Tessa washed up in the bathroom while Will did the same in the kitchen. They met in the hall and Will guided her to the den, where the faint hum of voices could be heard. Seated around the roomy living space were the three Bruntman's and Tessa's mother. The t.v. was on but only the children were watching it. Tessa and Will moved into the room and seated themselves on the loveseat as it was the only seating available.

"Ah, did you two enjoy the ride?" Merri asked innocently, her eyes overly wide, but Will knew that she was getting a kick out of his discomfort.

"Yeah, it was wonderful!" Tessa filled in smoothly. Will threw her a grateful smile but she never looked at him. "Will took me to Lover's Field. . ." Tessa heard the words come out and knew that they shouldn't sound the way that they did. She grew flustered and her cheeks glowed red.

"Ohhh, isn't it beautiful?" Shelley breathed. She rolled her eyes and her hands clasped as if in prayer. "Lenny asked me to go-" but the girl stopped, her eyes shifting to her mother.

"Lenny and Shelly sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G," teased Mark, sticking his tongue out at his sister.

"Shut up you or I'll tell Mom about how you're sweet on the Pheitmil girl the next ranch over," the girl threatened.

Mark's eyes bulged and his lips clamped shut. Tessa and Will watched this in hidden amusement, not wanting the siblings to see their pleasure.

Tessa cleared her throat and Mark and Shelley's attention shifted. "You're right, it's very beautiful! I've never seen anything like that in the city. I'm very grateful to you're hand here for showing it to me." Tessa glanced at Will and was surprised to see the heat in his eyes. All of a sudden, Will rose and left the room.

Tessa's eyes followed him out of the room and when she turned back to the kids Shelley had a soft smile on her face. The girl got up and sat next to Tessa on the couch, bringing her mouth close to the guest's ear.

"I think he's sweet on you, Tessa," she whispered. Tessa jerked away and Shelley solemnly nodded her head.

She's serious, Tessa thought.

"What makes you say that?" Tessa said just as quietly, not wanting the older women to hear her.

Shelley smiled and liked the new importance placed on her. "He's had girls crawling all over him since Amy-" Shelley pulled herself up short and bit her lip, thinking she had let a secret slip. "We're not supposed to speak of her," she said with a bowed head.

Tessa placed an encouraging hand on her cousin's shoulder. "It's okay, he already told me about her."

Shelley's eyes became wide with shock. "He told you about Amy?! Wow, he must really like you." The girl shook her head in wonder and then continued. "Well, ever since she passed, Will's never had a lack of girl's that would go out with him. They practically drool when they see him. But he talks to you and today he even took you out riding; he's never done that before. When ever I ask him he always says that he prefers to ride alone." The last was somewhat bitter and Tessa tried to sooth the girl.

"He probably is just being nice to me because I'm a guest and he feels obligated-" Tessa stopped. Shelley was looking over Tessa's shoulder and her mouth fell open. Tessa turned her head and looked directly at Will. He left the room again. "Oh boy, what have I done now? Shelley, will you excuse me for a moment?" Tessa left the room, Merri and her mother eyeing her quizzically as she did so.

The area outside of the ranch was empty and Tessa ducked back into the house, trying to figure out where Will would go. She started knocking on doors as she made her way down the hall. A gruff 'Who is it?' greeted her when she reached one around the corner from her own room.

"May I come in?" she asked tentatively. From the other side of the door she heard the bed springs shift and then the click of boots as they made their way to the door. The door jerked open and Will stood before her. She didn't look at him.

"What do you want?" he demanded.

"I want to come in." Tessa glanced at his face and his eyes flinched away from hers but for all of his reluctance he moved from the doorway.

"Thanks," she said as she stepped past him into the room.

The room was comfortable. A large bed set in the corner with a dresser beside its head. There was no chair so she sat, folding her legs beneath her and sinking gracefully onto the wooden floor. Will perched on the edge of his bed, his elbows resting on his knees.

Tessa continued to glance around the room. A picture on the dresser caught her eye. A beautiful girl sat on the rail of a corral, Will's arm resting easily across her shoulders. Tessa couldn't believe the resemblance between herself and the girl in the photo. The girl could be only one person.

Will was about to dress Tessa down for coming in and then doing nothing but then she spoke.

"She's beautiful," Tessa murmured.

Will glanced at the picture and his face softened. "Yes, she was."

Tessa looked him in the eye and saw the pain that he carried around with him and then some. She knew she had hurt him by what she had said to Shelley.

"I didn't mean anything by what I said to my cousin. She was just saying that you-"

"Felt obliged to be nice to you?" he questioned. "Why would I feel any such way? That's not my responsibility, to feel the need to make you comfortable; I just work here."

"Yes I know, but she was saying that-"

"I haven't talked to a girl since. . . since Amy died. Not really talked. And then today I finally find someone to talk to and you think I'm just being obliging." He was bristling.

"Listen! Shelley was telling me that she thinks that you-"

He cut her off again. "How could you possibly believe that what I told you today was out of obligation?" Tessa saw the ever-present pain increase.

"Shelley was telling me how she felt that you-" Will tried to cut in again but Tessa talked over him. "Liked me."

Will's mouth closed with a tooth crunching snap. "It's about time that you shut up," Tessa commented easily.

"The reason that I told her that you were probably just being nice was because that's a ridiculous idea and I wanted to stop her young mind from creating stories." Will's face had become stone and Tessa's stomach flip-flopped. "It is just a ridiculous idea, isn't it?"

Her eyes met his and they locked. Tessa breathed in sharply. "Oh my gosh," she breathed.

"Why is it so ridiculous that I should fall for you, Tessa Aumlin?" he asked quietly. "Amy was the first and I though that she going to be the last, but then you came and I felt the stirrings of that same feeling again. It feels right," he said, his jaw firm and his face resolved.

"I don't want you to like me because I remind you Amy. I'm not Amy," Tessa replied stiffly. She tore her eyes from Will's and looked anywhere but at him.

Will released an explosive sigh. "You remind me of Amy, yes, but I like you because of what I've seen of you. You're bright, witty, considerate, and very beautiful."

Tessa's closed her eyes. "You've only known me for an afternoon," she argued.

"Why are you trying to convince me that I don't feel what I do. I'm not saying that you have to share my feelings-"

"But I do," Tessa declared.

Will sat, unmoving. Then he got up from the bed and kneeled before the girl. "What did you say?"

"I said that I do, feel the same way."

Will lifted Tessa's face with his hand beneath her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Good." Then he leaned forward an placed a sweet kiss on her forehead.

He stood and helped Tessa to her feet. He pulled the door open and gestured for her to precede him through. They walked down the hall side by side but when Will turned into the den Tessa continued out the door and out of the house.

Will stood in the doorway of the living room, undecided about whether to follow her or let her sort everything out. Finally he sat beside Shelley on the couch and fixed his attention on the t.v.

The girl at his side was uncommonly quiet. "What's wrong, Shelley?" he asked.

The young girl looked up at him and tears sat on her lashes. "I made you and Tessa mad at each other."

Will smiled and tried to allay Shelley's fear. "No, no you didn't. She's just going outside to get some fresh air. You didn't do anything wrong. Don't worry."

"Are you sure?" she asked dubiously.

With a nod of his head, Will set her mind at ease and she smiled, going back to her program on the television screen with a light heart. Will sat there, thinking that he would soon hear the door open but it never did.

Tessa left the house and headed to the barn. Once inside the large doors she stepped quickly to Summer's Hue's stall and slipped into the box. The mare tweaked her ears but settled in front of Tessa where she sat in the corner against the wall. Summer whuffed as she settled into the hay and pushed her nose into Tessa's stomach.

A laugh left her lips and she stroked the mare's face until her lower lip was trembling with pleasure. The girl and horse communicated without words and a feeling of fulfillment washed over the girl.

"You have it so easy," she murmured under her breath. Summer flicked her ears and lipped Tessa's shirt. A pale hand drifted over the broad face and traced patterns along the mare's barrel. The warmth and the familiar smell of horse and hay released Tessa's tension and soon her head was nodding with sleep. Her body folded until her head was resting on Summer's back. The girl was awake long enough to feel the equine head and neck wrap around her body the way a mother does to a foal, but then the heaviness of sleep closed her eyes and stole awareness.

The sun worked its way further down and soon only its rays shone above the mountain peaks. Darkness crept over the land and shadows grew long and distorted. Nocturnal bird song could be heard echoing off the hill sides until the night swallowed them in its endlessness. The Colorado breeze carried the bite of high snow and windows were closed to keep it at bay. The first stars peeked from their velvet pockets, though the moon would be late to rise this evening.

Inside the Bruntman home, lights were flickering into life to battle the dark and the bustle of dinner preparation stirred up its residents.

"Merri, what's on the menu for this evening?" Kelly asked as she cleared the counter of dishes and crumbs.

"Well, I was thinking that we could make that wonderful meatloaf that you're famous for. I bought all the ingredients in hopes that you would indulge us just this once, since I know that you hate to cook," her sister said with a smile. "Then while we're eating I'm going to set an apple cobbler cooking for dessert."

"Yeah!!" squealed Shelley. As all eyes turned on her, though, her cheeks grew bright and she looked abashed. "Sorry, Mom."

Merri laughed and pulled her oldest to her chest. "Honey, there's nothing to be sorry for. It's been long enough that this house has kept all life suffocated. Go on and be happy." And she gave her daughter a little pat on the head and released her.

The girl's eyes shone and she laughed gaily. "How long will you stay, Aunt Kelly?" she inquired.

The woman turned to her niece. "As long as you'll have us. I'm in no rush to get home-" Her eyes misted over. "Besides, all my work can be done through the computer so long as I have a phone jack."

"Wow! You don't even have to go to work! That's cool!" exclaimed Mark. "That's what I wanna do!" He settled into a chair at the kitchen table until Shelley shooed him off.

"She still has to work, woolhead. She just does it through the computer." The girl ruffled her brother's hair and ran from the kitchen, knowing pursuit would be close behind.

"You kids don't get all worked up now! Dinner will be done right soon!" Merri yelled after them. She turned to her sister and smiled. "I can't wait til they get old enough to be trusted alone with each other!" She sighed and began to put the meat loaf together.

 "Oh, you'll miss it! I do, even though it was only Tess doing the running around. Sometimes I regret stopping at one, leaving her an only child." She glanced at her sister, taking in the glow that suffused her face. "You know you love it," Kelly stated bluntly with a grin. "If they grew up over night, you'd be bored out of your mind. Tessa's gone so much with her friend's that sometimes I forget that I even have a daughter," she said ruefully.

Merri sighed again. "Yeah, they'll grow up too fast and I'll find myself wishing that they were young again. I couldn't have made it without them, you know," she finished in a whisper.

"Ohh, Mer! I know, I know." Kelly held her sister like she had when their mother had died so many years ago, giving each other comfort and support. Kelly stroked the soft brown hair and made soothing sounds until the younger woman could collect herself enough to continue.

"They were my beacon in the night," Merri stated simply. "Still are." She glanced at Kelly and her face lost its sorrow. "I can't begin to show my gratitude for your dropping everything to come out here and help. My family hasn't been this happy for weeks. This afternoon at lunch was the first time that Shelley and Mark have acted normal since the accident. And Tessa-" Merri broke off.

"Tessa is so beautiful! She looks more like Mother every time I see her. I'm glad that you brought her, Kelly. Her youth and vigor was something that this place needed." She paused and craned her head around to look through the kitchen door and down the hall. Will was still sitting on the couch but now he was disinterestedly flipping through a magazine.

Merri turned her attention back to her sister. "Has anyone told you about Will and Amy?" she asked in a softened voice. When Kelly shook her head, Merri placed the meatloaf in the oven and went to the kitchen table. Kelly sat next to her and when both were comfortable Merri continued.

"Do you remember when Will first came to us?" Merri asked.

"Vaguely, but I don't remember the circumstances." Kelly only remembered that he had contacted her sister and that had been two or three years ago.

"Well, his mother had died and his stepfather, with whom he'd never had a strong relationship, basically told him to get out. He was only fifteen, with a couple months to go until his birthday. He'd come to our camp as a very little boy but he remembered and hitch-hiked his way out here from farther up north.

"He knocked on our door early one morning and when Kent saw who it was and Will had told us what happened we took him under our wing. He has a good horse sense and was learning real well from Kent. My husband once told me that he was going to let Will run the ranch when he retired." Merri closed her eyes to stop the tears and Kelly remained silent until it had passed.

"When Will had been here a little under a year, Amy Stoorle applied for a job to work with the kids. She was the farthest thing from a horseman but the way she handled kids-" Merri smiled in remembrance. "She was wonderful! And all the kids loved her, including our young Will. He never had a chance," Merri chuckled.

"They fell in love as young kids do but after a year he proposed to her. He was still only seventeen but his birthday was three weeks away, hers, nine days.

"Then, three days before she turned eighteen she was sideswiped by an eighteen wheeler and she was killed instantly. Will was crushed and he barely made it through each day. I tried to get him to go to town more so he could maybe meet somebody but he'd either come back after only a few minutes or he wouldn't go at all. He could've found somebody too, but some of him died when Amy did.

"Then when he heard that you two were coming out, he seemed to come alive again. He volunteered to meet you at the airport; I had planned to go. And today was the first time that he's taken somebody out with him riding since before we hired Amy. He usually prefers to go alone. " Merri studied Kelly's face, peering deep into her sister's older eyes.

"I think he's falling in love with her, Kelly. The way that he looks at her is the same way that he used to look at Amy. Tessa's given him some part of his soul back and I don't know if she realizes it. Kelly, does Tessa have a boyfriend back at home?"

Kelly Aumlin glanced at her sister and then out the kitchen door towards where Will was sitting in the den. "Merri, I haven't the faintest. Sometimes she tells me but. . . The last one that I know of was a few months ago but she broke it off with him, or so she told me." Kelly looked back at Merri.

"From what I've seen though, I think she likes him," Kelly said, with a slight nod of her head. "She flirts enough," the Aumlin woman laughed. Then she snorted as a thought struck her. "Tessa enjoys Will's attention, I can tell you that, or she would pull her "I'm taken and you couldn't have me even if I wasn't." And let me tell you, she's very good at it." Kelly smoothed her brow and sighed.

"But Mer, does he love her or is it just because she may remind him of Amy?"

Merrilin's eyes grew troubled. "Tessa sure does look like Amy. When I first saw her this morning it threw me. I can only imagine what Will must've thought last night," Merri finished softly.

The two women were silent for a moment and then their eyes caught. Kelly smiled and a laugh built in her throat. It burst from her mouth and Merri looked at her for a second before joining in.

"I can't believe that we're-"

"You'd think that we we're a dating agency-"

"What would they think if they heard-"

"Their ears must be ringing-"

The sisters laughed until words were impossible and breathing almost that. Their wheezing attracted Will's attention and he walked to the kitchen to investigate. When he peeked his head around the doorjamb, the laughter was swallowed and tears wiped off cheeks.

"Hello, Will."

"Hello, Mr. Henkley."

Kelly and Merri looked at each other and the laughter filled the kitchen once more. Will stood in the doorway, looking at the two women as if they had lost a little more than their youth. "Is everything all right in here?" he asked slowly.

"Umhmmm," answered Merri and Kelly just nodded her head. The two sisters reminded the young man of two school girls who had just learned a great secret. He eyed the women a moment longer and then made as if to leave.

Two sets of eyes watched as he left the kitchen and then watched as he came back into the room. "Has Tessa come back inside yet?" he asked, knitting his brows together in consternation.

The merriment left both women and they looked at each other. Tessa wasn't in the house?

"We weren't aware that she had left. How long ago did she leave, Will?" Merri questioned.

The ranch hand shifted under the intensity of his employer's stare and regretted disturbing them with his baseless fears. The mood had changed from light to worried in a matter of seconds and he just wanted to leave.

"Will?"

He glanced at Tessa's mother and then lied. "Oh, it was only a few minutes ago and she's probably just outside. She said something about looking at the constellations. I was just wondering- I'll go get her," Will offered. He backed out of the room and exited the house, leaving Merri and Kelly sitting at the table wondering if they'd missed something.