Stepping outside, Colette stretched, taking care not to spill her cup of coffee. Even though the sun was just rising, it was already quite warm. There wasn't so much as a cloud in the sky, so she gulped her coffee and hurried to start watering her crops. She'd finally cleared enough of her fields to have room to plant some tomatoes, corn, and melons, and she had to water them early to give the water enough time to soak into the soil. Once it heated up, the water would evaporate too quickly.

After turning on her sprinklers and checking to be sure they were set properly, she hurried off to care for her cow and hen, turning them both out into the grassy pasture. Gannon was already at work on the stable, and he expected to finish that day—three days ahead of schedule. He'd been reluctant to allow her to assist him, but it appeared she'd been of some help, after all. And tomorrow, Vaughn should arrive with her new livestock.

Spotting her approaching, Gannon climbed down from the ladder where he was perched. "Mornin', lady. Just need ta finish a couple a' things more an' it'll be done."

"That's wonderful, Gannon. Thank you so much for all your hard work! What should I do today?"

"Wallll... I aim to finish puttin' in the 'lectric an' pipes today. Lights an' all that. The only thing left what needs doin' is the floors. Yer can paint the outside, though. Paint's by the door."

So she spent the day painting the exterior and trim of the stable in the same dark red and white as her livestock barn, stopping just long enough to grab a quick lunch at noon and again in the early evening to put her cow and hen away for the night. Gannon finished up midday, tested the lighting, fans, and plumbing, then departed. He warned her that she needed to stay off the cement for two days, to allow the sealer to cure completely. Once the floors were ready, she could lay down the stall mats and move Arthur in. She left the fans running all that day to help the sealer to dry more quickly, since she couldn't have the doors and windows open until the floors were usable.

She was a fast worker, thankfully, and by evening she'd dabbed the last touch of white on the trim. She stood back to admire her handiwork, then with a tired sigh, she packed up and went to take a shower.

The sun was already down by the time she emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in one towel with another wound around her long hair. Too worn out to go anywhere, she changed into a pair of short pajamas and threw together a salad, then sat down to eat it while flipping through a magazine and listening to the news on the radio. To her dismay, she heard that a tropical depression was developing, and looked to be heading toward the islands. It was expected to hit within a week, and it was as yet uncertain if it would intensify to a tropical storm or possibly even a typhoon. With a groan, she carried her dishes out, washed up, and collapsed into bed.

The next morning, after finishing her chores, she checked on the stable floor. It wasn't quite dry, though, so she switched the fans on again and closed the doors. After cleaning up, she went on into town.

The cleanup from the earthquake had taken a few days, but now all the repairs had been finished and the mess cleared away. The geologists had taken another look at the island, but as it had risen several inches since their initial investigation, they advised against opening it to tourists yet.

She sought out Will, who was just emerging from the cabin of his yacht. "Good morning," she called from the dock, and he leaned over the railing to wave to her.

"Good morning yourself! How are you this fine day?"

"As well as can be expected," she replied as he stepped down the gangplank to join her. "Did you hear about the storm?"

"Indeed I did. I'll have to batton down and take refuge at Carol's. I'm worried about Arthur, though."

"No need to be," she grinned. "Gannon finished early. As soon as the sealer on the cement has dried, you can move him in. Of course, there's no guarantee he'll be safe there—that depends on how badly the storm hits us. But at any rate, he'll be better off there than in the hold of a boat."

"Without question. I'm greatly relieved by your news. I was intending to transport him to the mainland via the ferry, hoping I might find someplace to board him until the storm passed despite the short notice. Now it seems I won't need to do so. Thank you."

"Sure. It seems so unfair to have a big storm, maybe even a typhoon, coming this way at all, though. I mean, first a volcano, then an earthquake, now this? What's next?"

"Better not ask," Will replied with a chuckle. "You don't want to jinx yourself."

She sighed. "Well, I'd better get a move on. Vaughn's supposed to be delivering all those animals tomorrow, so I need to be prepared for them. Especially with a storm coming."

Sure enough, she had hardly done more than crawl out of bed and taken her first sip of coffee the following morning when she heard a commotion outside. Hurrying out, she saw a small herd of animals heading her way, a pair of dogs darting about in apparent response to Vaughn's shouts as he brought up the rear on a handsome dappled buckskin.

Although she was still in her pajamas, she stepped in and set her coffee down on the nearest horizontal surface while tugging her boots onto her bare feet. Then she ran out, crossing her arms self-consciously over her chest.

"Sorry to catch you off guard," Vaughn said with evident amusement, "but I'd nowhere else to take 'em. So here you go. Where do you want 'em—pasture or barn?"

She looked the herd over. "Pasture I guess. Where are the chickens?"

"I left them at Belle's for now, while I brought this lot on over. I'll go back for them." Then he whistled and called out to his dogs, and they started the animals moving again, back toward her pasture, carefully avoiding her crops.

"Where can I get a dog like yours?" she asked as she walked alongside his horse.

"Want one?" he asked, glancing down at her.

"Yes, I think I do. I've been wondering how I'd manage to move them on my own. I don't know why herd dogs never occurred to me."

"Inexperience," he commented matter-of-factly. "They're not mine, I'm just helping to train them. But the guy I'm training them with wants to sell 'em anyway. You can have one or both of them, but you'll have to sign up for training classes."

"I will? They look pretty well trained to me...." Colette said in surprise as she watched them moving efficiently around the group of livestock.

"Not for them, for you," he clarified, looking down at her with a half smile.

"Me?" she exclaimed, torn between surprise and offense.

"Yep. You know how to communicate with herd dogs, to get them to do what you want?"

"I... no, I don't. All right, but where? And when?"

"I'll teach you. Don't make plans for either this afternoon or next."

"Okay, but...." She paused looking over at the dogs lying alert, panting in the shade of the fence.

"But what?"

"I was just thinking that I'll still have to get all those cows and sheep in tonight all on my own!"

The corner of his mouth twitched and he looked quickly away. "I think we can work something out. I'll be back soon with your chickens, and I'll come around after lunch for your first lesson." Then he turned his horse and rode away.

By Tuesday afternoon, she had a good grasp on the basic commands, and she was able to direct her new dogs, Kep and Sadie, to bring all her animals in without turning to Vaughn for help. He seemed pleased with her quick progress, and as they strolled back to her house, he even said as much.

"By the way, slipped my mind before, but I've got a prospective mare for you, if you're still interested. Got a photo back at the inn. Want to come take a look? If you're interested, I can bring her next week for you to try her out."

"I'd love to, thanks!" Colette exclaimed, and they continued on across the bridge.

"She's an Arabian, broke to western, been used for ranch work as well as for pleasure and trail. Really versatile. Everything checks out clear, should you want to breed her sometime. She's twelve years old, foaled twice, nice, sound offspring. On the big side for an Arabian mare—15.2 hands."

"Why's the owner selling her?"

"Herd dispersal. Lady used to breed horses, but she injured her back in a car accident and can't ride anymore. She's keeping one for her daughter to ride, selling the rest. The Morgan gelding I've got with me is one of hers, too. Thinking of buying him."

"Oh? I take it you'd keep him on the mainland, since you're only here a couple days a week?"

"Yup," Vaughn replied as they walked into the inn. He nodded to Carol, who looked a little surprised, then went on to one of the rooms toward the back. Opening the door, he said, "Have a seat. It's around here somewhere."

She sat on one of the chairs by the window and waited as he rummaged first through a satchel, then through a backpack, and finally flipped through the pages of a book or journal of some sort. A photo fell out, and he exclaimed "Ahh, here it is."

He handed her the picture and sat in the other chair. "Well, she's a beauty anyway," Colette said as she examined the photo. "She looks nice and athletic, too. Sure, I'll see how she works out, if you can bring her out with you. Will she let you do that? Just take her like that?"

"Yeah, I've known her for a while now. I've sold some of her horses for her in the past, and I'm helping her with this sale, too. But don't worry. I'd no sooner sell an unsuitable animal to someone than I'd sell an animal to an unsuitable owner."

"No, I don't imagine you would," she said with a slight smile as she rose. "Well, I appreciate all the training and everything. Can I buy you dinner? As a thank you?"

"Won't your boyfriend be upset if you take another guy out to dinner?" he asked, looking askance at her as he held the door open for her.

"Boyfriend?" Colette said, startled.

"Yeah, aren't you seeing that Will guy now?"

"Well, I... I mean, we've been on a few dates, but...." She looked back at him, her cheeks reddening, before stepping back outside.

"Julia says you spend nearly every day with him, when you're not working anyway. Kinda sounds like a boyfriend to me," he drawled with a slightly malicious enjoyment of her discomfiture.

"I never... I mean, I just don't know if I...."

"If you what?"

Colette whirled around, and found herself face to face with Will, who was looking from her to Vaughn and back again, an aggrieved look on his face.

"Oh, Will! You startled me! I-I didn't expect to see you," she stammered.

"Nor did I expect to see you emerging from a hotel with another man," he replied coolly.

"What, Vaughn? Oh! No, it's not... I mean, we're not...." She stopped, flustered.

Vaughn pushed past her to look Will in the eyes. They were nearly perfectly matched for height, with Will perhaps at a slight advantage—but very slight. "Cool it. We were talking business, that's all. Besides, you don't own her, now, do you? So it ain't your business who she chooses to spend her time with."

Colette stepped in and pushed the two apart. "Stop it, both of you. Thanks, Vaughn, I'm looking forward to trying out that mare. If you still want to join me for dinner, can you meet me there later? I need to clean up if I'm eating out."

He shrugged and turned toward the bridge. "Nah. You're not my type, anyway," he called back to her as he sauntered away.

Anger flashed over her face as she glared at his retreating back, then just as quickly, it was gone. She turned back to Will. "I'm sorry, Will, but I really don't understand why you're so upset."

He put his hand on her elbow and steered her toward the beach. "I suppose he's right. I've no right to be, really," he replied, once they were on a secluded stretch of beach. "But when I saw you coming out of the hotel with him, looking so happy and blushing as you were, I felt as though someone had punched me in the stomach. I... I suppose I was jealous. I apologize."

"You were? But...." She just looked at him helplessly.

He took her hand in both of his and held it firmly. "I know, we only met two weeks ago. But since then, we've spent more time with each other than many couples who've known each other for months. And... perhaps I assumed incorrectly, but... I know I feel a deep attachment to you, and it grows stronger with every passing day. And I can't help but hope you feel the same way."

"Will, I...." he placed a finger on her lips to hush her.

"Please, let me finish. It may seem, oh, silly of me, but... I would be honored if you would allow me to consider myself your boyfriend—if you would consider us as a couple from this day forward."

"I... I still don't know if I'm ready for...."

"I promise you, I won't push you, just as I promised you before. You still set the pace. But I want you to know what you mean to me, that you're not just some summer fling."

She smiled up at him, her eyes shining like amber in the sunlight, and held onto his arm with a tight squeeze. "Well, then, boyfriend—shall we go get some dinner?"