stated with more confidence than she possessed, “I know what I’m doing.” Wrong or not, she wasn’t blind to the consequences.

“Do you?” He stroked the horse while the animal was getting used to the bit in his mouth. “Somehow, I don’t think either of you know.”

“Everything in life has consequences. Surely the two of us spending time together isn’t hurting anyone,” Libby shot back, feeling slightly defensive.

“I’m worried is all.”

“Worried?” Hopefully, he didn’t think she was some kind of Jezebel coming to steal his master’s heart. The thought made her smile. “For me or for Colin?”

“For both of you.”

“Oh, come on.” Snorting and giving a good impression of dismissing his concern, she waved her hand. “Nothing’s going to happen. We’ll both work to keep things easy between us.”