Nina faintly smiled as she watched Shamus speak tender phrases to the black mare very much ready to foal. He stroked her nose and gave her forelock a tug, all the while reassuring her the wait for the foal would soon be over. He had done much the same for nearly half a dozen bulging mares.
Moving her gaze to the band on her finger, she twirled it absently, thinking again of their conversation en route to the meadow. She hadn't intended to confess her feelings for Ryu. Neither had she meant to tell him of her plot with Momo. But it felt wonderful to share. To step out from under the guilt and receive assurance. He hadn't seemed to become disheartened when she confessed that love was still something she wanted.
With a sigh, Nina raised her eyes just as Shamus fed a carrot to a pretty golden yearling. He caught her gaze and lifted a hand to give a slight wave, which Nina returned. Shamus had suggested inviting Momo and Ryu for dinner, so Nina could apologize and repair those damaged bridges. Though Nina knew it was something she needed to do, she couldn't face them together. Not yet.
Thankfully, Shamus hadn't pressed. Once the suggestion had been made, he had guided the subject to safer things such as plum trees and perfumes. Nina smiled. Yes. She liked Shamus McNeil, and it would be easy to grow fond of him. I have but to release my past to the past and move to my future. Nina watched as Shamus jogged toward her. It won't be a horrible future.
Shamus lowered himself onto his side in front of her with an exhalation of breath and a smile as he absently plucked the lush grass. He smiled his usual easy and charming smile. "A couple of the girls are really close; any day now I'm thinking."
"How exciting."
He nodded, expression bright. "We'll be able to have your father come and pick which ones he wants. We can throw a big dinner party, too."
Nina sent him a soft smile. "I hope you don't think I'm that anxious to see them again."
"No," Shamus said, meeting her eyes with a serious expression. "I just figured it would make your papa feel better if he saw you and I were getting along okay."
"I'm sure father isn't concerned in the least," Nina said, adjusting her position to lay on her stomach across from him. "But thank you for thought of my family."
Shamus' ears pinked as he examined the grass blade in his fingers. "My pleasure."
Examining his handsome features with interest and a soft smile, Nina crossed her ankles as they hung suspended above her. "Shamus?"
He only glanced toward her. "Yeah?"
"Why did you want to be mayor of McNeil?"
Shamus cleared his throat and took up another blade of grass. As Nina had noticed before, he didn't look the least bit comfortable talking about himself.
"I really want to know," Nina pressed gently. "It's such an amazing responsibility, and you've handled it so well."
He cleared his throat again as he glanced up and then away, ears completely red. Again he looked resistant to answer. Nina couldn't understand why.
"I uh..." Shamus released a deep breath and tossed a blade of grass away, immediately picking another. "These are good people," he said quietly. "I wanted them to have a better life than what they'd had."
Nina carefully watched his expression. "At 20? Weren't you still learning from your father?"
"The McNeil's put us on our own early," he confessed with a quick glance her direction. "I'd basically been responsible for father's ranch since I was 12."
"But that's so young!"
Shamus gave a one-shoulder shrug. "It taught me a lot of things."
"But... Did you have the chance to be a child?"
"Sure. After chores and before bed." He shrugged again, another glance sent her way. "I didn't mind all that much."
Nina watched his handsome face. "With such responsibilities, how did you remain so... so... kindhearted?"
Smiling, Shamus met her eyes. "Responsibilities don't make a person mean. That's a choice."
"Yes, I suppose you're right," Nina agreed, expression softening. She held his gaze until he again looked away. "So you wanted to be mayor to be completely independent?" she reasoned as she examined his profile. "To prove something to your family even?"
Shamus looked to her with a blink of surprise. "Prove something?"
Nina cupped her jaw with a hand as her other teased the grass with her fingers. "I believe you wanted to prove McNeil could be successful without using fear. I believe you wanted to make a point to the McNeil clan."
Shamus moved his eyes away from her face without a word.
Nina smiled. "I'm proud of you, Shamus McNeil." Then she reached out and clasped his hand, lightly stroking it with her thumb. "It takes a lot of courage to stand up to a tradition, and not many people want to be bothered with it." She gave his hand a little squeeze. "Good for you."
Shamus softly smiled, face flushed as he glanced toward her. "I would've done it sooner if I knew I'd have got you for a wife."
Nina laughed, eyes crinkling at the corners. "Why, Shamus McNeil. You do go on."
As Shamus continued to smile at her, Nina felt a touch of surprise when she realized she liked his attention, and not in the common sense of the word. She could actually feel the 'like' moving forward to care and fondness. It instilled in her an emotion of relief, although she supposed there shouldn't have been any doubt of a growing friendship. After all, hadn't they already shown a surprising 'click'? Much as she and Ryu when they had first met.
All at once, Nina noticed Shamus' smile had faded. When he moved his focus to their clasped hands, Nina gave them a gentle squeeze. "Shay? What's the matter?"
"Nothing," he said while giving a slight shrug. "I just..." He cleared his throat, his ears pink. "Can I kiss your hand?"
Smile vanished, Nina blinked. She hadn't ever been asked that question. Men generally helped themselves. It made her feel special that he had asked. Nina intercepted his hesitant glance with a return of the smile. "Yes, Shay. Yes, you can."
He stared down at her hand a moment before gently and cautiously raising it to his lips for a feather-light touch. Then he simply lowered it again and caressed it with his thumb. Nina continued to smile at him. Yes. She liked Shamus McNeil, and it would be easy to care for him. And what a blessing that is; to actually care for my husband. She knew her parents would be relieved.
Shamus released a slow breath. "I guess we should head out."
Nina's eyes crinkled at the corners at his more-than-reluctant tone. "I suppose so."
"Rei'll pop me one if I don't bring you over for a visit," he added, and he still sounded as if he tried to convince himself.
"More than likely."
Shamus released another breath.
Nina giggled, drawing his attention. "Shay, you silly, we don't have to go anywhere if you don't want to. Rei and the others will understand."
Looking away, he sheepishly smiled while giving her hand a couple gentle squeezes. "I... I guess so. I just..." He cleared his throat.
"You just what?" she pressed, smiling.
He glanced toward her. "I'm having a lot of fun."
Nina's smile widened as her eyes twinkled. "So then why do you want to run away, Mayor McNeil?" she teased.
Reluctantly, Shamus chuckled. "Because I'm having a lot of fun." He brought his other hand over to gently stroke the skin of her hand. "I feel like... I don't know. Like I'm shirking my duties or something. Playing hookie."
Nina gave a little shiver, smiling when Shamus looked over at her. "You are, silly. It's called a wedding holiday."
He looked away again, a boyish smile warming his expression. Nina's smile faded as she changed her focus to his hand with an arched eyebrow and an inward examination.
"Yeah. I guess," he admitted.
Nina pulled her focus from his hand as it continued to stroke her skin. She smiled again. "Shay, who's to say we won't continue to have fun as we walk around?"
"Oh I know that," he said. "I only... well, I kinda wanted to just... um..."
Nina giggled, lowering her hand from her chin to reach out and cup his jaw. He met her gaze with an expression of muted surprise. "You only want what, Shay?" she encouraged gently.
"I kinda wanted you to myself."
Nina blinked in surprise, and her smile vanished. Her cheeks actually flushed as she dropped her hand from his jaw and glanced away. "Oh."
"Sorry, Nina..." Shamus stammered as he very quickly pulled his hands from hers. "I..."
Shaking her head, Nina sought his eyes. He continued to look away. She reached out a hand when he sat up and moved to stand. "Shamus. Wait." He didn't stand, but he didn't look at her either. Nina moved to kneel, sitting back on her heels. "My reaction..." Nina sighed and took hold of his hand. "I'm sorry."
"It's alright."
When his hand simply hung limp within her grip, Nina felt a tear prick. "Shay?"
He released a slow breath before looking over at her, green eyes dark. "Yeah?"
"Shay, please don't be angry."
"I'm not," he said quietly, once more looking away.
The tears pushed harder. "I didn't mean to hurt you."
He nodded. "I know."
But Nina felt a hint of dread he wouldn't be the same as before. She moved her gaze to his hand that didn't really hold hers and felt a twinge of loss. Then she brought her other hand to hold his between them, gently rubbing it with her thumbs. When a tear actually dripped down, she gave a start.
Shamus released a breath as he moved his hand within hers to gently enfold them. "Don't cry, princess."
Nina sniffed and raised her misty gaze to meet his sad expression. She slightly smiled. "I really am sorry, Shamus."
"I know," he said softly, and he brought his other hand up to wipe the tears from her cheeks with a gentle touch. "Please don't cry anymore."
Only Nina couldn't stop crying. Shamus' touch so full of care; his expression so dark with regret. They made the tears flow faster. She hiccupped a tear with a vague feeling of surprise as she lowered her gaze from his. "I..." Nina hiccupped again, more tears coming from a place she didn't understand.
Shamus drew her close with a whispered, "Come here, princess," and enfolded her within a comforting embrace.
Nina closed her eyes and relaxed into the arms, surrounded also by confusion and a vague yet deep emotion of relief as she continued to softly cry. The only other time she had cried this way had been when Ryu had appeared after so many years believing him dead. Yet even this felt oddly different; as if she mourned and celebrated at the same time.
Shamus stroked her hair as he soothed with a softly uttered, "Sh-sh-sh."
Nina tucked her hands close together, holding them between Shamus' chest and her own as his warmth and closeness comforted her. Soon the tears slowed and faded and she only listened to his breathing and heartbeat with an odd feeling of inner searching.
Then Shamus pushed gently back and the search was lost.
He smiled at her, again bringing a hand up to brush the tear-trails away. "I guess I'm trying so hard not to scare you that I think I've scared you when I didn't. Sorry, princess."
Nina returned his smile. "You shocked me, Shamus McNeil," she confessed softly. "Now I owe you two stories of myself."
He gently touched her under the chin with one side of his finger. "I'll take it."
Nina held Shamus' gaze for a silent moment of quiet expectation, still smiling as relief and that unexpected quiver of mild confusion wrestled with something else. The wrestling quieted when Shamus gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
"Come on," he urged. He stood and helped her do the same. "Let's dawdle over to Rei's. He spent all day cleaning the place. He'll skin me alive if we don't stop by."
Then he scooped up the basket and they headed off toward the road leading to Cedar Woods. Nina's hand remained content within his, and the wrestling quieted still more as confusion grew. Nina wasn't at all confused as to how she could care for him as a friend in such a short amount of time, for she had always been blessed with that talent. The confusion went deeper. Yet she didn't quite know how to examine it to understand what it stemmed from. To Nina's surprise, she experienced a 'hiccup' of eager anticipation at the discovery. Perhaps it's a hope? Nina's expression brightened as she gave Shamus' hand a squeeze.
He looked over at her with his usual easy smile. She returned it, stepping slightly closer as she changed her focus ahead. Hope was welcome.
