Priceless

Chapter 20: Mourning

Thane found himself awake as the first rays of dawn peeked over the mountains. Despite the weekend and no rides to do or hikes to lead, his body stayed in the same routine.

That, and he couldn't keep his mind off Nessa or Kylie.

He hoped his friend would let someone in to help her grieve, but he had no way to understand or comprehend how she felt. So, he settled on prayer as his best course of action.

With Nessa, he'd reached the same conclusion. Her comment at dinner last night had stopped everyone in their tracks and it left him with one burning question: Did she want to stay? Had the past three weeks been enough to convince her that their relationship was worth pursuing?

In both circumstances, he needed to step back and let God work, but the anticipation put him on edge. He wanted resolution.

With a sigh he rolled from the bed, pulling on his jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt before heading downstairs. No reason to stay in bed if he wasn't going to sleep. He stopped in the kitchen long enough to brew a pot of coffee before heading out to check on the horses.

During the summer they rarely needed grain or extra hay because the pastures were planted and rotated to provide sufficient food. He studied the current pasture as he walked, making a mental note that it was time to rotate this weekend. He did a cursory inspection of the horses, walking through them to make sure no one looked ill or lame. Then he checked the water supply to make sure it was clean and adequate.

Satisfied that all was well in the horse world, he headed back for the house, his mind thinking about a hot cup of coffee. He hit the top of the porch stairs, stopping abruptly as he realized someone sat in the swing. He looked over to find Nessa watching him with a tired smile and a steaming cup of coffee in her hand.

"What are you doing up so early?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Couldn't sleep. My body thinks I should be out saddling horses."

Thane grinned. "Guess we've officially broken you in."

"Guess so," she agreed. Her eyes held his but silence fell between them, heavy with unasked questions. They needed to talk – about her past and the future.

"Mind if I grab a cup of coffee and join you on the swing?" he asked.

Her eyes moved from his to the side table and she nodded towards it. "I took care of the coffee and yes, you can join me on the swing."

He followed her gaze to find another mug waiting for him. He cocked his head in question, crossing the porch to pick it up.

"I saw you out checking on the horses. Figured I'd come out here and wait for you. Didn't think it would be nice to do so empty handed."

The mug emanated a comfortable warmth as he wrapped his hand around it. He took a few sips before moving to sit next to her on the swing.

She gave him another smile before looking past him to the sunrise. "I envy Reba her ability to sleep in and through anything. But I have to admit, I enjoy being up early to watch the sun rise and the world wake up."

"Well, then, I guess you're in the right place," he told her quietly.

Her eyes met his again and he could see the same turmoil in them that he felt in his heart. She hadn't forgotten last night's conversation either, yet neither one of them seemed to know how to start it again.

What do I say Lord, without sounding like a crazy fool? I don't want to scare her off, but I want to be honest.

After everything they'd been through the past three weeks and all the secrets that they'd kept, honesty felt like the best path. The only path if he had any chance at keeping her.