My Best Friend's Heart (GirlxGirl)

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

        It took several months for the house to be built and another couple of months to get the livestock needed to make some profit. Their house was two stories and a wrap-around porch decorated the outside. The barn and stables were just a short walk away.

        Luke's small cabin was a fifteen minute drive away because he claimed to want privacy but they knew it was because he wanted to stay away from Caleb. Kathryn and Natalie chose Caleb to be their lawyer.  

        Natalie and Kathryn settled into their new life, but not without struggles. It took a while to find ranch hands who would work for them and when they found one he told everyone else. Word spread that they were the respectful and worked the ranch as hard as the hands. They didn't care because working made them happy.  

        Luke sat on his horse watching over the cattle. He just put them in the corral when he heard a vehicle approach. He glanced over his shoulder and saw that it was Caleb's Chevy. He felt his muscles bunch up, getting tense. Caleb found it easier date now that working on the ranch as foreman built up his muscles. He was no longer that boy from a few months ago. He pulled his hat down over his face and moved his horse forward, pulling away from the fence toward the next pasture near the cows. He didn't see the look on Caleb's face.

        "Caleb. We weren't expecting you today. Why do we get to see such a handsome man on a sunny Monday morning?" 

        Caleb turned to look at Natalie. He grinned at her. He knew that her friendliness wasn't flirting because he could see how in love that her and Kathryn were. 

        "Well, pretty lady, I came to check up on them here weddin' plans, I reckon." 

        Natalie cackled at his impression. He was always one to make everybody laugh. She was happy that they became friends. It took her a while to warm up to him after Kathryn explained that they had dated in high school for a week. Kathryn explained it was like dating her brother. Natalie, after much agitation and provoking, agreed with Kathryn. It would be weird to date him. If she didn't have Kathryn and she were attracted to him, Natalie wouldn't jump at that eye candy because, no matter what Luke said, Luke still loved Caleb. 

        When Caleb pulled up, she saw that Luke noticed and she saw that he purposefully turned away. She also knew that Caleb saw it too. Despite her close friendship with Luke, she grew to have a friendship with Caleb.  

         Caleb's eyes gave his emotions away. She saw the pain that flashed through his eyest.  

        "Caleb. I know that you like-" 

        He stopped her with his hand. 

        "Please don't finish that sentence, Nat. It doesn't need to be said, okay? He hates me now and nothing will or could change that. Besides, you know as well as I do that he puts a new notch on his bedpost each night. He doesn't need me." 

        All she could do was watch helplessly. All she wanted was her friends to be happy. 

        "Now let's go inside and finish planning this wedding." 

        Caleb's eyes were filled with sadness but his smile showed his gratefulness at the change in conversation. They went inside and followed the hallway all the way back into the kitchen.  

        Their cook, Martha, was there roasting a chicken and mashing potatoes. She turned from the stove to see who was there and saw Caleb. With one glance, the matronly woman wiped her hands on her apron and walked over to give him a hug. Caleb held on like she was his lifeline. In many ways she was. Martha turned into the mother that Caleb never had and Natalie was glad for it.