The Unbound Horizon

Colton

Weeks had gone by, and no one had seen or even heard anything that had happened with Mason, but even so for precautionary measures Evelyn had someone by her side 24/7 which drove her insane.

This morning was no different than the weeks than the weeks before, just like he had every morning Colton got up and instead of walking directly to the barn he walked to the main house to wait for Evelyn, and then the two of them would walk to the barn together. Colton enjoyed their walks to the barn, it was apparent that she no longer hated him, which was encouraging. The only thing he worried about now, was how much he was falling for this girl. This girl who had hated him, pulled a gun on him, but she wasn't that girl anymore, she was tough, harsh and rash when she needed to be, but there was another side of her, this happy, free spirited, kind, woman who laughed and knew how to do what he thought just about anything. 

Colton found himself struggling with little things, like trying not to touch her any chance he got, or be over complimentary. As much as he wanted to tell her everything he felt about her, he wasn't convinced that she felt the same way, so he kept it all inside, waiting for the right time. 

Evelyn over the past couple of weeks had really looked forward to times that she spent with Colton. She hated being followed around by her family to make sure that she stayed safe, it made her feel wimpy and useless, but knew that for the time being it was necessary. But whenever Colton was looking out for her it was different, her family always for some reason stayed so serious, it was almost hard to talk to them, because they took their job so seriously. Colton was not the same, he would talk to her and listen to her like she was a actual human being and he made her laugh, which she realized she hadn't done it what seemed like years. He helped make all of the horrible things that had happened in the previous years fade away. They were still there of course, but when Colton was around it seemed like they were further from mind. She had begun to really like Colton, and now understood why her father and brothers liked him so much, now that she had let down her guard around him, she saw, the funny, nice, heroic, but a little to cocky man that her family admired so much, and she started to admire him as well. 

As Colton waited outside the main house he felt himself getting anxious everyday he wondered if it was time to tell Evelyn how he felt, and everyday he had failed to do so. He had started pacing back and forth in front of the door going over what he wanted to say, and trying hard to talk himself into doing it and, even started talking out loud. 

"Just tell her!" He said out loud to himself.

"Tell me what?" 

Colton jerked around to see Evelyn in the doorway with a look of genuine confusion on her face. 

"Nothing" He sighed. 

"Really what is it? You can tell me" Evelyn said closing the door behind her.

"Well I don't need to tell you." Colton, said, trying frantically to come up with something, "It's something I need to talk to Emily about."

"Is it really that secretive? I can keep a secret." She urged him.

"Really it's not that important."

"You are so strange sometimes." Evelyn said, raising an eyebrow at him. "Well are you going to tell Ben? Whatever it is that your needing to tell Emily."

"Probably not." Colton put his hands in his pockets and looked down and began walking to the barn.

"Hey wait a second." Evelyn said, running to get in front of him, she turned around and she braced him, with her hand on his arms to make him stop. "What is going on with you? Your acting so strange? Is everything alright?"