Cody made his way through Tompkins' store perusing a display of knives when the elbow connected with his midsection. He grunted loudly and then looked around for his assailant only to find a horrified looking young woman. She was his age or maybe a year or so younger and was dressed so drab he probably would have looked past her before.

"I am so sorry," she kept repeating over and over and then finally ended with, "I'm so clumsy. Are you hurt?"

Now it was not in Cody's nature to be cross with a woman, especially one that he's just met and he already was pasting a smile on his face when his eyes met hers. There was nothing remarkable about this woman really. She wore a faded grey dress with no adornments and really no shape to it at all and her dull, brown hair was back in a simple bun that belied her youth and the pieces escaping here and there spoke, along with her wan complexion of fatigue from long days of hard work. Nothing was remarkable at all until he met those eyes. They were the color of a summer wheat field.

"No need to apologize, Miss," Cody said tipping his hat to her, "I'm quite sure the fault was mine."

He flashed his warmest smile and was disheartened when those lovely clear green eyes dropped from his. He needed to see those eyes again, he could only imagine how they might sparkle or dance if he could bring a smile to their owner. Boldly he took her hand in his.

"William F. Cody," he said bringing her hand to his lips, "Billy to my friends. Might I know the name of the angel who has just crossed my path?"

"Heather," was the barely audible response, "Heather Hastings. I really am sorry, Mr. Cody. I need to be going."

And just that fast, she was out the door. Cody could do nothing but stare after her. He shook his head trying to clear it. When he thought clearly, there was nothing special about that young lady. She wasn't ugly but she wasn't all that pretty either. He had no idea of her figure as her dress was about as shape revealing as a potato sack and everything about her was as if she had been painted in watercolors in the middle of an oil painting, everything except those captivating eyes. They weren't a color that was other worldly. He had seen eyes near to that color before but there was something about them that spoke of a history beyond his comprehension and a future beyond what he could fathom. He had to see them, to see her, again.

By the time he got out onto the street she was nowhere to be seen. If it weren't for his stomach that was still hurting from where she'd run into him he would have been able to convince himself he'd made her up. But she had been real. She had run right into him and for a moment his eyes met hers and the things he saw there made him feel like he needed to take action even though he had no earthly idea what that action would be.

The following days were like a fog for Cody. He just felt like he was going through the motions. He did his chores, ate his meals and went on a run. But his heart was still in that one moment in Tompkins' store when his eyes met Heather's. The others were starting to become suspicious of his behavior. It was Lou who approached him first.

"Cody," she said leaning on the outside of a stall he was cleaning out, "Something wrong?"

"No Lou, nothing's wrong," he replied and went right back to work.

"You just ain't acting yourself lately and you got us to worrying is all," she said, "You know if something was wrong you could talk to me or one of the guys about it. I know we tease you but we'd be here if you had a problem or something."

Cody was about to grunt that he didn't need the help but then he thought maybe he could use someone to talk to and Lou was sort of a girl anyway.

"Maybe there is something you could help me with," he said, "Or at least it might feel good to talk to someone about it."

He then told her of bumping into Heather in Tompkins' store and how he'd been able to think of little else since.

Lou wasn't quite sure she heard him correctly. He wasn't talking about some society lady in finery or with a corset and a dozen petticoats. This was a simple girl in a faded work dress. Now she was even more certain that there was something wrong with Cody but then again, perhaps he was just gaining some maturity and understanding there was more to life than just a pretty face and a pile of money behind it.

"Hastings?" Lou asked, "I never heard of no families named Hastings around here. Maybe Teaspoon knows how to find her. You'd probably feel better if you could talk to her at least."

Cody was just finishing his work and turned to Lou with that big dopey smile of his.

"Thanks Lou, I think I'll do just that."

A while later Cody was standing outside the marshal's office looking in the door at Teaspoon who had his feet propped on the desk and looked to be asleep. Cody knew he probably wasn't and headed in. Soon he found himself explaining the girl with the summer wheat eyes.

If Cody was distracted by the lovely eyed girl in the store then Heather was nearly frozen with all that she had felt on looking into those clear blue eyes. Those eyes had twinkled at her and his voice had been like velvet rolling toward her in waves. She had been a fool to even set foot in the store or in the town proper at that. She had only been coming in to collect the children from school and on a whim had walked into the store. It had been years since she had been in such a place and for a moment it had seemed like the most natural thing in the world to be there. Until she had clumsily run into that handsome man. Of course she had. Heather had no business with civilized folk. She ought to know that, she heard it often enough and now she had her proof that it was true.

Still she smiled thinking how it felt when he had kissed her hand. She felt warm and shivery all at once. At night, once all the children were asleep, she climbed into her own bed and thought on him. She thought about his smiling eyes and his lopsided grin and his smooth, soft voice. Inevitably her hand would snake between her legs where she could feel the heat and the wetness gather. She knew ladies did not do such things but then it had been made clear to her many times over that she was no lady and if that was out of reach then she might as well feel good. And it did feel good. It felt especially good when she would think that maybe this Mr. Cody would someday touch her like this and possibly even kiss her while he did it. Yes, that was the thought of a wanton woman, a woman who would come to no good but she was already there—no good—wasn't she? Nothing could really make that worse. It's not as if a good man like him would ever look at her again. He wouldn't have looked at her the once if she hadn't been so clumsy.

"That's what she said her name was, Teaspoon," Cody insisted, "How can you not know any Hastings families?"

"I don't know what I can tell you besides the truth, Cody. I don't know a family around these parts by that name."

Cody looked helplessly at Teaspoon and the older man felt for his charge. He'd been captivated so by a woman before, her eyes or her lips or her hair. And there was something Cody wasn't telling but Teaspoon thought the young man might have seen something in those eyes beyond just an intriguing color. Then something occurred to him.

"You said her name was Heather?"

"Yes, Heather Hastings," Cody said looking exasperated.

"The Lepley's have a girl living with them, well, with him and the kids," Teaspoon mused, "Wife passed on must be close to two years ago, I reckon. Seems that girl's name is Heather. I haven't seen her since before Etheline passed but I suppose she would have grown into a young lady by now."

"She just lives there?" Cody asked.

"I think she's their niece or cousin or something like that," Teaspoon explained, "Seems she takes care of all the little ones."

Cody nodded at that. There were a lot of little ones around the Lepley place. Well now he knew where to find her. Cody gave a small wave to Teaspoon as he set out toward the school. If she was in charge of all of the Lepley children then perhaps she came to collect them from school although she looked barely old enough to be out of school herself.

As he approached the schoolhouse he could see her leaning against a tree wearing the same faded and shapeless dress as she had a few days earlier.

"Good afternoon, Miss Hastings," he said as he drew nearer to her. He saw her jump and then look around those fascinating eyes quickly dropping toward the ground when she saw him.

"Hello Mr. Cody," she said meekly and then looked as though she might speak further but then opted not to.

"I'm sorry we didn't get more time to get to know one another the other day," he told her trying and failing to convince her to raise her eyes to his, "Maybe now is a better time."

Heather wanted nothing more than to spend time with this man, to get to know him but she knew better.

"It's almost time for the children to be let out for the day, Mr. Cody."

"I told you before," he said flashing the sweetest smile he had to offer, "My friends call me Billy."

"I need to see to the kids, B-Billy."

It felt good to call him that and even better that he somehow wanted them to be friends but she really couldn't allow it. Heather didn't know what game he was playing at but she knew for certain that smile wasn't really for her. I couldn't be. She moved to where the Lepley children were assembling but Billy caught her arm.

"Maybe tomorrow we could talk a little more," he said smiling and then released her. It disturbed him how bony her arm had been through the sleeve of her worn work dress. Then he went inside to find Rachel.

Cody was disappointed to learn that Rachel had no information on Heather either. She only knew the girl was there every morning dropping the Lepley children off and there every afternoon to collect them. Until Cody had told her, she didn't even know the girl's name as the children only ever called her the girl.

"I wish I could be of more help," Rachel said when Cody had finished grilling her on everything she might know about Heather.

"I guess I'll just have to get the chores done early so I can be here when she comes for the children," he resolved, "Maybe I can get her talking."

"You know there's a dance coming up soon," Rachel noted, "Get to know her a little better and she might just agree to go with you."

The next day Cody got to the schoolhouse extra early hoping that Heather would be there too. Rachel had said that sometimes the girl would show up early and thought it was perhaps her only relaxing time for the day. He didn't have to wait more than five minutes before she came strolling up and sat down in the shade of an apple tree. Cody sauntered over.

"Good afternoon to you again, Miss Hastings," he said tipping his hat, "Looks like you've found the most promising spot of shade in the whole schoolyard."

"Hello Billy," Heather whispered looking at her feet and then in a moment of boldness she'd never quite be able to explain she added, "You could call me Heather if you like."

Cody's smile grew wider, "It so happens I do like. I like that an awful lot, Heather."

He thought maybe he saw a blush creep to her cheeks and maybe was making some progress.

"So Heather," he began, "Tell me about yourself."

"Nothing to tell," she replied, "I take care of the kids, I cook and I clean. That's all."

Heather waited for him to bore of her and leave. She almost willed it to be. His very proximity to her made her feel warm all over and brought a tingling to her.

"There must be something more," Cody prodded gently, "Those are things you do but aren't there things you wish? You must dream of something when you close those beautiful eyes at night."

Heather fought to keep her blush under control. It would simply not do to admit what she thought about when she closed her eyes, what she did to herself. As for dreams or wishes, she had few and the largest among them were things she could not say out loud. But he was still looking at her with those pale blue eyes and that warm smile.

"When I was a little girl my mother took me once on a picnic," she said and could not figure for the life of her why this memory came to her right now, "It was lovely. There was a pond and after we ate I went in swimming and next to the pond was a meadow of wildflowers. My mother made them into a circle and said it was my crown because a princess needs a crown. It was the most wonderful day. I would like a day like that again."

There was no charming or witty comeback for Cody at this story. His heart broke in his chest at the thought that she had possibly lived a life so devoid of joy that one afternoon that others might take for granted would be all she could dream of.

"Maybe," he choked out, "Maybe sometime we could go on a picnic. I know a place kind of like that."

Heather blinked a few times to collect herself.

"I don't think that would be a very good idea Billy," she said flatly, "I am sure Uncle Martin would never allow it."

"I wouldn't ask without a chaperone," Cody pleaded.

"It's not that," Heather told him nearly snorting with laughter that anyone would think a girl like her would need a chaperone, "I just can't get away like that. I have responsibilities."

"Responsibilities?" Cody asked, "You can't be more than what, sixteen or maybe seventeen? Those ain't your kids."

"I'm fifteen," she said softly, "And the kids are my job to care for. I need to go now."

The bell was ringing and children were running every which way. The Lepley children gathered around her with the boys and older ones running ahead a little ways but there was one, a little girl of no more than eight who hung back with Heather and even offered a brief hug to the young lady.

"Now I would've thought there wasn't a woman alive that wasn't your type, Cody," Jimmy's voice came from somewhere behind him, "Until I saw her. Nothing against her but she don't seem the kind you usually take after."

"You wouldn't understand, Jimmy," Cody said angrily pushing past his friend.

"I might if you tried explaining."

"I doubt it because I don't understand it either," Cody told Jimmy defeated, "I don't really know what it is about her but something is pulling me to her. And she does have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen."

"That can be enough sometimes, Cody," Jimmy said smiling, "Watch it though. I've been sucked in by a pair of pretty eyes before myself and it don't always turn out like you hope."

I know this is short and the rating might seem high now but if there's interest in this story, then I know where it's going and I'd rather rate it correctly now than have to change it later. So please let me know what you think...good or bad...and I'll know if I ought to continue.-J