After parting ways with Kana, I headed over the mountain towards Bluebell. Outside of town, I found Cam strolling by the river, as was usual on his days off. I dismounted and led Nimbus off the trail to where he stood waiting for me. I told him about the gifts and note I'd received from Ash, and noticed a little half-smile in the corner of his mouth. "I'm assuming you had your talk with him, then?" I asked.

"Yeah, I did. It... it was kind of ugly at first, but I think it's okay now. He really is crazy about you, even more than I'd realized. He hid it so well from everyone—including you, it seems. He hates himself for feeling that way, because he knows that... that I'm in love with you, too. So he's all torn up, because he's in love with the same woman as his best friend, and also because... well, because you haven't come to a decision about your own feelings. I guess he felt the whole situation was becoming... well, pretty intolerable, to him anyway. You know how he is about having everything just so. And I guess, like I said, something just snapped that morning when he saw you."

I gave him a stricken look, saying, "Cam, I'm so sorry. I don't mean... "

Cam put his arm around me and hugged me close, saying, "Hey, it's okay. Don't worry about it. I'm talking about Ash here, not me or anyone else. I don't mean to say I like it, having all these rivals popping up all the time and not knowing what the outcome will be. But I told you already, I'll wait for you to make up your mind in your own time, and I mean it. So you just take as long as you need. I don't know how the others feel, but I say that if anyone doesn't like it, they can throw in the towel and walk away. Right? No one's forcing them."

His arm slipped off my shoulders, and he grabbed my hand as we continued our walk. "Besides—and don't tell anyone this, okay? I think Laney has a crush on Ash. She'd heard us yelling at each other and was concerned afterwards, so I just told her we'd had a fight. Then a little later, I saw her in the kitchen, busily cooking up some of his favorite foods to take over to him. I think once he gets over you, he'll find Laney there waiting for him." He smiled at the thought.

I grinned, saying, "Now there's an idea! If I could just get everyone paired off, then I wouldn't have any more problems, right? So... Ash and Laney, huh? And Kana and Georgia seem like a pretty obvious match. I mean, they're both horse crazy!" Cam laughed, and I continued, saying "And though Hiro hasn't seemed especially interested (knock on wood!), I think he and Nori would be a perfect couple. Dirk... I don't know, Eileen maybe?" Cam laughed again at the idea of the youthful mailman paired off with the much more mature carpenter.

Then I gave him a mischievous look, saying, "I suppose I'd have to let Reina have you—she's a botanist, so you two should get along well."

Cam sobered up then, turning me to look me straight in the eye and saying, "No way. Sorry. Nothing against Reina—I hardly know her, though she seems nice. But you aren't going to get rid of me that easily, Alice."

I squeezed his hand, saying, "I'm sorry, Cam. You know I was just teasing."

We resumed our walk, and after a minute, Cam said, "And what about Mikhail? With whom would you pair him?"

I scowled, thinking of all the eligible women in the villages. "Hmmm, Mikhail... well, he's a problem...." I mused.

"You're telling me," Cam muttered, half under his breath.

I squeezed his hand, then said, "He can't really be part of this game, anyway, can he? I mean, he's only staying here temporarily as a musician-in-residence or a semi-sabbatical. He doesn't actually live in either village. He could pack up and leave whenever he wants, never to return."

"Maybe... but I don't think he'll be leaving any time soon," Cam replied with a sigh.

We finished our walk, then strolled into Bluebell together. I hadn't offered Cam a ride on Nimbus this time, knowing how he felt about horses, but to my surprise, this time he tentatively reached up to stroke her face while I was untying her to lead her along the path to town. Cam had always seemed at best uninterested in horses, and at worst even a little afraid of them. So his simple gesture made me happy, though I still refrained from suggesting a ride.

As we walked into town, I stopped at Grady's to leave Nimbus there, as I often did, and spotted Georgia in the pasture with the horses as usual. I waved to her, and she came over to say hi. She saw Cam, and said, "Oh, hey, Cam—say, I have some free time next Thursday. Do you want to go for a ride that day?"

I looked at her in astonishment, then turned to look at Cam, who had turned crimson. "Oh, ahh... maybe. I'll, umm, I'll talk to you later about that, okay Georgia? We need to go, right now!" And with that, he grabbed my hand and pulled me quickly away from there. I was completely baffled by his behavior, but I also felt like laughing, he looked so much like a child caught in the act of some mischief.

After a minute, we reached the plaza and he slowed his pace, then he stopped and looked at me, still flushed bright red. "So... you want to go riding? With Georgia?" I asked.

"It... it's not how it looks!" he protested, flushing even more red.

"How does it look?" I asked Cam innocently, then softening at the misery in his eyes, I said, "It's okay, Cam. I really don't mind if you go riding with Georgia or anyone else. You don't have to answer to me, you know. I'm just curious, that's all—you've always seemed like you disliked horses, or maybe even were afraid of them."

He nodded, saying, "Yeah, I don't really like to be around horses... or most large animals, for that matter. I guess I'm more of a cat person than an animal person...."

"So... why the sudden change of heart?" I asked, even more curious.

"It... it was supposed to be a surprise," he admitted, reddening again as he glared in Georgia's general direction. "I know how much you love horses and horseback riding, and... well, I admit I get kind of jealous of how you and Kana go off on these long rides and have so much fun together. And I kept wishing I could do that with you, too. So... I asked Georgia if she'd teach me to ride horses. She wasn't supposed to blab!"

I could hardly believe my ears—Cam, attempting to overcome his fears just so that he could go riding with me. "This," I thought emphatically, tears pricking my eyes, "beats any number of roses or candy or whatever as far as sweet, thoughtful gifts go." I flung my arms around his neck and kissed him, then said, "Cam, that has to be just about the sweetest thing anyone has done for me, ever. That makes me so happy. Even if you don't succeed, I'm just thrilled that you're even trying. But I really hope you do succeed—I'd love to go riding with you." He gave me a hug, looking pleased if a little embarrassed, and then we parted ways.

After not a little hesitation, I headed over to visit Ash. I admit that as I approached him, I nearly turned and ran—my heart was pounding and I felt a definite surge of adrenaline as I fought the urge to flee. I pulled myself together and quickly walked up to him before I could change my mind. He turned as I walked up to him, first looking surprised, then flushing dark red, then looking apprehensive before looking down at the ground.

"So... uhh... " I trailed off, not sure what to say.

"Hey. I... I wasn't sure if I'd see you anytime soon," he said, clearing his throat nervously, without looking up at me.

"Yeah... me either, to be honest. I, uhh, got your flowers and things. Thanks. They were... they were very nice."

"Oh, uhh, well... you know... I don't know why I did what I did," he said, glancing nervously at me and looking away again. "It was so horribly wrong, and I knew it was, but I... I couldn't stop myself. It was like someone else was doing those things while I watched, and I was just frozen. I still can't believe I did that to you. I feel just completely... disgusted with myself. I'm so sorry, Alice."

I took a deep breath, and said, "It's... well, maybe not exactly okay, but... but I forgive you, Ash." He looked at me then, his mouth open in surprise. "I believe Cam when he assures me you aren't really like that, and I believe you both when you say that it won't happen again. And I'd like to try to be friends again. But it might take a while... you really terrified me, and, well, to be honest, I'm still kind of scared of you. I think it'll take some time before I can trust you and feel safe around you like I did before. So... just so you know where things stand."

He nodded, saying, "Thanks, Alice. I really don't deserve your forgiveness or your friendship, I know that. But... I'm really glad you're willing to give me another chance."

I looked away for a minute, thinking. Then I turned back and looked him in the eyes, and said, "You know, Cam said you feel frustrated by the whole situation with me and him and Mikhail and now Kana... I know it's a mess, and I know it must be frustrating, not just for them but for others as well. I had no idea that you felt that way. I... "

"It's okay," he interrupted, shaking his head. "I know you don't feel the same way. Don't let it worry you."

I nodded, then continued, "Anyway, I don't know how I feel about Cam and the others right now. I wish I did. You have no idea how badly I wish that.... But all I can do for now is... is keep doing what I've been doing all along: being honest about my feelings. And I won't resent it if anyone gets tired of waiting and goes his own way. I don't want to string them along and keep them in limbo. But I can't force myself to feel something I don't. If it's going to happen, it'll happen in its own time. So until then... until then, we're all stuck waiting."

Ash just looked at me for a few minutes, thinking. Then he slowly nodded, saying, "It can't be helped, then, can it? I believe you when you say that you wish it wasn't the way it is. And I believe you're a genuinely nice person—you wouldn't do this just for the fun of having a lot of guys chasing after you, unlike some girls. So if you are doing it, it's because you really feel like you have no choice. But as Cam reminded me yesterday, the guys do. If they don't like the waiting, they can take a hike. So if they're hanging on, it's by their own choice, not because you're somehow making them. I don't know why, but I was blind to that before, and... it made me so angry, thinking you were just toying with them... with all of us. I can see it now, though, and I know it was unfair of me to have suspected you of doing that. You just aren't that mean-spirited." With that, we parted, the first tentative step towards mending our friendship taken.

When I returned to collect Nimbus afterwards, Georgia ran up, and looking embarrassed, she apologized profusely. "I'm sooo sorry, Alice. Cam asked me to keep the lessons a secret, but I just clean forgot. I hope I didn't spoil anything?"

She looked worried, so I quickly reassured her, "No, it's fine Georgia. I'm happy that he's at least trying to learn. Maybe once he's a little more confident in the saddle, we can arrange a group ride—you and me and Cam and Kana!"I added, suddenly remembering my comment to Cam the day before about Georgia and Kana.

Her eyes lit up, and she replied, "Oh, that would be so much fun! I'd love that!" Then with a wave, she returned to her horses, and I turned Nimbus towards the mountain and home.